Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Feeder arrangement on a drill rig, and drill rig
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to a feeder arrangement for a rock drilling
machine and a
drill rig comprising such a feeder arrangement. Specifically, the present
disclosure relates
to a drill rig and a feeder arrangement in which hydraulic fluid is provided
to a hydraulic rock
drilling machine on the drill rig.
BACKGROUND
In currently available drill rig configurations, one or more hydraulic rock
drilling machines
are arranged on feeder arrangements at outer ends of respective one or more
booms that
extend from the drill rig. Hoses to provide the feeder arrangement and/or
hydraulic rock
drilling machine with hydraulic fluid are arranged in reels or other types of
hose suspension
arrangements that offer flexibility, both for the movement of the hydraulic
rock drilling
machine with respect to the feeder arrangement, but also for the positioning
of the feeder
arrangement with respect to the boom.
However, such hose suspension arrangements are often both bulky and exposed to
harsh
conditions. In many cases the hoses may get tangled up, e.g., against a rock
surface,
resulting in hose ruptures. This is particularly troublesome when it happens
to a hydraulic
hose that supports an essential function of the feeder arrangement or the rock
drilling
machine. In those instances a rupture of hydraulic hose will most likely
result in an
operational stop.
A drill rig often comprises at least two separate feeders extending from
separate booms,
each feeder carrying a hydraulic rock drilling machine and the associated
hydraulic hose
suspension arrangements. A common problem is that these hydraulic hose
suspension
arrangements may hinder each other, which may further aggravate the above
mentioned
operational problems or hose ruptures and result in lengthy downtimes of the
drill rig. Recent
service evaluations indicate that 80% of the downtime of drill rig is due to
problems related
to the booms feeder arrangements. Further, 85% of the boom/feeder related
problems
occur due to damages on hydraulic hoses, including external damages and
ruptures
thereof.
Consequently, there is a need for a solution that reduces problems due to hose
entanglement or leaks in the conduits providing the rock drilling machine with
hydraulics.
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SUMMARY
It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a feeder arrangement and
drill rig that
seeks to mitigate or eliminate all or at least some of the above-discussed
drawbacks of
present solutions and reduces problems due to hose entanglement or leaks in
the conduits.
This and other objects are achieved by means of a feeder arrangement and drill
rig as
defined in the appended claims. The term exemplary is in the present context
to be
understood as serving as an optional feature, example or illustration.
According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a feeder arrangement
for a hydraulic
rock drilling machine on a drill rig is provided. The feeder arrangement
comprises a feed
beam with a first beam that comprises a first end block and a second end block
at opposite
ends thereof, i.e., at opposite ends of the first beam. The feeder arrangement
further
comprises a first pipe connection extending between the first end block and
the second end
block, and a rock drilling machine connector including at least a first
connector port that is
connectable to the rock drilling machine; the rock drilling machine connector
being slidably
arranged with respect to the first pipe connection. The first pipe connection
is comprised in
the feed beam and is fluidly connectable to a hydraulic arrangement on the
drill rig via a first
conduit passing through a first end of the first pipe connection and the first
end block. The
first pipe connection comprises a first fluid port to a first chamber of the
rock drilling machine
connector. The first connector port is in fluid connection with the first
chamber via the first
conduit to connect the rock drilling machine to the hydraulic arrangement on
the drill rig and
to provide pressurised hydraulic fluid to drive at least one consumer of the
hydraulic rock
drilling machine.
The disclosed feeder arrangement enables a providing of pressurized hydraulic
fluid to the
rock drilling machine via internal conduits, e.g., via rigid pipes, inside the
feed beam wherein
the risk of damages on the conduits caused by external factors is minimized.
In some embodiments, the feeder arrangement further comprises a connection
device
including at least a first hydraulic fluid port that is connectable to a
hydraulic arrangement
on the drill rig, and wherein the first chamber of the rock drilling machine
connector is in
fluid connection with the connection device via the first conduit.
The connection device provides the advantage of enabling simplified hydraulic
connectivity,
at any connection point along the feed beam, to the hydraulic arrangement on
the drill rig.
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In some embodiments, the connection device includes a second hydraulic fluid
port that is
connectable to the hydraulic arrangement on the drill rig and the rock
drilling machine
connector includes a second connector port that is connectable to the rock
drilling machine.
The second hydraulic fluid port and the second connector port are fluidly
connected via a
second conduit passing through a second end of the first pipe connection and
the second
end block. The first pipe connection comprises a second fluid port that is
connected to a
second chamber of the rock drilling machine connector. The second conduit
provides a
return line from at least one consumer of the hydraulic rock drilling machine
to the hydraulic
arrangement on the drill rig.
This enables the conveying of a return flow without the use of external hoses.
In some embodiments, the first pipe connection comprises at least two parallel
pipes
extending between the first and second end blocks and providing separate
hydraulic
conduits via separate rock drilling machine connectors.
The provision of more than one individual pipe offers more conduits for
providing or
returning hydraulic fluid to or from the rock drilling machine, regardless of
if the two ends,
or only a first end, of the pipes are utilised to convey fluid.
In some embodiments, the first pipe connection comprises one or more rigid
pipes
extending between the first and second end blocks.
Thus, a hydraulic feed addressing the problems of hose tangling is provided.
