Patent Publication Number: US-9834950-B2

Title: Earth auger and pole machine, and pole installation method

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority to Brazilian Patent Application No. 102015007997-4, filed Apr. 9, 2015. The disclosure of the prior application of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention consists of an earth auger and pole machine for open pit mines and, following, a pole installation method. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INTENTION 
     The invention refers to an earth auger and pole machine for access roads towards open-pit mines. 
     Access roads are those roads built to allow vehicles and equipment to access an open-pit mine. They are built on the side borders of the mines, tapering into a helical path until they reach the bottom of the deposit (see  FIG. 1 ). 
     In general, an access road is always located at five meters in vertical from the lower access road; see distance in  FIG. 2 . 
     The access road  15  does not have proper lighting, which makes it difficult from noticing the road border limits at night. In order to prevent accidents and improve the visibility of the road borders, soil banks are built,  16 , of about 2.5 meters height (see distance d′ in  FIG. 2 ) and, in the upper side of these banks, poles are installed,  13 . 
     Poles are signaling devices used to show the limit of the access road to open-pit mines. They are made of PVC tubes and labeled with reflective film to improve better viewing at night. 
     Poles are installed in a sequence, on the upper face of earth banks. Poles help the vehicle operator who is traveling through the access road. 
     In the prior art, poles are installed manually by workers. Such installation is conducted in two steps: the drilling step and the prop installation step. 
     The drilling step is performed by a worker in the access road bank, by using a backhoe (similar to the equipment showed in BRMU7602012-6). This step demands intense physical strength from the worker, and is quite unsatisfactory with regard to the ergonomics of the operation. 
     The second step is the pole introduction into the hole produced in the first step. This process is conducted by a worker too, and is performed manually without any aid of any piece of device. Therefore, the process, once more, demands intense physical strength and shows low ergonomic conditions as it is necessary to load and manually insert the pole into the hole. 
     Both steps take place in the upper side of the bank, thus exposing the workers to high altitude, which poses a high risk of falling to these individuals, making the installation of poles not only exhausting in physical and ergonomics terms, but also hazardous due to the possibility of leading a worker to fall from 17.5 meters height (d+d′). 
     Moreover, during the installation of poles, the workers are exposed to weather conditions in the location and can receive a lot of sunlight, get wet in the rain or breath the dust from the road. All this exposure may impair the physical integrity of these employees. 
     We can conclude, then, that the method taken in the prior art brings great hazards to workers and demands great physical strength from them. Also, because the method is performed manually, it requires a long time to finish the installation of each pole. 
     The prior art includes technologies that are set for automation of the utility poles installation operation. However, as shown below, these technologies are not capable of solving the specific issue of installing poles in open-pit mines. One of these technologies is covered by document US20050161654. 
     The technology covered by document US20050161654 shows a vehicle similar to a Bobcat® loader, adapted and used for installing utility poles. The vehicle is equipped with a type of mechanical arm comprised of a support for poles and hydraulic auger. 
     The mechanical arm is responsible for movement during pole installation. This installation procedure is also split into two steps, the drilling and installation. 
     The drilling step is conducted by the hydraulic auger coupled to the mechanical arm. Which, in turn, is forced against the ground by moving the mechanical arm, thus creating a hole in the floor. 
     The pole placement is conducted by a support for poles also installed on the mechanical arm. The vehicle moves towards the pole positioned in a truck or on the ground and through the movement of the mechanical arm, making the pole support contact the pole and grab it during the operation. 
     With the pole attached to the support, the vehicle moves towards the hole location in order to place it. This, in turn, is also performed by moving the mechanical arm by inserting the pole end into the inner hole part. 
     This process demands a long time of execution as it would not be possible to allow, for instance, installing a sequence of poles. Provided that the vehicle needs to move towards the pole, then to the hole, at every installation of utility pole, thereby becoming ineffective in placing these elements in sequence. 
     The process shown in US20050161654 does not seem applicable, either, to installation of poles in earth banks, as the vehicle displayed there is not able to reach the upper side of earth banks. 
     Also, the vehicle is not adapted to off-road movement and it is due to the little distance between the vehicle floor and the ground, which prevents it from traveling in rough roads, i.e, the roads similar to the access road to the open-pit mine. 
     The prior art also comprises a pole insertion technique for road borders. Such technique is covered by document DE102004018385. However, this technology is also ineffective for installing poles in open-pit mines. 
     The German document shows a vehicle equipped with an automated pole placement machine and flags for marking the road. The vehicle comprises a pole compartment where they are in upright position and a pole placement machine made of two separate devices, i.e, a loader and an installer. 
