Dynamic pyrotechnical penetrometer.

The present invention relates to a soil recognition system and measurement of its characteristics. The two main soil recognition systems that exist are pressiometric recognition and penetrometric recognition in particular dynamic penetrometry. 0 The principle of dynamic penetrometry is to determine the kinetic energy required to introduce a probe at a given height, the general kinetic energy being created by the calibrated drop of a given mass.

Polling with this system takes a long time and in our age of expensive labor is costly.

In addition, most of these systems do not incorporate an automatic written record of soil characteristics, which would give greater credibility to the acknowledgments made.

The innovative pyrotechnic dynamic penetrometry system enables it to respond in particular to the following main requirements: speed of execution, cost reduction and measurement credibility.

The system object of the present invention determines soil characteristics by continuously detected and measured introduction of a standard probe rod into the soil. This introduction is accomplished by using the pressure created by a pyrotechnic gas generator.

The originality of the design of the system, object of the present patent, will be emphasized by the description, the justification of the techniques used and its operation diagram.

Important features of the system proposed by this invention are as follows:

- The pressure created by a generator is used

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J of pyrotechnic gas into an ejection tube to introduce a standard probe rod into the ground.

- the displacement of the rod in the ejection tube is continuously detected, in particular by passing a magnet attached to the rod in the solenoids placed along the ejection tube,

- With the help of a preprogrammed electronic circuit, the accelerometric resultant of this displacement, which is the resultant of the acceleration created by the gas pressure on the rod and the acceleration created by the ground resistance on the same rod, is calculated continuously.

- It is used in the case of a lightweight and portable system, the balance of the amounts of movements by urns. vertical receding mass, a portion of which preferably serves as a gas expansion chamber and a guide for the standard shaft.

The following description is purely illustrative and not limiting, and should be read with reference to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1: represents the simplest expression of the system object of the invention.

- Figure 2: represents a system more specially adapted for shallow drilling.

- Figures 3 θ represent a system more specially adapted for deeper drilling.

base system is outlined in figure 1.

The standard probe rod (1) is fixed to a piston (2) on which a magnet (3) is placed.

The recoil mass (4) balances the amount of movement that will be transmitted to the standard rod (1) and the piston set (2).

It is equipped with a gas generator (5). Absorption of recoil energy is ensured by gravity.

Without departing from the scope of the invention, another means can be used to balance backward efforts such as

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set rod, piston and recoil mass, generator is placed in a recoil tube (7) made of non-magnetic materials. The recoil tube (7) is provided with lenoids (6) preferably arranged concentric with respect to the release tube.

These selenoids (6) are connected to the electronic and computer information processing box (9).

After ignition, the gas generator in the expansion chamber (8) between the piston (2) and its recoil mass (4), the pressure generated in this way sets the standard rod (1) in motion. As the ejection of the rod takes place, the passage of the magnet (3) through the different selenoids (6) generates electrical signals, whose appearance intervals are calculated.

This allows you to calculate the speed and then the acceleration of the standard rod.

The pressure law P (t) released by a gas generator given in the expansion chamber is known: either precisely from the fact of a measurement or with an approximation (2 to 3%) of the fact that the reproducibility of the operating characteristics of the generator of gas used.

The deceleration force due to soil resistance to the introduction of the stem is therefore known:

R (t) = SP (t) - mG (t)

Calculations are performed either by an adapted logic circuit or an existing preprogrammed calculator.

Without departing from the scope of the invention, other such passage detection systems such as electromechanical contactors or photoelectric cells may be used.

Also, without leaving the frame of the invention, one can replace the walkway detectors and a part of the

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treatment circuit cLas information by an accelerometer.

Depending on the type of measurement to be made, the standard shank may or may not be equipped with a flared nose (10).

The system object of the present invention in its portable and operational version for shallow drilling is shown in Figure 2.

The standard probe rod (1) is fixed to a piston (2) on which a magnet is placed.

The recoil mass (4) balances the amount of movement that will be transmitted to the standard rod and its piston. It is preferably comprised of a tube of non-magnetic materials for example a closed cylindrical tube at its upper end, thereby serving the ejection tube recoil mass.

