Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SKIP AND CROSSHEAD
Priority
Priority is claimed from Australian provisional
patent application No. AU 2013903212.
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to guiding movement of a
conveyance up and down a mine shaft. It has particular
but not exclusive application to guiding conveyances that
convey materials and personnel up/down a mine shaft from
top of shaft to an excavation region during formation of
the mine shaft, and it may also have application to other
purposes such as the delivery of personnel and materials
up/down a mineshaft between successive lateral branches of
the mineshaft at different underground depths.
This invention also relates to mine shaft
conveyance systems for raising and/or lowering a
conveyance in a mine shaft.
Background of the Invention
Traditional shaft sinking operations are carried
out by drilling and blasting to excavate materials from a
mine shaft. The excavated material is removed by a mucking
system, by which the excavated material is picked up and
deposited in kibbles (large cylindrical buckets) that are
hoisted to the surface on cables extending downwardly from
headgear incorporating a hoist at the top of mine shaft.
Shaft sinking and mine constructions methods using
blasting and mucking processes are slow and discontinuous.
In this context, 'discontinuous' refers to shaft
construction taking place slowly, with each stage in the
drill, blast and mucking cycle all being done in series
with minimal processes being completed in parallel. For
example, the time between mucking stages is lengthy since
after completion of one mucking stage, mucking equipment
is removed from the shaft bottom, drilling equipment is
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lowered to the shaft bottom to drill boreholes, charges
are then set in the bore holes, all equipment is removed
from the bottom of the mine shaft, charges are initiated,
and then the next mucking stage commences.
More recently there have been proposals to increase
the speed at which sinking can progress by using
mechanical excavation technology similar to that used in
the horizontal civil tunnelling industry. International
patent publication number WO 2011/000037A1 discloses such
a proposal for sinking a mine shaft in which rock
excavated by a boring machine is transferred into large
capacity conveyances in the form of skips which are raised
and lowered by a hoisting system installed at the top of
mine shaft. On completion of shaft sinking operations the
hoisting system and skips may subsequently be operated to
convey material excavated during production mining stage
of the mine life.
In the equipment disclosed in WO 2011/000037A1,
each loaded skip or other conveyance must travel down the
mine shaft and through a work stage or "Galloway". The
requirements of the system that controls and/or guides
movement of the respective conveyance change as the
conveyance moves through different sections (e.g. moving
through the Galloway versus moving from top of mine shaft
to the Galloway) of a mine shaft. The present invention
provides a system to meet one or more of the changes in
system requirements.
The term "skip" refers inter alia to a
conveyance used to bring mined material to the top of a
mine shaft. Skips are manufactured in various sizes and
designs for both vertical and incline shafts, and
generally include bottom door dump type conveyances.
Skips are distinct from "buckets" insofar as:
a) skips are self-dumping;
b) the properties of skips make them
suitable for use in production shafts and
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have never previous to this invention
been used in construction/sinking of a
shaft;
c) skips are, during normal operation,
attached at all times to the hoist rope;
and
d) skips do not have to be able to free
stand on the bottom of a mine shaft (i.e.
can be extremely long and slender).
A "bucket" and "kibble" are typically
cylindrical shaped conveyances, use to transport
blasted rock from the shaft bottom, during shaft
construction (sinking) operations.
When compared with skips, buckets:
a) require manual dumping
b) must be unloaded in a tip over fashion
c) are attached to the hoist rope via
detachable hook to suspension chains (or
bales) at the top of the bucket (minimum
of 3 to maintain stability)
d)must be used in conjunction with a
crosshead to provide guidance in the
shaft barrel (above work stage)
e) are unguided (both in terms of rotation
and swing) below shaft guide system or
within work stage, and also below work
stage
f) are regularly disconnected from the hoist
rope (generally to load at shaft bottom)
during the loading operation
g)must be round and have a height to
diameter ratio that is stable and will
stand unsupported on shaft bottom
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h)must have a smooth outer surface so as to
allow the bucket to work with bump guides
to prevent swaying, and accordingly
cannot have guide couplings attached to
their outer surface.
Unless context specifies otherwise, the term
"guide" as used herein refers to a member along which a
conveyance travels down a mine shaft, and that resists or
prevents both rotation of the conveyance and lateral
movements of the conveyance relative to the mine shaft.
Such a "guide" provides no motive or drive force to cause
movement of the conveyance.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention provides a conveyance system
for moving a conveyance along a mine shaft during shaft
construction, comprising:
a first guide section;
a second guide section located along the mine shaft
in series with the first guide section, the conveyance
being movable along the first guide section; and
a head section for receiving the conveyance, the head
section cooperating with the first guide section to enable
the conveyance to travel from the second guide section
along the first guide section when received by the head
section.
The head section may include a containing section in
which the conveyance is at least partially received during
travel of the conveyance along the first guide section.
The head section may include a chairing member that
chairs against the conveyance during travel of the
conveyance along the first guide section.
The chairing member may come into abutment with the
conveyance.
The head section may be configured to depend from the
conveyance during movement of the conveyance and head
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section along the first guide section.
The head section may be configured to permit passage
of a hoist rope attached to the conveyance by which the
conveyance is lifted and/or lowered along the mineshaft.
The head section may be arranged so that the hoist
rope can extend through the head section to the
conveyance.
The conveyance system may be arranged such that the
head section chairs against a work stage as the conveyance
travels from the first guide section along the second
guide section.
The conveyance system may be arranged such that the
head section does not travel along the second guide
section.
The mine shaft may be substantially vertical.
The first guide section may be a variable length
guide section and the section guide section may be a fixed
length guide section.
The first guide section and second guide section may
restrict rotational movement and swing movement of the
conveyance.
The first guide section and second guide section may
substantially prevent rotational movement and swing
movement of the conveyance.
The conveyance system may concurrently guide multiple
conveyances.
The first and second guide sections may guide each of
the multiple conveyances.
Personnel and/or materials may be transported in a
different one or ones of the conveyances to one or more
conveyances that transport mined material.
The present invention further provides a guide system
for guiding a conveyance during shaft construction, while
lifting and/or lowering of the conveyance in a mine shaft,
the system comprising:
an intermediate fixed length guide section; and
a variable length upper guide section extending from
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the intermediate section to accommodate changes in
distance between the intermediate section and an upper
region of the mineshaft,
wherein the guide system restricts rotational movement and
swing movement of the conveyance.
The guides may be configured to allow the conveyance
to transition from one guide section to the other
The guide system may further include a variable
length lower guide section extending from the intermediate
section to accommodate changes in distance between the
intermediate section and a lower region of a mineshaft.
The lower guide section may be extendable without a
corresponding extension and/or retraction of the upper
guide section.
The lower guide section may retract as the upper
guide section extends. The upper guide section may in fact
be extendable with downward movements of the intermediate
section. The lower guide section may extend between the
intermediate section and a shaft forming apparatus and
extend with movements of the shaft forming apparatus away
from the intermediate section, and retract with movement
of the intermediate section towards the shaft forming
apparatus.
In some embodiments, the upper guide section
extends from top of shaft down to a work stage where the
upper guide section meets the intermediate section. The
intermediate section is fixed to the work stage and
extends through the work stage to the variable length
guide system. The lower guide section may extend from the
work stage to a shaft forming apparatus, extending as the
shaft is formed and retracting as the work stage (and
therewith the intermediate section) advances down the mine
shaft towards the shaft forming apparatus.
