Patent Description:
In recent years, the evolution and adaptation of new technologies in quarries has been considerable and have contributed to reducing costs and environmental impacts, as well as increasing safety. The Dimensional Stone drilling, with measures and shapes commonly accepted in the market, is obtained with recourse to cutting machines in which the cutting means may be diamond wire or by drilling, these being used in operations designed for demolition of a quarry, in particular the cutting operations. For a better understanding of the scope, the demolition of a quarry includes the following operations:.

The present invention may be suitable to the operation d) mentioned above as second cut, which allows the current requirements to be met, with adequate technologies and greater yields, in particular a drilling machine provided with top hammers for cutting rock masses, in order to obtain blocks with dimensional measurements capable to adjust to the operating parameters of the hammers and intrinsic characteristics of the rock masses, thus ensuring higher productivity and overall efficiency/effectiveness of the system.

The following prior disclosures, consisting of patent documents, have been identified as having several limitations:.

<Patents <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> present prior art solutions for rock drilling based on hammers.

The present invention addresses the various drawbacks described above.

It is an object of the present invention to provide drilling machines with top hammers with the ability to selectively operate the sections of rock mass being drilled. This may configure a system of adjustment to the rock mass, for example with adjustment of the drilling power of each hammer, promoting the following advantages comparatively to the state of the art:.

In the above case, where there are discontinuities or different morphological characteristics in the rock mass, it is possible that as the rod is drilling, it will encounter distinct hardnesses in the rock mass in the various hammers, which cause variations in yield. This can be a problem when several hammers are working side by side, since they may be working on different sections of material, which may have different hardnesses, as mentioned. This is particularly relevant, since harder material leads to lower drilling efficiency, which can lead to delays between the various hammers, with one hammer lagging behind in a harder section of rock.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a drilling structure for cutting a rock mass according to claim <NUM>. The structure, by comprising driving means and being configured so that each of the two top hammers is operable and thus movable independently of the other top hammer, makes it possible to obtain the aforementioned advantages, in particular because it allows the operation of each hammer to be adjusted. In addition to the above-mentioned advantages as regards the rock sections of different hardnesses, the independent control of the hammers of the structure of the present invention also makes it possible to address situations of low performance of one or more of the hammers comparatively to the others, adjusting the operation of the various hammers so that - also in this case - there are no delays between them.

Top hammers are suitable for drilling into rock masses. The support structure configures a physical base to which various elements, such as driving means that move the top hammers, are coupled. In a preferred embodiment, the drilling structure of the present invention comprises more than two hammers, optionally three to six hammers, more preferably three hammers.

It is also an object of the present invention a drilling apparatus for cutting rock masses, comprising the drilling structure of the present invention as described in any of its embodiments, one tower and second driving means, the said tower being arranged parallel to a direction of movement of the hammers and coupled to the drilling structure, the second driving means being configured to move the drilling structure along the tower.

In one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, the drilling apparatus additionally comprises third driving means, the third driving means being configured to move the drilling structure perpendicularly to a direction of movement of the hammers. This is the implementation of the drilling structure, consisting of a modular element, in a drilling apparatus, with said drilling machines with top hammers. The third driving means allow the movement of the drilling structure, and therefore the horizontal adjustment of its position.

More general configurations of this invention are described in the Summary of the invention. Such configurations are detailed below according to other advantageous and/or preferred embodiments for implementation of the present invention.

In an advantageous embodiment of the drilling structure (<NUM>) of the present invention, the driving means comprise at least one driving assembly associated with each hammer (<NUM>), wherein each driving assembly comprises:.

The various elements of this improved configuration of the drilling structure of the present invention are in the more specific embodiment shown in <FIG>. The driving assemblies comprise various elements which allow, in a simple but efficient construction, controlling each of the hammers (<NUM>) independently. The driving assemblies are aligned with each other in such a way that the movement of each of the hammers (<NUM>) is parallel to those of the remaining hammers (<NUM>). Each pair of hammer (<NUM>) guides promotes this parallel movement, also guaranteeing the aligned movement of the connecting elements (<NUM>) and, consequently, of the hammers (<NUM>), since the connecting elements (<NUM>) are moved by the drive mechanism along the guides (<NUM>) and are coupled to a hammer (<NUM>), which thus moves in solidarity with the respective connecting element (<NUM>). Each connecting element (<NUM>) is coupled to the respective drive mechanism, which moves it along the guides (<NUM>). In addition, the connecting element (<NUM>) is on the other hand coupled to the respective hammer (<NUM>), thus causing it to move. Preferably, as this embodiment effectively simplifies the construction of the drilling structure (<NUM>), the drive mechanisms (<NUM>), the connecting element (<NUM>) (at least one) and the pairs of hammer guides (<NUM>) are arranged in the same first plane, this first plane being parallel to a second plane formed by a base of the support structure (<NUM>). This ensures proper alignment between the various elements.

Preferably, the support structure (<NUM>) comprises two sections parallel to each other and perpendicular to the base of the support structure (<NUM>), the said guides (<NUM>) and the said drive mechanism (<NUM>) being coupled to said sections of the base structure (<NUM>) which are parallel to each other. This allows an effective coupling between the support structure (<NUM>), the guides (<NUM>) and the drive mechanism (<NUM>), these being elements which require an adequate mechanical fixation, by promoting the movement of the connecting elements (<NUM>) and the hammers (<NUM>).

The drilling structure comprises at least one controller configured to control the driving means. The controller may be installed in the support structure (<NUM>), or in another device separate therefrom, and connected to the driving means via wired or wireless communication means.

