Auger Boring Machine
An electric auger-boring machine. The machine has electric motors for auger rotation and thrust. The electric rotation motor rotates the auger at a constant rate when the current provided is constant. The motor may slow or stop in response to changes in torque due to obstructions to auger rotation. Electric motors allow for auger thrusters and actuators to precisely operate. A wireless remote control controls motor and auger rotation and thrust from a distance away from a launch pit. Multiple sizes of product casings may be utilized and the auger-boring machine comprises an adjustable adaptor and saddle for use with a plurality of casing sizes.
application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/058,035, filed Sep. 30, 2014, the entire contents of both which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELDThis invention relates generally to underground construction and to auger-boring excavation in particular.
SUMMARYThe present invention is directed to a boring machine. The boring machine comprises a frame, a cutting head, an auger, and an electric motor. The cutting head is rotationally attached to the frame. The auger is rotatably attached to the frame and the cutting head. The electric motor rotates the auger relative to the frame in response to a current, wherein the electric motor comprises a motor controller. The electric motor rotates the auger at a first rate when the current is at a first value and wherein the motor controller generates a signal when a rotation rate of the auger is interrupted.
A method for installing a pipe. The method comprises providing a current to a motor such that the motor rotates an auger and cutting head, thrusting the auger and the cutting head into a subsurface, conveying removed subsurface from the cutting head with the auger, and receiving torque pulses from the auger at the motor.
Referring now to
With reference to
As shown in
Thus, the preferred boring machine includes a plurality of sets of cutter heads 22 and steering heads 30 for use in connection with a plurality of differently-sized product casings 32. The outside diameter of the cutter head 22 and steering head 30 in each set may correspond or be larger than to the outside diameter of the selected product casing 32 to be installed.
An annular space 36 shown in
The boring machine 10 also includes a material conveyor such as auger 40 that is located within the internal casing 34. Auger 40 has front end 42 and rear end 44. The motor 20 (
The boring machine 10 includes a front bulkhead 46 adapted to be located around the internal casing behind the selected cutter head and in front of the adjacent steering head. The front bulkhead 46 prevents material cut by the cutter head from getting into annular space 36. One of ordinary skill will appreciate that a plurality of different front bulkheads 46 may be utilized to size to the product casing 32.
The boring machine 10 comprises a means for directing material cut by the selected cutter head 22 into the internal casing 34 so that rotation of the auger will convey such material towards the rear end 44 of the auger 40 within the internal casing 34. As best shown in
With reference now to
The thrusters 109 in particular, and the pusher mechanism 24 (
The electric motor 20 may comprise a planetary reduction 110 for altering the gear ratio between the electric motor 20 and the auger 40 (
The frame 100 further comprises a thrust plate 112 and a casing saddle 114. The thrust plate 112 provides a stable base for the thrust functions of the carriage 16. The casing saddle 114 supports the product casing 32 as it is thrust into the ground and can be adjusted to support product casing 32 (
With reference now to
With reference to
With reference now to
The auger connection 146 provides a rotatable connection between the electric motor 20 and the auger 40 (
One particular electric motor 104, 20 that may be used is a switched reluctance motor of the type shown in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0306297, Kim et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In the Kim reference, a switched reluctance motor suitable for use as a rotation motor has twelve stator poles and ten rotor poles. The advantage of switch reluctance motors are that the electric motor 20 may receive torque reversal pulses from the auger 40—essentially feedback that the motor can interpret and use to adjust the rate of rotation. This minimizes the risk of an underground obstruction restricting rotation of the cutter head 22, causing the rotation of the motor 20 to rotate the boring machine 10 rather than the auger 40. As shown in
Output speeds of the motor 20, 104 is controlled by the current provided to windings (not shown) about the poles 200, 202. Providing varying values such as current and frequency may vary the speed of the motor 20. For example, eight varying speeds and directions may be preferable. One of skill in the art will appreciate that obstructions underground may cause the rotation speed of the auger 40 to be interrupted or obstructed. The motor 20 receives this information as a “torque pulse” that changes the rotational rate between the poles 200, 202. This “pulse” is received by the motor 20 and causes the motor to alter rotation of the auger 40 by stopping the auger or slowing the rate of rotation. This decreases the likelihood that the frame 100 of the boring machine 10 will overturn as a result of the motor 20 attempting to turn an obstructed auger 40.
One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a remote control 400, as diagrammatically represented in
The auger rotation motor 20 may comprise a hollow spindle 146 (
Although this description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments thereof, as well as the best mode contemplated by the inventors of carrying out the invention. The invention, as described herein, is susceptible to various modifications and adaptations, as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention relates, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A boring machine comprising:
- a frame;
- a cutting head rotationally attached to the frame;
- an auger rotatably attached to the frame and the cutting head;
- an electric motor for rotating the auger relative to the frame in response to a current, wherein the electric motor comprises a motor controller;
- wherein the electric motor rotates the auger at a first rate when the current is at a first value and wherein the motor controller generates a signal when a rotation rate of the auger is interrupted.
2. The boring machine of claim 1 wherein the signal comprises an electric motor stop command.
3. The boring machine of claim 1 wherein the signal comprises an electric motor slow down command.
4. The boring machine of claim 1 wherein the motor rotates the auger at a second rate when the current is at a second value.
5. The boring machine of claim 1 wherein the frame comprises a push plate, a thrust plate, and a thruster, wherein the thruster translates the push plate relative to the thrust plate.
6. The boring machine of claim 1 further comprising a product casing, wherein the product casing is disposed about the auger.
7. The boring machine of claim 6 wherein the frame comprises a push plate, a thrust plate, and a thruster, wherein the thruster translates the push plate relative to the thrust plate and wherein the push plate is attached to the product casing.
8. The boring machine of claim 7 further comprising a casing adaptor, wherein the casing adaptor connects the push plate to the product casing and wherein the casing adaptor adjusts to connect to a plurality of sizes of product casing.
9. The boring machine of claim 6 wherein the boring machine comprises an internal casing within the product casing.
10. The boring machine of claim 1 wherein the electric motor is a switched reluctance motor.
11. The boring machine of claim 1 further comprising an electric component motor for providing thrust to the auger relative to the frame.
12. The boring machine of claim 1 further comprising a remote control configured to control rotation of the auger.
13. A method for installing a pipe comprising:
- providing a current to a motor such that the motor rotates an auger and cutting head;
- thrusting the auger and the cutting head into a subsurface;
- conveying removed subsurface from the cutting head with the auger; and
- receiving a torque pulse from the auger at the motor.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the current is direct current.
15. The method of claim 13 comprising stopping rotation in response to receiving the torque pulse.
16. The method of claim 13 comprising controlling thrust of the auger and rotation of the auger from a location remote from the auger.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein the current comprises a frequency, the method further comprising changing the frequency of the current to change the rotation rate of the auger and the cutting head.
18. The method of claim 13 comprising powering thrust of the auger with a second electric motor.
19. The method of claim 18 comprising generating thrust with a linear actuator powered by the second electric motor.
20. The method of claim 13 wherein the motor is a switched reluctance motor.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 30, 2015
Publication Date: Mar 31, 2016
Inventors: William Malcolm (San Juan Capistrano, CA), Reed Carpenter (Chapel Hill, NC), Robert Michael Colangelo (Springboro, OH), David Hammond (Mansfield, OH), Brian Hollis (Wadsworth, OH), Kalpeshkumar V. Patel (Copley, OH), Rick Rockwell (Wooster, OH), Stuart Riggenbach (Wooster, OH)
Application Number: 14/871,292