GB2260523A - Movable heavy load carriage device - Google Patents

Abstract

The load carriage device eg far pile driving equipment comprises an upper platform (30) for carrying loads, a middle platform (20) to facilitate relative movement in a first orthogonal direction, and a carriage platform (10) to act as a base and to facilitate relative movement in second orthogonal direction. At each corner of the top platform (30) is attached an individually and independently adjustable supporting leg mechanism (40). An angle of tilt is rendered to the device where appropriate. The device is capable of an incremental movement, in two orthogonal directions, actuated by a combination use of preferably four reciprocating ram mechanisms (50a, 50b. 60a, 60b) and said supporting leg mechanisms (40). <IMAGE>

Description

TITLE: A MOVABLE HEAVY LOAD CARRIAGE DEVICE FIELD: The invention relates to a movable heavy load carriage device preferably used in a pile driving environment.

BACKGROUND: In United Kingdom Patent Application 2189533B, there is disclosed a hydraulic injection piling system which injects the piles into the ground.

A hydraulic injection piling system needs adequate counterweights on its carriage platform in order to stabilise the system. When the hydraulic ram is in operation, the counterweights ensure that the platform is not lifted off the ground; the pile is instead jacked downwards.

An 8-ton working load pile would need a counterweight of more than 8 tons to achieve the above purpose.

Counterweights, inclusive of the weight of the platform and framework, of less than 8 tons may result in the whole system being lifted when the pile encounters a similar ground resistance.

Common engineering practice recommends that the jack down force on an injection pile be at least one and a half times its working load. An 8-ton pile needs a counterweight of 12 tons.

This counterweight requirement therefore places a restriction on the practical limit of the load capacity of the piles that can be used safely in the field.

Traditionally, a working load of more than 30 tons is encountered at a construction site. To move such a load, various methods of construction involving tracked equipment or equipment with huge pneumatic tyres, rail seats or wooden slippers, are used.

It is therefore innovative to the art to provide a movable heavy load carriage device that can carry particularly a hydraulic pile injection system, and extend the load capacity of the injection piles significantly.

SUMMARY The substantial features of a specific embodiment according to the presently disclosed invention are many, some of which are indicated herebelow:1. The carriage device can carry heavy loads. For an example, when hydraulic jacks are used as supporting legs for said device, loads of more than a hundred tons can be lifted gently and easily and be transported by the device to any part of a construction site.

2. The device can operate on rough terrain.

3. The device can operate on very soft ground.

4. Incremental movement of the device is possible. The device can be actuated to move to a predetermined position on the construction site 5. The device is relatively cheap to construct compared with conventional methods including a tracked device.

6. The maintenence cost of such a device is relatively low.

7. The device can be manipulated to attain an angle of tilt since the supporting leg mechanisms are independently and individually adjustable. This angle of tilt allows for raking of piles where necessary.

8. It can have several other applications, for example, to serve as a carriage base for many kinds of existing construction equipment presently using tracked undercarriage for movement.

According to a preferred embodiment of the disclosure, the heavy load carriage device comprises substantially three platforms. Each platform is constructed preferably from Isectional beams. An upper platform is connected to a lower platform or to cross-members thereon by means of several wide jaw slider means.

A top platform is for carrying loads and for mounting various types of superstructure or equipment that need to be moved within a construction job site. The superstructure includes piling frames.

A middle platform is introduced beneath the top platform to facilitate relative movement in the first orthogonal direction.

A carriage platform serves as the base of the carriage device. It is designed to be broad enough to spread the load, in order to avoid sinking of the device when it is operating on very soft ground. It further serves as a rail support frame in its relative movement in second orthogonal direction. This innovative arrangement removes the need for conventional undercarriage rail.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS By way of example only, the invention is now explained in the following drawings by means of an embodiment schematically illustrated.

Figure (1) is a plan view of the embodiment of the invention.

Figure (2) is a front elevation view of the embodiment of the invention showing the mounting relationship of the three platforms (10, 20, 30), as shown in Figure (1).

Figure (3) is a side elevation view of the embodiment of the invention as shown in Figure (1).

Figure (4) is a front elevation view along line X-X of Figure (1) showing the mounting position of a hydraulic jack (50).

Figure (5) is a front elevation view along line XX-XX of Figure (1) without the hydraulic jack (50).

Figure (6) and (7) are fragmentary exploded side and end views indicated as "D" of Figure (4), showing the mounting positions of the hydraulic jack (50) to a carriage platform (10).

