Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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UNDERGROUND MINING SAMPLER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to
underground mining equipment and, more particularly,
to a sampler unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an aim of the present invention to
provide an underground mining sampler having
interchangeable rock drilling and cutting tools;
It is also an aim of the present invention
to provide an underground mining sampler adapted to
instantly collect dust samples while cutting or
drilling in a rock surface.
It is a further aim of the present
invention to provide a rock saw which is adapted to
be quickly pivotally mounted to a feed pedestal
assembly of an underground mining sampler.
It is a still further aim of the present
invention to provide an underground mining sampler
having an onboard lab station.
It is still a further aim of the present
invention to provide a dual control for operating a
drill feed and retrac functions (adjustable as a
remote control unit).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the nature
of the invention, reference will now be made to the
accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration
a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevational view
of a motorized mobile sampler and analyzer unit
suited for used in underground mines to take ore
samples and subsequently analyze them.
Fig. 2 is a schematic top plan view of the
sampler and analyzer unit of Fig. 1;
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Fig. 3 is a schematic side elevational view
of a rear portion of the sampler and analyzer unit
illustrating a feed pedestal assembly used in
combination with a rock drill to bore a sample hole
in a rock surface;
Fig. 4 is a schematic side elevational view
of the rear portion of the sampler and analyzer unit
illustrating the feed pedestal assembly when used in
combination with a rock cutting saw;
Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a self-
leveling personnel lift basket of the sampler and
analyzer unit of Fig. 1,
Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the
self-leveling personnel lift basket of Fig. 5;
Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the
self-leveling personnel lift basket and the feed
pedestal assembly, illustrating the rotational
movement of the latter in a vertical plane;
Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the self
leveling personnel basket and the feed pedestal
assembly, illustrating the rotational movement of the
latter in a horizontal plane;
Fig. 9 is a top plan view of a twin blade
circular rock saw mounting bracket mounted to a
carrier plate forming part of a feed pedestal
assembly of the unit illustrated in Fig. 1;
Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of the
twin blade circular rock saw mounting bracket while
supporting a circular rock saw on a carrier plate
mounted for movement along a chain feed shell forming
part of the feed pedestal assembly; and
Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of a
circular twin blade rock saw adapted to be releasably
mounted to the saw blade mounting bracket for pivotal
movement with respect thereto.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Figs. 1 and 2 illustrates a motorized
sampler and analyzer unit 10 suited for use in
underground mines for collecting ore samples by
selectively using different methods, such as
drilling, cutting with motorized circular twin blade
rock saw or, optionally core drilling from the same
motorized mobile unit.
The unit 10 is provided with an onboard lab
station 12 for allowing instant on site accurate
analysis of the collected samples, thereby
elimindting human errors in taking samples and
transporting them to the surface laboratory for
analyzing, which can take up to 24 hours before the
underground mine captain drill master receives
results required for marking the drill pattern for
accurate production blast hole drilling and the
prevention of loss of the ore vein.
More particularly, the sampler and analyzer
unit 10 is built onto a standard articulated 4-wheel
drive underground carrier 14. The 4-wheel drive
underground carrier 14 is propelled by a Diesel
engine 16. An optional auxiliary electric hydraulic
power back source with powered electric cable reel
(not shown) can be installed on the carrier 14 so
that while operating in a stationary working
position, the Diesel engine 16 can be shut-off. This
is required in mines where the ventilation of fresh
air in some working areas is marginal and carbon
monoxide gases could be a health hazard.
The carrier 14 includes a front frame
portion 18 and a rear frame portion 20 which are
articulately connected to each other by means of an
articulation/oscillation mechanism 22.
A.telescopic boom 24 is articulated to the
rear frame portion 20 for pivotal movement about two
perpendicular axes. The telescopic boom 24 can swing
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laterally on opposed sides of the rear frame portion
20 (see Fig. 2) and pivot in upward and downward
directions with respect thereto. The boom 24 includes
a main tubular boom segment 26 and a secondary boom
segment 28 telescopically received within the main
boom segment 26. The main boom segment 26 is mounted
for pivotal movement about two perpendicular axes to
an upstanding support structure 30 secured to the
rear frame portion 20. As seen in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, a
first hydraulic cylinder 32 extends between the main
boom segment 26 and the upstanding support structure
30 for pivoting the main boom segment 26 in a
vertical plane. As best seen in Fig. 2, a second
hydraulic cylinder 34 is provided between the main
boom segment 26 and the upstanding support structure
30 to swing the main boom segment 26 laterally with
respect to the rear frame portion 20. Finally, as
seen in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, a third hydraulis cylfinder
36 is provided for levelling a self-levelling
personnel lift basket 38 and an extension cylinder
(not shown) is provided inside the boom 24 for
retracting and extending the secondary boom segment
28 relative to the main boom segment 26.
