CA1167316A - Blasting installation including guided carriage with drilling and explosing loading means - Google Patents
Blasting installation including guided carriage with drilling and explosing loading meansInfo
- Publication number
- CA1167316A CA1167316A CA000385758A CA385758A CA1167316A CA 1167316 A CA1167316 A CA 1167316A CA 000385758 A CA000385758 A CA 000385758A CA 385758 A CA385758 A CA 385758A CA 1167316 A CA1167316 A CA 1167316A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- carriage
- rock
- along
- rock face
- conveyor
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 33
- 238000005422 blasting Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 22
- 238000005553 drilling Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 22
- 239000011435 rock Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 91
- 239000002360 explosive Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 36
- 230000000977 initiatory effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 33
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 30
- 238000000605 extraction Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 18
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 claims description 9
- 238000004873 anchoring Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 9
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 5
- 239000002002 slurry Substances 0.000 description 5
- 239000000428 dust Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000003517 fume Substances 0.000 description 4
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 230000009471 action Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000035939 shock Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 description 3
- 241001669573 Galeorhinus galeus Species 0.000 description 2
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000006096 absorbing agent Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 description 2
- PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N gold Chemical group [Au] PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000010931 gold Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910052737 gold Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011437 continuous method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000007599 discharging Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004880 explosion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011010 flushing procedure Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011065 in-situ storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002045 lasting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000002674 ointment Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002572 peristaltic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000037452 priming Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000284 resting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005201 scrubbing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007921 spray Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21C—MINING OR QUARRYING
- E21C37/00—Other methods or devices for dislodging with or without loading
- E21C37/06—Other methods or devices for dislodging with or without loading by making use of hydraulic or pneumatic pressure in a borehole
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
- F42D—BLASTING
- F42D3/00—Particular applications of blasting techniques
- F42D3/04—Particular applications of blasting techniques for rock blasting
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Earth Drilling (AREA)
- Drilling And Exploitation, And Mining Machines And Methods (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The invention provides a blasting method and installation.
The installation comprises a carriage having drilling means and explosive loading means thereon and a guide on which the carriage is mounted for moving it along an elongated rock face.
Initiating means is provided on the carriage for initiating explosive and the installation includes an extraction conveyor extending along the rock face for removing broken rock. The method involves moving the carriage intermittently along the rock face along the guide and from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively drilling a series of holes in the rock face, loading said holes with explosive charges, and initiating the explosive charges in the holes before the series has been drilled.
The invention provides a blasting method and installation.
The installation comprises a carriage having drilling means and explosive loading means thereon and a guide on which the carriage is mounted for moving it along an elongated rock face.
Initiating means is provided on the carriage for initiating explosive and the installation includes an extraction conveyor extending along the rock face for removing broken rock. The method involves moving the carriage intermittently along the rock face along the guide and from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively drilling a series of holes in the rock face, loading said holes with explosive charges, and initiating the explosive charges in the holes before the series has been drilled.
Description
. 11673~
THIS INVENTION relates, broadly, to blasting. In particular it relates to a method of blasting and to a blasting installation suitable ~or removing rock from a stope.
According to one aspect of the invention a method of blasting comprises:
moving a carriage intermittently along a guide extending along an elongated rock face;
from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively drilling a series of holes along the rock face; and from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively loadlng the drilled holes with exploslve charges.
~ he explosive charges so loaded ln the holes may be lnltlated after all the holes have been drilled and loaded, or, a~ descrlbed hereunder, beforehand.
The method may further comprise initiating the explosive charges successively, and it may comprise continuously removing broken rock caused by the blastlng.
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--3,--According to a further aspect of the invention a method of blasting comprises:
moving a carriage intermittently along a guide ~xtending along an elongated rock face;
from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively drilling a series of holes along the rock face;
from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively loading the drilled holes with explosive charges; and from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively initiating the explosive charges in the holes before the drilling of the series of holes is completed.
The guide may be a rail, and the method may include continuously removing broken rock caused by the blasting, for examp]e by means of a suitable extraction conveyor extending along the rock face.
It ls contemplated that, underground, the method will find appllcation in the removal of ore from a tabular deposlt or seam, the rock face generally being in the form of a s~ope between a hanging wall and foot wall. Thus the rail and conveyor may extend along the full length of the stope, the conveyor discharging at one end of the stope, for example lnto a downstream conveyor in a gulley or the like.
Moving the carriage may be by indexing it so that the holes are drilled at re~ularly spaced intervals. Preferably the successive drillin~, loading and initiating steps take place in a sequence whereby a hole (or several vertically and/or horizontally spaced holes~ is drilled with the carriage stationary, a preced~ng hole is loaded with the carriage in the same position, the carriage is then indexed, and said loaded hole is initiated. These steps will then be repeated cyclically as the carriage moves along the face, and the sequence has the advantage that the possibility of cross-initiation is avoided because each charge is initiated before the next is loaded. At the start, two or more drilling steps can be carried out, with indexing between, before the first hole is loaded.
The method may also include, in addition to removal of broken rock in a direction parallel to the face by a conveyor as described above, feeding rock continuously from the rock face in a direction away from the rock face on to the conveyor. This may be by means of a transfer conveyor or transfer mechanism whlch follows, and which may be fast with, the carriage and is indexed therewith. The method may also include shielding the carriage and associated apparatus, as it moves along the face, by means of barricading which may be fast with the carriage to be indexed along the rock face with the carriage, so that it is located to shield said equipment during the initiation.
The method may yet further include moving the carriage towards the rock face each time it has made a pass along the rock face. In other words, when a series of holes has been drilled, loaded and initiated, the carriage, with its associated rail, conveyors, barricading etc. will be advanced towards the rock face before the carriage is returned to its starting position on the rail and again traverses along the face and a new series of holes is drilled, loaded and initiated.
Loading may be by pumping a fluid or slurried explosive into the holes, followed by priming, for example by lnsertion of a suitable detonator from the carriage into the hole, the detonator belng initlated thereafter from the carriage~ for example electrically. Instead, however, cartrldged explosives may be inserted into the holes.
The invention also extends to a blasting lnstalla-tion, suitable for use in the method of the invention, which comprises:
a carriage having drilling means and explosive loading means mounted thereon; and a gulde on whlch the carriage is mounted for guldlng the carriage along an elongated rock face to be blasted.
The installation may comprlse barricadlng mounted on or connected to the carriage for shieldlng the carriage and its contents from initiated explosive.
The invention extends still further to a blasting installation which comprises a carriage movable along an elongated rock face;
drilling means, explosive loading means and initiating means mounted on the carriage, and an extraction conveyor extending along the rock face for removing broken rock caused by blasting.
This installation may include barricading associated with the carriage and a guide as described above, the guide for example being a rail which may be associated with the extraction conveyor to extend therealong.
The installation may include a transfer conveyor or like mechanism for feeding broken rock from the rock face on to the extractlon conveyor, the transfer conveyor being movable with the carriage along the rock face, for example by being connected to or mounted on the carriage, or by being indexable therewith.
The in~tallation may further inc:Lude anchoring and advanclng mean~ or the extraction conveyor and rail, for example a plurality of hydraulic rams spaced along the extraction conveyor and rail on the side thereof remote from the rock ~ace, the rams being anchorable to the ground to provide anchorage in turn for the rail and conveyor during operatlon thereof, and being extensible when so anchored to advance said rail and extraction conveyor towards the rock face. The rams when not anchored can contract to pull themselve~ to crawl towards the rock face and towards the rail and conveyor to assume new positions where they can be anchored nearer the rock face. It will be appreciated that the anchoring of the rams acts also to support the hanging wall when the rock face is provided by a stope face, and advancement of the rams thus acts to bring this support of the hanging wall closer to the stope face.
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a blasting installation according to the invention in plan view;
Figure 2 shows a detail of the carriage of the installa-tion of Figure 1 in plan view i Figure 3 shows a sectional side elevatlon, in the direc-tion o~ line III-III in Figure 2, of the carriage of Figure 2;
Figure 4 shows a plan view of the slurry reservolr of the carriage of Figures 2 and 3;
Figure 5 sh~ws an underside plan view of the reservoir o~
Flgure 4;
Figure 6 shows a side elevation of the reservoir of Flgure 4, in the directl~n Of llne VI-VI in Figure 4;
Plgure 7 shows a partial front elevation of the reservolr of Figure 4, as vlewed from a rock face to be drilled;
Figure 8 shows a rear elevation of the reservoir of Figure 4;
Figure 9 shows a partial three-dimensional view of an improved embodiment of the installation of Figure l;
? 1 6 7 3 ~ ~
Figure 10 shows a detail of the carriage of the instal-lation of Figure 9., in plan view; and Figure 11 shows a view, corresponding to Figure 10, of a different type of carriage ~hich can be used in the installa-tion of Figure 9.
In Figure 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally designates a ~lasting installation in accordance with the invention. The installation 10 is shown in situ, alongside an elongated rock face provided by a stope 12 extending between a foot wall 14 and a hanging wall 16 (Figure 3~, from one gulley 18 to another gulley 20. The installation is suitable for the removal, for example, of gold-bearing ore underground in a gold mine, the ore being present in the form of a tabular deposit or seam (21 in Figure 9) which is su~stantially horizontal, and along which the stope extends.
The installation 10 includes a reciprocating-flight extraction conveyor 22 ~hown feedlng from right to left along the stope, from the gulley 20 towards the gulley 18. The conveyor 22 iq made up of a plurality of elements or modules 22,0 connected together end to end in series, and has an upstream terminal element 22.1 which projects into the gulley 20, and a downstream terminal element 22.2 which projects into the gulley 18 and which feeds into the upstream end of a down~tream conveyor 24 located in the gulley 18.
