Expendable supply system for underground drilling

Abstract

A manipulator for providing drilling expendables to a drill head of an underground drill rig includes a gripper that is arranged to selectively grip and release the drilling expendables and to move the gripper between a first position facing a supply magazine and a second position facing the drill head. The manipulator is also arranged to automatically take and return expendables to and from the magazine and drill head. A supply device provides the expendables to a drill head of an underground drill rig having the supply magazine, and to an underground drill rig, as well as an underground mining vehicle.

Claims

1. A manipulator for providing drilling expendables to a drill head of an underground drill rig, said manipulator comprising: a gripper, said gripper being arranged to selectively grip and release the drilling expendables and to move between a first position facing a supply holding the expendables and a second position facing the drill head, wherein the manipulator is arranged to automatically take an expendable from the supply magazine, and to return the expendable thereto, insert the expendable into the drill head and to remove the expendable therefrom; and a translation mechanism arranged to move the gripper in a longitudinal direction, the translation mechanism including a slanted groove and a projecting member slidably engaging said groove, the groove or the projecting member being associated with the gripper.

2. The manipulator of claim 1, wherein the gripper is arranged to move in a transverse direction between a retracted state and an extended state, wherein in the extended state, the gripper is positioned closer to the supply magazine than in the retracted state when in the first position, and positioned closer to the drill head than in the retracted state when in the second position.

3. The manipulator of claim 2, further comprising an extension mechanism, such as a scissor-type, arranged to move the gripper between the extended state and the retracted state.

4. The manipulator of claim 1, wherein the groove defines a winding path such that in a first portion in the longitudinal direction, the gripper is in the first position facing the supply magazine, and in a second portion in the longitudinal direction, the gripper is in the second position facing the drill head.

5. A supply device for providing drilling expendables to a drill head of an underground drill rig, the supply device comprising: a manipulator including a gripper, the gripper being arranged to selectively grip and release the drilling expendables and to move between a first position facing a supply magazine holding the drilling expendables and a second position facing the drill head, wherein the manipulator is arranged to automatically take a drilling expendable from the supply magazine and to return the drilling expendable thereto, and insert the drilling expendable into the drill head and to remove the drilling expendable therefrom, and a translation mechanism arranged to move the gripper in a longitudinal direction, the translation mechanism including a slanted groove and a projecting member slidably engaging said groove, the groove or the projecting member being associated with the gripper; and a supply magazine having a plurality of holders for the drilling expendables, wherein each holder of the supply magazine is arranged to accommodate differently-sized drilling expendables selected from the group of drill steels, rebar bolts, and resin cartridges.

6. The supply device of claim 5, wherein each holder includes one or more elastically deformable spring clips.

7. The supply device of claim 5, wherein the supply magazine has an elongate shape, the elongate shape being defined by a wide side and a narrow side, and wherein the manipulator faces the narrow side.

8. The supply device of claim 5, wherein the supply magazine includes a chain, said chain having a plurality of chain links comprising respectively at least one of the holders.

9. The supply device of claim 8, wherein each holder on a chain link defines one index position, and wherein the supply device is arranged to drive the chain such that in response to a user input, a desired index position is moved into a transfer position, said transfer position being oriented facing the manipulator.

10. The supply device of claim 8, wherein the chain is a first chain, and the supply magazine is a second chain spaced-apart from and preferably parallel to the first chain.

11. The supply device of claim 8, wherein the supply magazine includes a sensor for recognizing a reference chain link.

12. The supply device of claim 8, wherein the magazine includes a sensor for recognizing the index position.

13. The supply device of claim 5, wherein the supply magazine is driven by a motor, said motor cooperating with a Geneva drive.

14. The supply device according to claim 5, further comprising a control unit for operating the manipulator and/or the supply magazine depending on user input.

15. An underground drill rig, such as a roof bolter, the drill rig comprising: a drill head arranged to receive and rotatably drive drilling expendables; a manipulator including a gripper, the gripper being arranged to selectively grip and release the drilling expendables and to move between a first position facing a supply magazine holding the drilling expendables and a second position facing the drill head, wherein the manipulator is arranged to automatically take a drilling expendable from the supply magazine and to return the drilling expendable thereto, and insert the drilling expendable into the drill head and to remove the drilling expendable therefrom, and a translation mechanism arranged to move the gripper in a longitudinal direction, the translation mechanism including a slanted groove and a projecting member slidably engaging said groove, the groove or the projecting member being associated with the gripper; and a supply device including a supply magazine having a plurality of holders for the drilling expendables, wherein each holder of the supply magazine is arranged to accommodate differently-sized drilling expendables selected from the group of drill steels, rebar bolts, and resin cartridges.