The upper guide section and intermediate section
may meet at a transition region, and the conveyance may
comprise a head section and a base section, the transition
region being adapted to halt downward travel of the head
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section whilst permitting the base section to continue
downward travel along the intermediate section.
The invention may be designed for use in a
substantially vertical mineshaft.
The invention also extends to a mine shaft
conveyance system comprising a guide system as set out
above, and a hoist system for lifting and/or lowering the
conveyance along the guide system.
Embodiments of the present system may achieve
higher mine shaft sinking speeds along with safer
operation of conveyances along the length of the mine
shaft.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In order that the invention may be more fully
explained one particular embodiment will be described in
detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which:
Figure I is a side schematic view of a mine shaft-
boring machine employing a guide system according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a side perspective view of a
conveyance, including head and base sections, in
engagement with the upper guide section (stage ropes) of
the guide system;
Figure 3 is a side perspective view of a base
section of the conveyance of Figure 2 engaged with an
intermediate or workstage section (fixed guides) of the
guide system;
Figure 4 is a side perspective view of a head
section of the conveyance of Figure 2 engaged with the
upper guide section (stage ropes) of the guide system;
Figure 5 is a side schematic view of a lower guide
section (telescopic guides);
Figures 6 and 7 show side views of a crosshead or
'bridle';
Figures 8 and 9 show side views of a skip;
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Figures 10 and 11 show side views of a crosshead or
bridle, with a skip received therein; and
Figure 12 is a side perspective view of a crosshead
or bridle;
Figure 13 is a side perspective view of an
auxiliary cage or conveyance including a personnel
carrier; and
Figure 14 is a side perspective view of the
crosshead of Figure 12 when received over the conveyance
of Figure 13.
Detailed Description of the preferred Embodiment
= TRADITIONAL SHAFT SINKING
Traditionally, shaft sinking processes have used
blasting and mucking methods to deepen a mine shaft.
Material at the bottom of a mine shaft is drilled,
explosive charges are set, the bottom of the mine shaft is
blasted, and blasted rock is loaded into a conveyance for
transport to top of shaft. Finally, people and material
are moved from the top of shaft down the shaft to the
shaft bottom and to working locations such as the work
stage.
= BUCKETS - KIBBLES
In traditional shaft sinking, kibbles (large
buckets) have been used for transporting people and rock.
This type of conveyance has been used for 100's of years.
There are many reasons why kibbles have been
traditionally used during shaft sinking. In order to
enable ready loading of a conveyance (e.g. a kibble) at
the bottom of a mineshaft, the conveyance should be:
- 'open topped' to enable material to be dropped into
it by a loader;
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- `freely moveable' to enable the conveyance to be
located at a desirable position on the bottom of the
mineshaft. The bottom of the mineshaft is typically
highly irregular due to it constituting blasted rock.
So a freely moveable conveyance can be stably
positioned at an appropriate location for filling by
the loader;
- `cylindrical' so that the open top of the conveyance
is accessible in a similar manner regardless of where
the conveyance is located relative to the loader
during loading of the conveyance; and
- `connected at its top to a hoist rope' - the only
logical way to lift a freely moving, cylindrical
conveyance.
Clearly, buckets and kibbles (large buckets)
provide these characteristics and are thus the main form
of conveyance used in mine shaft sinking/construction
processes.
= DRAWBACKS OF BUCKETS AND KIBBLES
Buckets and kibbles are freely suspended and unable
to have attached, to an outer surface thereof, mechanisms
for allowing the bucket or kibble to be coupled to a
guide. One reason for this is as provided above in point
(h) of the Background of the Invention. Once the cross
head reaches the Galloway (workstage) the bucket hangs
freely, is only constrained horizontally within the
workstage but is able to rotate. Once the bucket is below
the workstage it is not possible to constrain horizontal
swing or rotation. As a result of the above, hoist speeds
of the conveyance are reduced within the workstage and
below the workstage.
In addition the lack of full guidance of the conveyance,
and the general inability to fully guide the conveyance,
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causes health and safety risks when transporting people.
This is because absolute alignment of the conveyance with,
for example, a high tolerance, engineered landing pad is
not possible. This creates pinch points and large
hazardous gaps that must be spanned when loading and
unloading people.
Also, significant time is required to align the bucket or
kibble with discharge ramps and the like, and to safely
tip the bucket or kibble over to discharge mined material.
Buckets and kibbles thus slow down the process of
mine shaft sinking and are the root cause for some health
and safety risks associated with moving people and
material within the shaft.
As part of an initiative to double the speed of shaft
construction and to improve the health and safety of shaft
sinking miners, a new shaft sinking system has been
developed. This system replaces drilling and blasting of
the rock with disc cutters to fracture the rock. This
system also employs a material handling system that
replaces buckets with skips for the transportation of
rock, and a cage to transport people and materials.
A mechanical excavation system using the disc
cutters to fracture the rock is embodied by mine shaft-
boring, or shaft-sinking, machine 12 located in a mine
shaft 10 in Figure 1. The machine 12 comprises a shaft
forming apparatus, namely cutting head 14, for excavating
the mine shaft 10, and a work stage 16 on which personnel
install concrete lining and shaft services in parallel
with the excavation of the shaft. Such a mine shaft-boring
machine is described in W02011/000037 in which a rotary
cutting head is mounted to a lower end of a main machine
frame and is equipped with disc cutters for excavating the
rock. Cuttings from the cutting head are passed upwardly
to a discharge/loading station in the work stage and are
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transferred to skips for ascending the shaft to the top of
shaft.
= CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME IN USING SKIPS DURING
CONSTRUCTION
Based on skips used in production mining, it has
been realised by the inventors that if skips could somehow
be used in shaft sinking to convey and discharge material
the rate of shaft sinking would be much greater than is
the case with buckets. Also if a separate cage, able to
move within the shaft independently from the skips, could
be used to transport people and material instead of a
bucket it would be safer and more efficient. Both of
these opportunities needed the same challenges to be
overcome including the provision of full conveyance
guidance at all times across multiple guide systems, where
the guide systems combine both fixed and flexible length
systems.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the cutter
head 14 and workstage 16 will also descend at different
times. So the height of the workstage 16 relative to the
bottom of the mineshaft 10 will vary. Moreover, for safety
reason the guides along which a skip would travel through
the workstage are ideally fixed.
For these reasons, more than one type of guide
system is necessary - in other words, a variable length
guide extending from the top of the mineshaft to the
workstage, and a fixed guide extending through the
workstage.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, a further
variable length guide system is required to span the gap
between the bottom of workstage and the cutter head or
shaft bottom.
The drawback with such systems is that skips do not
readily transition between different types of guide.
While skips may be used during the production phase
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of a mine where a single type of guide can be used, skips
have traditionally not been workable during the
construction phase of a mine. One reason for this is that
skips require full guidance at all times. Skips therefore
do not lend themselves to applications where multiple
guide systems are present.
The inventors realise that these drawbacks are
significant contributing factors to the long held
understanding that skips are inappropriate for use during
the construction phase.