In some embodiments, the rock drilling machine connector is a multi-stage
connector also
comprising an intermediate connector, wherein the intermediate connector is
arranged to
enclose a portion of the pipe connection and to slide in the axial direction
with respect
thereto, and the rock drilling machine connector is arranged to enclose a
portion of the
intermediate connector and to slide in the axial direction with respect to the
intermediate
connector; the first fluid port of the pipe connection being connected to the
first chamber of
the rock drilling machine connector via a first intermediate chamber of the
intermediate
connector, and the second fluid port of the pipe connection being connected to
the second
chamber of the rock drilling machine connector via a second intermediate
chamber of the
intermediate connector
The described multi-stage connector is advantageous in that it substantially
increases the
possible movement of the rock drilling machine, between two outer positions
close to the
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respective ends of the first beam. Thereby, short as well as longer drill rods
may be used in
the feeder arrangement.
In some embodiments of the feeder arrangement the first and the second
intermediate
chambers of the intermediate connector are separated by a partition, e.g., a
piston,
arranged circumferentially on the pipe connection, and wherein the first and
the second
chambers of the rock drilling machine connector are separated by a partition,
e.g., a piston,
arranged circumferentially on the intermediate connector.
In some embodiments, the feed beam comprises a second beam extending in a
longitudinal
direction of the first beam, wherein the first beam is arranged in sliding
contact with the
second beam between a compacted position and an extended position in which it
extends
away in the longitudinal direction with respect to the second beam. A second
pipe
connection is arranged alongside the first pipe connection between the first
and second end
block of the first beam. Optionally, a connection device may be arranged at
the second
beam and the second pipe connection may be connected to the connection device
to
connect the hydraulic arrangement on the drill rig to the rock drilling
machine, via at least
the first conduit.
An extendable feed beam offers many advantages with regard to operational
movement of
the rock drilling machine in the axial direction. The second pipe connection
provides an
advantageous manner of combining the advantages of an extendable feed beam
with an
internal conduction of hydraulic fluid to and from a rock drilling machine.
In some embodiments, a hydraulic pressure source of the hydraulic arrangement
on the drill
rig is arranged to drive a percussion unit of the rock drilling machine via
the first conduit line
and wherein a return flow from the percussion unit is connectable via the
second conduit
line to a tank.
With this specific embodiment no external conduits are needed to drive a
percussion unit of
the rock drilling machine.
According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a drill rig is
provided. The drill rig
comprises a boom and a feeder arrangement according to the first aspect. The
drill rig
further comprises a hydraulic arrangement including a hydraulic pressure
source for feeding
a rock drilling machine and a tank. The feeder arrangement is attached to an
outer end of
the boom and is hydraulically connected to the hydraulic arrangement via the
boom.
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Other embodiments, examples and advantages of the feeder arrangement and drill
rig will
be presented and further explained in the detailed description and the
appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing will be apparent from the following more particular description
of example
5 embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like
reference
characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The
drawings are not
necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the
example
embodiments.
Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a drill rig with three booms and
respective feeder
arrangements for respective rock drilling machines;
Figs. 2A-C exposes details of a feeder arrangement slidably carrying a rock
drilling
machine;
Fig. 3A-B discloses an extendable telescopic feeder arrangement in
an extended state;
Fig. 4A-B discloses an extendable telescopic feeder arrangement in
a compacted state;
Figs. 5A-C show an extendable telescopic feeder arrangement in differing
positions with
regard to a feed holder;
Fig. 6 shows an example of a hydraulic assembly for providing
hydraulic fluid to a
rock drilling machine via a telescopic feeder arrangement;
Fig. 7 is a top view of an extendable telescopic feeder
arrangement carrying a rock
drilling machine;
Fig. 8 discloses a cut view of a telescopic feeder arrangement
carrying a rock drilling
machine;
Fig. 9 discloses an end block of a telescopic feeder
arrangement carrying a rock
drilling machine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Fig. 1 discloses a drill rig 1, i.e., a rock drill rig. The drill rig
comprises three booms 5A-50
equipped with individual rock drilling machines 3A-30. The rock drilling
machines 3A-30
are arranged on respective feeder arrangements 2A-2C comprising feed beams 10A-
10C.
Feed holders 47A-47C are arranged to connect the three booms 5A-5C to the
respective
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feeder arrangements 2A-2C. In Fig. 1 it is illustrated how the three rock
drilling machines
3A-3C operate by drilling individual drill strings 6A-60 into a rock face 8.
As the rock drilling
machines 3A-3C may advance their way into the rock face 8 they advance from a
back end,
i.e., first end block 11A-11C to a front end, i.e., second end block12A-12C of
the feed beams
10A-10C.
The drill rig 1 comprises a hydraulic arrangement 1' comprising at least a
pressure source
P and a tank T. The hydraulic arrangement 1' may include more than one
pressure source,
wherein at least one pressure source is a hydraulic pump adapted to provide a
pressure to
drive a percussion unit of the rock drilling machine and at least one pressure
source is a
hydraulic pump adapted to provide a flow to drive a rotation unit of the rock
drilling machine.
The hydraulic arrangement 1' is arranged to feed the different consumers of
the rock drilling
machines 3A-3C. Such consumers typically include at least a rotation unit, a
percussion
unit, and a damper unit. Further, the hydraulic arrangement 1' is arranged to
provide
hydraulic fluid to hydraulic motors such as hydraulic cylinders arranged to
advance the rock
drilling machines 3A-3C along the corresponding feeder arrangements 2A-20. The
conduits
for the hydraulic fluid are conventionally arranged along or within the boom
5A-50 to the
feed holders 47A-47C. As will be described in further detail below, the
present disclosure
provides improved feeder arrangements 2A-2C comprising hydraulic conduits to
supply
hydraulic fluids to the consumers of the rock drilling machines 3A-3C.
