Earth Drilling Device

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device, a system comprising an earth drilling device, a method for fastening an at least partially flexible connecting element to an earth drilling device and a use in fastening an at least partially flexible connecting element to an earth drilling device.

PRIOR ART

Earth drilling devices, for example in the form of ram drilling devices or moles, are known from the prior art and are used in particular for the production of horizontal earth boreholes and for the installation of cables or pipes. Ram drilling devices are self-propelled drilling devices.

Usually, such a ram drilling device has a percussion piston which is moved in an oscillating (back and forth) manner within a housing and, depending on the desired direction of movement of the ram drilling device, directly or indirectly impacts a front or rear impact surface of the housing. The kinetic energy transferred from the percussion piston causes the ram drilling device to accelerate within the ground.

From WO 2011/128045 A2 an earth drilling device is known which has a base body with a housing. A percussion piston is movably mounted in the housing. As it moves forward, the percussion piston strikes the rear end of a striking pin, which is part of the drill head. The front end of the striking pin forms a drill head tip, which, due to its relatively small diameter, ensures high directional stability of the earth drilling device, which is designed as a ram drilling device or mole.

Using a ram drilling device or mole, the soil is displaced into the surrounding earth and compacted. This allows a channel or earth tube to be created in the ground. For example, there are applications in which pipes or cables are pulled into the ground directly during the construction of the channel or subsequently after the channel has been created. Depending on the application, the ram drilling device or mole can be adapted to different requirements through attachment options such as a return cone, a sleeve pipe, a PE pipe connection or a cutting nipple.

Previously, in order to change the application, the mounting option attached to the housing had to be removed and the desired mounting option had to be attached. For this purpose, a thread is provided at the end of the ram drilling device or mole into which the desired attachment option can be screwed and the screw connection can be glued. The conversion was complex and time-consuming due to the screwing and gluing of the various attachment options. However, this approach has so far been considered efficient, since the requirements can be met by providing differently designed ends on the ram drilling device or on the mole, and a safe design is possible due to the way the different ends are attached. The consideration was based on the high forces and the harsh conditions in the ground, where, among other things, it is important to ensure that dirt or soil does not penetrate into the mole.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide increased flexibility of the earth drilling device with simpler means, so that an improvement in the use of the earth drilling device is made possible compared to the aforementioned disadvantages, wherein in particular a simpler and faster type of attachment to the earth drilling device can be made possible.

The object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims and result from the following description of the invention.

The essence of the invention is, contrary to the previous understanding of the person skilled in the art, to provide only one end of the earth drilling device, to which an attachment option can optionally be attached, for example in the form of a connection for direct piping, in which a pipe is pulled into the ground during the advance of the earth drilling device. The invention separates itself from the idea of replacing the entire end of the earth drilling device depending on the application of the earth drilling device. The present invention therefore takes a completely contrary approach in that the end of the earth drilling device is designed to provide the possibility of attachment.

According to a first embodiment of the earth drilling device, which alone justifies patentability, the prejudice is eliminated that for each application a respective “prefabricated” end must be connected to the housing of the earth drilling device in order to form a respective closed unit, preferably made of metal. While the prior art was based on such a closed unit, there is an opening at the end of the housing that provides a fastening option. An opening in a housing of the earth drilling device has not been considered so far due to the weakening of the material and/or the possibility of dirt entering the housing. By means of the design, both the earth drilling device can be configured together with the opening for a “simpler return” in the ground and direct piping. This provides added value for the user of the earth drilling device as it allows them to configure the design on site quickly and easily.

According to the first embodiment, the invention provides an earth drilling device with a housing, a percussion piston which can be moved back and forth in the housing and a supply line for an operating medium for moving the percussion piston, wherein the supply line is arranged at the end of the housing, and the end of the housing tapers backwards in the longitudinal direction in the region of the supply line and at the end with the supply line there is a connection possibility by means of an opening formed at the end which is at least partially radially accessible.

According to a second embodiment of the earth drilling device, which alone justifies patentability, the prejudice is eliminated that for each application a respective “prefabricated” end must be connected to the housing of the earth drilling device in order to form a respective closed unit, preferably made of metal. While the prior art was based on such a closed unit, the end of the housing is designed in such a way that an element of a connection pair is present on the outside, by means of which fastening is possible. By means of the design, both the earth drilling device can be configured together with the opening for a “simpler return” in the ground and direct piping. This provides added value for the user of the earth drilling device as it allows them to configure the design on site quickly and easily.