The controller is configured to adjust the alignment of at least one of the hammers (<NUM>) with one or more of the remaining hammers (<NUM>), based upon movement data of the hammers (<NUM>). This solution makes it possible to address situations in which one of the hammers encounters a section of rock whose hardness is distinct from the others, or situations of lower performance of one or more of the hammers (<NUM>) comparatively to the others, adjusting the operation of the various hammers (<NUM>) so that - also in this case - there are no delays between them.

In an inventive aspect, the controller is additionally configured to implement a movement of each of the hammers (<NUM>) dependently on at least one parameter associated with the rock mass to be drilled. This allows an adjustment, based on specific information of the rock mass to be drilled, of the movement parameters, thereby taking full advantage of the independent movement capacity of each of the hammers (<NUM>) of the drilling structure (<NUM>) of the present invention.

In a further inventive aspect of the drilling structure (<NUM>), the controller is additionally configured to implement a movement of each of the hammers (<NUM>) dependently on at least one parameter associated with the section of rock that each of the hammers is drilling. This allows for even greater suitability to the rock mass to be drilled, as each of the hammers (<NUM>) is moved according to a parameter or characteristic of the rock mass section associated with it. The parameter may, for example, be the rock's hardness or its chemical composition. On the other hand, this information may be obtained by readings based on appropriate sensors. Additionally, the section of rock that each of the hammers (<NUM>) is drilling may be understood as the section that is in a position drillable by the respective hammer (<NUM>), being aligned or alignable with it.

In an advantageous embodiment of the drilling structure (<NUM>), which allows the control of specific operating parameters of each hammer (<NUM>), the controller is additionally configured to control one or several of the following parameters, for each hammer (<NUM>) and independently of the other hammers (<NUM>):.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the drilling structure (<NUM>), which allows obtaining data relevant to the operation of the controller, providing improved determination and with feedback of control parameters to be adapted for each hammer (<NUM>), the controller is additionally configured to obtain one or more of the following data from each hammer (<NUM>):.

Some advantageous embodiments of the drilling apparatus for cutting rock masses of the present invention are described below.

In an inventive aspect, the apparatus of the present invention additionally comprises a tower (<NUM>) and second driving means, the tower (<NUM>) being arranged parallel to said direction of movement of the hammers (<NUM>) and coupled to the drilling structure (<NUM>), the second driving means being configured to move the drilling structure (<NUM>) along the tower (<NUM>). This makes it possible to move the drilling structure (<NUM>) along the tower (<NUM>), this being an additional adjustment, which promotes the height adjustment of all hammers (<NUM>) to the same extent, since these are all part of the drilling structure (<NUM>).

Preferably, the apparatus of the present invention additionally comprises at least a second guide (<NUM>), the said second guide (<NUM>) being configured such that it guides said movement of the drilling structure (<NUM>) along the tower (<NUM>), the second guide (<NUM>) being aligned with and coupled to the tower (<NUM>).

In a further aspect of the apparatus of the present invention, the latter comprises a second controller, the said second controller consisting of the controller of the drilling structure (<NUM>) or of an additional controller, being configured to control the second driving means. In an advantageous embodiment, the controller is additionally configured to control one or more movement parameters of the support structure (<NUM>) relative to the tower (<NUM>), including the feed pressure of the support structure (<NUM>) relative to the tower (<NUM>).

The apparatus of the present invention comprises a tower (<NUM>) said to be vertical, in which a drilling structure (<NUM>) is moved, connected to the tower by means of a support structure (<NUM>), this movement being directed by at least a second guide (<NUM>). The drilling structure (<NUM>) of the present invention comprises at least two sets of two hammer guides (<NUM>) in which connecting elements (<NUM>) - which may be referred to as connecting supports - are moved, each connecting element (<NUM>) (at least one) being associated with two guides (<NUM>).

The present invention discloses at least two hammers (<NUM>) associated with at least one connecting element or support (<NUM>). Preferably, said hammer (<NUM>) is mechanically fixed to the respective connecting element (<NUM>), and therefore its vertical movements are in solidarity with and guided by the guides (<NUM>) on which the connecting element (<NUM>) moves. The movement of each of the connecting elements (<NUM>) is actuated by a respective drive mechanism (<NUM>) (said to be vertical). The drilling structure (<NUM>) of the present invention may additionally comprise springs (<NUM>), which connect each of the connecting elements to the respective drive mechanism (<NUM>), whereby the springs (<NUM>) reduce the vibrations resulting from the movement of the hammers (<NUM>) against the rock mass being drilled.

When starting to drill, the hammer (<NUM>) is in the lower working position with the drive mechanism (<NUM>) in a so-called fully open position.

During the operation of the drilling structure (<NUM>), and therefore the movement of the connecting elements (<NUM>) and of the respective hammers (<NUM>), the springs (<NUM>) make the necessary adjustment in order to reduce the vibration of the hammer (<NUM>).

The controller of the drilling structure (<NUM>) is configured to receive input signals from:.

The controller of the drilling structure (<NUM>) is configured to operate on the:.

The second controller, which may consist of the (first) controller, is configured to operate on the control of the feed pressure of the hammer (<NUM>).

As will be evident to a person skilled in the art, the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments described herein, with a number of changes being possible, which remain within the scope of this invention.

Claim 1:
Drilling structure (<NUM>) for cutting a rock mass, comprising a support structure (<NUM>), driving means coupled to the support structure (<NUM>), and at least two top hammers (<NUM>) operable by the driving means, the structure being configured so that each of the two top hammers (<NUM>) is operable and thus movable independently of the other top hammer (<NUM>), characterized in that the drilling structure (<NUM>) further comprises at least one controller configured to control the driving means, the controller being additionally configured to adjust the alignment of at least one of the hammers (<NUM>) with one or more of the remaining hammers (<NUM>), based on movement data of the hammers (<NUM>).