Figs. 2A-2C exposes details of such an improved feeder arrangement 2. The
feeder
arrangement 2 is configured to carry a rock drilling machine 3 on a carrier 4.
In the
disclosure of Fig. 2A-2C, interior components of the feeder arrangement 2 are
exposed. It
will be obvious to the skilled person that the indicated first beam 14 may be
comprised within
a feed beam, i.e., within a longitudinally extending beam structure or cover
surrounding the
interior components exposed in Figure 2A-2C, e.g., in any of feed beams 10A-
10C indicated
in the disclosure of Fig. 1.
The first beam 14 comprises a first end block 11 and a second end block 12 at
opposite
ends thereof, i.e., at opposite ends of the first beam. The disclosed feeder
arrangement 2
carries a rock drilling machine 3 arranged to operate in an axial direction Al
between the
first end block 11 and the second end block 12. The first pipe connection 17
extends
between the first end block 11 and the second end block 12 and may be
comprised in a
feed beam, also known as feeder, as disclosed in Figure 1. Thus, the first
pipe connection
17 may constitute the first beam, form part of the first beam, or be enclosed
by the first
beam. A rock drilling machine connector 19 is slidably arranged with respect
to the first pipe
connection 17.The rock drilling machine connector 19 may be comprised in the
carrier
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4 or connected to the carrier 4. The first pipe connection 17 is fluidly
connectable to a
hydraulic arrangement on the drill rig via the first end block 11, e.g., via a
first conduit
passing through a first end of the first pipe connection and the first end
block. The first pipe
connection together with the rock drilling machine connector connect the rock
drilling
machine 3 to the hydraulic arrangement on the drill rig to provide pressurised
hydraulic fluid
to drive at least one consumer of the hydraulic rock drilling machine 3.
The feeder arrangement disclosed in Figs. 2A-C enables a providing of
pressurized
hydraulic fluid to the rock drilling machine via internal conduits, e.g., via
rigid pipes, inside
the feeder arrangement whereby the risk of damages on the conduits caused by
external
factors is minimized.
As illustrated in Fig. 2A-20, the rock drilling machine is configured to be
arranged on a
carrier 4 slidably movable between positions along a feed beam having a first
beam 14; first
and second end blocks 11, 12 arranged at opposite ends of said first beam 14.
In some
examples, the first beam 14 may be comprised in the feed beam, i.e., within a
longitudinally
extending beam structure or cover surrounding the interior components, e.g.,
in any of the
feed beams 10 A-10C indicated in the disclosure of Fig. 1. The first beam 14
includes a first
pipe connection 17, comprised within the first beam. The first pipe connection
17 may be
enclosed by the first beam or forming part of the first beam 14. As is
illustrated in the
drawings and specified with individual reference numerals in Fig. 2A-2C the
first pipe
connection 17 may comprise at least two parallel pipes 17A,17B extending
between the first
and second end blocks 11, 12 and providing separate hydraulic conduits via
separate rock
drilling machine connectors 19. The number of pipes may of course be adapted
to the
desired number of conduits needed to provide the rock drilling machine 3 with
hydraulic
fluids.
In Fig. 2A the rock drilling machine 3 is positioned in a most retracted
position at the first
end block 11 at a back end of the first beam 14, in Fig. 2B the rock drilling
machine 3 is
positioned in an intermediate position and in Fig. 2C the rock drilling
machine 3 is positioned
in a most forward position at the second end block 12 at a front end of the
first beam 14. A
drill support 13 is arranged at the second end block 12 to support a drill
string that extends
from the rock drilling machine 3 during operation.
The rock drilling machine 3 and the carrier 4 are movably arranged with
respect to the first
beam 14 in a first direction Al along a first pipe connection 17. The first
pipe 17A and the
second pipe 17B of the first pipe connection 17 extend along the first
direction Al from the
first end block 11 to the second end block 12 and are fluidly connected to a
hydraulic
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arrangement on a drill rig as illustrated in Fig. 1. The hydraulic arrangement
on the drill rig
may be connected to the feeder arrangement via at least a first end of the
first pipe
connection 17 and via the first and/or the second end block 11, 12.
Optionally, the hydraulic
arrangement on the drill rig may be connected to the feeder arrangement via a
connection
device 7. Such a connection device provides the advantage of enabling
simplified hydraulic
connectivity, at any connection point along the feed beam, to the hydraulic
arrangement on
the drill rig. The connection device may comprise a first hydraulic fluid port
P1 that is
connectable to a hydraulic arrangement on the drill rig. In some examples, the
connection
device is a part of one of the end blocks 11, 12 or arranged in the vicinity
of one of the end
blocks 11, 12, to connect the first pipe connection 17 to the hydraulic
arrangement on a drill
rig via said end block 11 or 12, and via the respective end of the first pipe
connection 17 to
the rock drilling machine 3 via an intermediate connector 18 and the rock
drilling machine
connector 19. In such an arrangement, a pressurised hydraulic fluid may be
provided via
the first pipe 17A, a first intermediate connector 18A and a first rock
drilling machine
connector 19A, wherein the return may be provided via a second rock drilling
machine
connector 19B, a second intermediate connector 18B and a second pipe 17B to
the
hydraulic arrangement 1' on the drill rig 1 via said connection device at the
end block 11 or
12.