According to a second embodiment, the invention provides an earth drilling device with a housing and a percussion piston that can be moved back and forth in the housing, and a supply line for an operating medium for moving the percussion piston, wherein the end of the housing tapers backwards in the longitudinal direction in the region of the supply line and an element of a connection pair is provided on the outside of the end, wherein the connection pair has the element and a counter element, and the element is designed for an optional connection to interact with the counter element.

The two embodiments can be freely combined with each other so that both an opening and an element of a connection pair can be present at the end of the earth drilling device. However, the combined embodiment of the first and second design of the earth drilling device represents only a preferred embodiment of the earth drilling device.

For the purposes of this description, an “earth drilling device” comprises any device that can create or enlarge a borehole in the ground or is used to insert or pull pipes or other bodies into the ground. The earth drilling device can in particular have a percussion piston and can be moved intermittently in an existing channel or a channel to be created in order to create or widen a bore or to replace or clean an existing pipe, either destructively or non-destructively, or to pull lines into existing pipes or other long bodies. The earth drilling device can in particular be a self-propelled percussion device for creating a horizontal bore, very particularly preferably a ram drilling device or mole, wherein the terms “ram drilling device” and “mole” can be used synonymously.

The term “ram drilling device” comprises both earth displacement devices in which the drill head tip or bit is firmly connected to the housing, as well as ram drilling devices with a bit that is mounted so that it can be moved axially relative to the housing. A ram drilling device according to the invention can be either a one-stroke device or a two-stroke device. In a two-stroke device, the percussion piston first strikes the bit, which moves ahead in the first stroke. The housing is acted upon by the percussion piston in the second stroke. In a two-stroke device, peak resistance and casing friction are separated and alternately overcome more easily. A two-stroke device provides better energy conversion, which particularly facilitates the destruction of obstacles due to the concentration of the impact impulse on the bit. As a result of the soil displacement that precedes the stroke of the drill head, the housing remains in a steady position and thus ensures relatively good running stability.

An earth drilling device within the meaning of the invention is not limited to work in the earth or to work in direct contact with the earth. For example, it is possible that the earth drilling devices can be used in underground lines and/or pipes. The earth drilling device is also not limited to underground earthworks. The earth drilling device can also be used, for example, in lines that run above ground.

The term “horizontal drilling” in the sense of the present specification encompasses in particular any kind of existing or yet to be created preferably horizontal channels in a body, especially earth channels including earth boreholes, rock boreholes, or earth conduits, as well as underground or aboveground pipelines and water canals which can be produced, spread out, destroyed, cut open, cleaned or lined and/or refurbished by using a corresponding earth drilling device.

The term “supply line” in the sense of the description includes a hose or the like by means of which an operating medium for moving the percussion piston can be supplied to the earth drilling device. In particular, the supply line can be designed as a compressed air hose. It is also possible for a pressurized fluid or electric current to be supplied through the supply line of the earth drilling device.

The term “operating medium” within the meaning of the description includes compressed air, compressed fluid, electric current, electric voltage and/or another medium by means of which the percussion piston can be set into the oscillating back and forth movement.

The term “rearward” in the sense of the description includes a direction indicating that a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis of the housing is described, which is directed opposite to the direction of advance of the earth drilling device.

The term “at least partially radially accessible” in the sense of the description includes the arrangement of the opening such that a part of the opening is present in the radial direction to the housing, namely essentially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the housing. A free space or gap behind the opening can be accessed in at least one direction which has a radial component.

The end of the housing, in particular the tapered region, in particular conically tapered region, in the region of the supply line, can be screwed and glued to the tubular housing section as before. For screwing, the tubular housing section can have an internal thread and the end an external thread. The screw connection with the adhesive offers the advantage of improved maintenance options.

The term “connection pair” in the sense of the description comprises two elements, in particular an element and a counter-element, which can interact to establish a (optional) connection. The element of the connection pair can be designed as a locking element, as a receptacle or groove, as a pin-shaped element and/or as a wedge-shaped element. The counter element cooperating with the element can be designed as a) an element that locks with the locking element, b) a pin-shaped element that can be inserted into the element designed as a receptacle, in particular as a clamping pin, c) an opening that is arranged around the element designed as a pin-shaped element, and or d) a wedge-shaped element. By means of the interaction of the elements of the connection pair, a positive connection and/or frictional connection can be achieved, by means of which a fastening or connection between an attachment part and the housing of the earth drilling device, in particular the end tapering towards the rear, is possible.

For the purposes of the description, a spring pin or spring sleeve is understood to be an element which can be used for fastening and which can be an element/counter-element of a connection pair. The spring pin can in particular be designed as a hollow, slotted pin or sleeve. The terms spring pin and spring sleeve can be used synonymously. In order to perform its function, the spring pin is usually compressed at least partially or slightly in a receptacle.

