Patent EA-000747-B1 (EA)
Title: Machine for digging under pipes and caterpillar traction device
Inventor: BYKOV A V
IPC: E02F5/02
Filed: 1997-09-25
Abstract: 1. Machine for digging under pipelines incorporating a frame (1), mounted on the frame (1) drive traveling unit (3) for machine movement over the pipeline, and at least one end effector (4, 5) incorporating post (6) mounted on the frame with the capability of forced rotation around vertical axle (7), driven part (8) for working the soil under the pipeline, mounted on the lower part of post (6) and located to the side of the latter, and breast (10) located behind driven part (8) in the direction of the machine movement, characterized in that driven part (8) of end effector (4, 5) is made in the form of spiral mill (8), and breast (10) is fastened to post (6), while its working surface which faces the spiral mill, is made concave. 2. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that spiral mill (8) and working surface of breast (10) are made cylindrical, here the axis of rotation of spiral mill (8) is located horizontal and coaxial with the axis of the working surface of breast (10). 3. A machine according to claim 1, characterized in that end effector (4, 5) is fitted with cutter (17) which is made in the form of a segment of a ring, is located in front of breast (10) and fastened to post (6).  4. A machine according to claim 1 characterized in that post (6) of end effector (4, 5) is mounted on frame (1) with the capability of its placement at least into two positions by height. 5. A machine according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it incorporates two end effectors (4, 5) made as the mirror reflection of each other and located symmetrical relative to the machine longitudinal axis.  6. A machine according to claim 5 characterized in that the above vertical axles (7) of rotation of posts (6) relative to the axes of rotation of spiral mills (8) are shifted in opposition to breasts (10).  7. A machine according to claim 5 characterized in that spiral mills (8) are made with the left-hand direction of the blade turn (27) for the left spiral mill (8) in the direction of the machine movement and right-hand direction for the right spiral mill (8). 8. A machine according to claim 1 characterized in that drive traveling unit (3) is made as a caterpillar unit whose caterpillar chain is located in the vertical plane. 9. A machine according to claim 8 characterized in that it is fitted with idle wheels (55, 56), levers (57) mounted on the rear part of frame (1) with the capability of forced rotation and fixation, and telescopic supports (59) whose inner elements (60) are installed with the capability of forced displacement and fixation in outer elements (61) which are fitted with brackets (62) mounted on levers (57) with the capability of forced displacement and fixation; here the first (55) of the above idle rings (55, 56) are made conical and are fastened at the ends of inner elements (60) of telescopic supports (59) with their positioning under the pipeline in the vertical planes parallel to the pipeline longitudinal axis, whereas the second (56) are located in the horizontal plane, while their axles (73) are mounted on lower horizontal plates (75) of frame (1) with the capability of their movement at least into two positions across the machine width. 10. A machine according to claim 1 characterized in that it is fitted with a device (98) for transverse stabilization of the machine. 11. A machine according to claim 10 characterized in that device (98) for transverse stabilization of the machine incorporates at least one stabilizing mechanism (99) including supporting element (100) for resting on the trench bottom, which is mounted on the rear part of breast (10) with the capability of forced rotation or linear displacement in the vertical direction. 12. A machine according to claim 11 characterized in that supporting element (100) is made in the form of a ski (100) which by the first hinge (102) is connected to breast (10), and by the second hinge (103) it is connected to the bearing element of a variable length (104) which is connected to the breast (10) by the third hinge (115). 13. A machine according to claim 12 characterized in that bearing element of a variable length (104) is made in the form of a screw jack (104) which by means of telescopic propeller shaft (118) is connected to drive (199) which is mounted on frame (1) of the machine. 14. A machine according to claim 13 characterized in that drive (119) is made as a manual type drive. 15. A machine according to claims 11 to 14, characterized in that device (98) for transverse stabilization of the machine includes two stabilizing mechanisms (99) made similar to each other and spaced in the transverse direction. 16. Caterpillar traveling unit predominantly for displacement over pipelines, incorporating frame (78) and caterpillar chain mounted on frame (78) by means of tension (79) and drive (80) sprockets and including rigid elements (83) protruding beyond the outer surface of the caterpillar chain, as well as flexible supporting elements (84) connected to rigid elements (83), characterized by that flexible supporting elements (84) are connected with rigid elements (83) without the ability of linear displacements and are made short enough to enable their tension by the contour of the cross-section of the pipeline of the design diameter or cross-section of a convex-curvilinear shape of any other extended body of the design dimensions, here the caterpillar chain is made sufficiently rigid in the transverse direction for accommodating the forces of tension of the flexible supporting elements (84). 17. A device claimed in item 16 characterized by that the caterpillar chain is made in the form of two plate traction chains (81) mounted on the above drive (80) and tension sprockets (79) and rigid cross-pieces (82) located in the planes normal to the device longitudinal axis and fastened to the inner and outer plates (94) of traction chains (81), here the rigid elements (83) are made in the form of brackets (83) rigidly coupled with the ends of rigid cross-pieces (82). 18. A caterpillar traveling unit claimed in item 17 characterized by that flexible supporting elements (84) are made in the form of chains (84) whose end links (88) are located in the planes normal to the device longitudinal axis and are connected by pins (89) to located in parallel to them plates (90) of brackets (83), which from the pipeline side are made to have bevels (91), whereas rigid cross-pieces (82) are made in the form of axles (82) whose ends are rigidly mounted in the co-axial holes made in plates (94) of traction chains (81) and located between them parts of brackets (83) whose length is equal to the pitch of traction chains (81).