Figure (8) is a side elevation view along Y-Y of Figure (1) showing the mounting position of hydraulic jacks (50, 60) and supporting leg means (40).

Figure (9) is a side cross-section view indicated as "C" of Figure (3) showing the mounting relationship of a wide jaw slider means (80) holding two platforms.

Figures (10), (11), (12), (13), and (14) are different views of the invention at different stages of its relative movement in first orthogonal direction.

Figures (15), (16) , (17) , (18) and (19) are different views of the invention at various stages of its relative movement in second orthogonal direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to Figure (1), the plan view illustrates the manner in which the three platforms are laid one on top of the other. The upper platform (30) and the middle platform (20) are substantially rectangular in shape. The top platform (30) is shorter in length than the middle platform (20). The middle platform (20) is partially hidden from view since it is beneath the top platform (30). The carriage platform (10) is substantially rectangular in shape but is placed orthogonally to the top and middle platform (30, 20). At each corner of the top platform (30) is suitably attached an adjustable supporting leg mechanism (40). This adjustable supporting leg mechanism (40) includes preferably a hydraulic jack, connectable to a hydraulic power source (not shown).The bottom end of each leg mechanism (40) engages a flat surface pad in order to distribute the load of the device. It is to be noted that by adjusting each leg mechanism individually, an angle of tilt is rendered to the device.

The relative mounting positions of the four reciprocating rams, including preferably hydraulic jacks (50a, 50b, 60a, 60b), are also indicated on the plan view. Two rams (50a, 50b) are placed orthogonally to two other rams (60a, 60b).

Where suffixes "a" or "b" are shown, they indicate that components exist in pairs. Two rams are preferably engaged to avoid unbalanced tilting of the device. Also, the reciprocating rams are preferably double-acting.

Referring to Figure (2), it is to be noted from this front elevation view that the width of the middle platform (20) is substantially the same as the width of the top platform (30), and the width of the carriage platform (10) is greater than the two abovementioned widths since it is placed orthogonally. The front elevation also indicates leg-halfway-down positions of the adjustable supporting leg mechanisms (40). When fully extended down, the leg mechanisms (40) will lift the whole device.

Referring now to Figure (3), it is to be noted that the lengths of the platforms are not the same. The middle platform (20) is longest, followed by the top platform (30), and then the carriage platform (10). Substantially at equidistance, on each side of the top platform (30), are attached four sets of wide jaw slider means (80).

Together the eight sets of the wide jaw slider means (80) restrain relative movement in second orthogonal directions while holding the two platforms movably in first orthogonal direction. While there is a restrained movement in the second orthogonal direction, the wide jaw slider means (80) allows relative movement of top platform (30) and middle platform (20) along the first orthogonal direction.

When moving along in the second orthogonal direction, the middle platform (20) and the carriage platform (10) are similarly engaged via eight sets of wide jaw slider means (90) as shown in Figure 5.

The two platforms (20, 10) are clamped together vertically and restrained from moving in the first orthogonal direction. They are movable along the second orthogonal direction. The wide jaw slider means (80) interlocks top platform (30) with middle platform (20). When lifting the top platform (30), the middle platform (20) and the carriage platform (10) are lifted via these interlocking wide jaw slider means (80, 90).

Now referring to Figures (4) and (5), one end of the reciprocating ram (50) is attached to one side of the carriage platform (10) while the other end of the ram is attached to the central portion of the middle platform (20) via bracket means (92) extending from the middle platform (20). These bracket means (92) allow the reciprocating force of said reciprocating rams (50a, 50b) to be transmitted to the middle platform (20). Since the middle platform (20) and the cross-members on the carriage platform (10) are engaged by the wide jaw slider means (80), relative movement in the second orthogonal direction is permitted.

Now referring to Figures (6) and (7), a mounting arrangement is preferably indicated for the reciprocating ram to be attached to a platform (20). Two rectangular bracket means (92) are preferably welded to the underside of the middle platform (20), leaving a space between the bracket means (92) to accommodate the passage of a reciprocating piston (94). A common hole is drilled right through the bracket means (92), so that a round pin (93) passes through the eye (95) of the piston of the ram and the common hole.

Now referring to Figure (8), one end of the reciprocating ram (60) is attached to one end of the middle platform (20) via bracket means (100) while the other end of the ram is attached to the top platform (30). This arrangement allows the reciprocating force from the reciprocating ram (60) to be transmitted to the middle platform (20). As the carriage platform (10) and the middle platform (20) are engaged together on each side by sets of wide jaw slider means (90), relative movement in the first orthogonal direction is permitted.

