Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MACHINE FOR CLEANING TUNNELS, WALLS AND SIMILAR
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
As stated in the title of this descriptive specification, the present
invention
relates to a machine for cleaning tunnels, walls and similar, which has been
conceived for being able to carry out the cleaning in all kinds of tunnels,
whether the roadway is wide or narrow, whether the height is high or low, as
well as in tunnels with square cross-section or even those in the form of an
arch
in which the roof has a very pronounced curvature.
The object of the invention is to provide a machine capable of carrying
out cleaning operations in tunnels, for both the walls and the roof and floor,
on
the basis of some special means which permit the positions of the cleaning
tools to be adapted in the most appropriate and convenient way, according to
the type of tunnel or surface to be cleaned in each case.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
When cleaning tunnels, machines are normally used which are mounted
on the trailer of a towing vehicle, whether this be a truck or other vehicle
for
hauling and/or appropriate transportation, and in this regard a machine
described in WO 9749868 can be cited, as well as that described in Spanish
Utility Model U 9301786, in which a machine is described that is preferably
hauled with a towing vehicle and that comprises a tank with water for
cleaning,
along with an array of arms with nozzles for the outlet of water which is
projected in the form of a curtain on the surfaces to clean. The cleaning
elements themselves which consist of brushes, are fitted in a chassis made up
of several articulated sections which can be activated by hydraulic cylinders,
said chassis with the brushes forming a unit which is mounted in articulated
fashion on the telescopic arm provided on the platform of the machine or
carrier
vehicle under consideration.
The said machine is valid for cleaning concrete tunnels in the form of an
arch and those that are wide, carrying out the cleaning in the direction
perpendicular to that in which the machine itself advances.
Nevertheless, when the tunnel has a square cross-section or its roof has
a large curvature, or it is low and also very narrow, then the machine
described
in U 93017686 is not valid, or at least it encounters serious difficulties
when it
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comes to carrying out the cleaning of the roof and walls, and it is currently
impossible to clean the floor or the left-hand wall for all kinds of tunnel.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The machine forming the object of the present invention presents a
series of features which permit an efficient cleaning to be carried out on any
kind of tunnel, whether of the kind which has its roof in a pronounced arch
and/or very high, or the kind which has a rectangular or quadrangular cross-
section etc., which is achieved on the basis of certain means that allow for
rotation and/or swiveling both upwards and downwards, as well as to the right
to and to the left, and it can be said that it performs three movements of
rotation
which make it possible to position the brushes on any part and surface.
Specifically, the inventive machine consists of a rotating cane column
fitted on the appropriate transport or hauling vehicle, to which column is
fitted an
upper telescopic arm, with the ability to swivel upwards and downwards in
order
to position its end at a higher or lower height, and fitted to this arm is an
arm for
holding the cleaning tools, the latter arm being able to rotate to the right
or to
the left in the horizontal plane, as well as to swivel upwards or downwards,
and
to have an end part holding the cleaning brushes, with the ability to rotate
in
order to achieve the folded position during transportation or the extended
position in the work position, all this in such a way that, based on said
rotations
and/or swivelings, three movements are established which correspond to those
that are considered as being the folding movement, the twisting movement and
the tilting movement, according to three different points of rotation.
In terms of the means which the machine incorporates so that the arm
holding the cleaning tools can perform the movement of folding towards the
left
and towards the right in the horizontal plane, these are constituted on the
basis
of a rotation shaft, by means of which the union is established between the
telescopic arm of the crane, said rotation shaft belonging to that telescopic
arm,
and with respect to which is mounted a first piece which corresponds to the
initial part of the arm holding the cleaning tools, in order to permit the
rotation of
the latter with respect to the said telescopic arm of the crane. That part of
the
arm holding the cleaning tools incorporates a hydraulic cylinder attached, via
an
articulation, to the first piece belonging to the said arm holding the
cleaning
tools, while the piston of that cylinder is articulated via its end to the
actual arm
of the crane, in such a way that the extension and/or retraction of the piston
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entails the lateral pushing or pulling of the arm holding the cleaning tools
and
with it the rotation of the same in one direction or the other, forming in
each
case an angle with the said telescopic arm of the crane.