16. An underground mining vehicle, such as a mobile bolter, bolter miner or roadheader, the mining vehicle comprising: a drill rig comprising: a drill head arranged to receive and rotatably drive drilling expendables; a manipulator including a gripper, the gripper being arranged to selectively grip and release the drilling expendables and to move between a first position facing a supply magazine holding the drilling expendables and a second position facing the drill head, wherein the manipulator is arranged to automatically take a drilling expendable from the supply magazine and to return the drilling expendable thereto, and insert the drilling expendable into the drill head and to remove the drilling expendable therefrom, and a translation mechanism arranged to move the gripper in a longitudinal direction, the translation mechanism including a slanted groove and a projecting member slidably engaging said groove, the groove or the projecting, member being associated with the gripper; and a supply device including a supply magazine having a plurality of holders for the drilling expendables, wherein each holder of the supply magazine is arranged to accommodate differently-sized drilling expendables selected from the group of drill steels, rebar bolts, and resin cartridges.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) A preferred embodiment will be described hereinafter by way of example with reference to the attached figures, in which

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a mining vehicle according to a preferred embodiment,

(3) FIGS. 2a, b, c show schematic representations of a supply device according to a preferred embodiment in a first operational state,

(4) FIGS. 3a, b, c show schematic representations of the supply device of FIGS. 2a, b, c in a second operational state,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a partial representation of a supply device according to a preferred embodiment, and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a further partial representation of a supply device according to a preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows an example of an underground mining vehicle 1 which may for example be a mobile bolter, bolter miner or roadheader. The vehicle 1 is depicted on a working site 3. It comprises a movable carrier 2. The vehicle 1 comprises a boom 4, and may optionally comprise more than one boom. The boom 4 comprises several joints 5 a, b, c which allow for rotary movement of the boom about the respective axes 7, 8, 9 and 14.

(8) Also, other rotational arrangements are possible depending on the designated use of the underground mining vehicle 1.

(9) The boom 4 is mounted with a proximal end towards the carrier 2 and comprises at its distal end a drill rig 100. The drill rig 100 is built in accordance with a preferred embodiment described herein. In particular:

(10) The drill rig 100 is adapted to drill holes 21 into a side wall or roof portion on the working site 3. At least one, and preferably a plurality of actuators 16 (only one shown) are mounted to the boom 4 for effecting an adjustment of the boom 4 and the drill rig 100 to achieve a desired orientation for drilling the holes 21. For bolting operations, which are typically performed to the roof portion of the working site 3, the boom 4 and with it the drill rig 100 may be moved from the shown orientation into an orientation as indicated by arrow M and the (downsized) drill rig shown in the center top portion of FIG. 1.

(11) Preferably, the boom 4 comprises one or more sensors 17, measuring devices or other position detection means for determining the position of the boom 4.

(12) The vehicle comprises a control unit 18 which is adapted to control the boom 4. In a preferred option, the control unit 18 may also be adapted to control functions of the drill rig 100 in embodiments where the drill rig 100 does not comprise a separate dedicated control unit for its operation.

(13) The vehicle 1 further comprises an operator cabin 19 which houses control means for operating the mining vehicle 1. Preferably, also control means for operating the drill rig 100 are located inside the operator cabin 19.

(14) A preferred embodiment of the drill rig 100 is explained with reference to FIGS. 2 a-c and 3 a-c hereinafter.

(15) FIGS. 2 a-c show the drill rig 100 in a first operational state. The drill rig 100 comprises a drill head 101 adapted to receive and rotationally drive drilling expendables 201, 203, 205 such as drill steels, rebar bolts and resin cartridges. The drill head 101 comprises a drive chuck 103. The drill head 101 is slidably mounted on a carriage 105.

(16) The drill rig 100 comprises a first drill guide 107 which is mounted on a guide rail 111. In a preferred option, the drill rig 100 further comprises a second drill guide 109 which is mounted to a second guide rail 113. The first and/or second drill guides 107, 109 are adapted to stabilize the drilling expendable for proper aligning in the drive chuck 103.

(17) The main functions of the drill rig 100 are preferably controlled through a hydraulic and electronic control unit (HECU) 115.

(18) The drill rig 100 comprises a supply device 150. The supply device 150 comprises a supply magazine 200 and a manipulator 300.