= THE PRESENT SYSTEM
To guide movement of a conveyance, presently
embodied by skip 18, the mine shaft 10 is equipped with a
mine shaft conveyance system 100 comprising a guide system
as discussed below and a hoist system 102 for lifting
and/or lowering the skip 18 along the guide system 20.
The hoist system 102 is attached to the top of the
20 skip 18 in a known manner and applies the force necessary
to controllably lift and lower the skip 18 in the mine
shaft 10.
The guide system 20 guides movement of the skip 18
to ensure, for example, that it does not freely rotate
during ascent/descent of the mineshaft 10. The skips 18
travels or runs along the guide system 20 for guided
travel (i.e. lifting and/or lowering) of the skip 18 in
the mineshaft 10.
As shown in Figure 1, the guide system 20 extends
along the length of the mine shaft 10 down to the cutter
head 14.
The guide system 20 can be divided into 3 sections:
1. a first or "upper" guide section 24
2. a second, "lower" or "workstage" guide section
22, and
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3. a third or "excavation region" guide section
26.
The guide sections 24, 22, 26 extend in series from
an upper region 28 of the mine shaft 10 to an excavation
region 29 in which material is excavated from the mine
shaft 10 to deepen the mine shaft 10.
To speed up the construction phase of a mine it is
desirable not to have to provide and extend (i.e. during
lengthening of the mineshaft) separate systems for the
conveyance of mined material and the conveyance of
personnel and/or equipment. It is therefore useful if
personnel and materials are transported to the work stage
using the same system as that used for the conveyance of
mined material.
0 UPPER GUIDE SECTION 24
The upper guide section 24 extends from the
workstage guide section 22 to accommodate changes in
distance between the workstage guide section 22 and an
upper region 28 of the mine shaft 10. Thus, the skip 18
can travel along the upper guide section 24 as shown in
Figure 1, between the top of shaft (e.g. an above ground
loading/discharge region) and the work stage 16. It will
be understood that for winze applications the upper region
28 will not be ground level, but will be below ground
level.
As the mine shaft 10 extends the distance from the
upper region 28 to the work stage 16 increases. As a
result, the distance from the upper region 28 to the
workstage guide section 22 similarly increases.
The upper guide section 24 consequently has
variable length to accommodate such changes in distance
between the upper region 28 and workstage guide section
22. It may similarly be desirable to lift the work stage
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16 and so the upper guide section 24 may be retractable in
addition, or as an alternative, to being extendable.
The upper guide section 24 comprises a pair of
stage ropes 30 that extend up the barrel of the mine shaft
10, as shown in Figure 2. It will be appreciated that any
number of ropes or alternative guide means may be used as
desired, and that the ropes may be fabricated from any
appropriate material (typically steel). For example, the
upper guide section 24 may constitute wire ropes or
cables, wound steel pipe or coiled tube, steel straps,
chains and so forth. Any other elongated material or
structure that can be wound in and wound out may be used
as the upper guide section 24.
In a preferred embodiment, the upper guide section
24 comprises multiple pairs of stage ropes 30 enabling
multiple conveyances to be guided concurrently up and down
the shaft. In one such embodiment, the upper guide section
24 comprises 3 or 4 pairs of stage ropes 30, allowing for
3 to 4 conveyances to be guided simultaneously up and down
the shaft.
With further reference to Figure 1, the stage
ropes 30 are received on sheaves or cable drums 34 that
unwind and wind to extend and retract the stage ropes 30.
Thus, the upper guide section 24 is extendable and
retractable. The sheaves 34 are mounted in a head frame
36 extending over the open upper end of the mineshaft 10.
The ropes 30 therefore extend directly downwardly from the
sheaves 34 down the mineshaft 10.
The sheaves 34 maintain sufficient tension in the
stage ropes 30 to ensure that the conveyance 18 can travel
up/down the upper guide section 24 without significant
rotation or lateral deflection. In other words, the stage
ropes 30 assist in maintaining the orientation and
position of the conveyance 18 as it ascends/descends the
mineshaft 10. In some embodiments, despite being
extendable and retractable, the stage ropes 30 will in
practice be under sufficient tension from suspending the
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workstage 16 and/or other equipment, that they will form
substantially rigid members with respect to any force
applied by the skip 18 to the stage ropes 30.
The opposite ends of the stage ropes 30 are
connected to the top of the work stage 16 by any
appropriate cable stays or other means (e.g. eyelets,
swivels). The stage ropes 30 may alternatively wind
through sheaves mounted to the work stage 16. In
alternative arrangements, the first (upper) guide section
24 may extend into the work stage 16 such that the work
stage 16 is suspended from a lower point, or even from the
bottom of the work stage 16. All such variations are
intended to constitute part of the present disclosure.
In addition, the stage ropes 30 may be connected
directly to the workstage guide section 22. However, the
present stage ropes 30 are connected to the work stage 16
and the workstage section 22 extends along a parallel, but
not collinear, path as shown in Figure 1. This is due to
different guide means, namely bushings 32 and channels 40,
being the preferred guide means for use with the different
types of guides, namely the wire ropes or stage ropes 30
of the upper guide section 24 and the fixed rails 38 of
the workstage guide section 22, respectively.
0 WORKSTAGE GUIDE SECTION 22
As mentioned above, the length of the upper guide
section 24 is desirably flexible so as to enable it to
extend along with extension of the mineshaft 10. In
contrast, the length of the work stage 16 is relatively
fixed so no such flexibility (i.e. being
extendable/retractable) is necessary for the workstage
guide section 22.
Additionally, as personnel and materials are
unloaded from the conveyance 18 when it is in the work
stage 16, it is desirable that the conveyance 18 be
oriented consistently at loading/unloading points in the
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work stage 16. For this reason, the workstage guide
section 22 is rigid and fixed in position relative to the
work stage 16. Thus, the skip 18 and cage can be stopped
in a consistent position on the workstage guide section
22, with consistent, known orientation to enable fast and
efficient loading of rock into the skip and safe egress of
personnel and equipment from the cage.
As shown in Figure 3, the workstage guide section
22 comprises a plurality of fixed rails 38 that are
rigidly attached at various intervals to the work stage
16. The fixed rails 38 slide in channels 40 (discussed in
relation to Figures 8 and 9) so that the skip 18 can
advance through the work stage 16.
The channels 40 are necessarily open at one side to
enable the skip 18 to slide past connections (not shown)
between the fixed rails 38 and the work stage 16.
It is desirable to ensure that the skip 18 is
safely mounted to the workstage guide section 22 before it
transitions off the end of the upper guide section 24.
Consequently, the fixed rails 38 extend a short distance
above the connection between the stage ropes 30 (i.e. the
upper guide section 24) and the work stage 16 so that
guiding of the skip 18 on the fixed rails 38 commences
before the stage ropes 30 cease guiding the head section
18' when the conveyance 18 is received therein.
A slight overlap in guidance of the skip 18 by the
stage ropes 30 via the head section 18' and guidance of
the skip 18 directly by the fixed rails 38 also ensures
that the orientation of the skip 18 is at all times
controlled.
0 EXCAVATION REGION GUIDE SECTION 26
Although the excavation region guide section 26
constitutes part of the embodiment shown in Figure 1, it
will be appreciated that no such guide section 26 may be
necessary, and that the upper guide section 24 and lower
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or workstage guide section 22 can be provided without also
providing the excavation region guide section 26.