As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the self-leveling
personnel lift basket 38 is pivotally mounted on the
fork assembly 29 which is bolted on the secondary
boom 28. A hydraulic cylinder 40 is provided between
the fork assembly 29 and the personnel lift basket 38
for pivoting the latter about a pivot axis 42 in
order to maintain the personnel lift basket 38 at
level when the first hydraulic cylinder 32 is
operated to pivot the main boom segment 26 in an
upward or a downward direction.
It is noted that an aerial personnel lift
such as scissor lift platform truck or fork lift
truck, or a rigid chassis carrier could also be
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utilized as the prime mobile carrier with optional
auxiliary electric hydraulic power pack
As seen in Fig. 5, the self-leveling
personnel basket 38 includes a main platform section
44 and a pair of side by side forward platform
sections 46 and 48. The forward platform section 48
is hinged to the fixed forward platform section 46
along adjoining edges thereof. This allows the
forward platform section 48 to be selectively folded
over on top of forward platform section 46. As seen
in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6, safety upstanding guards 50
are provided along the periphery of the main platform
section 44 and the forward platform sections 46 and
48. Some of the safety guards 50 of the forward
platform sections 46 and 48 are removable to allow
platform section 48 to be folded over against
platform section 46, as illustrated in Fig. 6.
Two pairs of telescopic stabilizing legs,
one of which is shown at 52 in Figs . 1, 3 and 4 , are
respectively mounted on opposed lateral sides of the
front and rear frame portions 18 and 20 to stabilize
the same when the unit 10 is in a stationary working
position.
As seen in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 7 and 8, the
self-leveling personnel lift basket 38 is equipped
with an all-position rotary actuator 54 which is
mounted to a vertical pedestal mounting column 56
extending upwardly from a central front portion of
the main platform section 44. As illustrated in Figs.
7 and 8, the rotary actuator 54 is adapted to rotate
360° about two perpendicular axes, namely about a
vertical axis and a horizontal axis. The rotary
actuator 54 can consist of the SBH-15 boom head
manufactured by Traxxon Equipment Ltd., Burnaby, BC,
Canada. Instead of the Traxxon SBH-15 rotary actuator
head, a rotary actuator manufactured by Helac
corporation, Enumclaw, WA 98022 USA or any other
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rotation head with swing and tilt features could be
used as well.
As seen in Figs. 1 to 4, 7 and 8, a feed
pedestal assembly 58 with a double acting hydraulic
feed extension cylinder 60 is mounted onto the rotary
actuator 54. As seen in Figs. 7 and 8, the rotary
actuator 54 can be operated to swing the feed
pedestal assembly 58 in a substantially horizontal
plane and to rotate the same in a substantially
vertical plane.
The feed pedestal assembly 58 includes an
elongated chain feed shell 62 in which an endless
chain (not shown) is mounted for slidably displacing
a carrier plate 64 along an open top surface of the
shell 62. The chain is driven by a reversible motor
66 mounted to a rear bottom surface of the elongated
feed shell 62. A guided rock drill 68 is mounted on
the carrier plate 64. The guided rock drill 68
includes a motor 70, a drill rod 72 and a drill bit
74. The drill rod 72 extends through a hydraulic
operated centralizer 76 (see Fig. 3) which is mounted
on front of feed shell 62 and through a sample dust
pick-up hood housing 78. The centralizer 76 and the
pick up hood housing 78 can be linearly displaced
towards and away from the front end of the shell 62
via operation of the extension cylinder 60.