A rail 26 extends along the conveyor 22, on the side of the conveyor 22 remote from the stope face 12, the rail 1 16~131~
, . ~
g likewise being divided into elements, each element being part of and provided by one of the elements of said conveyor 22. A
carriage, generally designated 28 and carrying drilling means, explosive loading means and initiating means (described in more detail hereunder) is movable in both directions, as desired, along the rail 26.
The left hand side of the carriage is shown connected to a serie~ of three barricading modules 30. Each madule 30 has barricading 32 projecting upwardly therefrom substantially to the height of the hanging wall 16, the barricading forming a sub3tantially continuous upright wall extending parallel to the rail 26, between sald rail and the conveyor 22.
~ ach module 22.0 of the conveyor 22 is provided with anchoring and advancing mean8 comprising a hydraulic ram 34.
Each ram ~4 ha~ its piston 36 attached to the associated module o the conve~or, and the opposite end of its cylinder 38 fast with a stlrrup arrangement 40. The stirrup arrangement 40 has a pair of limbs 42 extending along~lde the ram 34. The cyllnder 38 is connected to the stirrup arrangement at the ~unction between the limb8 42 and the opposite or ~ree end of each limb 42 ls provided wi~.h an extensible hydraulic prop or chock 44, extending between the foot wall 14 and hanglng wall 16.
The installation further includes a transfer conveyor unit, generally designated 46 in Figure 1. The unit 46 comprises a reciprocating-flight conveyor 48 having barricading I ~ b ~
50 projecting upwardly therëfrom. The conveyor module 48 feeds from the stope ~ace 12 in a direction towards the conveyor ~2, the barricading extending normal to the conveyor 22. The module 48 has a hydraulic ram 52. The piston 54 of the ram is connected to the module 48, and the cylinder 56 of the ram is connected to a vertically extensible pro~ or chock 58 extending between the foot wall 14 and hanging wall 16. The ram 52 extends parallel to the conveyor 22 and, like the ~arricading 50, is on the side of the module 48 remote from the carriage 28, the end of the barricading 50 at the downstream end of the module 48 being separate from and closely spaced from, and making a right angle corner with the end of the barricading 32 remote from the carriage 28.
The carriage of Figure 1 will now be described in more detail with re~erence to Figures 2 and 3, in which it is generally designated 28. Unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals are used in Figures 2 and 3 as are used in Figure 1 for the same parts.
The carriage 28 comprises a base plate 60 slidable along the rall 26 and on which i8 mounted a slurry reservoir 62 ~descrlbed in more detail hereunder with reference to Figures 4 t~ 8).
The carriage, at its right hand side, carries a pair of vertically spaced rock drills 64. Each rock drill 64 comprises a bit 66 at the forward end of a rod 68, the rod being attached to a drilling machine 69 which is in turn attached to slides 70 slidable along a guide rail 72. The rods 1 ~673~
. .
68 make an angle 'A~ with the direction o~ the rail 26 which is 70 when seen in plan view. The upper rod 68 is substantially horizontal, while the lower rod is inclined downwardly and forwardly by angle 'B' as seen in Figure 3. The drills 64 are thus movable along the rails 72 to insert the bits 66 into the stope face 12 during the drilling of holes 73 ~Figure 1~ in the stope face 12, and are retractable from said holes after drilling. The forward ends of the rods 68 pass through guides 74 fast with the rails 72.
To the left of the rock drills 64, and more or less centrally on the carriage 28, there is provided an indexing mechanism genérally designated 76. The indexing mechanism comprises a rod 78 parallel to the upper drill rod 68 and longitudinally movable into or out of holes 72 drilled by the upper rock drill 64. The rod 78 is hydraulically movable, in the direction of its axls, through a pair of guides 80, 82 mounted on a beam 84. The beam 84 is ln turn mounted on a pair of slideg 86, 88, which are respectively slidable along a pair of rails 90, 92, in a direction parallel to the rail 26. A
pair of ~tops 94 is provided, spaced from each other, on the rail 90, to determine the extreme positions between which the rod 78 is movable, relative to the remainder of the carriage 28.
To the left of the indexing mechanism 76 on the carriage 28 is provided explosive loading means, generally designated 96. The explosive loading means comprises a pair of elongated metal tubes 98 connected at their rear ends remote ~ J6731~
from the stope face 12 respectively to flexible tubes 100 coiled respectively around a pair of spring loaded reels 102. The reels 102 are biassed resiliently to resist withdrawal of the tubes 100 therefrom.
The tubes 98 have their rear ends, adjacent their junctions with the tubes 100, mounted on slides 104 slidable along rails 106. The forward end of each tube 98 is slidable through a guide 108 mounted on the forward end of the associated rail 106.
The upper and lower rails 106 are respectively parallel with the upper and lower rails 72, so that the upper and lower tubes 98 are respectively slidable into holes 73 drilled by the upper and lower rock drills 64. The slides 104 are hydraulically movable along the rails 106 to provide for insertion and retraction of the tubes 98 from said holes 73 (Figure 1). The ends of the tubes 100 remote from the tubes 106 are connected in turn to pipes 110, the opposite ends of which are connected to peristaltic pumps 112 mounted on the carriage 28 for withdrawing slurry explosive from the reservoir 62.
To the left of the explosive loading means 96, as ~een from above in Figure 2, there is provided initiating means 114 (not shown in detail). As described, however, in more detail hereunder, the initiating means 114 is adapted to initiate explosive loaded into the holes 73. A suitable initiating means is described in detail in Applicant's co-pending Canadian Patent Application No. 385,759.
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Along the front of the carriage 28 is provided barricading 116 and 118, extending over the height of the carriage 28, from a position close to the foot wall 14, to a position close to the hanging wall 16~
The reservoir of the carriage is generally designated 62 in Figures 4 to 8 inclusive, with re~erence to which it wi$1 now be aescribed in more detail.
The reservoir 62 is of steel plate construction, and is roughly lozenge-shaped in plan view outline to conform with the general outline of the carriage 28 as shown in Figure 2.
The reservoir 62 is in the form of a tank having an upper or roof panel 122, side wall~ 124, 126, a ~ront wall 128 and a floor 130.
The tank has a rear wall 132 which is substantially deeper than the front wall 128, so that the floor 130 tapers downwardly and rearwardly, and has only a small horizontal portion 130.1 adjacent its outlets. Substantially the whole of the wall 126 ~lopes inwardly and downwardly towards the floor 130, and the wall 124 in turn has a vertical upper portlon and a lower portion 124.1 which in turn slopes inwardly and downwardly towards the floor 130.
The walls and floor of the tank are so designed, and are variously downward~y inclined, so that regardless of tilting of the tank in any direction by an amount less than 20 to the horizontal, slurry will always be available at the --` 11 6731G
horizontal portion 130.1 of the floor adjacent the outlets (described hereunderl from the tank.
The front and rear of the tank are mounted OTl horizontal beams 134 via resiliently compressible cushions 136 located between said ~eams and overhanging flanges or gussets 137 fast with the front and rear walls of the tank. The beams 134 are in turn mounted on pillars 138. The structure is braced by inclined struts or stays 140. The structure is mounted on a base plate 142 through which the lower portion of the tank project~ downwardly as at 144, and said plate 142 is mounted on the plate 60 (E'igure 3).
The tank has breather pipes 148, 150 through the panel 122.
The pumps 112 are driven by V-belt arrangements 152 from motors 154, and have their inlets connected by pipes 156 to tank outlets (not shown) at the lowermost portion of the tank, immediately above the horizontal portion 130.1 of the floor 130.
The panel 122 has a charging hatch 158 provided by a door 160 which is held in place by bolts 164 slidable in passages respectively in a palr of blocks 166 on the door 160 and a pair of blocks 168 provided on an upstanding peripheral rim 170 around the door 160, the door resting on a ledge inside the rim 120.
1 ~6731G
The construction shown in Figures 9 to 11 is in a number of respects essentially similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 8 and, unless otherwise specified, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals, certain parts from Figures 10 and 11 also being shown on Figure 9 by the same numerals. There are, however, a number of differences in construction, as described hereunder.
First, the indexing mechanism described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 is omitted from the embodiment shown in Figures 9 to 11, and is replaced by a pair of hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies, namely a thrust assembly and a lift assembly (both not shown). The thrust assembly has its cylinder pivotally attached to the base plate 60 about a horizontal axis normal to the rail 26, and the free end of its piston has a thrust pad fast therewith. The rail 26 has a plurality of upwardly facing recesses provlding abutments for sald thrust pad, which is receivable in said recesses during lndexing, as described hereunder. The lift assembly in turn has lt~ piston pivotally connected to the thrust pad of the thrust assembly, about horizontal axes normal to the rail 26.
The lift assembly assists in locating the thrust pad in the recesses and in removing it therefrom, as described here-under. A brake unit (also not shown) is provided releasably to lock the carriage 28 to the rail 26.
In the embodiments of Figures 9 to 11, the flexible tubes feeding the explosive loading tubes 98 are connected directly to the outlets of the pumps 112, and the reels 102 and pipes 110 of Figures 1 to 8 are dispensed with.
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In the construction of Figures 9 to 11, the barri-cading 118 for the initiating means 114 is mounted on resilient shock absorbers (not shown) which are attached to the upper framework (described hereunder) of the carriage 28. The shock absorbers improve the action of the barricading in protecting the initiation means from the direct action of explosions initiated thereby (described hereunder~.
While the construction and mounting of the reservoir 62 is essentially similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 8, in the embodiments of Figures 9 to 11 the base plate ~142 in Figures 1 to 8) has been dropped to a lower level relative to the reservoir 62, and the reservoir no longer projects down-wardly ~as shown at 144 in Figures 1 to 8) through said base plate.