Similarly, it may be desirable to provide the
excavation region guide section 26 without also supplying
the upper guide section 24 and workstage guide section 22.
The excavation region guide section 26 is
extendable and retractable to accommodate movements of the
work stage 16 or of components (e.g. the cutting head 14)
relative to the work stage 16. In other words, the
excavation region guide section 26 of Figure 1 also
constitutes a variable length guide section.
As the cutter head 14 moves away from the workstage
16, the excavation region guide section 26 extends.
Similarly, as the workstage 16 moves towards the cutter
head 14, the excavation region guide section 26 retracts.
Enabling the workstage 16 and cutter head 14 to
advance at different times can be critical to proper
formation of the mine shaft 10. Personnel in the work
stage 16 line the mineshaft 10 during excavation of the
mineshaft 10 by the cutting head 14. Thus, the cutting
head 14 will advance though the work stage 16 remains
stationary. To this end the excavation region guide
section 26 has variable length and is extendable without a
corresponding extension and/or retraction of the workstage
guide section 22.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the cutting
head 14 may advance 10.5m and then cease cutting, at which
time the work stage 16 advances 10.5m down the mineshaft
10 towards the cutting head 14 and lining of the next
10.5m section of the mineshaft 10 can commence in the work
stage 16. Thus as the cutting head 14 advances the
excavation region guide section 26 extends so that the
workstage 16 can remain in position until the concrete
sets and/or services (e.g. ducting, wiring, etc.) are
installed, and as the workstage 16 advances the excavation
region guide section 26 retracts.
Conversely, the excavation region guide section 26
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retracts as the upper guide section 24 extends. This is
because extension of the upper guide section 24 results in
lowering of the work stage 16 towards the cutting head 14.
It is noted that the upper guide section 24 extends with
downward movements of the workstage 16 and workstage guide
section 22.
The excavation region guide section 26 comprises a
telescopic guide assembly including a plurality of
telescopic guides, such as telescopic guide 44 as shown in
Figure 5. The telescopic guides 44 ensure there is always
a guide extending the full distance between the work stage
16 and cutting head 14 so that a conveyance can be guided
between them even as the distance changes. Rotation of
the conveyance when travelling along the variable length
lower guide section 26 is undesirable due to the limited
space and critical nature of the equipment between and in
the work stage 16 and cutting head 14. Thus, telescopic
guide systems are preferred as they constrain rotational
and lateral/horizontal movement of a conveyance moving
along the guide system, even though the length of the
guide system changes. In addition to telescopic guides,
other flexible length guides could be used in this section
such as ropes, etc.
In traditional shaft sinking operations buckets are
used during mucking to bring blasted rock from out of a
mine shaft. Since buckets are round there is no great
issue with rotation. In contrast, the conveyances 18 shown
herein may have another shape, for example they may have a
square or rectangular cross-section, and so rotation is
undesirable. To this end, the excavation region guide
section 26 may constitute a system supplied entirely
separately from the complete guide system 20 described
above, and be designed for fitting to an existing shaft-
boring system. Such an excavation region guide section 26
(i.e. variable length guide system) would also be for
guiding a conveyance along the mine shaft 10, and would
extend from the work stage 16, the excavation region guide
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section 26 being extendable or retractable to accommodate
changes in distance between the work stage 16 and the
lower region 42 of a mineshaft 10.
The excavation region guide section 26 as shown in
Figure 5 extends to, or in the direction of, a shaft
forming apparatus such as cutting head 14, and would thus
extend or retract with changes in distance between the
work stage 16 and shaft forming apparatus.
The telescopic guide 44 of the excavation region
guide section 26 comprises an upper rail 46 and a lower
rail 48 that is slidably received in a lower end of the
upper rail 46. The lower end of the fixed rail 38 is
received in the upper end of the upper rail 46. As the
cutting head 14 advances the lower rail 48 extends from
the upper rail 46. Conversely, as the work stage 16
advances towards the cutting head 14 the lower rail 48
retracts into the upper rail 46.
Since the larger of any two concentrically disposed
rails will present an edge against which the channel 40 of
the conveyance 18 may snag during raising or lowering
(depending on whether the larger diameter rail is the
upper or lower rail of the two concentrically disposed
rails), the channels 40 are flared on their upper and
lower ends.
It will be appreciated that the telescopic guide
assembly may comprise any number of concentrically
disposed rails. For example, the telescopic guide 44 may
comprise only a single rail (e.g. upper rail 46) that
receives the fixed rail 34 attached to the work stage 16.
As such the fixed rail 34 and upper rail 46 together would
form a telescopic guide system 44. Similarly, lower rail
48 may be sized to be received in fixed rail 34, thus
omitting upper rail 46.
It will also be appreciated that the upper rail 46
may in fact retract up the fixed rail 38 as the work stage
16 advances, and extend from the fixed rail 38 as the
cutting head advances provided that there are no
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connections between the fixed rail 38 and work stage 16
for a sufficient length at the lower end of the fixed rail
38.
Thus the guide system 20 comprises a variable
length upper guide section 24 extending upwardly from the
work stage 16, a fixed length workstage guide section 22
fixed to the workstage 16 intermediate the other guide
sections 24, 26, and a variable length lower (i.e.
excavation region) guide section 26 extending downwardly
from the workstage 16 towards a lower region in the
mineshaft 10.
0 SKIP
The use of skips 18 (and 64 as described below) as
conveyances is particularly advantageous as skips can be
filled from the top or side, discharged from the bottom,
e.g. using arc gate skips and corresponding latches
positioned at the location at which the skips will be
discharged. Contrastingly, buckets must be upended,
typically manually, and are thus generally open-topped to
enable material to fall out during discharging. To that
end, buckets usually have chains hanging from the sides,
which make proper alignment of the bucket with, e.g. a
loading/discharge point, more difficult than with skips
that are fully guided at all times. Skips are thus a
safer and more efficient alternative to buckets.
To enable the skip 18 to travel along the stage
ropes 30, the stage ropes 30 run in running bushings 32
provided on a head section 18' (shown in Figures 2 and 3)
that receives the skip 18. The head section 18' guides
movement of the skip 18 between the upper region 28 of the
mine shaft 10 and the work stage 16.
While the skip 18 may have any appropriate
construction, in the present embodiment it is represented
by the construction identified with numeral 64 as shown in
Figures 8 and 9. In other alternatives, the skip 18 may
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comprise another device such as an auxiliary cage 18".
For illustrative purposes such an auxiliary cage 18" is
shown in Figure 2, received in a head section 18', and in
Figure 3 in isolation.
The head section 18' (which will hereinafter be
interchangeably referred to as a "crosshead" or "bridle")
receives the auxiliary cage 18" and assists with guiding
the auxiliary cage 18" along the upper guide section 24
of the guide system 20, as shown in Figure 2.
The auxiliary cage 18" is used for the
transportation of personnel (in lower cage 50), but can
also be used for the transportation of goods (e.g. vent
pipe 41 as shown in upper cage 52 in Figure 2).
To transition between the upper guide section 24
and the workstage guide section 22 the head section 18'
detaches from the auxiliary cage 18". To facilitate this
separation the upper guide section 24 and workstage guide
section 22 meet at a transition region (not shown) where
the head section 18' separates from the auxiliary cage
18".