The term “receptacle” within the meaning of the description includes a bore, recess, opening, hole, depression, groove or the like into which, for example, a spring pin can be inserted for the purpose of fastening. The term “bore” does not primarily refer to the type of manufacture, but rather to the mere provision of the recess, opening, hole, depression or groove. The receptacle can be made using any machine tool, in particular a drilling machine, a lathe or a milling machine. The receptacle can be made with one or more rotating tools and the mechanical removal of chips or fragments. It is also possible to produce the receptacle using spark erosion, oscillating lapping or laser. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the receptacle, in particular on the attachment, can be designed as a through-bore or through-hole.

In a preferred embodiment, the end of the housing tapers conically backwards in the longitudinal direction in the region of the supply line, whereby a design which is easy to plan and simple in terms of construction can be selected, which can also alternatively or additionally simplify the sliding on of an element or component to be connected.

If it is stated that the opening and/or the element of a connection pair is present “at an end” or “at the end”, this is understood in particular to mean that the opening and/or element are present in the housing, namely in the end or within the end. The envelope of the housing can surround the opening and/or the element. It is not necessary for a component with an opening and/or an element to protrude from the housing, which may mean that no additional components need to be attached and/or formed thereon.

In a preferred embodiment, the opening is formed in a wall of the housing, in particular the end of the housing. As explained above, the end of the housing can be screwed and glued to the tubular housing section in the region of the supply line as before. For screwing, the tubular housing section can have an internal thread and the end an external thread. By forming the opening in a wall of the housing, it can be exposed and/or located in an region that has a corresponding material thickness that can withstand a load, for example by the connection of a pipe to be pulled in. However, it can also be possible to replace the end of the housing if necessary, for example if the opening has been subjected to too much strain by the connection. In addition or alternatively, access to the opening can be made easier by the design in the wall.

The term “wall” in the sense of the description preferably comprises a component or element of the earth drilling device which represents an outer wall of the housing of the earth drilling device.

In a preferred embodiment, the opening has an edge which is at least partially at a distance from the longitudinal axis of the housing which is less than the maximum distance of the outer diameter of the housing from the longitudinal axis of the housing, whereby the opening can be concealed, for example by a cover and/or a pipe to be pulled in, which is connected to the earth drilling device, covering the opening. It can be prevented that dirt can pass through the opening, although covering the opening does not necessarily lead to an increase in the maximum distance of the housing from the longitudinal axis of the housing.

In a preferred embodiment, the opening is connected to a gap extending longitudinally along the supply line between the supply line and the housing, so that a connecting element can be guided along the gap and guided outwards through the opening in order to fasten the connecting element to the housing of the earth drilling device.

In one embodiment, the opening is arranged within the, in particular conically extending, region, so that a connecting element can be guided through the opening without the outer diameter of the connecting element guided through the opening being larger than the outer diameter of the housing in the region of the percussion piston. This may also apply in the case of an existing attachment extending over the opening and the connecting element, so that the outer diameter of the attachment is not larger than the outer diameter of the housing in the region of the percussion piston. A distance to the longitudinal edge of the, in particular conically, tapered end can be selected at which a sufficiently high material thickness is present.

In a preferred embodiment, a recess extending at least partially along the circumference is provided as a receptacle, which is connected to the opening. The recess or receptacle offers the possibility of arranging a connecting element at least partially in this recess or receptacle in order to prevent the outer diameter of the earth drilling device in the region of the end from becoming larger than the outer diameter of the region of the earth drilling device in which the percussion piston is arranged.

In a preferred embodiment, the recess has a depth that substantially corresponds to the diameter of the opening. Where the term “substantially” is used in this context, it is understood that the recess has a depth which corresponds to at least 0.6 times the diameter of the opening. Most preferably, the recess may have a depth which corresponds to at least 0.7 times, 0.8 times, 0.9 times or at least 1.0 times the diameter of the opening.

In a preferred embodiment, a seal adapted to the opening is provided, which can be locked onto the opening. This ensures that no dirt or soil penetrates through the opening when the seal is in place or locked.

The invention also provides a system comprising the described earth drilling device. Furthermore, the system comprises an attachment which has an end-side, in particular conical, receptacle adapted to the end of the housing in the region of the supply line for receiving the end which tapers, in particular conically, towards the rear and a step within the attachment. The inner wall of the attachment extends essentially parallel to the longitudinal direction. The system further comprises an at least partially flexible connecting element which is designed to be guided through the opening and fastened.