Turning to the rail 26 and base plate 60, while the rail 26 has been described as formlng part of the conveyor 22, it can be entirely separate therefrom, permitting the use of eg a scraper conveyor as the conveyor 22. As the base plate 60 (see Figure 2) follows the rall 26, the lower part of the framework of the carriage 28, attached fixedly to the base plate 60, can change its inclination (in the direction of the rail 26) relative to the horizontal in response to irregulari-ties in the height of the rall 26. Furthermore, irregularities in the height, location etc. of the tabular deposit (e.g. the seam 21) being extracted can result in relatively signi~icant t l 673 1 ~
misalignments between the base plate 60 and stope 12, requiring means whereby the relative location and attitude of certain parts of the carriage and stope can be adjusted.
To compensate for this, it is desirable to permit certain parts of the carriage to articulate vertically, eg the rock drills 64, loading means 96 and initiation means 114, which are thus mounted on upper parts of the framework of the carriage 28 in the constructions of Figures 9 to 11. At least a portion of the upper part of the framework is pivotally mounted on said lower part about a horizontal axis parallelto the rail 26, to permit limited pivoting between the upper and lower parts of the framework. Locking means is provided to lock each pivotable part of the framework relative to the lower part thereof, to permit adjustment and locking of the pivotable upper part or parts of the framework in the desired horizontal condition(s).
For the arrangement of Flgures 9 to 11, it is contemplated that power and control will be obtained from a hydraulic power system, generally designated 28.1, and mounted on the base plate 60 of the carriage 28, The power and control system 28.1 will in turn be operated by an electronic control system 28.2, also mounted on said base plate 60, which is programmable and microprocessor-based. The system 28.2 will have inputs from sensors located at various points on the carriage 28 and from a remote control panel located eg in the gulley 22. The control panel in turn will have outputs to and inputs from said electronic control system 28.2, to the hydrau--17(a~-lic system 28.1 and to the various other electrically controlled devices in the installation 10. This will allow an operator to initiate, monitor and halt various control sequences, which are pre-programmed into the electronic controI system 28.2, from a position of safety.
With reference particularly to Figures 10 and 11, while the embodiments of the carriage 28 shown here are essentially similar as regards the constxuction and function of their various components, their arrangement and locations , . . , .. ,,, . , .. ,, . , . .. , . . _ ........ , _ _ . _ .. . . . . _ ., .. _ , , . _ .
.,, " , . . .
~ 8~ 673tG
relative to each other are differentr the arrangement of Figure 10 being more similar to that o~ Figures 1 to 8, as sho~n in Pigure 2. Thus, in Figure 10 th.e reservoir 62 is shown between the loading means 96 and rock drills 64, whereas in Figure 11 the rock drills 64 are sh.own adjacent the loading means 96, ~etween said loading means and the reservoir 62.
The arrangement of Figure 11 has the advantages, compared with Figures 1 to 10, that the overall length of the carriage 28 in the direction of the rail 26 is reduced, and misalignments between the drilling, loading and initiation operations (described hereunder) arising from non-linearities such as dips, in the rail 26 are reduced. The pivotal attach-ment of the upper part of the framework of the carriage 28 to the lower part thereof is simplified and, if desired, the carriage 28 can be split into two parts, one part carrying the reservoir 62 and power and control systems 28.1, 28.2 and the other carrying the rock drills 64, loading means 96, and initiation means 114.
It will be appreciated that, for ease of illustra-tion, a number of parts, whose construction and function are essentially similar to the construction and function of the same parts in Figures 1 to 8, have been omitted ~rom Figures 9 to 11. These parts include the gulley 18 with the downstream terminal element 22.2 of the conveyor 22, the downstream conveyor 24 in the gulley 18, and the upstream element 22.1 of the conveyor 22. The rail 26 is not shown separately of the conveyor 22 and the barricading modules 30 with barricading 32 I 1 673 1 ~) are omitted. Similarly, the rams 40, conveyor 48 with its barricading SQ and ram 52 have been omitted. Unless otherwise described herein, the construction and function of these parts, in the emhodiments of Figures 9 to 11 is substantially the same as descr~bed with reference to Figures 1 to 8.
Further refinements contemplated with the invention, with particular reference to Figures 9 to 11, include (in addition to the upper framework of the carriage 28 pivotable on the lower framework tnereof), means for providing vertical and horizontal adjustment of the exact positions and inclinations of the rock drills 64, loading means 96 and initiation means 114, to provide fine adjustment to c ter for irregularities in the rail 26 and stope 12, the adjustments of these components preferably being independent of each other and automatic.
Furthermore, a cleaning station for cleaning the holes 73 can be added between the rock drills 64 and loading means 96, comprising for example, a water flushing mechanism or a mechanical system such as an auger. Water sprays, air extraction and scrubbing apparatus, for example located on or connected to the carriage 28, can be provided for dust and fume control during operation, and are feasible because of the localized nature of dust and fume generation in the installation according to the present invention.
~673 Further, it is contemplated that a mechanised and automated drill-steel storage and replacement system Can be added to the rock drills 64, and it is also contemplated that duplication of various components mounted on the carriage 28 can be employed, with such components being paired together and mounted on a single carriage. Thus, there can be two sets of rock drills, two sets of loading means 96, and two sets of initiating means 114. The provision of two of each, or even more, can ~ouble or further increase the operational speed of the installation.
Also ~ in use, a control system for the carriage is contemplated~ which derives its input from a pre-planned set of data. Thus, with reerence to the operation of the system described hereunder, a miner could inspect a particular panel of the stope 12 to be mined, to mark the stope with a sensi~le medium, the electronic control system 28.2 sensing the markings and guiding the adjustable parts of the carriage in response thereto. Alternatively the operator could in~pect the stope to be mlned and program the system 28.2 wlth the artlculation re~ulrements of the carriage, or he could contlnually control the system via a remote control station, -20(a)`
Instead of having the indexing means on the carriage 28, it may be provided by means external to the carriage, eg a further carriage on the rail 26 connected to the carriage 28.
Furthermore, the reservoir 62 and pumps 112 may be rem~ved fro~
the locaIity of the carriage 28, eg by being provided in one of the gulleys 18, 20, with explosives being pumped through suitably arranged flexible pipes to the carriage 28 for increased safety.
., ;, , .
~7 With refer~nce to Figures 1 to 8 of th~ drawings, the method of the invention comprises movlng the carriage 28 lntermit~ently along the rall 26, and, when the carrlage is stationary, drilling successlve vertlcally spaced pairs o~
holes 73 in the rock ~ace constituted by the stope 12, loadin~
said holes with explo~ive, and initiating the explosive.
Drilling will start, for example, at the left hand side as ~hown in Figure 1 next to the gulley 18, and will progress from left to right towards the gulley 20. Naturally, if desired, the equipment can be modified to traverse from right to left instead.
.
Several pairs of holes will be drilled, with the carriage initially being indexed for example by hand, until there are sufficient pairs of holes for the indexing mechanism to come into operation. When the rod 78 ~Figures Z and 3) is in register With the upper of the initial pair of holes 73, with the slide 86 abutting the right hand stop 94 on the rail 90, the rod 78 is inserted into said upper hole 73. The c~rrlage 28 as a whole is then indexed to the right until said sllde 86 abuts the left hand stop 94. A further pair of holes is then drilled by means of the rock drills 64.
With the carriage in this position it is braked to the rail 26 by a clamp brake (not shown), and the rod 78 is retracted and is moved to the right along the rail 90 until the slide 86 abuts the right hand stop 94. At this stage the rod 78 will be in register with the next upper hole 73 and will be 1 16~31~
inserted therein. Indexing in this fashion is repeated until the first pair of holes is in register with the tubes 98.
The tubes 98 are then inserted into their respective holes 73 until their forward ends are adjacent the blind ends of the holes, and the pumps 112 are then, via the pipes 110, tubes lOO and tubes 98, used to pump slurry explosive from the reservoir 62 into the holes 73. As this pumping takes place the tubes 98 are retracted. Pumping is cut off once the holes 73 are sufficiently filled, and the tubes 98 are then fully retracted. During insertion and retraction of the tubes 98, the tubes 100 respectively uncoil from and coil onto the reels 102. If desired, the loading density in terms of mass/length in the holes 73 can be varied in a hole, for example by varying the rate of retraction of the tubes 98 andtor speed of the pump~ 112. Preferably, this is done to obtain a fully coupled explosives charge in the bottom or toe of the hole, with a de-coupled charge in the remalnder of the hole 73.
The carriage 28 is then again indexed to the rlght, as described a~ove, until the initiating means 114 is in register with the loaded holes 73. In this regard, it will be appreciated that the spacing between the stops 94 on the rail 9O, and the spacing in the direction of movement of the carriage 28 between said stops 94 and the rock drills 64 on the one hand, and the initiating means 114 on the other, will be such that the spacing between the right hand stop 94 and the rock drills i~ a multiple of (and conveniently the same as) the spacing between the stops 94, while the spacing between the 1 1 673 ~ (;
left hand stop 94 and the initiatin~ means 114 is likewise a multiple of (and conveniently the same as) the spacing between the stops 94.
An alternative means of indexing the carriage 28 along the rail 26 could incorporate a rack-and-pinion drive system, for example.
When the initiating means 114 is in register with said loaded holes 73, a detonator is inserted into each of the loaded holes 73, and initiated. After the initiation a further pair of holes i5 drilled by the rock drills 64, and the tubes 98 will be in register wlth the second pair of holes 73 to be loaded and will simultaneously load them. The carriage is then again indexed, and the second pair of loaded holes will be primed and initiated by the initiating means 114.