The transition region may simply constitute the
termination points of the stage ropes 30 and is adapted to
halt downward travel of the head section 18' whilst
permitting the auxiliary cage 18" to continue downward
travel along the workstage guide section 22.
For this reason also it is desirable that there be
provided separate guide means on the head section 18' and
auxiliary cage 18". To that end, bushings 32 are
provided on the head section 18' to guide the head section
18' along the upper guide section 24, and channels 40 are
provided on the auxiliary cage 18" to guide the auxiliary
cage 18" along the workstage guide section 22 after the
head section 18' has chaired against the workstage 16.
Figures 6 and 7 show side views of a head section
18'. The head section 18' comprises a containing section
54, head chairing section 56, base chairing section 58,
engagement assembly 60, and guide members 62.
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In a most rudimentary embodiment, a conveyance
guide system for moving a conveyance or skip 18 along a
mineshaft, will include a workstage guide section 22, with
the skip 18 (which may comprise auxiliary cage 18" as
shown in Figures 2 and 3, skip 64 as shown in Figures 8
and 9, or another type of conveyance) moveable along the
workstage guide section 22, an upper guide section 24
located along the mineshaft 10 in series with the
workstage guide section 22, and a head section 18' for
receiving the conveyance 18. The head section 18'
cooperates with the upper guide section 24 to enable the
conveyance 64, 18" to travel from the workstage guide
section 22 along the upper guide section 24 when received
by the head section 18' .The skip 18 includes a chairing
member (e.g. skip chairing section 114) that cooperates
with a chairing member (e.g. head chairing section 56) of
the head section 18'. The chairing member (e.g. skip
chairing section 114) of the skip 64 or auxiliary cage
18" comes into abutment with the chairing member (e.g.
head chairing section 56) of the head section 18', to
chair the conveyance 18 in the head section 18'.
Head section 18' is essentially a passive element
of the system. It is passive insofar as movement of the
head section 18' is afforded by movement of a conveyance
18 against which the head section 18 is chaired, or by
downward movement of the work stage 16 when the head
section 18' is chaired against the work stage 16. In other
words, the head section 18' depends from the conveyance 18
during movement of the conveyance 18 and head section 18'
along the first or upper guide section 24.
The containing section 54 is for containing or
receiving a conveyance 18, such as skip 64 as discussed
below or auxiliary cage 18" as described above. The
containing section 54 guides movement of the conveyance 18
during movement between the work stage 16 and an upper
level (e.g. ground level) of the mineshaft 10.
The containing section 54 is bounded by four
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vertical and substantially parallel corner posts 66 the
ends of which are interconnected by beams. The beams
include a group of four horizontal beams 68 in the region
of the head chairing section 56 and a similar group of
four horizontal beams 70 in the region of the base
chairing section 58. The corner posts 66, and beams 68,
70 together define substantially rectangular sides, top
and bottom of the containing section 54.
It will be seen from the different widths of the
head section 18' as shown in Figures 6 and 7, that the
groups of horizontal beams 68, 70 each include two shorter
beams and two longer beams, such that the top and bottom
of the containing section 54 are substantially
rectangular. Consequently, the containing section 54 has
two short sides and two long sides being the sides across
which the short beams and long beams respectively extend.
The posts 66 and beams 68, 70 may be formed from
any appropriate material and are presently formed from
rectangular hollow section steel that is capped at the
ends to avoid internal debris hang-up.
The containing section 54 further includes brace
beams 72 extending between the corner posts 66, generally
in the plane of the rectangular sides of the containing
section 54, at points intermediate the ends of the corner
posts 66. In the present embodiment the beams 72 are
substantially horizontal and parallel with the beams 68,
70. The beams 72 are equidistantly spaced between the
head chairing section 56 and the base chairing section 58,
and are connected at their ends to the vertical corner
posts 66 by bolts 74.
On the longer sides of the containing section 54
(as shown in Figure 6), pairs of diagonal struts 76 extend
from opposite sides (above and below) of one end of one
beam 72 to the opposite end of the next beam 72 vertically
above and below. Only one such diagonal strut 76 extends
from the topmost and bottommost beams 72, as those beams
72 have only one neighbouring beam 72 that is respectively
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below and above the beam 72 in question. Together, the
beams 72 and struts 76 resist the containing section 54
forming a mechanism (i.e. resists relative rotation of
structural members 66, 68, 72 and 76 about bolts 74), thus
providing structural rigidity to the containing section
54.
On the short sides of the containing section 54 (as
shown in Figure 7) there are no such diagonal struts.
The number of beams 72 and struts 76 may be
selected as appropriate and may, for example, include 2 or
more beams 66 with a corresponding number of struts 76.
The posts 66, beams 68, 70, 72 and struts 76 are
each oriented and/or shaped to discourage debris
collection. For example, the brace beams 72 and diagonal
struts 76 may be formed from standard angle section steel
opening inwardly of the containing section 54. Since
debris will typically fall around the containing section
54 rather than through it, the angle section is unlikely
to gather debris.
The posts, beams 68, 70, 72 and struts 76 together
constitute a structural latticework or structural
interconnection forming the containing section 54. These
structural members define a volume of the containing
section 54 in which goods, conveyances and mined material
can travel in an appropriate receptacle or skip. To
provide the requisite strength, the structural members are
preferably made from steel, but may alternatively be made
from other materials such as aluminium for some
applications.
Extending up the inside of the containing section
54 are guides 55 for guiding progress of a conveyance 18
into and out of the containing section 54 (described
below). The guides 55 are of the same shape as guides of
the second or workstage guide section 22. The guides 55
of the present embodiment are formed from angle-section
steel extending up the inside of the containing section 54
in the corners. The angle-section steel aligns with (i.e.
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becomes coextensive or collinear with) the same size and
gauge angle-section steel extending downwardly into the
work stage 16 and constituting part of the workstage guide
section 22. The guides 55 and workstage guide section 22
are consistently shaped and come into alignment when the
head section 18' chairs against the work stage 16, to
provide a consistent guide path for the skip 18 moving
into or out of the containing section 54. The head
chairing section 56 is for chairing against the skip 18,
so that the head section 18' and conveyance 18 travel in
abutment upwardly from the work stage 16 along the upper
guide section 24. The head chairing section 56 provides a
rigid structural frame from which the weight of the head
section 18' can depend during travel upwardly from the
work stage 16.
The head chairing section 56 is bounded at the
sides by the corner posts 66, at the top by beams 68 and
head chairing bars 77 and, across the long sides of the
containing section 54, cross members 78. Across the
shorts sides of the containing section 54 the head
chairing section 56 is bounded by cross members 80. Cross
members 80 extend across the short sides of the containing
section 54 at a level slightly higher than cross members
78, so as to be spaced a distance from the next lower beam
72 that is the same as the distance between that beam 72
and the next lower beam 72.
The head chairing section 56 abuts or "chairs"
against the conveyance 18 when the conveyance 18 is
hoisted from the work stage 16 into the containing section
54. After the conveyance 18 has chaired against the head
chairing section 56, the head section 18' travels with the
conveyance 18 as it is hoisted upwardly along the upper
guide section 24 away from the work stage 16.