The carrier 4, configured to carry the rock drilling machine 3, is arranged to
slide on the first
beam 14 with respect to the first pipe connection 17, e.g., to slide on the
first pipe connection
itself. The rock drilling machine 3 is arranged to receive a hydraulic fluid
via the first pipe
connection 17 and a rock drilling machine connector 19. The intermediary
connector 18 is
configured to enclose a portion of the first pipe connection 17. The rock
drilling machine
connector 19 is arranged outside the intermediate connector 18, enclosing the
intermediate
connector 18 and the first pipe connection 17.
The intermediate connector 18 is arranged to enclose a portion of the first
pipe connection
17 and arranged to slide with respect to the first pipe connection 17, thereby
functioning as
a double acting cylinder. The rock drilling machine connector 19, which is
connected to the
rock drilling machine 3, may also function a double acting cylinder. The rock
drilling machine
connector 19 is arranged to enclose a portion of the intermediate connector 18
and
arranged to slide with respect thereto. In its most basic configuration, the
rock drilling
machine connector 19 includes a first connector port in fluid connection with
a first chamber,
e.g., a first chamber in an intermediate connector 18, via a first conduit
connecting the rock
drilling machine to the hydraulic arrangement on the drill rig. Optionally, a
connection
device, including at least a first hydraulic fluid port that is connectable to
a hydraulic
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arrangement on the drill rig, may be comprised in the feeder arrangement and
configured
to be in fluid connection with the rock drilling machine connector 19. The
first pipe
connection 17 comprises a first fluid port to a first chamber of the rock
drilling machine
connector 19 and the first connector port is in fluid connection with the
first chamber via the
first conduit, and optionally the connection device 7, to connect the rock
drilling machine 3
to the hydraulic arrangement on the drill rig and to provide pressurised
hydraulic fluid to
drive at least one consumer of the hydraulic rock drilling machine. In the
embodiment of
Figure 2A, the hydraulic fluid connection is provided from the first and/or
the second end
block 11, 12, e.g., serving as the above mentioned connection device, via the
first pipe
connection 17, and the rock drilling machine connector 19, to the rock
drilling machine 3.
As will be recognized by the skilled person, the disclosed configuration
allows for
pressurised hydraulic fluid to be provided to at least one consumer of the
hydraulic rock
drilling machine regardless of the current position of the rock drilling
machine 3, and hence,
regardless of the mutual positions of the first pipe connection 17 and the
rock drilling
machine connector 19.
As further illustrated in Fig. 2A, the first pipe connection may comprise at
least two parallel
pipes 17A, 17B extending between the first and second end blocks 11, 12 and
providing
separate hydraulic conduits via separate rock drilling machine connectors 19A,
19B; the
rock drilling machine connecters at least partially enclosing first and second
intermediate
connectors 18A, 18B. The first intermediate connector 18A and a first rock
drilling machine
connector 19A are arranged on the first pipe 17A of the first pipe connection
17, and the
second intermediate connector 18B and a second rock drilling machine connector
19B are
arranged on the second pipe 17B. The feeder arrangement 2 of the shown
embodiment
thereby provides at least two conduits for hydraulic fluid to or from the rock
drilling machine
3. The first conduit is provided via the first pipe 17A, the intermediate
connector 18A and
the first rock drilling machine connector 19A and the second conduit via the
second pipe
17B, the second intermediate connector 18B and a second rock drilling machine
connector
19B; the two conduits being provided regardless of a current position of the
rock drilling
machine connector 19 with respect to the intermediate connector 18 and
regardless of a
current position of the intermediate connector 18 with respect to the first
pipe connection
17. Further, in specific embodiments, conduits may be provided from both the
first and the
second end blocks 11, 12 via the first pipe connection 17, the intermediate
connector 18
and the rock drilling machine connector 19 to the rock drilling machine 3,
such that four
individual conduits are provided to the rock drilling machine 3.
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Figs. 3A-B, and Figs. 4A-B disclose an extendable telescopic feeder
arrangement 2 wherein
a rock drilling machine 3 and a carrier 4 are arranged on an extendable feed
beam 10. In
addition to a first beam 14, the extendable feed beam 10 comprises a second
beam 15
extending in a longitudinal direction Al of the first beam 14. The first beam
14 is arranged
5 in sliding contact with the second beam 15 between an extended state,
illustrated in Figs.
3A-B, and a compacted state, illustrated in Figs 4A-B.
Turning to Fig. 3A, the extendable feeder arrangement 2 is disclosed in an
extended state.
The first beam 14 extends away in the first direction Al with respect to the
second beam
15. A second pipe connection 21 is arranged alongside the first pipe
connection 17 between
10 the first and second end blocks 11, 12 of the first beam 14. A
connection device 7 is
arranged at the second beam 15 and connected to the second pipe connection 21
to
connect to the hydraulic arrangement on the drill rig, e.g., via the first
conduit. The feeder
arrangement comprises carrier 4 arranged on an extendable feed beam 10 to
carry a rock
drilling machine 3. As illustrated, the rock drilling machine is configured to
be arranged on
a carrier 4 slidably movable between positions along an extendable feed beam
comprising
a first beam 14 and a second beam 15 extending in a longitudinal direction Al
of the first
beam 14. The first beam 14 is arranged in sliding contact with the second beam
15 between
a compacted position and the disclosed extended position in which it extends
away in the
first direction Al with respect to the second beam 15. The first beam 14
comprises first and
the second end blocks 11, 12, arranged at opposite ends of said first beam 14.