A stopper means (70) is located near the opposite end of the middle platform (20).

Referring to Figure (9), a wide jaw slider means (80) is suitably attached to the top platform (30) by a bolt-andnut means (81), and its U-shaped wide jaw (82) engulfs the protruding sections. Lubricating means (88), preferably oil polymer pads, are placed in between the top and middle platforms to avoid friction. Another similar lubrication means (89) is also interleaved between the lower jaw section (82) and the lower protruding section.

Figures (10) to (14) indicate the different views of the device moving in first orthogonal direction. Figure (10) shows the device with the four legs (40) retracted. In this position, the device rests upon the carriage platform (10).

Referring to Figures (11) and (12), when the 4 legs (40) of the device are extended downwards, the three interconnected platforms (10), (20), (30) will be raised from and off the ground. In this legs-down position, the top platform (30), through the wide jaw clamp (80), will be lifting the middle platform (20) whose weight is now transferred to the slider means (80) via lubrication means (88). Similarly, the carriage platform (10) is also being carried by the middle platform (20) through the wide jaw slider means (90) connecting said platforms (20) and (10).

The reciprocating rams (60a, 60b) are then activated, urging the middle platform (20) and the carriage platform (10) to move together in the first orthogonal direction incrementally. It is to be noted that the length of the hydraulic cylinder (60a, 60b) and the stopper (70) will allow the carriage platform (10) to stop short of touching the four supporting leg mechanisms (40).

Referring to Figures (13) and (14), the four supporting legs (40) are next retracted and the device now rests upon the carriage platform (10). The hydraulic jacks (60a, 60b) are retracted, therefore urging only the top platform (30) to move in the first orthogonal direction. The middle platform (20) remains interlocked with the carriage platform (10). The device as a whole moves to a new position. In a similar manner, the above cycle can be repeated.

Figures (15) to (19) in combination indicate the different views of the device when moving in the second orthogonal direction. In this situation, the reciprocating rams (50) are used instead.

As disclosed, this device is movable in two orthogonal directions in any incremental steps within the designed range. It is thus able to travel to any predetermined spot within a job site.

It is important to note that each of the four supporting leg mechanisms (40) can be individually adjusted to any height (within the range allowed). This would enable the three platforms (10, 20, 30) to be maintained at horizontal level or at a desired inclination irrespective of the ground level.

The four supporting leg mechanisms can be designed to take heavy loads. For example, when the hydraulic jack system is used, loads exceeding several hundred tons can be lifted gently with ease, and moved. This much higher load carrying capacity is a significant advantage over conventional systems using either track, pneumatic tyres or rails.

The flat surface pad of the supporting leg mechanism (40) can be designed to transfer the load to the ground. If necessary, the flat surface pad can be enlarged to provide a very large surface of contact with the ground.

It is further noted that each platform is made from suitable structural members, preferably I-sectional beams. This can enhance the load carrying capacity of the device. Other structural members such as square or round sectional beams can also be used.

Claims (11)

1. A movable load carriage device comprising a plurality of co-operating platforms, the said carriage device acting as a base to mount further structure and/or equipment, and the said carriage device being capable of increment movement actuated by the combined use of a plurality of reciprocating ram means, and a plurality of adjustable supporting leg mechanisms.

2. A movable load carriage device comprising three cooperating platforms, a top platform carrying four adjustable supporting leg mechanisms and interlocking movably with a second, middle, platform, the said middle platform further interlocking movably with a third carriage platform, the said carriage device being capable of incremental movement actuated by the combined use of four reciprocating ram mechanisms and our adjustable supporting leg mechanisms.

3. A movable load carriage device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the structural members making up each platform include I-section beams.

4. A movable load carriage device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the device is used in a pile driving environment.

5. A movable load carriage device as claimed in claim 4 in which the device is used in hydraulic pile driving.

6. A movable load carriage device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in which said incremental movement is in two orthogonal directions, such that a pre-determined position in a construction site can be reached.

7. A movable load carriage device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 in which a top platform is movably and slidably attached to a bottom platform by a plurality of wide jaw slider means.

8. A movable load carriage device as claimed in claim 2 in which said relative movement is actuated by means of a plurality of reciprocating rams attached to the platforms.

9. A movable load carriage device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8 in which the dimensions of the platforms are extendable to enable spreading of the load to avoid sinking even when the device is used on soft ground.

10. A movable load carriage device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 in which an angle of tilt can be achieved by adjusting the height of the supporting leg mechanisms individually.

11. A movable load carriage device substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.