These 3teps are repeated cyclically, as the carrlage 28 advance~ from left to right along the stope 12, until the carriage 28 reaches the gulley 20. At this stage the whole of the ~tope will have been blasted to a depth determined by the length of the holes 73. The loading and initiation of the final pairs of holes adjacent the gulley 20 will require an alternative form of indexing, for example by hand.
The modules 30 with the barricading 32 are fast with the carriage 28 and are indexed together with it. These modules 30, together with the barricading 50 of the unit 46, and together with the carriage 28 and its barricading 116, 118 l J5731G
-isolate a zone 172 adjacent the part o~ stope being blasted, and protect the carriage 28 and the remainder of the instal-lation 10 from the blasts.
In this regard, it will be appreciated that the carriage 28 in Figure 1 is shown in an intermediate position, between the gulleys 18 and 20, some time after it has started advancing from left to right from the gulley 18 to the gulley 20.
During blasting the extraction conveyor 22 is operated continuously and conveys broken rock from right to left to the downstream conveyor 24, whence said rock is conveyed away. At the same time, together with lndexing of the carriage 28, the unit 46 advances from left to right parallel to the conveyor 22. This is achieved by, each time, the carriage 28 is indexed, extending the ram 52 to keep the barricading 50 in position closing off the zone 172 as shown in Figure 1, thereby urging the conveyor 48 under broken rock in the zone 172 and thus feeding it onto the conveyor 22.
Whlle the barricading 52 and conveyor 48 are being advanced the chock 58 is operatlve to anchor the unit 46. A~ter the barricading 50 and conveyor 48 have been advanced the chock 58 is released, and the cylinder 56 is retracted from left to right onto the piston 54, after which the chock 58 is again operated to anchor the conVeyor 52. The ram 52 is again activated to move the barricading 50 and conveyor 48 to the right. These steps are repeated cyclically to keep the unit in ~ 1 6~3 ~ ~ `
~5 step with the carriage 28, and it will be appreciated that the mass of the conveyor 48 and ~arricading 50 is sufficient to ensure that, upon retraction of the ram 52 with the chock 58 released, the chock will move and not the conveyor 48 and barricading 50. In this way the transfer conveyor 48 cranks from left to right along the stope, while remaining in register with and ~eing in~exed together with the carriage 28. Substan-tially continuous feeding of rock onto the conveyors 22 and 24 is thus e~fected, although it will be appreclated that each time initiation takes place and each time the transfer conveyor 48 is advanced under the broken rock in the zone 172 there will be a surge of rock onto the conveyor 22.
It will be seen from Figure 1 that the rams 34 at and to the rlght of the carriage 28 are extended, and those to the left thereof are retracted. In operation, as the carriage passes each ram 34, the chocks 44 of that ram are released, and the ram is retracted to draw the stirrup arrangement 40 with its limbs 42 and chocks 44 forwardly, lnto the posltlon shown to the left of the carriage 28.
The chocks 44 are then reactivated to con~inue thelr support of the hanging wall 16, with the forward position of the chocks ensuring that the minimum span of hanglng wall ls left unsupported.
- 1 167.~1G
-25 ~a)-When the carriage has completed its pass along the stope 12, the ~tope is washed down with water. High pressure water jets are used for this, and these jets also serve to provide a barring action by removing loose rock from the stope 12. All the rams 34 will have been retracted and their chocks operated to anchor them, a~ter which they are extended to advance the Conveyor 22 ana rail 26, with the modules 30 and carriage 28, forward to a position a~jacent the ~ 1673~
newly established face of the stope 12. It will be appreciated in this regard that the transfer conveyor 48 will by this stage have cleared all the broken rock created by the blasting when the carriage moved from left to right along the stope. It will then, after the conveyor 22 has been advanced towards the stope, be removed with the carriage 28 to its starting position at the gulley 18, preparatory to the next pass of the carriage along the stope or, preferably, conveyor 48 and barricading 50 will be disconnected from the ram 52 and pivoted to lie over and parallel to conveyor 22 prior to the return of all the mobile parts to the left hand end of the conveyor 22. However, if desired, the conveyor 48 can be removed to its starting position at the gulley 18 prior to the advancing of the conveyor 22 towards the stope 12, separately from said carriage 28. A new cycle of operation is then started with the carriage at the left hand side in Figure 1, adjacent the gulley 18. The ~ntlre procedure is thus repeated cyclically as rock ls removed from the stope, with the whole lnstallation intermittently movlng forward as each pass of the carriage along the stope is completed. ~o facilitate this, the chocks 44 are preferably of the rapid-yield hydraulic type.
While the method of the inventlon with reference to Figures 9 to 11 i8 substantlally the same as that described above with reference to Figures 1 to 8, there are certain differences, as described hereunder.
Indexing of the carriage 28 is by means of the thrust pad of the thrust assembly, which engages in the ~ 3673~ ~
upwardly facing recesses in the guide rail 26. These recessesin the guide rail 26 are spaced apart ~y a spacing corresponding to, and conveniently equal to, the distance which the carriage is required to he indexed between each set of operations.
In use, the thrust assembly will extend downardly and rearwardly (relative to the direction of travel of the carriage 28) into the recess in question, and the horizontal component of thrust from the assembly moves the carriage 28 forward along the rail 26 until the thrust assembly is fully exten~ed. This full extension will occur when the carriage has moved forward by the desired index$ng distance. At this stage, the ~rake unit on the carriage 28 engages the rail 26 to lock the carriage in po~ition on the rail. This brake unit will remain locked until momentarily before the next forward movement of the carriage 28.
After locking, the thrust pad is retracted by the thrust assembly, which retraction is assisted by the lift assembly, which extends downwardly from the carriage 28 to the thrust pad, and acts to lift the thrust pad clear of the rail during retraction of the thrust assembly, full retraction of whlch moves the thrust pad to a storage position.
At the start of the next indexing cycle, the lift assembly pivots the thrust assembly downwardly into the ~ucceed$ng recess in ra$1 26, and locates $t therein. The brake unit is then released immediately before the subsequent extension of the thrust assembly, during which extenqion the lift assembly provides a downward component of force on the thrust pad to keep it securely in the recess of the rail 26.
116~3~
This indexing system simplifies start-up with the carriage at the start of a traverse along the stope 12 (compared with the method described with reference Figures 1 to 8) in that the carriage is merely indexed twice, as described above, prior to explosives loading, and once more prior to commencement of initiating whereafter the full cycle is continued with after each indexing.
It should be noted in this regard that the spacing between the indexing recesses in the rail 26 is identical to the spacing, in the direction of the rail 26, between the loading means 96 and initiating means 94, and ls a third of the spacing in the direction of the rail 26 between the rock drills 64 and loading means 96 in Figures 9 and 10. This improved lndexing system also avoids an alternative form of indexing at the end of the traverse when the gulley 20 is reached.
The lnvention has the advantage in that it provides a seml-continuous method of blasting, and apparatus and an installation therefor. The installation and method lend themselves to remote-controlled operation, and semi-automatic and potentially fully automatic, operation.
Further advantages are that the chocks 44 contribute mutually to the support of the hanging wall 16.
They reduce the degree to which the hanging wall is 1 1 t~73 ! ~
unsupported, particularly near the stope face 12, and the support provided by them is intermittently advanced towards the stope facP as the stope face is blasted away and ~s the conveyor 22 is advanced towards it. It is for this reason that the rams 34 are retracted to the left of the carriage as it traverses from left to right.
In systems where there is a conveyor similar to the conveyor 22 but the whole stope is blasted simultaneously or in a rapid sequence, heavy surges of rock need to be conveyed by the conveyor. Provision also has to be made for sudden large scale fume and dust extraction. The present invention reduces these requirements as both the conveyor 22 and the fume and dust extraction equipment needed can operate on a continuous basis with lower loads and sub;ected to far smaller surges in load. ~hey can thus be o~ lower maxlmum capacity and less expensive.
Yet further and major advantages of the system lle in the fact that it is capable of continuous, round-theclock operation, as opposed to prior systems of explosive rock-breaking which are cyclical in nature and extremely time-inefficient.
The present invention will, it is contemplated, also minimise the shock effects associated with prior explosive rock-breaking systems.
THIS INVENTION relates, broadly, to blasting. In particular it relates to a method of blasting and to a blasting installation suitable ~or removing rock from a stope.
According to one aspect of the invention a method of blasting comprises:
moving a carriage intermittently along a guide extending along an elongated rock face;
from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively drilling a series of holes along the rock face; and from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively loadlng the drilled holes with exploslve charges.
~ he explosive charges so loaded ln the holes may be lnltlated after all the holes have been drilled and loaded, or, a~ descrlbed hereunder, beforehand.
The method may further comprise initiating the explosive charges successively, and it may comprise continuously removing broken rock caused by the blastlng.
~
1 1 673 1 ~
--3,--According to a further aspect of the invention a method of blasting comprises:
moving a carriage intermittently along a guide ~xtending along an elongated rock face;
from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively drilling a series of holes along the rock face;
from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively loading the drilled holes with explosive charges; and from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively initiating the explosive charges in the holes before the drilling of the series of holes is completed.
The guide may be a rail, and the method may include continuously removing broken rock caused by the blasting, for examp]e by means of a suitable extraction conveyor extending along the rock face.
It ls contemplated that, underground, the method will find appllcation in the removal of ore from a tabular deposlt or seam, the rock face generally being in the form of a s~ope between a hanging wall and foot wall. Thus the rail and conveyor may extend along the full length of the stope, the conveyor discharging at one end of the stope, for example lnto a downstream conveyor in a gulley or the like.