(19) The supply magazine 200, which is explained in more detail with respect to FIG. 4, carries a plurality of drilling expendables, namely a plurality of rebar bolts 201 having washer plates 202, a plurality of resin cartridges 203 and a plurality of drill steels 205. The drilling expendables 201, 203, 205 are held in place in the supply magazine 200 by holders in a first holding section 207 and second holding section 209. The drilling expendables 201, 203, 205 are held preferably parallel with respect to each other and parallel with respect to the longitudinal direction or drilling axis of the drill head 101.

(20) The washer plates 202 of the rebar bolts 201 are slightly held in correspondingly shaped slots 213 formed in between a plurality of head plates 211. When a rebar bolts 201 is removed from the supply magazine 200, the washer plate 202 will slight down towards the drill head 101.

(21) The manipulator 300 comprises a gripper 301 which is adapted to selectively grip and release the drilling expendables. The gripper 301 is adapted to be moved in a transverse direction with respect to the drilling axis of the drill head 101 between a retracted state and an extended state, wherein in the state depicted in FIGS. 2 a-c, the gripper 301 is in the retracted state. The transverse movement is accomplished by an extension mechanism, which in the depicted embodiment exemplarily is a scissor-type extension mechanism.

(22) The gripper 301 is moveable in a longitudinal direction, parallel to the drilling axis of the drill head 101, wherein the movement in the longitudinal direction is governed by a translation mechanism 305 which may for example comprise an electromagnetically, pneumatically or hydraulically actuated piston. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 2c, the drilling expendables 201, 203, 205 of the supply magazine 200 are held spaced apart from each other wherein each holding position for one drilling expendable 201, 203, 205 defines one index position i (cf. FIG. 4). One of the index positions i is located in a transfer position T facing the manipulator 300. When in the depicted orientation, the gripper 301 of the manipulator is adapted to approximate and grab the drilling expendable currently in the transfer position T.

(23) The actuation mechanism of the manipulator 300 is best described by comparing the first operational state shown in FIGS. 2 a-c with the second operational state shown in FIGS. 3 a-c. The gripper 301 has been moved from its retracted state shown in FIG. 2 a-c into the extended state in the direction of arrow A by extending the extension mechanism 303. Furthermore, the gripper 301 has been moved in the longitudinal direction as indicated by arrow B due actuation of the translation mechanism 305. Furthermore, the gripper 301 in FIGS. 3 a-c is no longer facing the magazine, but additionally been rotated as indicated by arrow C and now faces the drill head 101. In particular, the gripper is oriented such that upon extension in the direction of arrow A, the drilling expendableif inserted in the gripperwould now be coaxially aligned with the drilling axis of the drill head 101. The drilling expendable could in this position be taken and held by the drill guides 107, 109 and/or inserted into the drive chuck 103.

(24) FIG. 4 shows in more detail the supply magazine 200 which forms a part of the supply device 150. The supply magazine 200 comprises a plurality of holders 215, 217, 219. In the depicted embodiment, the holders 215 are particularly adapted and designed to hold drill steels 205. In particular, the holders 217 are adapted to hold resign cartridges 203. In particular, the holders 219 are adapted to hold rebar bolts 201. According to a further preferred embodiment, all holders may also be formed equally such that they are adapted to hold each type of drilling expandable.

(25) The supply magazine 200 comprises a first chain 208 which carries a plurality of holders 215, 217, 219 in a first holding section 207. Furthermore, the supply magazine 200 comprises a second chain 210 carrying a second set of the holders 215, 217, 219 in a second holding section 209. The first and second chain 208, 210 are preferably synchronized by a coupling rod 221. The holders 215, 217, 219 in the second section 209 additionally comprise base shoulders 220 which act as a standing support for the drilling expendables.

(26) The supply magazine 200 further comprises a Geneva drive 223 which is coupled on the one hand side to the first chain 208 and on the second side to an electric motor 225.

(27) The holders define a plurality of index positions i.sub.1, i.sub.2, i.sub.3 and so forth. Preferably, the supply magazine 201 cooperates with a sensor 227 which is adapted to recognize, for example by monitoring the rotations of the electric motor the index position I which is currently in the transfer zone T (cf. FIG. 2c, 3c).

(28) The supply magazine 200 comprises an elongateor oblongshape, having a first width D and a second with E perpendicularly to the first width D, wherein the second width E is larger than the first width D, making the side of the supply magazine 200 with width D the narrow side. Preferably, the supply magazine 200 is oriented as shown in FIGS. 2c and 3c such that the narrow side (with the first width D) faces the manipulator 300. By doing so, a very compact footprint in the orientation shown in FIGS. 2c and 3c is achieved. Said orientation is in a plane perpendicular to the drilling axis of the drill head 101.

