Hy-Jack Rationale

Hy –Jack Rationale

Situation

Earthquakes are a disaster which can strike at any time at specific locations in the world. Although some earthquakes can be predicted before they occur with the latest technology available in most situations it happens by surprise. Earthquakes cause a chain effect in its path of destruction, from the moment the sliding earth plates shake the ground there is nothing that can stop it. Earthquakes cause heavy buildings to collapse and crumble, which can also paralyse whole cities. By a paralysing a city it could involve no electricity, no water and the stoppage of supply , in some cases life necessities.

Buildings ranging from tall sky scrapers to houses can crumble or pancake within seconds of a quake. This in effect will cases causes injuries or kills people in a quake disaster. As described above, a paralysed city will not have access to heavy machinery straight away. Heavy machinery will have to be transported or loaned from various sources as people struggle for help under rubble.

The first 24 hours of a quake disaster is the most important and vital, with cut off supplies to water and no way of receiving help if trapped under rubble the injuries and death tolls will climb.

Most buildings are constructed with concrete with a metal mesh as reinforcement, when these slabs of concrete are shaken in a earthquake they tend to crumble into many pieces of smaller slabs, some which may weigh up to 200 tonnes and more.

Rescue efforts and people can come to aid an earthquake within minutes to hours but the heavy machinery cant. Heavy pieces of rubble need to be lifted and cleared in order for survivors to be lifted out.

Problem

Currently in earthquake situations heavy rocks cannot be lifted up fast enough to search for survivors due to the current hand operated equipment available on the market.

The way buildings floors are constructed causes cause a pancake effect when an earthquake strikes. These slabs of concrete crumble and make it difficult for rescue efforts to fit current tools in-between crevices to jack up the rubble.

Product mapping

Building on current leading hydraulic cylinder technology from varies companies such as;

http://metrohydraulic.thomasnet.com

http://www.romheld.com.au/

http://www.enerpac.com/

http://www.directindustry.com

http://www.tss.trelleborg.com/com

http://www.olaer.com.au

http://www.hydac.com.au

http://www.cranehandling.com

With identifying what has and has not worked in the past i have constructed a proposed solution to lift heavy pieces of rubble with a redesigned hydraulic jack.

Proposed solution

My proposed solution to solve the current issues within 24 hours of an earthquake disaster is to provide a telescopic type hydraulic jack. The hydraulic jack has been engineered to lift a maximum 100 tons but has a working load of 70 tons. The solution provides rescue efforts to use existing high pressure hydraulic hand pumps to operate the Hy-Jack.

Hy-jack uses a set of telescopic pistons which inflate up to create lift capable of 50% of its flattened height. This low profile jack will allow rescue efforts to place the jack in more places whist eliminating the need for fuel or electricity to operate the jack.

Hy-Jack will be available in different sizes, as the lifting will have to be carried out in stages due to its stroke. The top cap on the Hy-Jack is also changeable to carry out different tasks depending on the situation.

Utilizing existing parts with the Hy-jack makes the product more versatile. Existing high pressure ball couplings and hoses will be used as well as the poly urethane seals on the product. Current saddles which eliminate clocking and wearing of the seals will also be compatible with Hyjack. Hy-jack is light weight and small enough to be carried from location to location to rescue lives.

Manufacturing

Hy-Jack is manufactured from high grade light weight aluminium alloy. This enabled the jack to be light and strong to with stand the pressures created in the piston chambers. The pistons are forged parts with preheated billets. The Moulds are then heat treated fully ground then hardened. The parts are the cnc’d to precises dimensions to enable a reliable product. The pistons are then drilled at angles at four points to allow the fluid to transfer between chambers. Scraper, containing and wear seals are then screwed onto the pistons. These polyurethane seals are injection moulded with each part tested before assembly. The last telescopic rings are then screwed into the centre of each piston to allow the hydraulic fluid to transfer to and from the chambers.