The head chairing bars 77 are positioned
symmetrically about a centre axis Y of the containing
section 54. This symmetrical positioning ensures that the
conveyance 18 is centred in the head section 18' during
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ascent up the upper guide section 24. The head chairing
bars 77 extend substantially perpendicularly between the
beams 68 that extend across the long sides of the
containing section 54, substantially in parallel with the
beams 68 that extend across the short side of the
containing section 54. The head chairing bars 77 support
upper ends of diagonal chairing bars 82 that extend
between the head chairing bars 77 and the cross members
78. The diagonal chairing bars 82 chair against the top
of the conveyance 18 as discussed below (described below
in relation to Figures 10 and 11).
As best seen in Figure 7, the diagonal chairing
bars 82 are paired, with a pair of diagonal chairing bars
82 positioned towards each end of a respective head
chairing bar 77, symmetrically about the centre axis Y of
the containing section 54.
Impact liners 84 are attached to the diagonal
chairing bars 82 by any appropriate means, to reduce the
impact of a conveyance 18 as it chairs against the
diagonal chairing bars 82. In a preferred embodiment, the
impact liners each constitute a sleeve for receiving a
respective diagonal chairing bar 82 before attachment of
the diagonal chairing bar 82 to the head chairing bars 77
and cross members 78. The impact liners 84 are positioned
on the undersides of the diagonal chairing bars 82. While
in the present case each diagonal chairing bar 82 is
provided with an individual impact liner 84, a single
impact liner 84 may extend across the underside of more
than one diagonal chairing bar 82. For example, a single
impact liner 84 may extend across the undersides of the
two diagonal chairing bars 82 of a particular pair of
diagonal chairing bars 82.
The impact liners 84 may be formed from any
appropriate material, such as rubber, neoprene or a soft
metal. The impact liners 84 may instead not be designed
to absorb much, if any, impact and may instead be formed
from a long-wearing material. To accommodate the absence
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of a shock absorber on the diagonal chairing bars 82, the
hoisting speed of the conveyance 18 may be slowed to a
"creep speed", being a speed at which chairing will not
cause a significant amount of vibration through the head
section 18'.
The use of impact liners 84 is preferable as they
remove the need to slow the conveyance 18 down to a "creep
speed". Accordingly, the time required for the conveyance
18 to traverse the shaft is reduced, which in turn adds to
the overall increase in muck removal speed and hence shaft
sinking speed.
The base chairing section 58 is for chairing
against the work stage 16 after the head section 18' has
descended thereupon. In practice, the head section 18'
will chair against the work stage 16 as the skip 18
travels from the upper guide section 24 along the
workstage guide section 22. Upon chairing, or slightly
before chairing, of the head section 18' on the work stage
16, the skip 18 is released from the head section 18' to
continue down through the work stage 16 for unloading
and/or loading.
The base chairing section 58 is bounded at its
corners by the vertical posts 66, at the bottom generally
by beams 70, and at the top by cross members 86. Cross
members 86 extend across the sides of the containing
section 54 between corner posts 66 to which the cross
members 86 are bolted. The base section 58 in effect
provides a rigid structural impact frame for supporting
the weight of the head section 18' when chaired against
the work stage 16.
The base chairing section 58 includes four guide
plates 90 extending from the corner posts 66 on the
opposite short sides of the head section 18',
substantially perpendicularly outwardly from the short
sides. Each guide plate 90 is planar and lies in a
vertical plane, the respective plate 90 tapering upwardly
towards a respective corner post 66.
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The base chairing section 58 is also provided with
impact buffers or stops 88 depending downwardly from the
lower ends of the vertical corner posts 66. The impact
buffers or stops 88 reduce the impact or impulse load as
the head section 18' chairs against the work stage 16.
The impact buffers or stops 88 may be mounted to
the corner posts 66 (or along beams 70 if desired) by any
appropriate means. Presently, the impact buffers or stops
88 comprise a small square tab of rubberised shock
absorber material moulded onto a plate (not shown) from
which a bolt (not shown) protrudes. The bolt extends
through an aperture in the end capping of the corner post
66 or other aperture, and is secured in position by
tightening a nut (not shown) onto the bolt.
Since the work stage 16 will typically be provided
with rubber impact liners (described below) there may be
no need to provide impact buffers or stops 88.
During movement the head section 18' is guided
along the upper guide section 24. To that end, the head
section 18' is provided with two pairs of guide rope
bearings 92. One guide rope bearing 92' of each pair of
guide rope bearings 92 is welded or otherwise attached to
the head section 18' at the head chairing section 56. The
other guide rope bearing 92" of the respective pair of
guide rope bearings 92 is welded or otherwise attached to
the head section 18' at the base chairing section 58.
Each guide rope bearing 92', 92" comprises a
roller set 96 that runs along the stage ropes (designated
by broken line Z) of the upper guide section 24. The
roller set 96 is fixed to a mount 94 for mounting the
respective roller set 96 to the containing section 54.
Each mount 94 comprises a U-shaped bent plate, with
the ends of the arms of the U-shape attached (e.g. welded)
to the containing section 54, and the respective roller
set 96 attached (e.g. welded) to the base of the U-shape.
Other types of mount will be suitable in particular
circumstances, or no mount at all in cases where the
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roller sets 96 are mounted directly to the containing
section 54, and all such variations are intended to fall
within the scope of the present disclosure.
Each roller set 96 comprises a plurality of annular
rollers (not shown) housed in a cylindrical housing 98.
The housing 98 comprises two halves hinged together so
that the housing 98 can be closed around a stage rope Z
when installing a head section 18'.
A tapered (e.g. torpedoed) plate 110 is attached to
the outside of the housing 96. As the head section 18'
travels upwardly into the mineshaft conveyance system 100,
the plates 110 enter female guides (not shown) to
stabilise the head section 18'.
It will be appreciated that the guide rope bearings
92 may be substituted for another guide mechanism (e.g.
replaceable bronze bushings and/or spear guide slippers)
to suit a different type of upper guide section 24 (e.g.
rails mounted in the lining of the mineshaft).
The head section 18' is thus configured so that
the hoist rope extends through the head section 18' to the
skip 18. Therefore, as the skip 18 chairs in the head
section 18' on its upward path, both the head section 18'
and skip 18 are lifted up the mineshaft 10 by the hoist
rope pulling on the conveyance 18.
It will be appreciated that all of the various
interconnected members (e.g. members 66, 68, 70, 72) may
be connected by nuts and bolts, welding, pairs of clamping
plates, and other attachment methods all of which may be
used and are intended to fall within the scope of the
present disclosure. Moreover, those members may be formed
from any appropriate material having any appropriate
cross-section.
The latch 60 is a 'Kimberley' type safety latch,
though any appropriate latch may be used. The latch
includes an eyelet 124 mounted to the cross members 86 on
both long sides of the containing section 54. A lever 126
is pivotally mounted in the eyelet 124 to pivot between a
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latched position (not shown, but where the arm of the
lever 126 is horizontal) and an unlatched position as
shown. The lever 126 is biased to the latched position by
a spring canister 130 that extends from a diagonal strut
76 to about mid-way along the arm of the lever 126.