The term “attachment” in connection with the, in particular conical, end comprises, in the sense of the description, an outwardly cylindrical element in the form of a round tube, which in particular has an outer diameter adapted to the outer diameter of the region of the earth drilling device with the percussion piston. In particular, the outer diameter of the attachment can be substantially equal to the outer diameter of the region of the earth drilling device with the percussion piston. This can result in an outer contour when the attachment is attached, which has essentially the same outer contour along the longitudinal axis, if the receptacle is designed accordingly. An outer contour essentially without steps and edges can be formed.

The “step” inside the attachment is designed in the meaning of the description, as a stop or abutment surface for a pipe to be pulled in. The pipe to be pulled in can be tightened against the step.

The term “connecting element” within the meaning of the description comprises an elongated element which is flexible at least in sections and which has the property of having a high tensile strength and of being flexible when slack. The connecting element can in particular be designed, at least in sections, in the form of a rope, a chain, a belt or similar. Next to the flexible elongated section there is a fastening for an extension. The connecting element can be extended using the fastening. The fastening can be designed as a sleeve-shaped element with an internal thread, into which, for example, a pin-shaped element with an external thread (counter element) can be screwed, which in turn has a further section at the other end which is flexible and elongated. This section can, for example, be an (extension) rope. The two sections, which are flexible and elongated, may have a substantially equal or identical configuration, both in terms of material and dimensions. It goes without saying that an end fastening on the connecting element can be designed in any way, provided that the fastening provides a connecting option that allows for an extension to be carried out. The fastening can enable a positive connection and/or a force connection with a correspondingly designed counter element.

In a preferred embodiment, the connecting element has a loop at one end and a connection option for extending the connecting element at the other end. The connecting element can be provided as part of a tensioning system. The design of the connecting element at one end as a loop offers a simple fastening option that can also be handled on site; the loop simply needs to be looped around the circumference of the earth drilling device and, if necessary, inserted into a groove/recess. The loop allows for a “self-locking” fastening of the connecting element. The loop can “tighten” itself under tension in a groove arranged circumferentially around the housing or the end. By tensioning the pipe to be pulled in, a permanent fastening is created “automatically”, i.e. forcefully, which can only be released by loosening the loop.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the attachment can be designed such that the attachment pushed onto the end covers a groove/receptacle at the end, in which the connecting element can be at least partially arranged, and/or the opening, so that the attachment, in addition to the possibility of bracing a pipe to be pulled in, also offers protection against the ingress of soil or dirt.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the attachment can be designed such that the attachment pushed onto the end locks with a locking step in a groove/receptacle at the end, in which the connecting element can be at least partially arranged.

In a preferred embodiment, the system includes multiple attachments that differ in the diameter of the inner wall. This allows for flexibility in connecting different diameters of pipes that are to be pulled in.

The invention also provides a method for fastening an at least partially flexible connecting element to an earth drilling device, which can in particular be designed as described above. The earth drilling device comprises a housing, a percussion piston that can be moved back and forth in the housing and a supply line for an operating medium for moving the percussion piston. The supply line is arranged at the end of the housing, wherein the end of the housing tapers backwards in the region of the supply line in the longitudinal direction, in particular conically, and at the end with the supply line there is a connection option by means of an opening at the end which is at least partially radially accessible. Furthermore, there is a longitudinally accessible gap between the end of the housing in the region of the supply line and the supply line, through which gap one end of the at least partially flexible connecting element is guided along and through the opening and is fastened to the end while carrying out the method.

The invention also provides a use for fastening an at least partially flexible connecting element to an earth drilling device, which can in particular be designed as described above. The earth drilling device has a housing, a percussion piston which can be moved back and forth in the housing and a supply line for an operating medium for moving the percussion piston, wherein the supply line is arranged at the end of the housing, wherein the end of the housing tapers backwards, in particular conically, in the longitudinal direction in the region of the supply line and at the end with the supply line there is a connection possibility by means of an opening formed at the end which is at least partially radially accessible. Furthermore, a longitudinally accessible gap is provided between the end of the housing in the region of the supply line and the supply line, the opening being used to connect an at least partially flexible connecting element arranged in the gap to the housing by allowing one end of the connecting element to be guided through the opening and allowing the end of the connecting element to be connected to the end of the housing.

The invention is described in relation to an earth drilling device, a system comprising an earth drilling device, a method and a use. The description of each of the aspects mentioned complements the other aspects, so that in particular the description of the earth drilling device and/or the system comprising the earth drilling device can be used for the description of the method and/or the description of the use. The aspects complement each other and can be freely exchanged, supplemented and/or used with regard to their formal design of device features, method features and usage features.