     The loader serves to transporting poles from the compartments to the installer through an automated mechanical device that rotates and enables the device end to reach the pole positioned in the compartment, and back to the installer. The loader has a support at the machine end that serves to support the pole during transportation together with the mechanic device, and let it go when contacting the installer. In the installer, the pole is positioned upright and pushed against the ground by a hydraulic hammer. 
     The movement carried out by the loader is done during the displacement from a pole installation point to another, so that a pole is always provided to the installer at the installation time required. 
     The compartment also spins, making the pole to always be at reach by the loader and providing quick loading for installation of poles in sequence. 
     This process is conducted on the same plane as the vehicle&#39;s, thus preventing the placement of poles in high places such as earth banks of open-pit mines. Still, the poles are pushed against the ground without prior drilling, thus preventing the installation of poles as, generally, they are made of PVC tubes, which implies low resistance to axial pressure. 
     For this reason, the technique DE10200401838 is not applicable to the placement of poles in open-pit mines provided that it can not be used to signaling high places and is not capable of installing poles with low structural resistance. 
     Based on the techniques shown here, in the prior art there is no technique for installing poles in open-pit mines that is able to install, in an automated way, the poles on the top of earth banks  16 . There is not, either, a method for pole placement that enables these to be installed quickly and in sequence. Finally, there is no automated method of pole placement that is able to avoid breaking the elements structure. 
     GOALS OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention aims to provide an earth auger and pole machine for installing poles in an automated manner in open-pit mine earth banks. 
     This invention also aims to provide an earth auger and pole machine for installing poles in sequence in open-pit mine earth banks. 
     Finally, the invention also targets a method for installing poles in sequence, in open-pit mine earth banks. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is best described in detail based on the respective figures: 
         FIG. 1  is a bird&#39;s eye view of the open-pit mine. 
         FIG. 2  is a front section of the open-pit mine. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the earth auger and pole machine. 
         FIG. 4  is a bird&#39;s eye view of the earth auger and pole machine. 
         FIG. 5  is a bird&#39;s eye view of the mechanical arm and its components. 
         FIG. 6  pictures a side view of the mechanical arm unfolding movement. 
         FIG. 7  pictures a side and top view of the movement of the first link of the mechanical arm. 
         FIG. 8  pictures a side view of rotary displacement of the second link of the mechanical arm. 
         FIG. 9  pictures a side view of the linear movement of the hydraulic auger. 
         FIG. 10  pictures a front view of magazine opening. 
         FIG. 11  pictures a top view of magazine rotating. 
         FIG. 12  pictures a front view of the linear movement of the pneumatic installer. 
         FIG. 13  pictures a bird&#39;s eye view to the command control in the recommended settings. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention refers to an earth auger and pole machine  10  for access roads  15  towards open-pit mines  20 . This invention also refers to a method for installing poles  13  in earth banks  16  from open-pit mines  20 . 
     Access roads  15  are those roads built to allow vehicles and equipment to access an open-pit mine  20 . They are built on the side borders of the open-pit mine  20 , tapering and making a helical path so as to enable the access to the bottom of the deposit. See  FIG. 1 . 
     The access road  15  have no light poles, which makes it difficult to notice the road border limits  15  at night. In order to prevent accidents, earth banks  16  of about 2.5 m height are built in both borders. 
     On the upper side of earth banks  16 , the poles  13  are placed. Poles  13  are signaling poles used to show the limit of the access road  15  to open-pit mines  20 . 
     Placement of poles  13  in the prior art is carried out manually, thus taking a long time to be completed. The placement also poses risk of workers falling and demands an excessive physical strength. 
     Seeking a solution to these problems, the earth auger and pole machine  10  hereto allow the poles  13  to be installed automatically, thus saving the worker&#39;s physical strength and risk of falling presented by the prior art. 
     The earth auger and pole machine  10  comprises: a hydraulic auger  7 , a supporting magazine  4 , a pneumatic installer  12 , a mechanical boom  2 , a vehicle for transportation  14  and a command control  17 . Each component is described separately below for better understanding. 
     The mechanic arm  2  is set to move and support the supporting magazine  4 , the pneumatic installer  12 , and the hydraulic auger  7  during the placement of poles  13 . The arm  2  offers a wide degree of freedom to components  4 ,  7 ,  12 , making it possible that poles  13  are installed on high spots, such as the upper face of earth banks  16  (see  FIG. 3 ) and retract them when not in use. 
     The degrees of freedom to the mechanic arm  2  are provided by movement joints that ensure supporting and moving all components  4 ,  7 ,  12  while conveying and installing the poles  13 . 
     The mechanic arm  2  is provided with two links; the first link is link  18 , and the second one, link  3 . The second link  3  has one end attached into the first link  18  and a free end. The second link  3  serves to support components  4 ,  7 ,  12  during installation of poles  13 . 