The lever 126 is shaped so that in its 'at rest'
position it is latched. A latched position while at rest
is achieved by the lever arm 126 being at an angle
(presently 900) to the catch 128, rather than being aligned
with (i.e. at 180 ) the catch 128, so that as the lever 126
descends under its own weight the catch 128 is rotated
against a pin 132 (see Figure 6) of the skip 18 (presently
skip 64, which is an arc gate skip, though it will be
appreciated that the disclosure below can be similarly
applied to other types of skip 18, such as auxiliary cage
18") thereby to catch the pin 132.
Figures 8 and 9 show a skip 64 for conveying mined
material from a work stage 16 to a dump in the region of
the top of the mine shaft hoist system 100. Skip 64
includes a frame 112 bounding a receptacle that contains
the mined material during conveyance thereof.
At the top of the frame is a skip chairing section
114. The skip chairing section 114 forms part of the
frame 112 and comprises diagonal plates 116 set at an
angle the same as that of the diagonal chairing bars 82.
From the apex of the skip 64, namely where the
diagonal plates 166 meet, a cable sheath 118 extends. The
cable sheath 118 attaches to the lower end of a hoist rope
120 thereby attaching the rope 120 to the skip 64. The
hoist rope 120 is hoisted by the mine shaft hoist system
100 to raise and lower the skip 64 along the mineshaft
(e.g. along the workstage guide section 22 and upper guide
section 24).
The skip 64 further includes runners 122. The
runners 122 run against guides 55 as the skip 64 moves
into and out of the containing section 54. The runners
122 comprise angle-section wear plates extending around
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and protruding from the corners of the frame 112. It will
be appreciated, however, that the runners 122 may comprise
a series of rollers or any other mechanism suitable for
cooperating with guides 55 to ensure the skip 64 is
appropriately aligned with the head section 18 when
entering/exiting the containing section 54.
An "in-use" case of the head section 18' and skip
64 is shown in Figures 10 and 11 which show the skip 64
contained within the containing section 54 of the head
section 18'. As shown in Figure 11, during ascent from
the work stage 16 or descent towards the work stage 16 the
diagonal chairing plates 116 of the skip 64 are chaired
(i.e. in abutment) with the impact liners 84 of the head
section 18'. Since the runners 122 in the corners of the
skip 64 are in abutment with the guides 55 of the
containing section 54, the skip 64 remains in alignment
with the head section 18'.
The rope sheath 118 extends between the head
chairing bars 77, so that the hoist rope 120 raises and
lowers both the skip 64 and head section 18' together. In
this sense, the head section 18' in effect hangs from the
skip 64 whilst in transit.
At the top of the hoist system 100 the plates 110
of the guide rope bearings 92 are received in female
guides to stabilise the head section 18' and thereby also
stabilise the skip 64. An arc gate door 134 then opens to
release mined material from the skip 64. The arc gate
door 134 then closes, readying the skip 64 for descent.
Upon commencing descent, the plates 110 of the
guide rope bearings 92 slide out of the female guides and
the skip 64 continues down the upper guide section 24.
During descent the head section 18' hangs from the skip 64
by virtue of the abutment between the diagonal plates 116
of the skip 64 and diagonal chairing bars 82 of the head
section 18'. Thus, the rate of descent of the head section
18' is that of the skip 64.
On approaching the work stage 16, the latches 60
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are moved to the unlatched position by a trigger 136
mounted to the work stage 16. The trigger 136 is in the
form of a bent plate. The plate of the trigger 136 extends
vertically upwardly from the work stage 16 and has a bend
so that the top section 138 of the trigger 136 is at an
angle to vertical, extending away from the head section
18'.
During descent, the head section 18' and skip 64
are latched together, with the lever arm 126 of the latch
60 extending horizontally and protruding from the short
side of the containing section 54. As the head section
18' approaches the work stage 16, the lever arm 126 comes
into abutment with the top section 138 of the trigger 136.
As the head section 18' descends further, the top section
138 of the trigger 136 overcomes the bias of the spring
canister 130, and pushes the lever arm 126 into the
unlatched position. Since the head section 18'
effectively 'hangs' from the skip 64, the head section 18'
travels further down towards the work stage 16 in unison
with the skip 64 even after the skip 64 has been unlatched
from the head section 18'.
Shortly before the head section 18' chairs against
the work stage 16 the rate of descent slows to 'creep
speed' and the chairing plates 90 of the head section 18'
are received in female guides (not shown) on the work
stage 16. This ensures the head section 18' is properly
aligned with the work stage 16, thus ensuring the guides
55 are aligned with the workstage guide section 22 in the
work stage 16.
The head section 18' then comes to rest against an
impact liner mounted to the work stage 16. At this point
the skip 64 slides along guides 55 out of the head section
18' and onto the workstage guide section 22. In so doing
the cable shroud or sheath 118 and rope 120 descend
between the head chairing bars 77 and down through the
volume of the containing section 54.
It will be understood that at all times when the
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skip 64 is within the work stage 16, the cable extends
between the head chairing bars 77 through the containing
section 54.
After the skip 64 has been filled and is ascending,
the skip 64 travels from the workstage guide section 22
into the containing section 54, along the guides 55. The
rate of ascent of the skip 64 immediately before chairing
with the head section 18' is slowed to 'creep speed' so as
to ensure chairing is a controlled event. Once the
diagonal chairing plates 11 of the skip 64 have chaired
against the diagonal chairing bars 82 of the head chairing
section 56 of the head section 18', with the cable sheath
118 positioned centrally between the head chairing bars
77, the rate of ascent of the skip 64 increases.
Immediately after the head section 18' is picked up
by the skip 64, the tip of the lever arm 126 travels
upwardly against the vertical part of the trigger 136.
Once the tip of the lever arm 126 reaches the bend it
begins to move along the top section 138 of the trigger
136. At this time the spring canister 130 urges the lever
arm 126 progressively back towards into latched position
as the head section 18' and skip 64 ascend.
Thus, the skip 64 and head section 18'
automatically latch together to ascend from the work stage
16 towards the top of the mineshaft hoist system 100 for
dumping of the contents of the skip 64.
The head section 18' is therefore only capable of
ascent or descent in unison (i.e. when chaired) with the
skip 64. The head section 18' is essentially a passive
construction that enables the skip 64 to smoothly
transition between a rigid, fixed guide system such as
workstage guide section 22, and a variable length guide
system, such as stage ropes constituting part of the upper
guide section 24. In effect, the head section 18'
constitutes a travelling guide frame that is picked up by
the skip 64 when the skip 64 travels along the upper guide
section 24, the head section 18' acting as an interface
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between the skip 64 and the guides of the upper guide
section 24. The skilled person will appreciate that
latches 60 constitute, in many cases, a safety precaution
only since the position of the head section 18' on the
skip 64 is set by the interaction between guides 55 and
runners 122 and the chairing of the diagonal chairing bars
82 of the head section 18' on the diagonal plates 116 of
the skip 64.
Figures 12 to 14 show an alternative version of the
head section 142 and a conveyance 140 for conveying both
parts and personnel up and down the mineshaft.
The head section 142 comprises a frame 144 having a
square horizontal cross-section. The frame 144 comprises
an interconnection of horizontal and diagonal struts, and
brackets together constituting a rigid structure. The
frame 144 is open on one side to facilitate access to a
parts conveyance section 146 on top of a personnel carrier
portion 148 of the conveyance 140.
The frame 144 again includes corner posts 150
formed from angle-section steel and bearings 92', 92" as
discussed above in relation to head section 18'.