In terms of the means which the machine incorporates so that the arm
5 holding the cleaning tools can perform the swiveling movement of
twisting
upwards or downwards in the vertical plane, these are constituted on the basis
of the first piece belonging to the initial part of the arm holding the
cleaning
tools, on which first piece is articulated, via a rotation shaft, a second
piece
belonging to that arm. Articulated to the rear end of the first piece is a
hydraulic
io cylinder whose piston is simultaneously articulated to two plates, one
articulated
via its other end to said first piece and the other articulated via its free
end to
the second piece of the said arm holding the cleaning tools, in such a way
that
the extension or retraction of the piston of the hydraulic cylinder entails
the
swiveling upwards or downwards of the said second piece and with it that of
the
15 rest of the arm holding the cleaning tools.
In terms of the means which the machine incorporates so that the arm
can hold the cleaning tools, and more specifically the chassis forming part of
that arm and in which the actual cleaning tools are fitted, they are
constituted on
the basis of a third piece articulated to the second piece of the said arm,
and
20 joined via its other end to the actual chassis of the cleaning tools.
Between both
second and third pieces is fitted a hydraulic cylinder whose piston is
articulated
to the second piece of the arm, while the cylinder itself is attached to the
third
piece, in such a way that the extension or retraction of the piston of the
cylinder
entails the rotation in the vertical plane in one direction or the other of
the third
25 piece and therefore of the chassis in which the cleaning tools are
fitted.
In accordance with the three movements described for the arm holding
the cleaning tools, the cleaning can be carried out of any kind of tunnel, be
it of
the kind with an arched roof, or of quadrangular or rectangular cross-section,
permitting to carry out the cleaning of walls and floors with complete
efficiency,
30 by virtue of the fact that the chassis on which the cleaning brushes
or tools are
fitted is determined by a succession of articulated sections on one side and
the
other, in which sections the actual brushes constituting the cleaning tools
are
fitted, said sections being able to occupy different angular positions between
each other, commanded by the respective hydraulic cylinders associated with
35 the same, and thereby being able to adopt a trajectory that is twisted
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appreciably bent or straight and thus being able to adapt itself to the
surfaces to
clean.
Finally, it can be said that the machine will be complemented with the
appropriate water/detergent ducts along with control and handling devices for
its
5 correct functioning.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order to complement the description that is going to be made forthwith,
and with the aim of facilitating a better understanding of the characteristics
of
this invention, this specification is accompanied by a set of drawings on the
io basis of which the innovations and advantages of the inventive machine
will be
more easily understood.
Figure 1.- Shows a general schematic view of the machine on a carrier
vehicle.
Figure 2.- Shows a perspective view of part of the machine where the
15 means of rotation in the horizontal plane, to the left and the right,
of the arm
holding the cleaning tools are established.
Figure 3.- Shows a perspective view of part of the machine where the
means of swiveling upwards and downwards of the arm holding the cleaning
tools are established.
20 Figure 4.- Shows a perspective view of part of the machine
where the
means of rotation in the vertical plane of the chassis, forming part of the
arm
holding the cleaning tools are established, in which chassis the actual
cleaning
tools are fitted.
Figure 5.- Shows a schematic plan view of the telescopic arm belonging
25 to the crane of the machine, connected to the arm holding the cleaning
tools
and the chassis of this arm with the articulated sections on which the actual
cleaning tools will be fitted. This figure allows one to see by means of
dashed
lines the different angular positions which can be occupied by the sections of
the chassis corresponding to the arm of the cleaning tools.
30 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED FORM OF EMBODIMENT
With the said figures in view, it can be seen how the machine forming the
object of the invention is constituted on the basis of a crane column 1
mounted
in rotating fashion on the platform of a carrier vehicle 2, which can be a
truck, a
tractor with trailer, etc. Articulated on the upper end of said column 1 is a
35 telescopic arm 3 able to swivel upwards or downwards by means of a
hydraulic
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cylinder 4, said telescopic arm 3 having another hydraulic cylinder 5 which is
in
charge of carrying out the extension or retraction of said arm 3, the free end
of
which is in turn articulated to an arm 6 holding the cleaning tools 7, such as
brushes, scrapers or similar.
