Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~08361~ `
:
The invention relates to an apparatus for disintegrating
and removing layers of earth, especially under water.
It is the object of the invention to provide such
apparatus which operates with particular efficiency and which
has a high capacity.
According to the invention, the apparatus is provided
with a housing, wherein at least, one volute compartment is
formed, which is open on the underside and which accommodates
a rotor which comprises disintegrators and which is rotatable
about an axis that is at least substantially perpendicular
to the plane through the lower edge of the compartment, said
rotor being coupled to a drive means, the volute compartment
being connected near its throat to a discharge means, while the
housing may be suspended from a moving device~
The apparatus can be suspended from the ladder of a
boat, or from the jib of a hydraulic crane which can be support-
ed on a crane boat or on a tractor. In operation, the apparatus ~;
will generally be dragged along behind the boat or the tractor,
or pushed along, as the case may be, while describing paths
that are, in principle substantially straight. During operation,
the rotor with the disintegrators will produce a highly
disintegrating e~fect on the earth, which earth is exposed to
the centrifugal force, passes through the volute compartment
and is removed through the discharge means.
The rotor will generally project downwardly outside
the volute compartment.
According to an especially favourable embodiment of
the invention, the rotor comprises a brush.
The housing may be suspended from the moving device
in a position in which the axis of rotation of the rotor lies
in a vertical plane extending in the direction of movement of
the housing and includes an acute angle to the vertical.
83614
The brush may have the shape of a cup or a dish, and
may be provided with a central, downwardly opening cavity. -;
This cavity inside the brush may accommodate a cutter
element which is connected to the brush and which follows the
rotary motion of the brush, the cutter element protruding
downwardly outside the brush.
This cutter element may comprise a plurality of teeth,
which are pivotall~ suspended at their upper ends.
With this arrangement, the pivot points of the teeth
may be located on a circle, the centre of which lies on the axis ~ ~
of rotation of the brush. ~;
The teeth are preferably made of resilient material,
such as spring steel.
Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in section of a first
embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, comprising
one volute compartment and one rotor.
Fig. 2 is a view of the apparatus according to Fig. 1,
when viewed in the direction of the arrows II.
Fig. 3 is a top view of a modified embodiment of the
apparatus according to the invention, comprising two volute
compartments and two rotors.
Fig. 4 is a top view of yet another embodiment of the
apparatus according to the invention, comprising four volute
compartments and four rotors.
The apparatus according to the invention as shown in
the drawings serves for disintegrating and removing layers of
earth, especially under waterO
A first embodiment of the apparatus according to the
invention is shown in Figs 1 and 2. This apparatus comprises
a housing 1 in which a volute compartment 2 is formed which is
open on the underside. This volute compartment 2 houses a rotor
with disintegrators, which rotor comprises a brush 3. The brush
-2-
1~8361g~
.
3 is rotatable about an axis which is perpendicular to a plane
through the lower edge of the compartment 2. The brush 3 is
coupled to a hydromotor 4 wliich is mounted on a connecting flange
on the substantially flat top wall 5 of the housing 1.
The volute compartment 2 is connected near its throa~
to a discharge line 6. The ~art 7 o~ this line, which connects
with the volute compartment 2, is substantially tangential to
the volute.
The brush 3 projects downwardly outside the volute
lo compartment 2. The brush 3 has the shape of a dish and has a
downwardly conically expanding outer surface. As can be seen
in Fig. 1, the side wall 8 of the volute compartment 2 is
inclined and is adapted to the outer surface of the brush.
As an alternative, the brush 3 can also have the shape
of a cup with a cylindrical outer surface.
The brush 3 has a central, downwardly opening cavity -
which accommodates a cutter element 9. The cutter element 9
is connected to the brush 3 and follows the rotary motion of
the brush 3. As shown in Fig. 1, the cutter element 9 protrudes
at the lower side outside the brush 3.
The cutter element 9 comprises a plurality of hook-
shaped teeth 10 which are pivotally suspended at their upper ends,
the pivot points of the teeth 10 being located on a circle,
the centre of which lies on the axis of rotation of the brush 3.
The teeth 10 can be made of resilient material, such as spring
steel.
The brush 3 together with the cutter element 9 can be
coupled detachably to the hydromotor 4.
The part 7 of the discharge line 6 is connected to the
housing 1 by means of a coupling 11 - a so-called French flange
coupling - which allows a relative rotation about a horizontal
axis which is perpendicular to the direction of movement of
10i336~
the housing 1. This coupling can be locked in any angular
position. A hydraulically operated cylinder-and-piston assembly
12 is pivotally connected on one side with the top surface 5 of
the housing 1, and on its other end with the coupling part 13
which is secured to part 7 of the discharge line, so that the
relative position of this part 7 of the discharge line and of
the housing 1 can be adjusted by operating the cylinder-and-
piston assembly 12.