The head section 142 comprises flat head chairing
bars 152 against which the conveyance 140 chairs during
movement of the conveyance 140 between the work stage 16
and the top of the mineshaft hoist system 100. The flat
head chairing bars 152 and head section operate in the
same manner as head section 18', and the features of head
section 142 will be understood from the discussion above
in relation to head section 18'.
The parts conveyance section 146 of the conveyance
140 is bounded by four corner posts 154. An upper end 156
of each corner post 154 is tapered or angled inwardly to
assist with alignment of the corner posts 154 with the
angle-section of the corner posts 150. To reduce friction
between the corner posts 154 of the conveyance 140 and the
corner posts 150 of the head section 142, wear plates 158
are fixed at the top and bottom of the parts conveyance
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section 146 in pairs. The wear plates 158 of each pair
bear against opposite flanges or arms of the angle-section
of the corner posts 150 of the head section 142 in use.
The wear plates may be secured together using any
appropriate method and may be formed from any appropriate
material.
The conveyance 140 includes a chairing block 160.
The chairing block 160 comprises a pair of chairing bars
162 attached to the top of the conveyance 140 and
positioned to chair against chairing bars 152 of the head
section 142, and a cable block 164 that extends between
the head chairing bars 152 of the head section 142 when
the conveyance 140 is chaired in the head section 142.
The cable block 164 is flared outwardly downwardly to
assist with aligning the cable block 164 centrally between
the head chairing bars 152 of the head section 142,
thereby locating the chairing bars 162 of the conveyance
140 on the head chairing bars 152 of the head section 142.
The personnel carrier portion 148 depends
downwardly from the parts conveyance section 146. The
length of the parts conveyance section 146 is the same as
that of the head section 142 so that the personnel carrier
portion 148 is below the bottommost beam 166 of the head
section 142 while the head section 142 and conveyance 140
are travelling together.
The personnel carrier portion 146 includes work
stage guides, in the form of female guide brackets 168,
that travel along the first guide section 22. In contrast
to the head section 18' and skip 64 arrangement described
above, the guides (i.e. corner posts) 144 of the head
section 142 do not become coextensive with the first guide
section 22. Instead, as the conveyance 140 moves into or
out of the head section 142 the corner posts 154 are
guided into the head section 142 by corner posts 150 of
the head section 142. When the conveyance 140 travels
along the workstage guide section 22 extending in the work
stage 16, the female guide brackets 168 slide along
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guides, presently C-section steel with the open side of
the C-section facing away from the conveyance 140, of the
workstage guide section 22.
While no latch is shown in the present embodiment,
it will be appreciated that a latch or other coupling will
be used to couple conveyance 140 to the head section 142.
In fact, particularly where a conveyance carries personnel
it will often be a legal requirement to have such a safety
precaution installed to ensure there exists a mechanical
coupling between the head section 142 and conveyance 140.
At the top of the hoist system 100 the plates 110
of the guide rope bearings 92 are received in female
guides to stabilise the head section 142 and thereby also
stabilise the conveyance 140. Personnel and materials can
then be loaded into or taken out of the conveyance 140.
Upon commencing descent, the plates 110 of the
guide rope bearings 92 slide out of the female guides and
the conveyance 140 continues down the upper guide section
24. During descent the head section 142 hangs from the
conveyance 140 by virtue of the abutment between the
chairing bars 162 of the conveyance 140 and top chairing
bars 152 of the head section 142. Thus, the rate of
descent of the head section 142 is that of the conveyance
140.
Shortly before the head section 142 chairs against
the work stage 16 female chairing brackets 170 of the head
section 142 are received over male stubs (not shown) on
the work stage 16. Shortly before the head section 142
chairs against the work stage 16 the female guide brackets
168 are received over the end of the male guides of the
workstage guide section 22 extending upwardly a short
distance from the work stage 16. The bottom of the female
guide brackets 168 is flared outwardly so as to
accommodate a small degree of misalignment of the female
guide brackets 168 with the guide of the workstage guide
section 22.
The lower female guide brackets 168 receive the
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upwardly extending male portion of the workstage guide
section 22 and, as the conveyance 140 is progressively
lowered, the upper female guide brackets 168 eventually
receive over the upwardly extending male portion of the
workstage guide section 22.
Immediately before the conveyance 140 and head
section 142 having been lowered until the head section 142
comes into contact with the work stage, female chairing
brackets 170 of the head section 142 receive over the male
stubs (not shown) on the work stage 16. This ensures the
head section 142 is properly aligned with the work stage
16.
At this time, the head section 142 comes to rest
against an impact liner mounted to the work stage 16. At
this point the conveyance 140 slides along guides
(constituting corner posts 150) out of the head section
142 and onto the workstage guide section 22. In so doing
the cable shroud or sheath 118 and rope 120 descend
between the head chairing bars 152 and down through the
volume of the head section 142.
The chairing process may occur while the conveyance
18 progresses downwardly into the work stage 16 at
substantially the same speed at which the conveyance 18
descended the first guide section 24. Alternatively, the
conveyance 18 may be slowed slightly before the head
section 142 chairs against the work stage 16. In both of
these examples, impact liners may be provided to reduce
the impact loading of the head section 142 against the
work stage 16. As a further alternative, the conveyance 18
may be slowed to a 'creep speed' in advance of the head
section 142 chairing against the work stage 16.
It will be understood that at all times when the
conveyance 140 is within the work stage 16, the cable
extends between the head chairing bars 142 through the
head section 142.
After the conveyance 140 has been filled and/or its
load has been deposited, and the conveyance 140 is
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ascending, the conveyance 140 travels from the workstage
guide section 22 into the head section 142, along the
guides (corner posts 150). The rate of ascent of the
conveyance 140 immediately before chairing with the head
section 142 is slowed to 'creep speed' so as to ensure
chairing is a controlled event. Once the chairing bars
162 of the conveyance 140 have chaired against the top
chairing bars 152 of the head section 142, with the cable
sheath 118 positioned centrally between the head chairing
bars 152, the rate of ascent of the conveyance 140
increases.
The head section 142 is therefore only capable of
ascent or descent in unison with (i.e. when chaired upon)
the conveyance 140. The head section 142 is essentially a
passive construction that enables the conveyance 140 to
smoothly transition between a rigid, fixed guide system
such as workstage guide section 22, and a variable length
guide system, such as stage ropes constituting part of the
upper guide section 24. In effect, the head section 142
constitutes a travelling guide frame that is picked up by
the conveyance 140 when the conveyance 140 travels along
the upper guide section 24, the head section 142 acting as
an interface between the conveyance 140 and the guides of
the upper guide section 24.
Lastly, multiple conveyances may concurrently
operate in the shaft. The first and second guide sections
of the conveyance system may guide each of the multiple
conveyances. Personnel and/or materials may be transported
in a different one or ones of the conveyances to one or
more conveyances that transport mined material.
In the claims which follow and in the preceding
description of the invention, except where the context
requires otherwise due to express language or necessary
implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as
"comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense,
i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but
not to preclude the presence or addition of further
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features in various embodiments of the invention.
It is to be understood that, if any prior art
publication is referred to herein, such reference does not
constitute an admission that the publication forms a part
of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia
or any other country.
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