The second
beam 15 comprises a connection device including at least a first hydraulic
fluid port that is
connectable to a hydraulic arrangement on the drill rig and being fluidly
connected to a first
chamber via the first conduit.
In a drilling operation the rock drilling machine 3 starts from the back-end
position and
advances toward a front end 23 of the extendable feed beam 10 where a front
support 16
may be arranged to guide a further extension of the drill string 6. This
advancement may be
performed in steps. For instance a first advancement step may be achieved by
compacting
the extendable feed beam 10 and aligning the first and the second beams 14,
15. As a
subsequent advancement step the rock drilling machine 3 may be advanced with
respect
to the first beam 14. The compaction of the extendable feed beam 10 and the
advancement
of the rock drilling machine 3 may be performed in the opposite order, or
simultaneously
where the rock drilling machine 3 is advanced with respect to the first beam
14 at the same
time as the feed beam 10 is compacted.
The movement of the drilling machine 3 with respect to the first pipe
connection 17 may
also be made in steps in that firstly the intermediate connector 18 slides
with respect to the
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first pipe connection 17, and secondly the rock drilling machine connector 19
slides with
respect to the intermediate connector 18. The movement of the intermediate
connector 18
and the rock drilling machine connector 19 may also be performed in the
opposite order, or
simultaneously in an overlapping movement.
Fig. 4A discloses the extendable feeder arrangement 2 in a compacted state,
wherein the
second beam is adjacent to the first beam. A second pipe connection 21 is
arranged
alongside the first pipe connection 17 between the first and second end blocks
11, 12 of the
first beam 14. A connection device 7 is arranged at the second beam 15 and
connected to
the second pipe connection 21 to connect to the hydraulic arrangement on the
drill rig, e.g.,
via the first conduit. As illustrated, the rock drilling machine is configured
to be arranged on
a carrier 4. The first beam 14 is arranged in sliding contact with the second
beam 15. The
first beam 14 comprises first and second end blocks 11, 12, arranged at
opposite ends of
said first beam 14. The second beam 15 comprises a connection device 7, i.e.,
a connection
device including at least a first hydraulic fluid port that is connectable to
a hydraulic
arrangement on the drill rig and being fluidly connected to a first chamber
via the first
conduit.
In a drilling operation the rock drilling machine 3 starts from the back-end
position and
advances toward a front end 23 of the extendable feed beam 10 where a front
support 16
may be arranged to guide a further extension of the drill string 6. During an
advancement
step, the rock drilling machine 3 may be advanced with respect to the first
beam 14.
Figs. 3B and 4B exposes the internal structures of the extendable feeder
arrangement. As
illustrated, a first pipe connection 17 and a second pipe connection 21 are
comprised in first
and second feed beams 14, 15. In some examples, the first and second pipe
connection
17, 21 both extend between the first end block 11 and the second end block 12
of the
second beam 15. In the shown example, the second pipe connection 21 includes
two
separate pipes 21A and 21B extending alongside the first pipe 17A and the
second pipe
17B of the first pipe connection 17. The number of pipes may however be
adapted to the
number of conduits needed for the specific application. For a hydraulic rock
drilling machine
four separate hydraulic conduits may be sufficient. However, the pipe
connections 17 and
21 may also be supplemented with pipes or hoses for providing water, air
and/or lubrication
to the drilling machine.
Further, in addition to providing hydraulic fluid to the rock drilling machine
3, the pipe
connections 17 and 21 may also be utilized to move the rock drilling machine 3
during and
between rock drilling operations. Specifically, the second pipe connection 21
may be utilised
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to control the extension of the feed beam 10 by moving the first beam 14 with
respect to the
second beam 15. The second pipe connection 21 comprises one or more conduits
for
providing pressurised hydraulic fluid from the connection device 7 to the
first pipe
connection 17 via at least one of the first and second end blocks 11, 12 of
the first beam
14.
As illustrated, in Figs 3B and 4B, the second pipe connection 21 may be
fluidly connected
to the connection device 7. The connection device may be immovable with
respect to the
second beam 15, and at the same time the second pipe connection 21 may be
arranged to
slide with respect to the connection device 7. In some examples, the
connection device is
suspended in flexible manner. In some examples, the connection device 7 is
connected to
the second pipe connection 21 via a pipe connector 22, comprising a first and
second
chamber. A first and a second port may be provided in the second pipe
connection 21 on
opposite sides of a partition thereof, the first port connecting the first
hydraulic fluid port of
the connection device 7 to the first conduit in the first end of the second
pipe connection 21
via the first chamber. The second port may connect the second hydraulic fluid
port of the
connection device 7 to the second conduit via the second end of the second
pipe connection
21 via the second chamber. Details of the connection device will be further
explained below
with reference to the disclosure of Fig. 6.
Figs. 5A-C show a feeder arrangement 2, i.e., a telescopic feeder arrangement,
as
connected to a feed holder 47. The feeder arrangement 2 comprises an
extendable feed
beam 10 with a first beam 14 and a second beam 15; the first and second beam
14, 15
extending in a longitudinal direction Al of the first beam 14. The first beam
14 is arranged
in sliding contact with the second beam 15 between a compacted state and an
extended
state. In the extended state, the first beam extends away in the first
direction Al with respect
to the second beam. The feeder arrangement further comprises first and second
end blocks
11, 12 at respective ends of the first beam 14. A connection device 7 is
arranged at the
second beam 15. In some examples, the connection device may be arranged in the
feed
holder 47. The connection device is configured to receive a hydraulic fluid
from the drill rig,
e.g., by means of the hydraulic fluid connection to an outer end of the boom.