     The first link  18  is set to enable the second link  3  reach the upper face of the bank  16 . The first link  18  can pitch and lurch, i.e, rotate vertically and rotate horizontally. See  FIG. 7 . 
     The vertical movement performed by the first link  18  can draw a 90° angle from the baseline  1 , while in the horizontal movement, the first link  18  can rotate 360° from the baseline  1 . 
     The hydraulic auger  7  is set to make 100 mm diameter, 800 mm deep holes in 500 mm to 3000 mm high earth banks to place the poles  13 . This comprises an auger  8  coupled to a support  9  that levels it during the drilling operation. 
     Such support  9  is installed in a trail  11  located in the radial face of the second link  3  to the mechanic arm  2 , so that the auger  8  is arranged in parallel to the second link  3  of the mechanic arm  2 . 
     The trail  11  enables the hydraulic auger  7  to travel a linear movement while drilling the ground, thus allowing the auger  8  to come in and out of the ground to drill it. 
     Auger  8  is driven by a hydraulic engine located above the support  9 , serving only to rotate the element. The linear movement performed by the bearer  9  is carried out by means of a hydraulic cylinder which forces it to the upper or lower end of the rail  11 , see  FIG. 9 . 
     The magazine  4  is set to store and arrange the poles  13  for their installation. The magazine  4  consists of a circular base  5  provided with slots  6  responsible for storing the poles  13 . 
     The circular base  5  has a radial side parallel arranged in relation to the radial side of the second link  3  of the mechanical arm  2 . This, in turn, is coupled to the second link  3  of the mechanical arm  2  by means of a joint. 
     This joint is responsible for performing an opening movement between the magazine  4  and the second link  3 , see  FIG. 10 . This movement causes the two elements to define an angle of 90° between their structures. 
     The slots  6  are arranged perpendicularly to the flat side of the circular base  5 , so that the poles  13  also stay perpendicularly arranged in relation to that structure. The poles  13  are arranged in parallel with the auger  8  of the hydraulic auger  7 , for rapid installation after drilling. 
     The flat side of the circular base  5 , where the slots  6  are installed, is set to perform a rotary movement in the longitudinal axis. This movement is carried out so that all the poles  13  contained in slots  6  can reach the installation point, similar to turning a drum of a gun after firing. 
     The installation point is located in the circular base of the flat side  5  of the magazine  4 . The installation point is the point where it occurs the alignment of the slots  6  with the pneumatic cylinder comprised of the pneumatic installer  12 . 
     The pneumatic installer  12  is set to “push” the pole  13  against the soil, so that it can enter the hole drilled by the earth auger  7 , see  FIG. 12 . The installer  12  comprises a pneumatic piston, which forces the pole  13  against the hole during installation. 
     The pneumatic installer  12  forces only one pole  13  contained in the slot  6  into the ground, at a time, so that rotational movement of the circular base  5  causes other slots  6  to reach the installation point, see  FIG. 11 . With this, all the poles  13  contained in the slots  6  of the magazine  4  can be installed and the operator does not need to stop to reload the magazine  4  at each installation. 
     The vehicle for transportation  14  is set to move the earth auger and applicator  10  during installation of the poles  13  and provide part of the power required to earth auger and applicator  10 . 
     The earth auger drive and pole machine  10 , shown in  FIG. 3 , is hydraulic and pneumatic. The power that feeds this equipment is obtained from the compressor and power socket comprised of the vehicle  14 . There is an electric motor that is individually responsible for turning the magazine  4 . 
     The earth auger and pole machine mechanism  10  comprises eight free degrees, each represented in the figures and pointed out separately below for better understanding. 
       FIG. 6  depicts the unfolding movement of the second link  18  of the mechanical arm  2 ;  FIG. 7  depicts the two movements performed by the first link  18 ;  FIG. 8 , the rotation of the second link  3 ;  FIG. 9 , the linear movement performed by the hydraulic auger  7 ;  FIG. 10 , the opening movement performed by the magazine  4  (this movement is vital to avoid the collision between the magazine  4  and the pole  13  newly installed);  FIG. 11 , rotational movement carried out by the magazine  4 ; and  FIG. 12 , finally, depicts the movement performed by the pneumatic installer  12 . 
     The earth auger and prop road machine  10  also include a command control  17  set to allow the operator to make the installation of poles  13  without having to leave the vehicle  14 . 
     The command control  17  allows controlling the mechanical arm  2  via a joystick, which allows moving it according to its free degrees. This allows precise positioning for installation of poles  13 . 
     The command control  17  also controls the hydraulic earth auger  7 , the magazine  4  and the pneumatic installer  12 . These, for safety, are only activated when the mechanical arm  2  is already unfolded and positioned in the pole  13  installation location. 
     The hydraulic earth auger  7  is driven by means of a button contained in the control  17 . When the button is pressed, the hydraulic motor is activated causing the auger  8  to start rotating. 
