Drive mechanism for boring machine
AssigneeAstec Industries, Inc.
InventorsGuy Randall, Neil M. Baker, Joseph R. Szarka, Justin A. Wheeler, Stephen Berger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An auger boring machine includes a track having an initial end and a terminal end, and the track is provided with a rack. The boring machine also includes a sled that is mounted on the track and adapted to be moved between the initial end and the terminal end of the track. The boring machine also includes a mechanism for rotating an auger on the sled and a drive system. The drive system includes a pinion which is mounted so as to engage with the rack on the track and a mechanism for rotating the pinion so as to drive the sled along the track.
Claims20
An auger boring machine comprising:
- (a) a track having an initial end and a terminal end, said track being provided with a rack;
- (b) a sled that is mounted on the track and adapted to be moved between the initial end of the track and the terminal end thereof;
- (c) means for rotating an auger on the sled;
- (d) a drive system comprising:
- (i) a pinion which is mounted so as to engage with the rack on the track;
- (ii) means for rotating the pinion so as to drive the sled along the track.
An auger boring machine comprising:
- (a) a track having an initial end and a terminal end, said track being comprised of a pair of track rails disposed in parallel relationship, each of which rails includes:
- (i) a plurality of holes spaced therealong;
- (ii) a rack mounted thereon;
- (b) a sled that is mounted on the track and adapted to be moved between the initial end of the track and the terminal end thereof;
- (c) an auger drive system for rotating an auger;
- (d) a drive system mounted on the sled, which system comprises:
- (i) a pair of motors, each of which has a shaft;
- (ii) a pair of pinions, each of which is mounted on the shaft of one of the motors and oriented so as to engage with the rack on one of the rails of the track;
- (e) a translation mechanism mounted on the sled, which mechanism comprises:
- (i) a dog assembly having a pair of dogs that are adapted to engage with and disengage from the holes in the track rails;
- (ii) a plurality of actuators, each of which has a base end and a rod end, said rod end being movable, with respect to the base end, between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration, wherein one of said ends is attached to the sled and the other end is attached to the dog assembly.
A method for operating an auger boring machine that is adapted to rotate an auger within a casing as the auger and casing are advanced into the ground, said machine further comprising:
- (a) a track having an initial end and a terminal end, said track being provided with a rack;
- (b) a sled that is mounted on the track and adapted to be moved between the initial end of the track and the terminal end thereof;
- (c) means for rotating an auger on the sled;
- (d) a first drive system comprising:
- (i) a pinion which is mounted so as to engage with the rack on the track;
- (ii) means for rotating the pinion;
- which method comprises:
- (e) rotating the pinion so as to drive the sled along the track.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.