Moving the carriage may be by indexing it so that the holes are drilled at re~ularly spaced intervals. Preferably the successive drillin~, loading and initiating steps take place in a sequence whereby a hole (or several vertically and/or horizontally spaced holes~ is drilled with the carriage stationary, a preced~ng hole is loaded with the carriage in the same position, the carriage is then indexed, and said loaded hole is initiated. These steps will then be repeated cyclically as the carriage moves along the face, and the sequence has the advantage that the possibility of cross-initiation is avoided because each charge is initiated before the next is loaded. At the start, two or more drilling steps can be carried out, with indexing between, before the first hole is loaded.
The method may also include, in addition to removal of broken rock in a direction parallel to the face by a conveyor as described above, feeding rock continuously from the rock face in a direction away from the rock face on to the conveyor. This may be by means of a transfer conveyor or transfer mechanism whlch follows, and which may be fast with, the carriage and is indexed therewith. The method may also include shielding the carriage and associated apparatus, as it moves along the face, by means of barricading which may be fast with the carriage to be indexed along the rock face with the carriage, so that it is located to shield said equipment during the initiation.
The method may yet further include moving the carriage towards the rock face each time it has made a pass along the rock face. In other words, when a series of holes has been drilled, loaded and initiated, the carriage, with its associated rail, conveyors, barricading etc. will be advanced towards the rock face before the carriage is returned to its starting position on the rail and again traverses along the face and a new series of holes is drilled, loaded and initiated.
Loading may be by pumping a fluid or slurried explosive into the holes, followed by priming, for example by lnsertion of a suitable detonator from the carriage into the hole, the detonator belng initlated thereafter from the carriage~ for example electrically. Instead, however, cartrldged explosives may be inserted into the holes.
The invention also extends to a blasting lnstalla-tion, suitable for use in the method of the invention, which comprises:
a carriage having drilling means and explosive loading means mounted thereon; and a gulde on whlch the carriage is mounted for guldlng the carriage along an elongated rock face to be blasted.
The installation may comprlse barricadlng mounted on or connected to the carriage for shieldlng the carriage and its contents from initiated explosive.
The invention extends still further to a blasting installation which comprises a carriage movable along an elongated rock face;
drilling means, explosive loading means and initiating means mounted on the carriage, and an extraction conveyor extending along the rock face for removing broken rock caused by blasting.
This installation may include barricading associated with the carriage and a guide as described above, the guide for example being a rail which may be associated with the extraction conveyor to extend therealong.
The installation may include a transfer conveyor or like mechanism for feeding broken rock from the rock face on to the extractlon conveyor, the transfer conveyor being movable with the carriage along the rock face, for example by being connected to or mounted on the carriage, or by being indexable therewith.
The in~tallation may further inc:Lude anchoring and advanclng mean~ or the extraction conveyor and rail, for example a plurality of hydraulic rams spaced along the extraction conveyor and rail on the side thereof remote from the rock ~ace, the rams being anchorable to the ground to provide anchorage in turn for the rail and conveyor during operatlon thereof, and being extensible when so anchored to advance said rail and extraction conveyor towards the rock face. The rams when not anchored can contract to pull themselve~ to crawl towards the rock face and towards the rail and conveyor to assume new positions where they can be anchored nearer the rock face. It will be appreciated that the anchoring of the rams acts also to support the hanging wall when the rock face is provided by a stope face, and advancement of the rams thus acts to bring this support of the hanging wall closer to the stope face.
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a blasting installation according to the invention in plan view;
Figure 2 shows a detail of the carriage of the installa-tion of Figure 1 in plan view i Figure 3 shows a sectional side elevatlon, in the direc-tion o~ line III-III in Figure 2, of the carriage of Figure 2;
Figure 4 shows a plan view of the slurry reservolr of the carriage of Figures 2 and 3;
Figure 5 sh~ws an underside plan view of the reservoir o~
Flgure 4;
Figure 6 shows a side elevation of the reservoir of Flgure 4, in the directl~n Of llne VI-VI in Figure 4;
Plgure 7 shows a partial front elevation of the reservolr of Figure 4, as vlewed from a rock face to be drilled;
Figure 8 shows a rear elevation of the reservoir of Figure 4;
Figure 9 shows a partial three-dimensional view of an improved embodiment of the installation of Figure l;
? 1 6 7 3 ~ ~
Figure 10 shows a detail of the carriage of the instal-lation of Figure 9., in plan view; and Figure 11 shows a view, corresponding to Figure 10, of a different type of carriage ~hich can be used in the installa-tion of Figure 9.
In Figure 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally designates a ~lasting installation in accordance with the invention. The installation 10 is shown in situ, alongside an elongated rock face provided by a stope 12 extending between a foot wall 14 and a hanging wall 16 (Figure 3~, from one gulley 18 to another gulley 20. The installation is suitable for the removal, for example, of gold-bearing ore underground in a gold mine, the ore being present in the form of a tabular deposit or seam (21 in Figure 9) which is su~stantially horizontal, and along which the stope extends.
The installation 10 includes a reciprocating-flight extraction conveyor 22 ~hown feedlng from right to left along the stope, from the gulley 20 towards the gulley 18. The conveyor 22 iq made up of a plurality of elements or modules 22,0 connected together end to end in series, and has an upstream terminal element 22.1 which projects into the gulley 20, and a downstream terminal element 22.2 which projects into the gulley 18 and which feeds into the upstream end of a down~tream conveyor 24 located in the gulley 18.
A rail 26 extends along the conveyor 22, on the side of the conveyor 22 remote from the stope face 12, the rail 1 16~131~
, . ~
g likewise being divided into elements, each element being part of and provided by one of the elements of said conveyor 22. A
carriage, generally designated 28 and carrying drilling means, explosive loading means and initiating means (described in more detail hereunder) is movable in both directions, as desired, along the rail 26.
The left hand side of the carriage is shown connected to a serie~ of three barricading modules 30. Each madule 30 has barricading 32 projecting upwardly therefrom substantially to the height of the hanging wall 16, the barricading forming a sub3tantially continuous upright wall extending parallel to the rail 26, between sald rail and the conveyor 22.
~ ach module 22.0 of the conveyor 22 is provided with anchoring and advancing mean8 comprising a hydraulic ram 34.
Each ram ~4 ha~ its piston 36 attached to the associated module o the conve~or, and the opposite end of its cylinder 38 fast with a stlrrup arrangement 40. The stirrup arrangement 40 has a pair of limbs 42 extending along~lde the ram 34. The cyllnder 38 is connected to the stirrup arrangement at the ~unction between the limb8 42 and the opposite or ~ree end of each limb 42 ls provided wi~.h an extensible hydraulic prop or chock 44, extending between the foot wall 14 and hanglng wall 16.
The installation further includes a transfer conveyor unit, generally designated 46 in Figure 1. The unit 46 comprises a reciprocating-flight conveyor 48 having barricading I ~ b ~
50 projecting upwardly therëfrom. The conveyor module 48 feeds from the stope ~ace 12 in a direction towards the conveyor ~2, the barricading extending normal to the conveyor 22. The module 48 has a hydraulic ram 52. The piston 54 of the ram is connected to the module 48, and the cylinder 56 of the ram is connected to a vertically extensible pro~ or chock 58 extending between the foot wall 14 and hanging wall 16. The ram 52 extends parallel to the conveyor 22 and, like the ~arricading 50, is on the side of the module 48 remote from the carriage 28, the end of the barricading 50 at the downstream end of the module 48 being separate from and closely spaced from, and making a right angle corner with the end of the barricading 32 remote from the carriage 28.
The carriage of Figure 1 will now be described in more detail with re~erence to Figures 2 and 3, in which it is generally designated 28. Unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals are used in Figures 2 and 3 as are used in Figure 1 for the same parts.
The carriage 28 comprises a base plate 60 slidable along the rall 26 and on which i8 mounted a slurry reservoir 62 ~descrlbed in more detail hereunder with reference to Figures 4 t~ 8).
The carriage, at its right hand side, carries a pair of vertically spaced rock drills 64. Each rock drill 64 comprises a bit 66 at the forward end of a rod 68, the rod being attached to a drilling machine 69 which is in turn attached to slides 70 slidable along a guide rail 72. The rods 1 ~673~
. .
68 make an angle 'A~ with the direction o~ the rail 26 which is 70 when seen in plan view. The upper rod 68 is substantially horizontal, while the lower rod is inclined downwardly and forwardly by angle 'B' as seen in Figure 3. The drills 64 are thus movable along the rails 72 to insert the bits 66 into the stope face 12 during the drilling of holes 73 ~Figure 1~ in the stope face 12, and are retractable from said holes after drilling. The forward ends of the rods 68 pass through guides 74 fast with the rails 72.
To the left of the rock drills 64, and more or less centrally on the carriage 28, there is provided an indexing mechanism genérally designated 76. The indexing mechanism comprises a rod 78 parallel to the upper drill rod 68 and longitudinally movable into or out of holes 72 drilled by the upper rock drill 64. The rod 78 is hydraulically movable, in the direction of its axls, through a pair of guides 80, 82 mounted on a beam 84. The beam 84 is ln turn mounted on a pair of slideg 86, 88, which are respectively slidable along a pair of rails 90, 92, in a direction parallel to the rail 26. A
pair of ~tops 94 is provided, spaced from each other, on the rail 90, to determine the extreme positions between which the rod 78 is movable, relative to the remainder of the carriage 28.
To the left of the indexing mechanism 76 on the carriage 28 is provided explosive loading means, generally designated 96. The explosive loading means comprises a pair of elongated metal tubes 98 connected at their rear ends remote ~ J6731~
from the stope face 12 respectively to flexible tubes 100 coiled respectively around a pair of spring loaded reels 102. The reels 102 are biassed resiliently to resist withdrawal of the tubes 100 therefrom.