     The magazine  4  is driven by means of another button contained in the control  17 , which is set to drive the electric motor associated with that element, causing the circular base  5  rotate and position the other slot  6  at the installation point. 
     The pneumatic installer  12  is also driven by means of a button contained in the control  17 . This activates the pneumatic cylinder of the installer  12  causing it to force the pole  13  contained in slot  6  placing it in the newly-formed hole in the ground. 
     Alternatively, the earth auger and pole machine  10  may comprise one or more microprocessors set to coordinate the movements of the links  18 ,  3  and components  4 ,  7 ,  12 . 
     These microprocessors allow, when touching a single button, earth auger and pole machine  10  operator determine the approach of the arm  2 , the drilling of the hole, the insertion of the pole  13 , the turning of the magazine  4  and the opening defined in  FIG. 10 . 
     Still alternatively, the mechanical arm  2  can be bi-parted, so that its length is adjustable by means of a hydraulic cylinder, similarly to a telescopic boom. The turning of the arm  2  can also be performed by a hydraulic motor coupled to a set of worm screw and crown, not limited to a hydraulic cylinder. 
     The invention also consists of a method for installation of poles  13  in open pit mines  20 . Such a method enables poles  13  to be installed in sequence, thus ensuring greater efficiency, comfort and safety during operation. 
     The method consists of twelve steps, the first step is to load the magazine  4  with up to ten poles  13  by an operator. Such loading is performed by manually inserting the poles  13  in the slots  6  of the magazine  4 . 
     The second step is to move with the earth auger and pole machine  10  to the location where you want to install them. Such move is performed by means of the transportation vehicle  14 , which is guided by the operator. 
     Alternatively, the truck could be automated and set to move to the installation location of the poles by means of a GPS and an autonomous steering system. 
     The third step is to unfold the mechanical arm  2 , causing the second link  3  to reach the top side of the earth bank  16 ; the fourth step, in turn, consists in positioning the second link  3  above the exact location where you want to install the pole  13 . 
     The fifth step is to activate the hydraulic auger  7  to drill the hole. The activation causes the auger  8  to be rotated by the hydraulic motor coupled to the support  9 , which will carry out the linear movement along the rail  11 , forcing the auger  8  against the ground and returning it to its original location. This movement will cause the auger  8  to move into and out from the ground, leaving a hole at the location after its withdrawal. 
     The sixth step is to position the pole  13  on top of the hole through the rotation of the second link  3 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , and then, at the seventh step, the pneumatic installer  12  is activated. The activation causes the installer  12  to apply the required force on the pole  13  so that this moves into the hole drilled in the fifth step. 
     The eighth step is performing the magazine opening movement  4 . This movement prevents the magazine  4  to collide with the pole  13  newly installed. 
     The ninth step is to activate the magazine  4 , so that its circular base  5  perform the rotational movement. This move will have another slot  6  at the installation point. 
     The tenth step is the movement of the auger and installer  10  to the next pole installation point, continuing the installation sequence. 
     The eleventh step is to repeat the second until the tenth step until they the poles  13  contained in the magazine  4  are ran out. When all the poles  13  are used, the twelfth step is to restart the method, thus starting from the first step again. 
     All the third step commands present until the ninth step are performed by means of the command control  17 . This, in its preferred configuration, is installed inside the cabin  19  of the control vehicle  14 , see  FIG. 13 . Such positioning allows the operator to perform the installation of poles  13  without leaving the vehicle  14 . 
     In a preferred configuration, the earth auger and pole machine  10  is constituted as shown in  FIG. 3 . In it, the transportation vehicle  14  used is a road truck and the base  1  is fixed in its body. The magazine  4  has ten slots  6 , thus enabling the installation of ten poles  13  before stopping to load. Another detail defined by the preferred configuration of the invention is the inclusion of a mechanical arm  2  provided with eight free degrees. 
     Although the preferred configuration of the invention defines all these details, it is evident that minor changes to these definitions are not beyond the protection scope of this patent application. Just to mention a few possibilities, the earth auger and pole machine  10  could comprise an arm  2  provided with five free degrees, one magazine provided with four slots  6  and a tractor as a transportation vehicle  14 . 
     The earth auger and the pole machine  10  makes possible a safer and more comfortable installation of poles  13  for the operator. With the use of earth auger and the pole machine  10  and the installation method described herein, it is possible to install multiple poles  13  in sequence without leaving the transportation vehicle  14 . This increases the efficiency in installing the poles  13 , thus enabling a larger number of installations in a shorter period of time. 
     Having described some examples of preferred completion of the invention, it is noteworthy that the scope of protection conferred by this document encompasses all other alternative forms appropriate to the implementation of the invention, which is defined and limited only by the claimed table content attached.