The term “transverse” as a directional or geometrical indication relative to another direction includes an angle of 90°, but also deviations from this, in particular to take into account tolerances in the manufacture of the components. The term “transverse” includes an angle included with the reference direction in the range of approximately 5° to 175°, preferably between approximately 20° and approximately 160°, more preferably between approximately 35° and approximately 145°, particularly preferably between approximately 50° and approximately 130°, most preferably between approximately 65° and approximately 115°, most preferably between approximately 70° and approximately 110°, most preferably between approximately 80° and approximately 100°, most preferably between approximately 85° and approximately 95°.

The term “parallel” as a directional or geometrical specification relative to another direction comprises a parallel design in the mathematical sense, but also deviations from this, in particular to take into account tolerances in the manufacture of the components. The term “parallel” comprises an angle included with the reference direction in the range of approximately 0° (parallel) to 15°, preferably between approximately 0° (parallel) and approximately 10°, more preferably between approximately 0° and approximately 9°, particularly preferably between approximately 0° (parallel) and approximately 8°, most preferably between approximately 0° (parallel) and approximately 7°, most preferably between approximately 0° (parallel) and approximately 6°, most preferably between approximately 0° (parallel) and approximately 5°, most preferably between approximately 0° (parallel) and approximately 4°.

If a numerical value is used in the description and/or the claims, this numerical value includes not only the pure value itself, but also a range indication of an interval with boundary values resulting from the pure value +/−10%, in particular +/−5%.

The term “comprise” as used in the description includes, in addition to its literal meaning, the expressions “consist substantially of” and “consist of” and refers specifically to these. Thus, the term “comprise” refers both to embodiments in which the subject matter “comprises” the specifically listed elements does not comprise any further elements, and to embodiments in which the subject matter that “comprises” the specifically listed elements may and/or does comprise further elements. For the purposes of the description, the term “having” may also be understood in the same way as the term “comprising”, so that the term “comprise” also includes and refers to the terms “consist essentially of” and “consist of”.

The above statements, like the following description of exemplary embodiments, do not represent an omission of certain embodiments or features.

FIGURES

In particular:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of one end of an earth drilling device with a supply line for supplying an operating medium;

FIG. 2 shows the view of FIG. 1 with the connecting element fastened to the end;

FIG. 3 shows the view of FIG. 2 with an attachment placed on the end; and

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of one end of an earth drilling device according to FIG. 1 in a partially sectioned representation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the following, the invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an end region of an earth drilling device 1 designed as a mole. The earth drilling device 1 has a housing 2 in which a percussion piston is present in a section 3. The percussion piston can be set into an oscillating back and forth movement by means of a supplied operating medium, in this case compressed air. A supply line 4 is provided for the supply of the operating medium.

The supply line 4 is arranged longitudinally at the end 5 of the housing 2. The drill head tip at the other end of the housing 2 is not shown.

The end 5 of the housing 2 is designed as a screwed and glued insert in a tubular section 15 of the housing 2 (see FIG. 4). The end 5 is conically tapered, with the end 5 tapering conically backwards in the opposite direction to the direction of propulsion.

An opening 6 is provided at the end 5 for connecting attachment options, in particular a feature for bracing pipes to be pulled in when drilling the earth bore with the earth drilling device 1. The opening 6 is arranged in the region of a groove 7 which extends around the circumference of the end 5.

The opening 6 is formed in an (outer) wall of the housing 2, which is exposed in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 2 shows the state after which a connecting element 8 has been guided through the gap 9 between the supply line 4 and the end 5 of the housing 2 and led out through the opening 6. The connecting element 8 has a flexible elongated section 10 which is designed like a rope.

To simplify the connection, the section 10 is designed with a loop 11 which is looped around the outside of the earth drilling device 1 and placed in the groove 7. Under tensile stress, section 10 remains in groove 7 and the connecting element is fastened to the housing 2 or end 5.

To extend the connecting element 8, the connecting element 8 has a fastening 12 by means of which a further flexible elongated section can be connected to the connecting element 8.

FIG. 3 shows the state after an attachment 13 has been pushed onto the end 5. The attachment 13 covers the groove 7 and the section 10 of the connecting element 8 located therein. A pipe can be inserted into the attachment 13 and clamped to the earth drilling device 1 by means of the extended connecting element 8.

FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of one end of an earth drilling device 1 according to FIG. 1 in a partially sectioned view, wherein in particular the end 5 of the housing 2 is shown in section in a side view. The end 5 of the housing 2 is connected to the tubular section 15 of the housing 2 (simply referred to as tubular housing section 15). The connection can be made by means of a screw connection and/or gluing (not shown). For screwing, the tubular housing section 15 can have an internal thread and the end 5 an external thread.