An exemplary
hydraulic fluid connection is disclosed between the feed holder 47, which is
configured to
be attached to an outer end of a boom 5 (see Fig. 1), and the extendable
feeder
arrangement. Connective lines, including at least two hydraulic hoses 48, are
arranged to
connect conduits from the hydraulic arrangement on the drill rig, via the
boom, to the feed
beam10, In Fig. 5A the second beam 15 of the feed beam 10 is at its foremost
position with
respect to the feed holder 47, i.e., at the front end 23 of the feed beam 10
when the feed
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beam is in its most distant position with respect to the feed holder 47. In
this position, the
hydraulic hoses 48 extend forward from the feed holder 47. In Fig. 5B the
second beam 15
of the feed beam 10 is centrally positioned with respect to the feed holder
47, wherein the
hydraulic conduits 48 extend in a curved formation to the connection device 7
which is here
positioned immediately above the feed holder 4 and in Fig. 5C the second beam
15 of the
feed beam 10 is in its most retracted position with respect to the feed holder
47, wherein
the hydraulic conduits 48 extend backwards from the feed holder 47 to the
connection
device 7. The hydraulic hoses 48 are preferably arranged in a shielded manner,
e.g. inside
a housing of the feed holder 47.
Fig. 6 shows details of an example hydraulic configuration comprising first
and second
hydraulic assemblies 20 and 24 for providing hydraulic fluid to a rock
drilling machine 3 via
a telescopic feeder arrangement. The hydraulic configuration accomplishes the
provision of
hydraulic fluid to and from one or more of the consumers 53, 54, 55 of the
hydraulic rock
drilling machine 3, e.g., to and from a percussion unit, a damper unit, and/or
a rotation unit.
The upper part of Fig. 6 shows the first hydraulic assembly 20 in which
pressurized hydraulic
fluid is conveyed to the rock drilling machine 3 via a rock drilling machine
connector 19 that
is slidably arranged with respect to the first pipe connection 17. A first end
block 11 and a
second end block 12 are provided at opposite ends of a first pipe connection
17. The
pressurized hydraulic fluid is conveyed in a first conduit 30A through a first
end of a first
pipe connection 17, and is allowed to escape to tank T via a second conduit
30B through
an opposite second end of the first pipe connection 17. The provisioning of
the pressurized
hydraulic fluid allows the rock drilling machine connector 19 to advance with
respect to the
first pipe connection 17, e.g., by advancing an intermediate connector 18.
The rock drilling machined connector 19 includes a first connector port PA,
and optionally a
second connector port PB, connectable to the rock drilling machine 3. The
first and the
second connector ports PA, PB may be integrated parts of the rock drilling
machine
connector 19. The first pipe connection 17 comprises one or more rigid pipes
extending
between the first and second end blocks 11, 12.The first pipe connection 17 is
fluidly
connectable to a hydraulic arrangement 1' on the drill rig via the first
conduit 30A passing
through the first end of the first pipe connection 17 and the first end block
11. The first pipe
connection 17 comprises a first fluid port 38A to the rock drilling machine
connector 19. The
first connector port PA is in fluid connection with a first chamber 27A via
the first conduit 30A
to connect the rock drilling machine to the hydraulic arrangement 1' on the
drill rig and to
provide pressurised hydraulic fluid to drive at least one consumer 53, 54, 55
of the hydraulic
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rock drilling machine 3. Hence, the feeder arrangement 2 makes it possible to
provide
pressurised hydraulic fluid to drive at least one consumer 53, 54, 55, via
internal conduits.
In the example hydraulic configuration disclosed in Figure 6, the rock
drilling machine
connector 19 is a multi-stage connector also comprising an intermediate
connector 18
configured to enclose a portion of the first pipe connection 17. The rock
drilling machine
connector 19 is in turn arranged to enclose the intermediate connector 18 and
to slide in
the axial direction with respect to the intermediate connector 18. The first
fluid port 38A of
the first pipe connection 17 is connected to the first chamber 27A of the rock
drilling machine
connector 19 via a first intermediate chamber 26A of the intermediate
connector 18, and a
second fluid port 38B of the first pipe connection 17 is connected to a second
chamber 27B
of the rock drilling machine connector 19 via a second intermediate chamber
26B of the
intermediate connector 18. The first and the second intermediate chambers 26A,
26B of the
intermediate connector 18 are separated by a partition 28, e.g., piston,
arranged
circumferentially on the pipe connection 17. The first and the second chambers
27A, 27B
of the rock drilling machine connector 19 are separated by a partition 37,
e.g., piston,
arranged circumferentially on the intermediate connector 18.
The intermediate chamber 26A may be provided between a sealing 31A at an outer
end of
the intermediate connector 18 and a sealing 31B at a first end of a partition
28, which is
fixed around a central part of the first pipe connection 17. The partition 28,
e.g., piston,
divides the first pipe connection 17 into first and second intermediate
chambers 26A and
26B, respectively, positioned at opposite sides of the partition 28. When the
first
intermediate chamber 26A is filled with pressurized hydraulic fluid the
pressure may act to
push the sealing 31A and the sealing 31B away from each other.
