Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02705171 2010-05-25
File number: 8118-021
Revision: as filed
Date: May 25, 2010
Title
[0001 ] Multidirectional sawing assembly for excavator or the like
Cross-Reference to Related Applications
[0002] The present patent application claims the benefits of priority of
commonly
assigned Canadian Patent Application no. 2,666,713, entitled "Multidirectional
Sawing
Assembly for Excavator or the Like" and filed at the Canadian Patent Office on
May 25,
2009.
Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a rotating sawing assembly. In
particular, the
present invention relates to a multidirectional rotating sawing assembly for
attachment to
a (hydraulic) boom, whether mounted on a vehicle or not.
Background of the Invention
[0004] A conventional excavator comprises an excavator body and cab, where the
operator sits, together with a hydraulic arm or boom joined to the body. The
hydraulic
arm usually comprises two sets of beam arrangements articulated together at a
knee joint,
a first beam arrangement being joined to the body of the excavator by a
further articulated
joint and a second beam arrangement carrying at its opposite end to the knee
joint a tool,
such as a digger bucket. By hydraulically operating and pivoting the beam
arrangements
about the knee joint and the joint to the body, the arm can be extended away
from the
body, brought back towards the body, lifted, or lowered, all movement being in
a single
plane relative to the body. The number of orientations which a tool attached
to the
hydraulic arm is able to take up relative to the body is therefore limited and
this can
present difficulties in tool operation.
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CA 02705171 2010-05-25
File number: 8118-021
Revision: as filed
Date: May 25, 2010
[0005] A need has existed for quite some time for an improved multidirectional
rotating
sawing assembly.
[0006] Normally, the saw is attached directly to the extremity of the arm of
the excavator
and can be used to saw vertically only. This type of saw mounted on an
excavator is
limited in use because they can not be used when the ground is not levelled or
is
horizontal.
[0007] The US patent 5,561,926 (Stratti) discloses an articulating mounting
arrangement
for excavator, however, the positions of the saw blade are limited to the
number of
locking positions, predetermined by the number of holes in the structure of
the sawing
assembly that can receive locking pins. Furthermore, the user has to manually
place and
remove a plurality of locking pins to the change the position or orientation
of the saw.
[0008] There is therefore a need for a new multidirectional rotating sawing
assembly to
be installed on equipment such as a loader, an excavator, or a boom.
Furthermore, there is
a need for a multidirectional rotating sawing assembly that is controllable by
using usual
means as for excavators and also for a multidirectional rotating sawing
assembly
allowing the blade to be disposed or oriented at any angle.
Objects of the Invention
[0009] It is a first object of the present invention to provide a sawing
assembly allowing
the saw blade to be disposed in almost any plane.
[0010] It is a further object to provide a multidirectional rotating sawing
assembly that
may be displaced and/or oriented using the standard control commands or means
in
excavators or the like, which are usually hydraulic means.
[0011 ] Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will
be obvious
upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described or
will be
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CA 02705171 2010-05-25
File number: 8118-021
Revision: as filed
Date: May 25, 2010
indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to
herein will occur
to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.
Summary of the Invention
[0012] The aforesaid and other objectives of the present invention are
realized by
generally providing a multidirectional sawing assembly for an excavator or the
like, the
excavator comprising a boom having a first piston, the sawing assembly
comprising a
connecting member adapted to be connected to the boom and the first piston; a
rotating
assembly comprising a hydraulic rotary actuator having a longitudinal axis and
a second
piston, the rotating assembly being connected to the connecting member, the
rotating
assembly rotating along the longitudinal axis under the action of the second
piston and a
motorized saw assembly comprising a circular saw blade, the saw assembly being
connected to the rotating assembly, wherein the saw blade may be positioned in
almost
any plane and is not limited to predetermined positions.
[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the position of the saw is reached by
actuating the
boom, the first piston and the second piston with no need to manipulate the
saw
assembly. The saw assembly is also displaceable in the plane formed by the
boom and the
first piston under the action of the first piston. The saw assembly is also
displaceable
vertically and horizontally by moving the boom.
[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the sawing assembly comprises a cooling
system to
cool the saw blade.
[0015] In a further preferred embodiment, the sawing assembly comprising a
retractable
guard for the saw blade. The retractable guard may further comprises
antifriction blocks
preventing the saw blade to contact the retractable guard.
[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the saw blade is a diamond saw blade. In a
still
preferred embodiment, the saw blade has a diameter of at least 5 feet.
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CA 02705171 2010-05-25
File number: 8118-021
Revision: as filed
Date: May 25, 2010
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0017] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention
will
become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being
made to
the accompanying drawings in which:
[0018] Figures 1 to 26 are drawings and pictures of the sawing assembly of the
present
invention.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
[0019] A novel multidirectional rotating sawing assembly will be described
hereinafter.
Although the invention is described in terms of specific illustrative
embodiment(s), it is
to be understood that the embodiment(s) described herein are by way of example
only
and that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited thereby.
[0020] As shown in Figures 1 to 26, the sawing assembly 1 is connected to the
boom of
an excavator and to the hydraulic piston 10 of the excavator, the boom of the
excavator
having arms, or elongated parts, (which are usually in pair) 12, 14 and 16.
