Machine for Making a Continuous Wall in the Ground

Abstract

The machine for making a continuous wall in the ground comprises a rear portion having means for filling the portion of trench located behind the machine with concrete; a front portion having cutter means for making a portion of trench in front of the machine; and means for modifying the distance between said front and rear portions in a horizontal direction. The machine is characterized in that said cutter means include vertical guide means, at least one rotary cutter having an axis of rotation that is horizontal and parallel to the width of the trench, and means for moving said cutter along the guide means between a bottom position corresponding to the bottom of the trench and a top position disposed above the trench, said cutter being suitable both for cutting the ground of the trench and for kneading it in order to obtain a material in the pasty state.

1 . A machine for making a continuous wall in the ground, the machine comprising:
 a rear portion comprising:
 a first anchor device for anchoring in the side walls of the trench; and 
 a device for filling the portion of the trench located behind the machine with concrete; 
   a front portion comprising:
 a second anchor device for anchoring in the side walls of the trench; 
 a cutter device for making a portion of trench in front of the machine comprising a vertical guide device, at least one rotary cutter having an axis of rotation that is horizontal and parallel to the width of the trench; and a device for moving said cutter along the guide device between a bottom position corresponding to the bottom of a trench and a top position disposed above the trench, said cutter being suitable for cutting the ground of the trench and for kneading it in order to obtain a material in the pasty state; 
 an extractor apparatus for extracting the ground cut away by the cutter device; and 
   a device for modifying the distance between said front and rear portions in a horizontal direction.   
   
   
       2 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said front portion further comprises an injector device for injecting a liquid additive into the ground cuttings in order to facilitate obtaining material in a pasty state. 
   
   
       3 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said cutter is mounted on a support that is constrained to move along a vertical guide device, said support being moved with the help of a vertical control bar. 
   
   
       4 . A machine according to  claim 3 , wherein said control bar is moved by means of a winch of a handling crane. 
   
   
       5 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said cutter is mounted on a support constrained to move along a vertical guide device, said support being fitted with a motor apparatus. 
   
   
       6 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein said device for extracting material in the pasty state is a device that is not purely hydraulic. 
   
   
       7 . A machine according to  claim 6 , said extractor apparatus comprises a hollow cylindrical part extending substantially along the entire height of the trench and pierced with openings facing towards the front of the machine, together with a vertical-axis auger mounted in said cylindrical part. 
   
   
       8 . A machine according to  claim 7 , wherein said device for modifying horizontal distance is suitable for applying thrust to the front portion of the machine when said first anchor device is activated. 
   
   
       9 . A machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a device for imparting an angle in a horizontal plane between the front and rear portions of the machine. 
   
   
       10 . A method of making a continuous wall in the ground, the method comprising the steps of:
 digging a trench in the ground in successive sections with the help of a machine that moves horizontally in the trench;   extracting the ground by digging the successive sections of the trench;   moving the machine in successive steps corresponding to the sections of the trench; and   filling the section of trench located behind the machine with concrete;   wherein each of the trench sections is dug by moving a rotary tool solely in a vertical direction, which rotary tool is suitable, during vertical downward movement, for cutting the ground in the trench, and during both the vertical downward movement and the vertical upward movement of the rotary tool, for kneading the cut ground in the trench in order to transform it into a material in the pasty state.   
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein an additive is injected into the ground cuttings in order to facilitate obtaining the material in the pasty state. 
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the cutter tool is a rotary cutter having an axis of rotation that is orthogonal to the travel direction of the machine, said cutter being moved vertically. 
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the material in the pasty state is extracted from the trench with the help of a system that is not purely hydraulic and that is mounted on the machine. 
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein forward thrust is exerted with the help of a machine for maintaining the cutting front of the trench. 
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein a certain angle is imparted in a horizontal plane between the front and rear portions of the excavator machine in order to make a trench that is not rectilinear.