(29) Each holder 215, 217, 219 of the supply magazine 200 comprises a plurality of spring clips 229 which are elastically deformable for receiving, holding and releasing against a retention force the drilling expendables 201, 203, 205.

(30) FIG. 5 gives a more detailed overview of the manipulator 300 which forms part of the supply device 150.

(31) The manipulator 301 comprises a pair of clamps 307 which may for example be actuated in pneumatic, hydraulic or electromagnetic manner. The clamps 307 are preferably aligned such that they hold the drilling expendable in a direction parallel to the drilling axis of the drill head 101 when assembled on the drill rig 150.

(32) The extension mechanism 303 is adapted to move, in particular retract or extend, the gripper 301 in the direction of arrow A.

(33) In FIG. 5, the translation mechanism 305 is shown partly extended in the direction of arrow B. As can be seen in the lower half of FIG. 5, the translation mechanism 305 comprises a slanted groove 309. The gripper 301, for example by being mounted to a piston, is in engagement with a projecting member such as a guide pin 317 inside the slanted groove 309. By moving the gripper 301 upwards or downwards in the direction of arrow B, the guide pin 317 is forced along the slanted groove 309.

(34) The slanted groove 309 comprises a first linear section 311 which preferably is oriented parallel to the drilling axis of the drill head 101, and a second linear section 313, which is preferably also oriented parallel to the drilling axis of the drill head 101. In between the first and second linear sections 311, 313, the slanted groove 309 comprises a curved or angled section 315 which compensates an offset between the first and second linear sections 311, 313. When travelling through the curved or angled section 309, the gripper 301 is pivoted as indicated by arrow C in addition to the translational movement in the direction of arrow B. In the shown embodiment, the sections 311, 313, 315 are distributed substantially equal along the travel of the translation mechanism 305. In alternative embodiments, it is however also preferred if the curved or angled section 309 is larger or smaller than the linear sections 311, 313, or if the slanted groove consists exclusively of the curved or angled section 315 without any linear sections adjacent to it.

(35) The invention also discusses an automatic operation of the supply device 150 for performing drilling, and in particular bolting operations with the drill rig 100. Preferably, the necessary functions are programmed into the control unit 18 of the mining vehicle 1 and/or the hydraulic and electronic control unit 115 of the drill rig 100. Preferably, drilling expendables 201, 203, 205 are provided in the respective holders 215, 217, 219 of the supply magazine 200. The supply magazine 200 is moved, by driving the electric motor 225, into a first desired index position. For withdrawing a drill steel from the supply magazine 200, for example index position i.sub.1 is moved into the transfer position T. Next, the manipulator 300 is moved into its first position facing the supply magazine 200, as shown in FIG. 2 a-c. Then, the manipulator 300 is operated such that the gripper 301 extends into the extended state and the clamps 307 take hold of the drilling expendable, for example a drill steel. Next, the gripper 301 is moved into the retracted position for withdrawing the drilling expendable, e.g. drill steel 205, from the holder 215. Next, the gripper 301 is moved in the direction of arrow B by the translation mechanism 305. The guide pin 317 forces a pivoting movement around arrow C by sliding along the slanted groove 309. Alternately, after the guide pin 317 has travelled into the second linear section 313, the gripper 301 reaches the second position shown in FIGS. 3 a-c. There, the drilling expendable such as the drill steel is transferred into the drive chuck 103 and the drilling operation can be conducted.

(36) Provided that the drill steel can be used again, it is then possible to perform the aforementioned steps in reverse order to place the drill steel 205 back into the supply magazine 200. Next, if a rebar bolt 201 shall be installed in the drill bar, the supply magazine 200 is moved such that a resin cartridge 203 is put into the transfer position T, for example by driving index position i.sub.3 into the transfer position T.

(37) Then, the same working steps of the manipulator are repeated for withdrawing the resin cartridge 203 from the supply magazine 200 and installing it in the drive chuck 103.

(38) Likewise, the rebar bolt 201 can finally also be installed in the drill hole 21 while using the manipulator 300 analogously to the aforementioned procedure. These steps can preferably be enacted with separate user commands or, particularly preferred, with one single user command which leads to all steps of a bolting procedure being carried out automatically.

(39) As has been explained herein above, the invention thus presents a safe and user friendly way of operating an underground drill rig 100 which is at the same time safe to use and can be installed in space-saving fashion on an underground mining vehicle 1.