The tubes 98 have their rear ends, adjacent their junctions with the tubes 100, mounted on slides 104 slidable along rails 106. The forward end of each tube 98 is slidable through a guide 108 mounted on the forward end of the associated rail 106.
The upper and lower rails 106 are respectively parallel with the upper and lower rails 72, so that the upper and lower tubes 98 are respectively slidable into holes 73 drilled by the upper and lower rock drills 64. The slides 104 are hydraulically movable along the rails 106 to provide for insertion and retraction of the tubes 98 from said holes 73 (Figure 1). The ends of the tubes 100 remote from the tubes 106 are connected in turn to pipes 110, the opposite ends of which are connected to peristaltic pumps 112 mounted on the carriage 28 for withdrawing slurry explosive from the reservoir 62.
To the left of the explosive loading means 96, as ~een from above in Figure 2, there is provided initiating means 114 (not shown in detail). As described, however, in more detail hereunder, the initiating means 114 is adapted to initiate explosive loaded into the holes 73. A suitable initiating means is described in detail in Applicant's co-pending Canadian Patent Application No. 385,759.
t 1 67 3 1 G
Along the front of the carriage 28 is provided barricading 116 and 118, extending over the height of the carriage 28, from a position close to the foot wall 14, to a position close to the hanging wall 16~
The reservoir of the carriage is generally designated 62 in Figures 4 to 8 inclusive, with re~erence to which it wi$1 now be aescribed in more detail.
The reservoir 62 is of steel plate construction, and is roughly lozenge-shaped in plan view outline to conform with the general outline of the carriage 28 as shown in Figure 2.
The reservoir 62 is in the form of a tank having an upper or roof panel 122, side wall~ 124, 126, a ~ront wall 128 and a floor 130.
The tank has a rear wall 132 which is substantially deeper than the front wall 128, so that the floor 130 tapers downwardly and rearwardly, and has only a small horizontal portion 130.1 adjacent its outlets. Substantially the whole of the wall 126 ~lopes inwardly and downwardly towards the floor 130, and the wall 124 in turn has a vertical upper portlon and a lower portion 124.1 which in turn slopes inwardly and downwardly towards the floor 130.
The walls and floor of the tank are so designed, and are variously downward~y inclined, so that regardless of tilting of the tank in any direction by an amount less than 20 to the horizontal, slurry will always be available at the --` 11 6731G
horizontal portion 130.1 of the floor adjacent the outlets (described hereunderl from the tank.
The front and rear of the tank are mounted OTl horizontal beams 134 via resiliently compressible cushions 136 located between said ~eams and overhanging flanges or gussets 137 fast with the front and rear walls of the tank. The beams 134 are in turn mounted on pillars 138. The structure is braced by inclined struts or stays 140. The structure is mounted on a base plate 142 through which the lower portion of the tank project~ downwardly as at 144, and said plate 142 is mounted on the plate 60 (E'igure 3).
The tank has breather pipes 148, 150 through the panel 122.
The pumps 112 are driven by V-belt arrangements 152 from motors 154, and have their inlets connected by pipes 156 to tank outlets (not shown) at the lowermost portion of the tank, immediately above the horizontal portion 130.1 of the floor 130.
The panel 122 has a charging hatch 158 provided by a door 160 which is held in place by bolts 164 slidable in passages respectively in a palr of blocks 166 on the door 160 and a pair of blocks 168 provided on an upstanding peripheral rim 170 around the door 160, the door resting on a ledge inside the rim 120.
1 ~6731G
The construction shown in Figures 9 to 11 is in a number of respects essentially similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 8 and, unless otherwise specified, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals, certain parts from Figures 10 and 11 also being shown on Figure 9 by the same numerals. There are, however, a number of differences in construction, as described hereunder.
First, the indexing mechanism described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 is omitted from the embodiment shown in Figures 9 to 11, and is replaced by a pair of hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies, namely a thrust assembly and a lift assembly (both not shown). The thrust assembly has its cylinder pivotally attached to the base plate 60 about a horizontal axis normal to the rail 26, and the free end of its piston has a thrust pad fast therewith. The rail 26 has a plurality of upwardly facing recesses provlding abutments for sald thrust pad, which is receivable in said recesses during lndexing, as described hereunder. The lift assembly in turn has lt~ piston pivotally connected to the thrust pad of the thrust assembly, about horizontal axes normal to the rail 26.
The lift assembly assists in locating the thrust pad in the recesses and in removing it therefrom, as described here-under. A brake unit (also not shown) is provided releasably to lock the carriage 28 to the rail 26.
In the embodiments of Figures 9 to 11, the flexible tubes feeding the explosive loading tubes 98 are connected directly to the outlets of the pumps 112, and the reels 102 and pipes 110 of Figures 1 to 8 are dispensed with.
~ ~67~tG
In the construction of Figures 9 to 11, the barri-cading 118 for the initiating means 114 is mounted on resilient shock absorbers (not shown) which are attached to the upper framework (described hereunder) of the carriage 28. The shock absorbers improve the action of the barricading in protecting the initiation means from the direct action of explosions initiated thereby (described hereunder~.
While the construction and mounting of the reservoir 62 is essentially similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 8, in the embodiments of Figures 9 to 11 the base plate ~142 in Figures 1 to 8) has been dropped to a lower level relative to the reservoir 62, and the reservoir no longer projects down-wardly ~as shown at 144 in Figures 1 to 8) through said base plate.
Turning to the rail 26 and base plate 60, while the rail 26 has been described as formlng part of the conveyor 22, it can be entirely separate therefrom, permitting the use of eg a scraper conveyor as the conveyor 22. As the base plate 60 (see Figure 2) follows the rall 26, the lower part of the framework of the carriage 28, attached fixedly to the base plate 60, can change its inclination (in the direction of the rail 26) relative to the horizontal in response to irregulari-ties in the height of the rall 26. Furthermore, irregularities in the height, location etc. of the tabular deposit (e.g. the seam 21) being extracted can result in relatively signi~icant t l 673 1 ~
misalignments between the base plate 60 and stope 12, requiring means whereby the relative location and attitude of certain parts of the carriage and stope can be adjusted.
To compensate for this, it is desirable to permit certain parts of the carriage to articulate vertically, eg the rock drills 64, loading means 96 and initiation means 114, which are thus mounted on upper parts of the framework of the carriage 28 in the constructions of Figures 9 to 11. At least a portion of the upper part of the framework is pivotally mounted on said lower part about a horizontal axis parallelto the rail 26, to permit limited pivoting between the upper and lower parts of the framework. Locking means is provided to lock each pivotable part of the framework relative to the lower part thereof, to permit adjustment and locking of the pivotable upper part or parts of the framework in the desired horizontal condition(s).
For the arrangement of Flgures 9 to 11, it is contemplated that power and control will be obtained from a hydraulic power system, generally designated 28.1, and mounted on the base plate 60 of the carriage 28, The power and control system 28.1 will in turn be operated by an electronic control system 28.2, also mounted on said base plate 60, which is programmable and microprocessor-based. The system 28.2 will have inputs from sensors located at various points on the carriage 28 and from a remote control panel located eg in the gulley 22. The control panel in turn will have outputs to and inputs from said electronic control system 28.2, to the hydrau--17(a~-lic system 28.1 and to the various other electrically controlled devices in the installation 10. This will allow an operator to initiate, monitor and halt various control sequences, which are pre-programmed into the electronic controI system 28.2, from a position of safety.
With reference particularly to Figures 10 and 11, while the embodiments of the carriage 28 shown here are essentially similar as regards the constxuction and function of their various components, their arrangement and locations , . . , .. ,,, . , .. ,, . , . .. , . . _ ........ , _ _ . _ .. . . . . _ ., .. _ , , . _ .
.,, " , . . .
~ 8~ 673tG
relative to each other are differentr the arrangement of Figure 10 being more similar to that o~ Figures 1 to 8, as sho~n in Pigure 2. Thus, in Figure 10 th.e reservoir 62 is shown between the loading means 96 and rock drills 64, whereas in Figure 11 the rock drills 64 are sh.own adjacent the loading means 96, ~etween said loading means and the reservoir 62.
The arrangement of Figure 11 has the advantages, compared with Figures 1 to 10, that the overall length of the carriage 28 in the direction of the rail 26 is reduced, and misalignments between the drilling, loading and initiation operations (described hereunder) arising from non-linearities such as dips, in the rail 26 are reduced. The pivotal attach-ment of the upper part of the framework of the carriage 28 to the lower part thereof is simplified and, if desired, the carriage 28 can be split into two parts, one part carrying the reservoir 62 and power and control systems 28.1, 28.2 and the other carrying the rock drills 64, loading means 96, and initiation means 114.
It will be appreciated that, for ease of illustra-tion, a number of parts, whose construction and function are essentially similar to the construction and function of the same parts in Figures 1 to 8, have been omitted ~rom Figures 9 to 11. These parts include the gulley 18 with the downstream terminal element 22.2 of the conveyor 22, the downstream conveyor 24 in the gulley 18, and the upstream element 22.1 of the conveyor 22. The rail 26 is not shown separately of the conveyor 22 and the barricading modules 30 with barricading 32 I 1 673 1 ~) are omitted. Similarly, the rams 40, conveyor 48 with its barricading SQ and ram 52 have been omitted. Unless otherwise described herein, the construction and function of these parts, in the emhodiments of Figures 9 to 11 is substantially the same as descr~bed with reference to Figures 1 to 8.