The said arm 6 can carry out various rotation movements in order to
appropriately direct and adapt the cleaning tools 7 on the surface to clean,
whether these be the side walls or even the floor, independently of the width,
height and general configuration of the tunnel in question.
One of the movements which the arm 6 can make is the horizontal
rotation to the left and to the right with respect to a rotation shaft 8
provided in
the end of the telescopic arm 3 and secured to it. This rotation shaft 8 forms
a
means of articulation of a first piece 9 belonging to the arm 6 on the actual
telescopic arm 3, to which piece 9 is laterally articulated the body of a
hydraulic
cylinder 10 whose piston 10' is articulated to the actual telescopic arm 3.
The
articulation of the body of the cylinder 10 to the first piece 9 of the arm is
referenced with 11, while the articulation of the piston 10' to the telescopic
arm
3 is referenced with 12. On the basis of the aforementioned means, when the
piston 10' of the cylinder 10 extends or retracts, the rotation of the piece 9
will
take place and therefore of the entire arm 6 to the left or to the right,
forming an
angle with respect to the telescopic arm 3.
Another movement which the arm 6 can make is that of swiveling in the
vertical plane, upwards or downwards, for which provision has been made for a
second piece 13 of the arm 6 to be articulated by means of the rotation or
swiveling shaft 14 to the first piece 9 of said arm 6.
The activation is effected starting from a hydraulic cylinder 15 with its end
16 articulated to the first piece 9, in correspondence with the lower and rear
part
of the latter, while the piston 15' of said cylinder 15 is articulated,
according to
the point 17, simultaneously to two plates 18 and 19, the first of them
articulated
via its other end 20 to the first piece 9 while the second plate 19 is
articulated
via its other end 21 to the second piece 13 of the arm 6. In this way, when
the
piston 15' of the cylinder 15 is extended or retracted, the swiveling will be
produced upwards or downwards of the second piece 13 with respect to the first
piece and therefore of the arm 6, starting from said first piece 9.
Moreover, the arm 6 can carry out a third rotation movement, specifically
of the end chassis 22 which forms part of the actual arm 6, and on which the
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cleaning tools 7 are fitted.
Said chassis 22 is integral with a third piece 23 of the actual arm 6, this
third piece 23 being fitted in an articulated and rotary manner with respect
to the
second piece 13, with the particular feature that articulated to a lug 24 of
that
5 piece 13 is the end of the piston 25' corresponding to a hydraulic
cylinder 25,
the body of which is articulated to the said third piece 23, this articulation
being
referenced with 26, while the articulation of the piston 25' to the lug 24 is
referenced with 27.
In accordance with the aforementioned means, when the piston 25' of the
10 cylinder 25 is extended or retracted the swiveling or rotation is
produced
towards the right or left, in the vertical plane, of the third piece 23, and
with it
that of the chassis 22 on which the cleaning tools 7 are fitted.
The said chassis 22 is prolonged to both sides in an array of sections 22'
successively articulated together, permitting the assembly to adapt itself to
the
15 different zones or surfaces on which the cleaning is intended to
take place,
since it is on those sections where the actual cleaning tools 7 are fitted.
The
articulations between sections 22' are referenced with 28, between each pair
22' of which is a hydraulic cylinder 29 by means of which one or the other
orientation of a section is carried out with respect to the contiguous one and
so
20 an appreciably bent, straight, twisted, etc., trajectory is thus
obtained.
Logically, the machine being described will be complemented with the
appropriate ducts and means suitable for pumping water and detergents
towards the cleaning tools 7, these elements not having been represented since
they are conventional and in order to permit a greater clarity in the
25 representation of the means involved in executing the movements
which the
arm 6 can, as a whole, carry out, in accordance with what has been described
above.
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