The movement of the rock drilling machine 3 with respect to the first pipe
connection 17
may be performed in steps in that firstly the intermediate connector 18 slides
with respect
to the first pipe connection 17, and secondly the rock drilling machine
connector 19 slides
with respect to the intermediate connector 18. The movement of the
intermediate connector
18 and the rock drilling machine connector 19 may also be performed in the
opposite order,
or simultaneously in an overlapping movement.
The lower part of Fig. 6 discloses the second hydraulic assembly 24 comprising
a
connection device 7 configured to receive pressurized hydraulic fluid from a
hydraulic
arrangement 1' on the drill rig to the feeder arrangement. In the example
configuration, the
connection device 7 further comprises a pipe connector 22 that may form a part
of the
connection device 7 or be connected thereto. The pipe connector 22 comprises a
first
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hydraulic fluid port Pi, and optionally a second hydraulic fluid port P2,
connectable to the
hydraulic arrangement 1' on the drill rig.
In the disclosed example hydraulic configuration, the second hydraulic fluid
port P2 and the
second connector port Pg are fluidly connected via the second conduit 30B
passing through
5 the second end of the first pipe connection 17 and the second end block
12. The second
conduit 30B may provide a return line from one or more of the consumers 53,
54, 55 of the
hydraulic rock drilling machine to the hydraulic arrangement 1' on the drill
rig.
The connection device may be connected to a second pipe connection 21 via the
pipe
connector 22, i.e., to a second hydraulic assembly 24. The second pipe
connection 21 is
10 slidably arranged with respect to the pipe connector 22 and the
connection device 7. The
pipe connector 22 may comprise a first and second chamber 25A, 25B. A first
and a second
port 39A, 39B may be provided in the second pipe connection 21 on opposite
sides of a
partition 29, e.g., a piston, the first port 39A connecting the first
hydraulic fluid port Pi of the
connection device 7 to the first conduit 30A in the first end of the second
pipe connection
15 21 via the first chamber 25A; the second port 39B connecting the second
hydraulic fluid port
P2 of the connection device 7 to the second conduit 30B via the second end of
the second
pipe connection 21 via the second chamber 25B. In an optional, non-disclosed,
configuration, the first hydraulic fluid port Pi of the connection device 7
may be connected
to the second conduit 30B and the second hydraulic fluid port P2 of the
connection device
may be connected to the first to the first conduit 30A.
In the example hydraulic configuration of Figure 6, pressurized hydraulic
fluid may be
conveyed to the rock drilling machine 3 through the first conduit 30A and
allowed to escape
to tank T through the second conduit 30B and. Thus, a hydraulic pressure
source P of the
hydraulic arrangement 1' on the drill rig 1 may drive a consumer 53, 54, 55 of
the rock
drilling machine 3 via the first conduit 30A and a return flow from the rock
drilling machine
3 is connectable to tank T via the second conduit 30B.
A first sealing 33A may be arranged on the pipe connector 22 that is fixed
with respect to
the connection device 7, wherein the second sealing 33B is arranged on a
partition 29,
which may be fixed to the second pipe connection 21. The pressurized hydraulic
fluid in
25A may act to push the second pipe connection 21 to the right in the drawing.
Further, as
is illustrated by the conduits 30A and 30B, the hydraulic fluid may be
conveyed from the
first and second chambers 25A or 25B to opposite sides of the pipe connection
17. Hence,
the first and second conduits 30A and 30B connect respective sides of the
disclosed
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hydraulic configuration, i.e., connecting the first hydraulic assembly 20 and
the second
hydraulic assembly 24 to each other via the first and second end blocks 11,
12, respectively.
In some examples, pressurized hydraulic fluid to drive a consumer 53, 54, 55
of the
hydraulic rock drilling machine 3 is conveyed thereto via the first conduit
30A that passes
through the first chamber 25A of the second hydraulic assembly 24 and the
first chamber
27A and the first intermediate chamber 26A of the first hydraulic assembly 20.
A return flow
of the hydraulic fluid from the consumer is conveyed via the second conduit
30B that passes
through the second intermediate chamber 26B and the second chamber 27B,
opposite to
the first chamber 27A, and through the second hydraulic assembly 24, through a
second
chamber 25B, opposite to the first chamber 25A of the second hydraulic
assembly 24.
Hence, first and the second hydraulic assemblies 20 and 24 may be arranged in
series with
each other to accomplish the provision of hydraulic fluid to and from one or
more of the
consumers 53, 54, 55 of the hydraulic rock drilling machine 3, e.g., to and
from the
percussion unit, the damper unit, and/or the rotation unit.
In the example of Fig. 6, a separate, non-illustrated, drive motor may be
arranged to control
the extension/retraction of the feed beam and/or the moving of the rock
drilling machine 3.
Fig. 7 discloses a top view of an extendable telescopic feeder arrangement
carrying a rock
drilling machine. In Fig. 7 the first beam 14 is shown from above with a
flexible hydraulic
hose 46 arranged to be connected from the connection device 7 to the rock
drilling machine
3. The hydraulic hose 46 is preferably arranged inside the first beam 14, and
to follow the
movement of the rock drilling machine 3 along the first beam 14.
Fig. 8 discloses a first beam 14 comprising a first and a second void 49, 50,
respectively,
that extend along at least a part of the length of the first beam 14. These
voids 49, 50 may
be utilised to house conduits in the form of hoses for conveying water, air,
lubricant, or
additional hydraulic fluid to or from the rock drilling machine 3, such as the
hydraulic hose
46 shown in Fig. 7.