Further refinements contemplated with the invention, with particular reference to Figures 9 to 11, include (in addition to the upper framework of the carriage 28 pivotable on the lower framework tnereof), means for providing vertical and horizontal adjustment of the exact positions and inclinations of the rock drills 64, loading means 96 and initiation means 114, to provide fine adjustment to c ter for irregularities in the rail 26 and stope 12, the adjustments of these components preferably being independent of each other and automatic.
Furthermore, a cleaning station for cleaning the holes 73 can be added between the rock drills 64 and loading means 96, comprising for example, a water flushing mechanism or a mechanical system such as an auger. Water sprays, air extraction and scrubbing apparatus, for example located on or connected to the carriage 28, can be provided for dust and fume control during operation, and are feasible because of the localized nature of dust and fume generation in the installation according to the present invention.
~673 Further, it is contemplated that a mechanised and automated drill-steel storage and replacement system Can be added to the rock drills 64, and it is also contemplated that duplication of various components mounted on the carriage 28 can be employed, with such components being paired together and mounted on a single carriage. Thus, there can be two sets of rock drills, two sets of loading means 96, and two sets of initiating means 114. The provision of two of each, or even more, can ~ouble or further increase the operational speed of the installation.
Also ~ in use, a control system for the carriage is contemplated~ which derives its input from a pre-planned set of data. Thus, with reerence to the operation of the system described hereunder, a miner could inspect a particular panel of the stope 12 to be mined, to mark the stope with a sensi~le medium, the electronic control system 28.2 sensing the markings and guiding the adjustable parts of the carriage in response thereto. Alternatively the operator could in~pect the stope to be mlned and program the system 28.2 wlth the artlculation re~ulrements of the carriage, or he could contlnually control the system via a remote control station, -20(a)`
Instead of having the indexing means on the carriage 28, it may be provided by means external to the carriage, eg a further carriage on the rail 26 connected to the carriage 28.
Furthermore, the reservoir 62 and pumps 112 may be rem~ved fro~
the locaIity of the carriage 28, eg by being provided in one of the gulleys 18, 20, with explosives being pumped through suitably arranged flexible pipes to the carriage 28 for increased safety.
., ;, , .
~7 With refer~nce to Figures 1 to 8 of th~ drawings, the method of the invention comprises movlng the carriage 28 lntermit~ently along the rall 26, and, when the carrlage is stationary, drilling successlve vertlcally spaced pairs o~
holes 73 in the rock ~ace constituted by the stope 12, loadin~
said holes with explo~ive, and initiating the explosive.
Drilling will start, for example, at the left hand side as ~hown in Figure 1 next to the gulley 18, and will progress from left to right towards the gulley 20. Naturally, if desired, the equipment can be modified to traverse from right to left instead.
.
Several pairs of holes will be drilled, with the carriage initially being indexed for example by hand, until there are sufficient pairs of holes for the indexing mechanism to come into operation. When the rod 78 ~Figures Z and 3) is in register With the upper of the initial pair of holes 73, with the slide 86 abutting the right hand stop 94 on the rail 90, the rod 78 is inserted into said upper hole 73. The c~rrlage 28 as a whole is then indexed to the right until said sllde 86 abuts the left hand stop 94. A further pair of holes is then drilled by means of the rock drills 64.
With the carriage in this position it is braked to the rail 26 by a clamp brake (not shown), and the rod 78 is retracted and is moved to the right along the rail 90 until the slide 86 abuts the right hand stop 94. At this stage the rod 78 will be in register with the next upper hole 73 and will be 1 16~31~
inserted therein. Indexing in this fashion is repeated until the first pair of holes is in register with the tubes 98.
The tubes 98 are then inserted into their respective holes 73 until their forward ends are adjacent the blind ends of the holes, and the pumps 112 are then, via the pipes 110, tubes lOO and tubes 98, used to pump slurry explosive from the reservoir 62 into the holes 73. As this pumping takes place the tubes 98 are retracted. Pumping is cut off once the holes 73 are sufficiently filled, and the tubes 98 are then fully retracted. During insertion and retraction of the tubes 98, the tubes 100 respectively uncoil from and coil onto the reels 102. If desired, the loading density in terms of mass/length in the holes 73 can be varied in a hole, for example by varying the rate of retraction of the tubes 98 andtor speed of the pump~ 112. Preferably, this is done to obtain a fully coupled explosives charge in the bottom or toe of the hole, with a de-coupled charge in the remalnder of the hole 73.
The carriage 28 is then again indexed to the rlght, as described a~ove, until the initiating means 114 is in register with the loaded holes 73. In this regard, it will be appreciated that the spacing between the stops 94 on the rail 9O, and the spacing in the direction of movement of the carriage 28 between said stops 94 and the rock drills 64 on the one hand, and the initiating means 114 on the other, will be such that the spacing between the right hand stop 94 and the rock drills i~ a multiple of (and conveniently the same as) the spacing between the stops 94, while the spacing between the 1 1 673 ~ (;
left hand stop 94 and the initiatin~ means 114 is likewise a multiple of (and conveniently the same as) the spacing between the stops 94.
An alternative means of indexing the carriage 28 along the rail 26 could incorporate a rack-and-pinion drive system, for example.
When the initiating means 114 is in register with said loaded holes 73, a detonator is inserted into each of the loaded holes 73, and initiated. After the initiation a further pair of holes i5 drilled by the rock drills 64, and the tubes 98 will be in register wlth the second pair of holes 73 to be loaded and will simultaneously load them. The carriage is then again indexed, and the second pair of loaded holes will be primed and initiated by the initiating means 114.
These 3teps are repeated cyclically, as the carrlage 28 advance~ from left to right along the stope 12, until the carriage 28 reaches the gulley 20. At this stage the whole of the ~tope will have been blasted to a depth determined by the length of the holes 73. The loading and initiation of the final pairs of holes adjacent the gulley 20 will require an alternative form of indexing, for example by hand.
The modules 30 with the barricading 32 are fast with the carriage 28 and are indexed together with it. These modules 30, together with the barricading 50 of the unit 46, and together with the carriage 28 and its barricading 116, 118 l J5731G
-isolate a zone 172 adjacent the part o~ stope being blasted, and protect the carriage 28 and the remainder of the instal-lation 10 from the blasts.
In this regard, it will be appreciated that the carriage 28 in Figure 1 is shown in an intermediate position, between the gulleys 18 and 20, some time after it has started advancing from left to right from the gulley 18 to the gulley 20.
During blasting the extraction conveyor 22 is operated continuously and conveys broken rock from right to left to the downstream conveyor 24, whence said rock is conveyed away. At the same time, together with lndexing of the carriage 28, the unit 46 advances from left to right parallel to the conveyor 22. This is achieved by, each time, the carriage 28 is indexed, extending the ram 52 to keep the barricading 50 in position closing off the zone 172 as shown in Figure 1, thereby urging the conveyor 48 under broken rock in the zone 172 and thus feeding it onto the conveyor 22.
Whlle the barricading 52 and conveyor 48 are being advanced the chock 58 is operatlve to anchor the unit 46. A~ter the barricading 50 and conveyor 48 have been advanced the chock 58 is released, and the cylinder 56 is retracted from left to right onto the piston 54, after which the chock 58 is again operated to anchor the conVeyor 52. The ram 52 is again activated to move the barricading 50 and conveyor 48 to the right. These steps are repeated cyclically to keep the unit in ~ 1 6~3 ~ ~ `
~5 step with the carriage 28, and it will be appreciated that the mass of the conveyor 48 and ~arricading 50 is sufficient to ensure that, upon retraction of the ram 52 with the chock 58 released, the chock will move and not the conveyor 48 and barricading 50. In this way the transfer conveyor 48 cranks from left to right along the stope, while remaining in register with and ~eing in~exed together with the carriage 28. Substan-tially continuous feeding of rock onto the conveyors 22 and 24 is thus e~fected, although it will be appreclated that each time initiation takes place and each time the transfer conveyor 48 is advanced under the broken rock in the zone 172 there will be a surge of rock onto the conveyor 22.
It will be seen from Figure 1 that the rams 34 at and to the rlght of the carriage 28 are extended, and those to the left thereof are retracted. In operation, as the carriage passes each ram 34, the chocks 44 of that ram are released, and the ram is retracted to draw the stirrup arrangement 40 with its limbs 42 and chocks 44 forwardly, lnto the posltlon shown to the left of the carriage 28.
The chocks 44 are then reactivated to con~inue thelr support of the hanging wall 16, with the forward position of the chocks ensuring that the minimum span of hanglng wall ls left unsupported.
- 1 167.~1G
-25 ~a)-When the carriage has completed its pass along the stope 12, the ~tope is washed down with water. High pressure water jets are used for this, and these jets also serve to provide a barring action by removing loose rock from the stope 12. All the rams 34 will have been retracted and their chocks operated to anchor them, a~ter which they are extended to advance the Conveyor 22 ana rail 26, with the modules 30 and carriage 28, forward to a position a~jacent the ~ 1673~
newly established face of the stope 12. It will be appreciated in this regard that the transfer conveyor 48 will by this stage have cleared all the broken rock created by the blasting when the carriage moved from left to right along the stope. It will then, after the conveyor 22 has been advanced towards the stope, be removed with the carriage 28 to its starting position at the gulley 18, preparatory to the next pass of the carriage along the stope or, preferably, conveyor 48 and barricading 50 will be disconnected from the ram 52 and pivoted to lie over and parallel to conveyor 22 prior to the return of all the mobile parts to the left hand end of the conveyor 22. However, if desired, the conveyor 48 can be removed to its starting position at the gulley 18 prior to the advancing of the conveyor 22 towards the stope 12, separately from said carriage 28. A new cycle of operation is then started with the carriage at the left hand side in Figure 1, adjacent the gulley 18. The ~ntlre procedure is thus repeated cyclically as rock ls removed from the stope, with the whole lnstallation intermittently movlng forward as each pass of the carriage along the stope is completed. ~o facilitate this, the chocks 44 are preferably of the rapid-yield hydraulic type.
