Mud removing system by means of an excavator and an apparatus therefor

Claim 2

A spoil removal system for underground excavation comprising at least one hose, said one hose serving to remove a mud slurry entraining spoils from a zone of excavation to ground surface, means for forcing mud slurry, from the zone of excavation through the hose, a hose reel mounted on a shaft for rotational motion therewith, means for rotating the reel, a swivel pipe joint connected to one end of the shaft, one end of said hose being connected to the shaft near the swivel joint, fluid passage means through the shaft whereby fluid can pass from the hose through the shaft and through the swivel joint, traverse guiding means responsive to the amount of hose reeled in or reeled out to lay the hose properly on the reel, excavated mud treating means for the removal of spoil material from the mud and for recirculating mud slurry to the excavating zone, and pipe or hose means connected at one end to said swivel joint and at its other end to said excavated mud treating means.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein the reel has spiral flights having a pitch of about the diameter of the hose.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 further including arcuate hose guiding means and wherein the hose is led over said arcuate hose guiding means in advance of the traverse guiding means to prevent excessive bending or kinking.

Claim 5

The system of claim 1 wherein the reel shaft is vertical, wherein vacuum means is connected to the hose at a point near the swivel joint and in the rear thereof to remove entrapped air, and wherein the hose is rolled from the bottom of the reel to the top thereof.

Claim 6

The system of claim 1 wherein said hose reel is adapted to reel and unreel said hose and further including a second hose through which mud slurry is recirculated to the excavating zone, and a second reel adapted for reeling and unreeling said second hose, each of said reels having individual power means and a transmission mechanism for driving each reel independently of the other.

Claim 7

In an excavating system having a zone of excavation wherein spoil is removed through a hose in a mud slurry, the improvement which comprises: a hose reel mounted on a shaft and rotatable therewith, a swivel pipe joint mounted on the shaft, traverse guiding means operating in synchronization with the rotation of the reel for coiling the hose in position on the reel, one end of said hose being connected to the shaft, fluid passage means through the shaft whereby fluid can pass through the shaft to the swivel pipe joint, a separator for separating slurry from spoil material, means connecting said swivel pipe joint to said separator and means for recirculating the separated slurry to the excavation zone.

Claim 8

In an excavating system having a zone of excavation wherein spoil is removed through a hose in a mud slurry, the improvement which comprises: a hose reel mounted on a shaft and rotatable therewith, a swivel pipe joint mounted on the shaft, traverse guiding means operating in synchronization with the rotation of the reel for coiling the hose in position on the reel, one end of said hose being connected to the shaft, fluid passage means through the shaft whereby fluid can pass through the shaft to the swivel pipe joint, a separator for separating slurry from spoil material, means connecting said swivel pipe joint to said separator and means for recirculating the separated slurry to the excavation zone.

Claim 9

In an excavating system employing a rotary type excavator wherein the spoil material is removed in a mud slurry, the improvement which comprises: a supporting scaffold mounted over an excavation, a vertical support post mounted on said scaffolding, means on said scaffolding for guiding said post in up-and-down movement, said rotary type excavator being connected to said post for movement therewith, hydraulic cylinder means connected to the post for applying vertical force thereto, first and second hoses connected at one end to the rotary type excavator, said hoses being separately mounted on a pair of reels located a suitable length from the excavator, said reels being mounted on vertically aligned shafts for rotating therewith, the other ends of said hoses being connected to their respective reel shafts, spiral flights on the reels, a swivel pipe joint mounted on each shaft, fluid passage means through each shaft whereby fluid can pass through the shaft to the swivel pipe joint, means for rotating said reels for reeling and unreeling the hoses thereon, traverse guiding means operating in synchronization with the rotation of the reels for coiling the hoses on the reels, a separator for separating spoil material from a mud slurry, a suction hose connecting one swivel pipe joint with the separator, a return hose connecting the other swivel pipe joint to the separator whereby spoil material is removed in a mud slurry at the excavation zone, passes through the first suction hose, and is separated in the separation zone, and recovered mud slurry is recirculated to the excavation zone via the return zone.

Claim 10

In an excavating system employing a rotary type excavator wherein the spoil material is removed in a mud slurry, the improvement which comprises: a supporting scaffold mounted over an excavation, a vertical support post mounted on said scaffolding, means on said scaffolding for guiding said post in up-and-down movement, said rotary type excavator being connected to said post for movement therewith, hydraulic cylinder means connected to the post for applying vertical force thereto, first and second hoses connected at one end to the rotary type excavator, said hoses being separately mounted on a pair of reels located a suitable length from the excavator, said reels being mounted on vertically aligned shafts for rotating therewith, the other ends of said hoses being connected to their respective reel shafts, spiral flights on the reels, a swivel pipe joint mounted on each shaft, fluid passage means through each shaft whereby fluid can pass through the shaft to the swivel pipe joint, means for rotating said reels for reeling and unreeling the hoses thereon, traverse guiding means operating in synchronization with the rotation of the reels for coiling the hoses on the reels, a separator for separating spoil material from a mud slurry, a suction hose connecting one swivel pipe joint with the separator, a return hose connecting the other swivel pipe joint to the separator whereby spoil material is removed in a mud slurry at the excavation zone, passes through the first suction hose, and is separated in the separation zone, and recovered mud slurry is recirculated to the excavation zone via the return zone.

Claim 11

The excavation system of claim 7 wherein pumping means are attached in line with the suction hose and return hose for moving the slurry therein.