GB2058175A

GB2058175A - Rotary Cutting Head

Info

Publication number: GB2058175A
Application number: GB8029556A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Hall and Pickles Ltd
Current assignee: Hall and Pickles Ltd
Priority date: 1979-09-18
Filing date: 1980-09-12
Publication date: 1981-04-08
Also published as: GB2058175B

Abstract

A rotary cutting head 1 for a tunnelling or roadway driving machine comprises a plurality of pick boxes 6 and is provided at a rearward end 4 of the head 1 that is free of pick boxes, with a plurality of nozzles 17 adapted to direct water to the vicinity of the pick boxes 6 for dust suppression purposes. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rotary Cutting Head This invention relates to a rotary cutting head provided with a plurality of picks, each mounted in a pick box secured, e.g. by welding, to the external periphery of the head, for use on a tunnelling machine or underground roadway driving machine for instance.

Current designs for such heads employ nozzles to produce a spray or jet of water for dust suppression purposes, the nozzles being interposed between various pick boxes. However, by being so located, the nozzles tend to become ineffective by being obstructed or blocked by the debris being removed by the cutting head, and in an attempt to enhance dust suppression it has been proposed to provide additional nozzles remote from the cutting head, on a stationary part of the machine, these nozzles directing water to the cutting head and adjacent area, but it will be appreciated that this remote location again results in a somewhat ineffective dust suppressing action.

According to the present invention, a rotary cutting head for a tunnelling or roadway driving machine comprises a plurality of pick boxes and is provided at a rearward end of the head that is free of pick boxes, with a plurality of nozzles adapted to direct water to the vicinity of the pick boxes for dust suppression purposes.

This provision of nozzles at the rearward end of the cutting head has the advantage that these nozzles are in the main clear of debris being removed by the rotary cutting head and hence there is a reduced tendency for the nozzles to become obstructed or blocked. Furthermore, due to the location of these nozzles on the rotary cutting head they necessarily rotate with the head and therefore have a more effective dust suppressing action than nozzles located on a stationary part of the machine.

In principle the cutting head may be of any shape, e.g. parallel-sided head, frusto-conical, or domed, as are currently used on tunnelling or roadway driving machines. The nozzles can be provided in mounting blocks secured, e.g. by welding to the rearward end of the cutting head, or alternatively they may be provided in mounting rings, which may be formed in one or in a plurality of individual pieces, again secured, e.g. by welding, to the rearward part of the cutting head.

Alternatively, if the latter is of a kind provided with an integral mounting flange, e.g. by which it is secured to a boom of a tunnelling or roadway driving machine, the nozzles can be located within the flange. It can readily be arranged for the nozzles to lie flush with the outer surface of the mounting block, ring or flange so as not to protrude therefrom and hence to obviate damage to them in service, while furthermore the nozzles can be given various angular locations so that whilst generally the nozzles would direct a spray or jet of water in a forward direction, some nozzles may be arranged to spray at 900 to the axis of rotation, and other nozzles to spray parallel to the external periphery of the cutting head.

Furthermore, it remains possible, and is sometimes advantageous, to provide additional nozzles in the vicinity of the pick boxes.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a first embodiment of rotary cutting head in accordance with the present invention; Figures 2; 3 and 4 correspond to Figure 1 but show respectively second, third and fourth embodiments; and Figure 5 is a part sectional side elevation of a fifth embodiment.

In all the Figures, like reference numerals are employed for like elements.

In the drawings, a rotary cutting head 1 is adapted to be mounted on the end of a boom (not shown) of a tunnelling machine or underground roadway driving machine, the head 1 being rotatabie about an axis 2. The head 1 has a forward end 3, a rearward end 4, and an external periphery 5. To the latter are welded a plurality of pick boxes 6 in any required lacing, the majority of the boxes 6 being located at the forward end 3 and each box releasably retaining a pick 6A (Figure 5).

In the embodiment of Figure 1, a ring 7 is welded around the external periphery 5 adjacent the rearward end 4. The ring 7 houses a plurality of nozzles in drilled holes 8, the nozzles being adapted to produce a spray or jet of water which as indicated at 9A may be generally parallel to the axis 2, at 9B radially from the axis 2 or at 9C at an angle between parallel and radial. To avoid damage in service the nozzles are, if possible, flush with the various external surfaces of the ring 7 and are screwed into tapped holes, e.g. by means of an allen key.

In the embodiment of Figure 2, the head 1 is provided with an integral flange 10 by which the head is attached to the boom, the flange joining the external periphery 5 at a root 11 with nozzles being located in drilled holes 8A provided in the root 11 and holes 8B in a front face 1 2 of the flange 1 0.

In the embodiment of Figure 3, the periphery 5 of the head 1 is frusto-conical and towards the rearward end 4 are located a plurality of mounting boxes 1 3 each housing a nozzle in a drilled hole 8C. As indicated, some of the nozzles may be arranged at axis 9D parallel to the periphery 5.

In the embodiment of Figure 4, an integral flange 10 is again provided. The flange 10 however carries a plurality of circumferentially located mounting boxes 13 while again additional holes 8A are drilled in the front face 12 of the flange 10.

In the embodiment of Figure 5, an integral flange 10 is again provided, the flange 10 having a plurality of mounting holes 14 by which the head is bolted to the boom of the machine and water passageways 1 5 extend from a co-axial supply conduit 1 6 to the holes 8B into which conventional nozzles 1 7 are screwed.

Claims

1. A rotary cutting head for a tunnelling or roadway driving machine comprising a plurality of pick boxes and provided at a rearward end of the head that is free of pick boxes, with a plurality of nozzles adapted to direct water to the vicinity of the pick boxes for dust suppression purposes.

2. A rotary cutting head as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cutting head is parallel sided.

3. A rotary cutting head as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cutting head is frusto-conical.

4. A rotary cutting head as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the cutting head is domed.

5. A rotary cutting head as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the nozzles are provided in mounting blocks secured to the rearward end of the cutting head.

6. A rotary cutting head as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the nozzles are provided in mounting rings secured to the rearward part of the cutting head.

7. A rotary cutting head as claimed in Claim 6, wherein each ring is of one piece construction.

8. A rotary cutting head as claimed in Claim 6, wherein each ring is formed from a plurality of individual pieces.

9. A rotary cutting head as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the head has an integral mounting flange at its rearward end in which flange the nozzles are located.

10. A rotary cutting head as claimed in Claim 5, 6 or 9, wherein the nozzles lie flush with the outer surface of the mounting block, ring or flange so as not to protrude therefrom.

11. A rotary cutting head as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein some nozzles are arranged parallel to the axis of rotation of the head.

12. A rotary cutting head as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein some nozzles are arranged radially at 900 to the axis of rotation.

13. A rotary cutting head as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein some nozzles are arranged at an angle between parallel to the axis of rotation and radially of the axis of rotation.

14. A rotary cutting head as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein additional nozzles are provided in the vicinity of the pick boxes.

1 5. A rotary cutting head for a tunnelling or roadway driving machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A rotary cutting head for a tunnelling or roadway driving machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

1 7. A rotary cutting head for a tunnelling or roadway driving machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

1 8. A rotary cutting head for a tunnelling or roadway driving machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

1 9. A rotary cutting head for a tunnelling or roadway driving machine substantially as herein before described with reference to Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.