The discharge line 6 is connected to a pump (not shown).
The apparatus according to Figs. 1 and 2 can be
suspended by its discharge line 6 from the ladder of a boat on
which the pump is supported, or from the jib of a hydxaulic ;~
crane. This crane can be supported on a crane boat or on a
tractor, depending on the depth of the water and on the conditions
in which the work is to be performed.
Preferably~ part 14 of the discharge line connects to
part 7 of the discharge line again by means of a coupling
similar to the coupling 11, and is secured in such a way that
this part 14 of the discharge line is rotatable about its
longitudinal axis and can be locked in any desired position. The
apparatus according to the invention can thus be controlled
and brought into the desired positions as a result of this
rotation and by operating the cylinder-and-piston assembly 12.
The housing 1 will generally occupy such a position that the
a~is of rotation of the brush lies in a vertical plane extending
in the direction of movement of the housing and includes an acute
angle to the vertical. This angle can even be very small. It
is furthermore possible to give the apparatus an opposite
direction of motion in successive paths, and to reverse this
apparatus, as it were, by pivoting the same about a horizontal
axis which is at right angles to the direction of motion, during
a change-over to a successive path.
--4--
1~1836~4
In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the angle
included by the axis of rotation of the brush 3 and the vertical
is adjustable hydraulically, i.e., by means of the cylinder-and-
piston assembly 12, but as an alternative it is also possible
to use a mechanical setting device for adjusting this angle.
The angular setting of the axis of rotation of the
brush 3 with respect to the vertical establishes the depth to
which the earth is disintegrated by the co-operating brush 3
and cutter element 9 and is subsequently removed.
In operation, the apparatus will be dragged behind
the boat or tractor, or pushed forward, as the case may be,
while describing paths which are approximately straight.
Under the joint action of the brush 3 and the cutter
element 9, the apparatus according to Figs. l and 2 will produce
a particularly strong disintegrating effect upon the earth,
while this earth is subjected to the centrifugal force, the
loosened earth passing through the volute compartment 2 and
being removed through the discharge line 6. Since the
disintegrating and centrifugal effect of the brush 3 and of
the cutter element 9 also extends over some distance in the
earth outside the housing 1, the earth is loosened there as well,
thus furthering the subsequent removal of this earth through
the volute compartment 2 and the discharge line 6.
The brush 3 is preferably made of hairs of steel wire
or polyvinyl chloride having a diameter oE 0.5 to 5 millimeters.
When processing loose earth or dredged material, the
brush 3 will preferably be equipped with thin, flexible hairs,
since they should not stir up the underlying sandy bottom. On
the other hand, when cutting into hard earth layers, the brush
hairs will preferably be thick and stiff.
If the brush 3 has a conical form as shown in Fig. l,
it can overcome the bottom uneveness more easily than in the
,
--5--
~08~6~ :
,: , ~ , .
the case of a brush having the shape of a cylinder. The conical
shape allows highly effective cutting into the earth, whereupon
the loosened earth is subsequently thrown outwardly by centrifugal
force, which furthers the suction action.
The purpose of the cutter element 9 in the hollow -;
centre of the brush 3 is to loosen very fixm layers of soil by
scraping. The loosened earth is thrown outwardly under the
action of the centrifugal force, whereafter this earth passes
through the volute compartment 2 and reaches the discharge line
6. Pressing the brush 3 and the cutter element 9 with a given
force upon the earth causes the cutter teeth 10 and the brush 3
to penetrate into the earth and to loosen it. Further, the
brush 3 itself has been found to apply a notable sucking action
to the underlying earth.
The volute compartment 2 closely approaches the brush ; ; .
3 at its throat, so that the rotating mass of earth is separated
at this point from the brush 3 and is removed through the
.
discharge line 6. When viewed in the direction of rotation, ;
the volute gradually expands beyond the throat, so that an
increasing amount of earth mass can be transported between the
brush 3 and the side wall 8 of the volute compartment 2, while
the rate of transport nevertheless remains substantially the ;
same.
Although the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 operates ~`~
with a brush 3 as well as with a cutter element 9 accommodated
therein, tests have demonstrated that, depending on the circum- ~
stances a satisfactory operation may likewise be obtained with the ~ ;;
exclusive use of a brush 3 as the rotor. f
Instead of the brush 3, the rotor can furthermore consist
of a cutter provided with teeth, pins or blades.