While the method of the inventlon with reference to Figures 9 to 11 i8 substantlally the same as that described above with reference to Figures 1 to 8, there are certain differences, as described hereunder.
Indexing of the carriage 28 is by means of the thrust pad of the thrust assembly, which engages in the ~ 3673~ ~
upwardly facing recesses in the guide rail 26. These recessesin the guide rail 26 are spaced apart ~y a spacing corresponding to, and conveniently equal to, the distance which the carriage is required to he indexed between each set of operations.
In use, the thrust assembly will extend downardly and rearwardly (relative to the direction of travel of the carriage 28) into the recess in question, and the horizontal component of thrust from the assembly moves the carriage 28 forward along the rail 26 until the thrust assembly is fully exten~ed. This full extension will occur when the carriage has moved forward by the desired index$ng distance. At this stage, the ~rake unit on the carriage 28 engages the rail 26 to lock the carriage in po~ition on the rail. This brake unit will remain locked until momentarily before the next forward movement of the carriage 28.
After locking, the thrust pad is retracted by the thrust assembly, which retraction is assisted by the lift assembly, which extends downwardly from the carriage 28 to the thrust pad, and acts to lift the thrust pad clear of the rail during retraction of the thrust assembly, full retraction of whlch moves the thrust pad to a storage position.
At the start of the next indexing cycle, the lift assembly pivots the thrust assembly downwardly into the ~ucceed$ng recess in ra$1 26, and locates $t therein. The brake unit is then released immediately before the subsequent extension of the thrust assembly, during which extenqion the lift assembly provides a downward component of force on the thrust pad to keep it securely in the recess of the rail 26.
116~3~
This indexing system simplifies start-up with the carriage at the start of a traverse along the stope 12 (compared with the method described with reference Figures 1 to 8) in that the carriage is merely indexed twice, as described above, prior to explosives loading, and once more prior to commencement of initiating whereafter the full cycle is continued with after each indexing.
It should be noted in this regard that the spacing between the indexing recesses in the rail 26 is identical to the spacing, in the direction of the rail 26, between the loading means 96 and initiating means 94, and ls a third of the spacing in the direction of the rail 26 between the rock drills 64 and loading means 96 in Figures 9 and 10. This improved lndexing system also avoids an alternative form of indexing at the end of the traverse when the gulley 20 is reached.
The lnvention has the advantage in that it provides a seml-continuous method of blasting, and apparatus and an installation therefor. The installation and method lend themselves to remote-controlled operation, and semi-automatic and potentially fully automatic, operation.
Further advantages are that the chocks 44 contribute mutually to the support of the hanging wall 16.
They reduce the degree to which the hanging wall is 1 1 t~73 ! ~
unsupported, particularly near the stope face 12, and the support provided by them is intermittently advanced towards the stope facP as the stope face is blasted away and ~s the conveyor 22 is advanced towards it. It is for this reason that the rams 34 are retracted to the left of the carriage as it traverses from left to right.
In systems where there is a conveyor similar to the conveyor 22 but the whole stope is blasted simultaneously or in a rapid sequence, heavy surges of rock need to be conveyed by the conveyor. Provision also has to be made for sudden large scale fume and dust extraction. The present invention reduces these requirements as both the conveyor 22 and the fume and dust extraction equipment needed can operate on a continuous basis with lower loads and sub;ected to far smaller surges in load. ~hey can thus be o~ lower maxlmum capacity and less expensive.
Yet further and major advantages of the system lle in the fact that it is capable of continuous, round-theclock operation, as opposed to prior systems of explosive rock-breaking which are cyclical in nature and extremely time-inefficient.
The present invention will, it is contemplated, also minimise the shock effects associated with prior explosive rock-breaking systems.
Claims (21)
1. A method of blasting which comprises:
moving a carriage intermittently along a guide extending along an elongated rock face;
from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively drilling a series of holes along the rock face; and from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively loading the drilled holes with explosive charges.
moving a carriage intermittently along a guide extending along an elongated rock face;
from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively drilling a series of holes along the rock face; and from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively loading the drilled holes with explosive charges.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, which comprises initiating the explosive charges successively.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2, which comprises continuously removing broken rock caused by the blasting.
4. A method of blasting which comprises:
moving a carriage intermittently along a guide extending along an elongated rock face;
from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively drilling a series of holes along the rock face;
from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively loading the drilled holes with explosive charges; and from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively initiating the explosive charges in the holes before the drilling of the series of holes is completed.
moving a carriage intermittently along a guide extending along an elongated rock face;
from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively drilling a series of holes along the rock face;
from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively loading the drilled holes with explosive charges; and from the carriage, when it is stationary, successively initiating the explosive charges in the holes before the drilling of the series of holes is completed.
5. A method as claimed in claim 4, which includes continuously removing broken rock caused by the blasting.
6. A method as claimed in claim 5, in which removing the broken rock is by means of an extraction conveyor extending along the rock face.
7. A method as claimed in claim 3, in which moving the carriage is by indexing it so that the holes are drilled at regularly spaced intervals.
8. A method as claimed in claim 3, in which successive drilling, loading and initiating steps take place in a sequence whereby at least one hole is drilled with the carriage stationary, at least one preceding hole is loaded with the carriage in the same position, the carriage is then indexed, and said loaded hole(s), is then initiated, these steps being repeated cyclically as the carriage moves along the face.
9. A method as claimed in claim 3, which includes feeding broken rock continuously from the rock face in a direction transversely away from the rock face.
10. A method as claimed in claim 9, in which feeding broken rock away from the rock face is by means of a transfer conveyor or transfer mechanism which follows the carriage and is indexed together therewith.
11. A method as claimed in claim 3, which includes shielding the carriage and associated apparatus, as it moves along the face, by means of barricading.
12. A method as claimed in claim 3, which includes moving the carriage towards the rock face each time it has made a pass along the rock face, the carriage being returned to its traverse starting position before it again traverses along the face to drill, load and initiate a new series of holes.
13. A method as claimed in claim 3, in which loading is by pumping a fluid or slurried explosive into the holes, followed by insertion of a detonator from the carriage into the hole, the detonator being initiated electrically thereafter from the carriage.
14. A blasting installation which comprises:
a carriage having drilling means and explosive loading means mounted thereon; and a guide on which the carriage is mounted for guiding the carriage along an elongated rock face to be blasted.
a carriage having drilling means and explosive loading means mounted thereon; and a guide on which the carriage is mounted for guiding the carriage along an elongated rock face to be blasted.
15. An installation as claimed in claim 14, which comprises barricading mounted on or connected to the carriage for shielding the carriage and its contents from initiated explosive.
16. A blasting installation which comprises:
a carriage movable along an elongated rock face;
drilling means, explosive loading means and initiating means mounted on the carriage; and an extraction conveyor extending along the rock face for removing broken rock caused by blasting.
a carriage movable along an elongated rock face;
drilling means, explosive loading means and initiating means mounted on the carriage; and an extraction conveyor extending along the rock face for removing broken rock caused by blasting.
17. An installation as claimed in claim 16, which includes barricading associated with the carriage for shielding the carriage and its contents from initiated explosive.
18. An installation as claimed in claim 16, which includes a transfer conveyor for feeding broken rock from the rock face on to the extraction conveyor, the transfer conveyor being movable with the carriage along the rock face by being indexable therewith.
19 An installation as claimed in claim 16, which includes a guide on which the carriage is mounted for guiding the carriage along the elongated rock face.
20. An installation as claimed in claim 19, which includes anchoring and advancing means for the extraction conveyor and guide, for intermittently anchoring and advancing said conveyor and guide relative to the rock face.
21. An installation as claimed in claim 20, in which the anchoring and advancing means comprises a plurality of hydraulic rams spaced along the extraction conveyor and guide on the side thereof remote from the rock face, the rams being anchorable to the ground to provide anchorage for the guide and conveyor during operation thereof, and being extensible when so anchored to advance said guide and extraction conveyor towards the rock face.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZA80/5615 | 1980-09-11 | ||
| ZA805615 | 1980-09-11 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1167316A true CA1167316A (en) | 1984-05-15 |
Family
ID=25574922
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000385758A Expired CA1167316A (en) | 1980-09-11 | 1981-09-11 | Blasting installation including guided carriage with drilling and explosing loading means |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1167316A (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2083526B (en) |
| SE (1) | SE8105359L (en) |
| ZW (1) | ZW20981A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102016125497B4 (en) * | 2016-12-22 | 2021-03-18 | Kuno Moser | Blasting system |
| PL3746631T3 (en) | 2018-01-29 | 2024-04-29 | Dyno Nobel Inc. | Systems for automated loading of blastholes and methods related thereto |
| CN111336880A (en) * | 2020-03-03 | 2020-06-26 | 南京安吉特矿山工程有限公司 | Dust settling method for mine blasting |
| CN113931628B (en) * | 2021-11-11 | 2023-10-20 | 广西新港湾工程有限公司 | Directional variable flow type hydraulic fracturing system and method |
-
1981
- 1981-08-27 ZW ZW209/81A patent/ZW20981A1/en unknown
- 1981-09-02 GB GB8126539A patent/GB2083526B/en not_active Expired
- 1981-09-09 SE SE8105359A patent/SE8105359L/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1981-09-11 CA CA000385758A patent/CA1167316A/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2083526A (en) | 1982-03-24 |
| SE8105359L (en) | 1982-03-12 |
| GB2083526B (en) | 1984-03-28 |
| ZW20981A1 (en) | 1982-04-21 |
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