Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Means maintaining platform level on angularly movable support – Swingable support
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-20
2002-10-08
Lev, Bruce A. (Department: 3634)
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Means maintaining platform level on angularly movable support
Swingable support
C182S002110, C182S141000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06460652
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
The invention relates to a boom arrangement for a rock drilling apparatus, which arrangement comprises a boom comprising at least two boom parts articulated to each other, at one end of which boom an actuator is arranged, and which boom is equipped with a vertical and a horizontal articulation to turn the actuator to the desired position, and which arrangement comprises a substantially horizontal first boom part whose one end is connected to the rock drilling apparatus pivotably in respect of a vertical axle.
Rock drilling apparatuses employ variously movable passenger lifters comprising a boom and a passenger cage arranged to the free end of the boom in order to take people up. The use of these apparatuses is especially common when digging tunnels. From the passenger cage, rock bolting, measuring and surveying can be performed as well as other such operations in which it may be necessary to get close to the object. Further, maintenance and repair work can conveniently be performed from the passenger cage while the drilling apparatus is in use. The front part of the rock drilling apparatus comprises typically at least one separate working boom, at the free end of which a rock drill and its auxiliary devices or other necessary apparatuses are arranged. A known solution for a boom of a passenger cage is such that rails or corresponding guide surfaces are arranged to both longitudinal sides of the rock drilling apparatus, i.e. in the direction of motion, along which bars or guide surfaces the booms can be moved. Both booms and their passenger cages can be driven separately in the longitudinal direction of the rock drilling apparatus from its back part to the front part and vice versa. This type of structure has, however, the disadvantage that the booms must be driven to pass the control deck at close range, which is a serious risk to the safety of a user of the apparatus. Further, such boom structures limit access to the control deck, from where the apparatus is controlled and managed. Another disadvantage of the solution is that since the guides have to be made firm, they become at the same time heavy and thus they disadvantageously increase the total weight of the rock drilling apparatus. Further, another known boom solution is applicable to passenger cages. In this solution, booms are arranged at the back part of the rock drilling apparatus separately to both sides, which booms can be moved from the back part of the drilling apparatus to the front part and vice versa by means of link mechanisms. The articulation of the booms is arranged in such a manner that different boom parts can be turned in a vertical direction, i.e. they can be lifted and lowered in respect of their fulcrums. In order to produce a sideward movement of the passenger cage, the whole boom structure can be arranged onto a turning base or it is in its entirety arranged to turn in respect of a vertical articulation at the foot of the boom. However, this solution is also disadvantaged by poor safety of drillers working on the control deck, because in this case, too, the boom is arranged to pass the control deck very near. In known solutions, an operator is thus in danger of being pressed between the boom and the frame of the rock drilling apparatus, and said structures make the use of the rock drilling apparatus also otherwise more complicated.
It is an object of this invention to provide a new type of a boom for a rock drilling apparatus, which boom prevents the prior art disadvantages and makes the structure simpler and thus lighter than before.
The boom arrangement of the invention is characterized in that in the rock drilling apparatus, said vertical axle is arranged behind a control deck of drillers, i.e. a drilling worktop, other boom parts are correspondingly arranged at the free end of the first boom part pivotably in respect of the vertical axle, transferring the boom arrangement from the transport position into the working position and vice versa is arranged by turning the first boom part in respect of said vertical axle, other boom parts connected to the first boom part are arranged to move on the side of the rock drilling apparatus, within a distance from the control deck and in the transport position, the actuator can be driven near to the control deck.
The essential idea of the invention is that the rock drilling apparatus comprises at least one variously movable boom, which for its part comprises at least two boom parts articulated pivotably to each other, and an actuator, preferably a passenger cage, is arranged to the free end of the outermost boom part. According to the inventive idea, the boom comprises the substantially horizontally arranged first boom part located nearest to the rock drilling apparatus and arranged to the rock drilling apparatus pivotably in respect of the vertical axle of the rock drilling apparatus by means of the first articulation. Further, the second articulation is arranged between the first boom part and the second boom part, which articulation enables at least the horizontal turning of the second boom part in respect of the first boom part. Thus, the boom can be moved from the transport position into the working position horizontally in respect of the vertical axle of the articulation between the rock drilling apparatus and the boom. The articulation connecting the boom to the rock drilling apparatus is located behind the control deck of drillers, or a so-called drilling worktop, and the movable parts of the boom are arranged to move on the side of the rock drilling apparatus, within a distance from the control deck in a sideward direction, when the boom is transferred between the transport position and the working position. In an embodiment of the invention, the second articulation enables the turning of the second boom part only substantially in a horizontal direction. Such a solution still comprises at least the third boom part, which is in turn at least vertically articulated pivotably in respect of the second boom part. Further, an essential idea of another embodiment of the invention is that the second boom part is articulated to the first boom part by means of the second articulation, which enables both horizontal and vertical turning of the second boom part in respect of the first boom part. Further, an essential idea of the third embodiment of the invention is that the embodiment comprises one boom whose first part is arranged to turn substantially in a horizontal direction in respect of the first articulation in such a manner that the boom can be turned from the first side of the rock drilling apparatus to the other side, whereby separate booms and their actuators need not be arranged to the longitudinal sides of the apparatus.
The invention provides the advantage that the safety of the users of the drilling apparatus is substantially improved, as the booms are no longer passed near the control deck. The moving mechanisms of the booms are no longer in users' immediate proximity, but the articulation connecting the boom to the rock drilling apparatus is located behind the control deck of drillers, i.e. the so-called drilling worktop, and the moving parts of the boom are within a distance sideward from the control deck. Another advantage is also that because of the boom structure of the invention, the rock drilling apparatus can be constructed in such a manner that the transport position is lower and sideward narrower than before, whereby its managing is easier in narrow mine galleries and the like. Thus, the rock drilling apparatus can be transferred as such to its operating place without having to dismantle boom structures because of transports and transfers. Further, the solution of the invention provides a better stability, because compared with known solutions, the fulcrum point of the boom structures is located more in the middle of the rock drilling apparatus. Moreover, the distribution of weight between the front and the rear axles of the rock drilling apparatus is more even. On account of these factors, it is easy to dri
Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis L.L.P.
Lev Bruce A.
Sandvik Tamrock OY
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