Prior to sinking, the standard piston-equipped rod is held in the recoil mass preferably by means of a deformable clip (15), but without leaving the invention, another fastening system such as a ball spring can be used, a leaf spring ...

The recoil (4) slides into a recoil (7) of non-magnetic material, preferably thermosetting or thermoplastic matrix fiberglass composite.

At the level of its contact with the ground, the guide tube is preferably provided with a support heel (17) equipped with a base damper (sponge) of the base of the batter.

The magnet passage detection selenoids (6) are preferably located around the guide tube and connected to the electronic treatment center (9).

The system can be self-contained and simply equipped with a folding and adjustable tripod (22).

This tripod may preferably consist of a connecting ring (18) of the three lengths (19) of length

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It is adjustable, for example, by means of a sliding system with fixing screws (20) which is supported by the floor by means of shoes (21) which can be drilled to eventually fix the system to the ground.

The recoil mass is preferably dominated by the gas generator breech support and its initiation safety system (13).

The ignition of the gas generator is preferably percussive but without leaving the scope of the invention an electric or laser ignition may be used.

The gas generator body is preferably made of thermoplastic, thermosetting, elastomeric, cardboard or composite material and its structure is preferably designed to be set at low pressure outside its receptacle and for safety reasons in case of possible ignition. accidental or fire hazard.

To facilitate loading and ensure safety, the gas generator (5) is preferably placed in its receptacle (12) located in a movable breech (11).

The introduction of this movable breech (11) in its bracket (1 * +) allows the gas generator to be placed in its operating position relative to the inlet channel in the expansion chamber (8) and to arm the ignition safety system (13).

Without leaving the frame of the invention, another construction of the piston-ejection function can be adapted^no.

Figure 3 shows a variant specially adapted for deep drilling carried out by means of a single standard rod or several rods joined following the drilling.

The eject thrust function and the standard rod orientation function are not ensured by a piston, but on the one hand by the closed end of the concave standard rod (1) having an enlarged or non-enlarged tip, and on the other by an axial tube along which the standard rod slides.

Standard rod (1) is equipped with a heel

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(25) which makes it possible to limit its introduction into the soil in the event of an excess of energy compared to the energy absorbed by introduction into the soil.

The magnets (3) are located on this heel (25). In this case, the selenoids are not concentric to the tube, but situated along the tube and the magnets placed in a plane perpendicular to the movement of the rod.

The standard shank slides around a guide tube (27) which is preferably connected via a mandrel (26) to the recoil mass (4), it also forms a recoil orientation tube, and is equipped with the expansion chamber (8) and the gas generator breech (5). Without departing from the frame of the invention, the standard rod (1) may be internal to the guide tube (27).

indentation tube (7) comprises a boring (29) at its upper part.

The expansion chamber has one or more orifices (28) whether or not fitted with an automatic valve or con. cutting membrane.

Indeed, if the standard probe rod is blocked in the ground, the gases from the expansion chamber must be evacuated to limit the rise of the recoil mass.

This evacuation will preferably be effected by means of this boring (29) and these holes (28). They are placed in such a way that they only slightly degrade the operating characteristics of the gas generator.

indentation tube (7) and the tubular part of the indentation mass has an opening (30) (Fig. 4) to allow loading of the standard rod (1) equipped with its orientation tube (27). This opening is closed during operation by either a flap or rotation of the recoil mass within the guide tube.

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PH / Gtí / SR g of the standard probe rod is made by opening the recess flap (30). This flap is equipped with a locking system (31) which for safety reasons is preferably connected to the ignition safety device (15).

In case of partial or difficult introduction of the standard rod, it can easily be removed or completed by a second gas generator.

To remove the standard probe rod (1), simply open the mandrel (26); the guide tube (27) falls to the bottom of the standard rod; The system can then be released and then removed, if necessary, by means of a puller which rests on the heel (25).

A second probe rod can also be added to deepen the drill by securing it to the heel site after disassembly of the guide tube.