The pick up hood housing 78 is provided
with a 2" diameter outlet 80 (see Fig. 3) adapted to
be detachably connected to a suction hose 82, which
is connected at an opposed end thereof to a dust
sample collector 84 mounted on the rear frame portion
20 of the carrier 14 for instantly collecting ore
samples as the rock drill 68 is operated. The
collector 84 is provided with a hydraulic motor
driven fan and automatic fine dust filter element
cleaner which is achieved with compressed air
supplied by an onboard hydraulic motor driven
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(optionally electric motor drive) compressor 85. The
onboard compressor 85 (see Fig. 2) which supplies air
for flushing of drill chips and dust out of the hole,
whilst drilling with the rock drill 68 and for
cleaning of the filter elements in the dust collector
84.
When drilling with the rock drill 68, as
shown in Fig. 3, the 4-wheel drive carrier 14 is
immobilized in a stationary working position at a
sampling site and then the telescopic boom 24 and the
rotary actuator 54 are actuated so as to properly
position the feed pedestal assembly 58 with respect
to the rock surface in which a hole has to be drilled
in order to obtain ore samples. Then, the cylinder
60 is extended so as to position the pick up hood 78
against the rock surface. Thereafter, the feed chain
is driven by the motor 66 so as to guide forward the
drill rod 72 with the drill bit 74 through the
hydraulic operated centralizer 76 and into the rock
surface as the rock drill 70 is powered to drill a
hole in the rock surface. While drilling the hole,
the dust collector 84 is operated to collect samples
via the suction hose 82.
The rock drill and feed functions are
controlled either by manual hand levers of main
hydraulic sectional valve bank or remote from 24 volt
electric control box with umbilical cord or optional
radio remote system. The remote control box can be
carried with shoulder straps by the operator and
operated from a safe position inside the personnel
basket 38 or optionally, if holes are drilled close
to the ground, from outside the personnel basket 38.
It is noted that the chain feed shell could
also be a cable feed or screw feed shell.
As best seen in Fig. 10, the carrier plate
64 also includes two rock saw mounting points 86 for
quick connect and disconnect of a rock saw mounting
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bracket 88 to which a hydraulic motor driven circular
twin blade rock saw 90 can be releasably mounted for
pivotal movement with respect thereto. With this
arrangement, the operator can advantageously drill
sample holes with extension drill rods) 72 and drill
bit 74 or, alternatively, attach the hydraulic motor
driven circular twin blade rock saw 90 with mounting
arrangement onto the carrier plate 64 and quick
connect two hydraulic hoses (not shown) of the rock
saw 90 to an onboard hydraulic system (not shown). By
mounting the rock saw mounting bracket 88 on the
carrier plate 64 the feed motor 66 can advantageously
be used to control the feed speed and feed force of
the rock saw 90.
As seen in Figs. 9 and 10, the rock saw
mounting bracket 88 includes a first plate 92 to
which a pair of tubular members 94 are secured for
receiving corresponding pins 96 welded on one side of
the carrier plate 64. Removable lock pins 98 are
provided to prevent axial removal of the pins 96 from
the tubular members 94. The rock saw mounting bracket
88 also includes a saw mounting plate 100 which is
parallel to the first plate 92 and which is spaced
therefrom by means of four elongated rigid structural
members 102 extending between the first plate 92 and
the saw mounting plate 100. The saw mounting plate
100 defines a bore 104 for receiving a pivot pin 106
(see Figs. 10 and 11) extending laterally from the
body of the circular twin blade rock saw 90. A
removable locking pin 108 is adapted to be
transversally inserted at a free distal end of the
pivot pin 106 to prevent axial removal thereof from
the bore 104. This constitute a unique saw pivot
arrangement which allows for the direct hydraulic
motor driven (no belts, no pulleys) circular twin
blade rock saw 90 to be readily attach or detach from
the rock saw mounting bracket 88.
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As seen in Figs. 10 and 11, the rock saw 90
includes a hydraulic motor 110 having a drive shaft
(not shown) which is inserted into a bigger keyed
diameter shaft 114. For extra safety, a sealed
outboard bearing 116 located in a bolted outboard
bearing holder 118 is installed on one side of the
saw 90 opposite the motor 110 to support one end of
the shaft 114.
Two super premium diamond cutting blades
120 are mounted on the shaft 114 for rotation
therewith and are kept apart with a spacer (not
shown) . A hand lever 122 is provided to allow manual
pivotal movement of the rock saw 90 about its pivot
pin 106. The radial pivotal movement of the saw 90
is achieved manually for accurate cutting depth
control. The forward cutting speed and force is'
achieved with the hydraulic motor powered feed 66.