When the
hydraulic piston 10 is extended by extending the piston 10, as shown in
Figures 17 to 24,
the saw 5 or sawing assembly 1 moves, as indicated in Figure 1, along the
arrow 20. A
second position of the saw 5' is shown in dotted line. The sawing assembly 1
rotates
about the second rotation axis 32.
[0021] The sawing assembly I is connected to the boom 50 through the
connecting
member 46. In a preferred embodiment, the connecting member 46 comprises two
semi-
circular openings 54 and 56 that interact with the arm 14 of the boom. The
connecting
member 46 is secured to the boom 50 with a locking plate 58 which is kept in
place with
a bolt 60 connected to the boom. The locking plate 58 is inserted in the
opening 62, the
bolt 60 is fixed to the securing portion 64 and it secures the sawing assembly
1 in this
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CA 02705171 2010-05-25
File number: 8118-021
Revision: as filed
Date: May 25, 2010
position. It is to be understood that another method can be used to secure the
sawing
assembly to the boom without departing from the spirit of the present
invention.
[0022] The hydraulic or other type of motor driving the saw is comprised in
the housing
40. The housing 40 is connected to a second plate 68 which is connected to the
first plate
66. The first plate 66 is connected to the hydraulic rotating actuator
comprising a
substantially cylindrical housing 70 and a hydraulic piston (not shown)
comprised inside
the cylindrical housing 70.
[0023] The hydraulic rotating actuator is a mechanism composed of a housing 70
and a
hydraulic piston comprising two moving parts (not shown): a central through
shaft and a
doughnut-shaped piston. As hydraulic pressure is applied on the hydraulic
rotating
actuator, the hydraulic piston is displaced axially, while the helical gearing
on the piston
and housing gear cause the simultaneous rotation. The first rotation axis 30
is parallel to
the central through shaft. The saw 5 rotates about the first axis, as more
particularly
shown in Figures 2 to 5 and 8 to 16. A hydraulic rotary actuator is shown in
the US patent
4,906,161.
Prior or during the displacement induced by the hydraulic piston 10, the saw 5
or sawing
assembly 10 may be in any position about the first rotation axis 30. The third
rotation axis
34 is located at the connection between the boom 50 and the truck 52, as shown
in Figure
22. By displacing the saw assembly along the different rotation axis described
previously,
the saw blade may be positioned in almost any plane.
[0024] The hydraulic rotary actuator (as shown in Figure 2), is fixed to the
third plate 72,
the third plate comprising two extending portions 74 and 76 between which the
hydraulic
rotary actuator is rotatably fixed. In the embodiment shown, the third plate
72 is at an
angle 78 which is approximately of 45 degrees but it is to be understood that
this plate
could be at any other angle.
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CA 02705171 2010-05-25
File number: 8118-021
Revision: as filed
Date: May 25, 2010
[0025] One form for the structure supporting the hydraulic rotary actuator is
shown in the
Figures 1 to 26, but it is to be understood that this structure could have a
different shape
or other arrangement without departing from the object of the present
invention.
[0026] The structure supporting the rotating assembly comprises the third
plate 80 and a
fourth plate 82 from which two plates extend on each side of the fourth plate
82. The
structure supporting the rotating assembly is fixed to the first plate 66. In
Figures 1 to 26
it is shown that welding is used to fix the structure supporting the rotating
assembly but
other means could be used or other means used in combination with welding such
as bolts
and nuts, for example.
[0027] The sawing assembly comprises means known in the art to be connected to
the
hydraulic system of the boom/excavator.
[0028] The term "excavator" is intended to encompass any heavy plant machine
and is
not limited to a conventional excavator.
[0029] The multidirectional rotating sawing assembly may be permanently fixed
to the
excavator arm, although it is preferred that it is detachable.
[0030] Preferably, an additional cooling system is provided to cool the blade
to prevent it
to become too hot.
[0031] In one embodiment, the blade is a diamond saw blade which is able to
cut any
kind of concrete, with or without armatures. Other type of saw blade may be
used.
[0032] The sawing assembly of the present invention is useful to cut items
such as, but
not limited to, rock, granite, concrete, wood, etc...
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CA 02705171 2010-05-25
File number: 8118-021
Revision: as filed
Date: May 25, 2010
[0033] Several sizes of blades may be used with the sawing assembly. In one
embodiment, the blade has a diameter of 6 feet. The thickness of the blade has
to be
chosen considering the fact that there are considerable forces applied on the
blade.
[0034] The guard 42 for the saw blade is fixed to the sawing assembly using
appropriate
means such as, for example, bolts and nuts connecting the guard 42 and the
structure
supporting the rotating assembly. The guard 42 covering the saw 5 will be
mobile around
the blade or saw 5 to ensure a better protection during use, following the
cutting angle.
[0035] The guard 42 may be larger at its opened side to prevent the blade to
contact the
guard when forces are applied on the blade. The guard may be retractable to
ensure a
better protection during use.
[0036] Antifriction blocks such as Teflon" blocks 44 (or other material having
a low
coefficient of friction) may be installed on the inside surface of the guard
to prevent the
blade to contact the guard. The Teflon blocks may have any suitable shape.
[0037] While illustrative and presently preferred embodiment(s) of the
invention have
been described in detail hereinabove, it is to be understood that the
inventive concepts
may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims
are
intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited
by the prior
art.
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