In order to allow the apparatus to be applied also for
the disintegration and removal of earth layers located under v~ery
; ,
3~
`:
shallow water (0 to 15 centimeters) or on dry land, a water supply
line 15 is connected to the volute compartment 2. The supply
of water lowers the concentration of the earth, which is of
major importance for removing this soil.
It has been found during tests that if the soil to be
removed contains coarse rubbish which might obstruct the
apparatus, the brush 3 does not supply this coarse rubbish to
the volute compartment 2, but passes over and along this
rubbish. This is of great advantage, since damage or jamming
of the apparatus is thus prevented. If desired, it is furthermore
possible to provide a grid in the volute compartment 2 in front
of the mouth of part 7 of the discharge line.
As an alternative to the construction shown in Fig. 1,
the housing 1 can be furnished with suspension lugs (not shown),
by which it is suspended from the ladder of a boat or from a
hydraulic crane. In that case, the suspension mechanism is such
that the angle included by the axis of rotation of the brush 3 -~
and the vertical is adjustable, while preferably also creating
the possibility of pivoting the housing 1 in a plane which is
perpendicular to the plane in which the aforementioned adjusting
movement takes place, this pivotal motion being performed about
the central longitudinal axis of the housing. Further, it may
be important that the suspension mechanism permits an adjustable
rotation of the housing 1 by including in the discharge line a
coupling - a so-called French flange coupling - which is similar
to the coupling 11 and which allows such rotation.
In the embodiment described hereinabove, the pump can
be directly connected at its suction side to the housing 1 at the
point where, in the embodiment according to Figs. 1 and 2, the
coupling 11 is provided. This pump then has a particularly high
capacity, since the suction resistance is at a minimum and the
pump is below the water level. This arrangement is especially
--7--
1~8363 ~
suitable if the apparatus is to be attached to the jib of a
hydraulic crane. However, if the apparatus is to be suspended
from the ladder of a boat, the pump will generally be supported
on this boat and ~e connected by a flexible discharge line to
the connecting flange.
Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of the apparatus
according to the invention, with a housing 1 in which two
volute compartments 2 are formed, each of which is open on the
underside and co-operates with a rotor which comprises a
disintegrator means. This rotor can be constructed in the same
manner as described hereinabove.
The horizontal line connecting the axes of rotation
of the two rotors is at least substantially perpendicular to the
direction in which the apparatus is displaced, as shown in
Fig. 3.
The two rotors are each coupled to a hydromotor, these
hydromotors preferably being connected in series, so that they
have the same speed of rotation in operation, which allows a
simplified control of the apparatus. When each of the two rotors
comprises a brush, the working areas of these brushes will
preferably touch each other or even overlap, so that there is
no possibility of a ridge subsisting on the earth surface.
The two volute compartments 2 in the embodiment
according to Fig. 3 are connected to a common discharge line.
To this end, the top wall 5 of the housing 1 supports a
discharge stub 16 which, from its connection to the two volute
compartments 2, near the throats thereof, at the top wall 5 of
the housing 1, gradually tapers upwardly to a smaller cross
section and ends in a connecting flange 17. The pump can again
be attached directly at its suction side to this connecting
flange 17, or it can be connected thereto by a flexible discharge
line.
~836~4
A water supply line 15 is again connected to each of
the volute compartments 2 for supplying additional water when
work is performed under very shallow water or on dry land.
Further, the housing 1 is fitted with suspension lugs
13 allowing engagement with the suspension mechanism.
Fig; ~ shows a further example oE the apparatus
according to the invention, with a housing 1 wherein four volute
compartments 2 are formed which are open on the underside and
each of which co-operates with a rotor comprising a disintegrator
means. This rotor can again be constructed in the same manner
as described hereinabove with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
As shown in Fig. 4, the axes of rotation of the rotors
substantially form the upright edges of a cube, so that the
apparatus is entirely symmetric. If the four rotors each
comprise a brush, the working areas of adjacent brushes will
again preferably touch each other or overlap.
The four volute compartments are again connected, near
the throats, to a common central discharge means, which in
the embodiment according to Fig. 4, is constituted by a discharge
stub lK that ends in a
. . , I
~ 83~
connecting flange 17 and that is constructed in a similar manner
as the stub 16 shown in fig. 3. Water supply lines 15 are con-
nected to each of the volu-te compartments 2, and suspension lugs
18 are again fitted on the top wall 5 of the housing 1.
The embodiment according to fig. 3 with two volute com-
partments 2 and two rotors and particularly the embodiment accord-
ing to fig. 4 with four volute compartments 2 and four rotors
excel in a particularly high capacity. It is of course possible
to construct the apparatus on the same principal with still other
numbers of volute compartments 2 and appertaining rotors.
`'.~. "'
!
-- 10 --