The feed speed and feed force can be regulated
depending on hardness of ore and rock to be cut. The
two rock saw blades 120 are protected with a safety
steel guard 124 which also acts as a sample dust pick
up which has a 2" diameter dust outlet 126 adapted to
be quickly connected and disconnected from the
flexible suction hose 82.
The rock sample between the two saw blade
cuts can be chipped out with a chisel hammer and kept
for analyzing and record in the mine's laboratory.
The circular rock saw 90 is equipped with a
deadman handle 128 which controls an on/off hydraulic
motor control valve 130 which is built onto the
circular rock saw 90, as seen in Fig. 11.
When it is desired to cut with the circular
twin blade rock cutting saw 90, the following
preparing steps have to be followed: removing drill
rods) 72 and drill bit 74, attaching rock saw
mounting bracket 88 onto the carrier plate 64 by
connecting mounting points 86, securing the bracket
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88 to the carrier plate 64 with the safety lock pins
98, inserting the pivot pin 106 of the rock saw 90
into the bore 104 defined in the saw mounting plate
100 of the rock saw mounting bracket 88, inserting
the safety lock pin 108 transversally through the
free distal end of the pivot pin 106 and connecting
the suction hose 82, which is connected to the dust
collector 84, to the outlet 126 and the rock saw 90
to a source of hydraulic direct drive power via quick
couplings (not shown). Once these preparing steps
have been completed, the rock saw 90 can be operated,
as seen in Fig. 4.
For instant analyzing of samples, dry
cutting is preferred in most applications. For
special applications, a dual function trigger can be
installed for automatic wet cutting.
As an addition to rock drill 68 and
circular rock twin blade rock saw 90, a time saving
quick disconnect/connect sealed split type hydraulic
bulkhead (not shown) can be installed in the
personnel basket 38 in order to disconnect feed/rock
drill without individually disconnecting all
hydraulic hoses. A longer feed shell with core drill
could also be installed.
Incorporated with the rock saw 90 is an air
powered chip hammer located in a guided securing
bracket with wing bolt (see Fig. 11). The chisel is
equipped with an air quick connector fitting to air
hose c/w air operating control valve. In order to
remove the rock segment from resultant rock cut,
additional to the saw is an adjustable sample segment
"catchment bin collector" fitted.
A storage compartment 132 is located next
to the dust collector 84 for storage of sample dust
bucket 134 which is normally placed below the dust
discharge of the collector 84 whilst drilling or
cutting, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4. In the top of the
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storage compartment 132, a funnel (not shown) is
inserted and at the outlet of the funnel, a small
plastic bag (not shown) can be attached with a rubber
band (not shown) . As soon as the desired sample dust
is collected with the bucket 134 below the collector
discharge, the required amount of sample dust can be
filled through the funnel into the small plastic bag
(one man operation) which will be sealed. The
location of drill hole or cut can be marked on the
bag for identification.
As mentioned hereinbefore, an onboard lab
station 12 is located on the unit 10, opposite of the
storage compartment 132. The Metorex model MET880 and
Metorex model DOPS23 10 hand held X-ray analyzer or
the like are located on a rubber covered work table
136 for minimum vibration. For insulation, underneath
the rubber is a lead sheet forming a barrier to
prevent X-ray rebound from the steel work table. The
marked sample bags are immediately analyzed and
results recorded and analyzed bags are stored in
special separated numerically identified compartments
in storage drawers (not shown) below the work table
136. The results of the recorded and analyzed ore
content will be given to the mine captain or drill
master (same can also be electronic computer
transferred) who then will give the instructions for
marking the face for accurate production drilling,
thereby minimizing over-drilling and preventing loss
of ore vein.
An onboard hydraulic motor driven (could be
electric motor driven) Landa high pressure (1500 psi)
triplex ceramic plunger water pump 138 is installed
and furnished with insulated trigger gun (not shown)
with stainless steel spray nozzle. The water to the
pump 138 is supplied from a 1000 liter onboard
stainless steel water tank 140 with suction hose (not
shown) which is installed on the inlet of the water
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pump 138. With the 3/8" diameter x 50 feet long water
pressure hose with its quick disconnect trigger gun,
the rock face and ribs can be washed from the ground
and basket 38. This will instantly show the geologist
the strata of existing ore and assist in where to
take the samples with the rock drill 68, circular
rock saw 90 or core drill.
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