In Fig. 8 an extendable feeder arrangement for a rock drilling machine 3 is
disclosed in a
cut view. The feeder arrangement includes a first beam 14 comprising a first
pipe connection
comprising individual pipes 17A, 17B. A rock drilling machine connector 19 is
connectable
to the rock drilling machine 3 by means of a first connector port. The rock
drilling machine
connector 19 is slidably arranged with respect to the first pipe connection
17. The first pipe
connection 17 is fluidly connectable to a hydraulic arrangement on the drill
rig. A second
beam 15 comprises a second pipe connection comprising individual pipes 21A,
21B. A rock
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drilling machine 3 is arranged to slide with respect to the first beam 14
along a slit 60 that
extends along the length of the first beam 14. The rock drilling machine 3 is
connected to a
rock drilling machine connector 19, so as to slide therewith outside the
intermediate
connector 18, which in turn is arranged to slide with respect to the first and
the second pipes
17A, 17B of the first pipe connection 17 as described above.
Fig. 8 further illustrates how the first and second beam 14 and 15 are
arranged with respect
to each other and how a third and a fourth pipe 21A and 21B, both of the
second pipe
connection 21, may be housed inside the second beam 15, although they extend
between
the first and second blocks 11 and 12 of the first beam 14. Also, a separate
conduit 59 may
be arranged between the third and fourth pipes 21A and 21B. This separate
conduit 59 may
be a pressure equilibrated conduit, e.g., configured to provide a hydraulic
flow to drive a
consumer of the rock drilling machine 3. Instead of the separate conduit 59 a
hydraulic
cylinder may be arranged in this space. Such a hydraulic cylinder could e.g.
be arranged to
govern the extension and retraction of the extendable feed beam 10. Also, a
separate
hydraulic cylinder may be arranged to drive the movement of the rock drilling
machine 3.
Fig. 9 discloses the second end block 12 of the first beam 14. The first end
block 11 may
be similar or identical to the second end block 12. As is illustrated the end
block 12
comprises a first and a second end block connection 51, 52 that connects the
first pipe 17A
to the third pipe 21A and the second pipe 17B to the fourth pipe 21B. This is
one of many
possible embodiments of an end block. The end block may be comprised of pipes
for further
connection of the first pipe connection 17. In the shown embodiment of the
telescopic feed
beam 10, end block connection 51, 52 which may take any form and may include
valves or
cross connections for providing further possibilities of connections between
the hydraulic
fluid ports Pi and P2 and the connector ports PA and PB.
Thereby, the individual pipes 17A, 17B, 21A, 21B that extend between the first
and second
end blocks 11, 12 of the first beam 14 provide at least four individual
hydraulic conduits,
which are interconnected via respective end block connections 51, 52 of the
respective end
blocks 11, 12 to the rock drilling machine 3.
The first conduit is provided from the connection device 7 to a first end of
the third pipe 21A
via the first end block 11 to a first end of the first pipe 17A. The second
conduit is provided
from the connection device 7 to a second end of the third pipe 21A via the
second end block
12 to a second end of the first pipe 17A. A third conduit (not shown) may be
provided from
the connection device 7 to a first end of the fourth pipe 21B via the first
end block 11 to a
first end of the second pipe 17B. A fourth conduit (not shown) may be provided
from the
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connection device 7 to a second end of the fourth pipe 21B via the second end
block 12 to
a second end of the second pipe 17B.
In specific embodiments the third conduit or the fourth conduit may be used to
convey a
return flow from a consumer of the rock drilling machine 3 via to tank T. The
flow to drive
the consumer 54 may be provided in the other of the third conduit or fourth
conduit, or
preferably via a separate line, because if the flow to drive the consumer 54
were conveyed
in any of the pipes 17A, 17B, 21A, 21B the flow could give rise to unwanted
vibrations. The
separate line may either be a pressure equilibrated conduit 59 or a hydraulic
hose 46 shown
in Fig 7 and arranged inside the feed beam 10, e.g. in one of the longitudinal
voids 49,50
as illustrated in Fig 8.
The description of the example embodiments provided herein have been presented
for
purposes of illustration. The description is not intended to be exhaustive or
to limit example
embodiments to the precise form disclosed; modifications and variations are
possible in
light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of various
alternatives to the
provided embodiments. The examples discussed herein were chosen and described
in
order to explain the principles and the nature of various example embodiments
and its
practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the example
embodiments in
various manners and with various modifications as are suited to the particular
use
contemplated. It should be appreciated that the example embodiments presented
herein
may be practiced in combination with each other.
Generally, all terms used herein are to be interpreted according to their
ordinary meaning
in the relevant technical field, unless a different meaning is clearly given
and/or is implied
from the context in which it is used.
Reference has been made herein to various embodiments. However, a person
skilled in the
art would recognize numerous variations to the described embodiments that
would still fall
within the scope of the claims.
Any feature of any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to any
other
embodiment, wherever suitable. Likewise, any advantage of any of the
embodiments may
apply to any other embodiments, and vice versa.
In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed exemplary aspects
of the
disclosure. However, many variations and modifications can be made to these
aspects
without substantially departing from the principles of the present disclosure.
Thus, the
disclosure should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and not
as being limited
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to the particular aspects discussed above. Accordingly, although specific
terms are
employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for
purposes of
limitation.
Hence, it should be understood that the details of the described embodiments
are merely
examples brought forward for illustrative purposes, and that all variations
that fall within the
scope of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.
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