Tunnelling machine

Abstract

The invention provides a machine for tunnelling in rock. The machine includes a pilot drill assembly for drilling a series of interfering parallel holes or a pilot hole into and generally perpendicular into a rock face and a blast hole drill assembly for drilling a series of blasting holes around the pilot hole or previous blast hole. The machine further includes a charge handling and loading assembly for loading the first series of holes with propellant charges and an ignitor system for igniting the charges. Included further is a rock clearing means for removing the blast rock from the blast face and a rock pick for clearing and picking the floor, roof or walls to provide access for the machine into the tunnel and a mobility assembly for moving the machine forward. Also included is a control console provided with control means for controlling the pilot drill assembly, blast hole drill assembly, charge handling and loading assembly, ignitor system, rock clearing means, the rock pick, a measure system for gas detection and management, a rock stress measure system and recording system.

Claims

1. A machine for tunneling in rock, which machine includes: a pilot drill assembly for drilling a series of interfering parallel holes or a pilot hole into and generally perpendicular into a rock face; a blast hole drill assembly for drilling a series of blasting holes around the pilot hole or previous blast hole; a charge handling and loading assembly for loading the first series of holes with propellant charges; an ignitor system for igniting the charges; a rock clearing means for removing blast rock from a blast face; a rock pick for clearing and picking a floor, roof or walls to provide access for the machine into a tunnel; a mobility assembly for moving the machine forward; a control console provided with control means for controlling the pilot drill assembly, blast hole drill assembly, charge handling and loading assembly, ignitor system, rock clearing means, and the rock pick; a mesh production assembly for producing a wire mesh lining for progressively lining the walls and roof of the tunnel, wherein the mesh production assembly includes a set of longitudinal wire spindles and a set of lateral wire spindles or spindle and wherein the longitudinal wires are fed out and over forming wheels arranged along the shape of the tunnel and the lateral wires are drawn by means of directional guides and feeding wheels transverse and underneath the longitudinal wires and urged and welded to the underside of the longitudinal wires by means of a set of welding rams.

2. The rock tunneling machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control console is remote and further includes: a measuring system for measuring gas concentrations; a system to dilute gas concentration; a rock stress measure system; and a recording system for reporting the measurements to the mining plan.

3. The rock tunneling machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rock clearing means includes a lower and forward extending pair of bucket type conveyors arranged on arms in a V-formation for drawing in any rocks on the floor of the tunnel in front of the machine.

4. The rock tunneling machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the arms pivot in a horizontal plane allowing each to sweep in a lateral arc and the bucket type conveyors are configured to have a forward and backward movement.

5. The rock tunneling machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the charge handling and loading assembly includes a main charge storage container for storage of rock breaking cartridges and a secondary loader magazine for housing the number of cartridges required for a blasting cycle, and a charge conveyor connects the main charge storage container with the loader magazine and reciprocal ram transfers one cartridge at a time from underneath the magazine into a drilled hole.

6. The rock tunneling machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein an igniter of the igniter system is located at the end of the reciprocal ram, which ignites the charge as it is inserted at the required depth.

7. The rock tunneling machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blast hole drill assembly for drilling a series of blasting holes includes and be arranged on a hydraulic arm configured to move in any one or more of a x, y or z axis, and includes two or more pairs of rock drills arranged on a rotatable track, and the pairs of drills are movable along the track.

8. The rock tunneling machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pilot drill assembly is arranged on its own hydraulic arm configured to move in any one or more of a x, y or z axis.

9. The rock tunneling machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mobility assembly for moving the machine forward and backward comprises a set of continuous belt tracks and a set of transverse tracks, which is configured to be lifted, when not in use.

10. A machine for tunneling in rock, which machine includes: a pilot drill assembly for drilling a series of interfering parallel holes or a pilot hole into and generally perpendicular into a rock face; a blast hole drill assembly for drilling a series of blasting holes around the pilot hole or previous blast hole; a charge handling and loading assembly for loading the first series of holes with propellant charges; an ignitor system for igniting the charges; a rock clearing means for removing blast rock from a blast face; a rock pick for clearing and picking a floor, roof or walls to provide access for the machine into a tunnel; a mobility assembly for moving the machine forward; a control console provided with control means for controlling the pilot drill assembly, blast hole drill assembly, charge handling and loading assembly, ignitor system, rock clearing means, and the rock pick; and wherein the charge handling and loading assembly includes a main charge storage container for storage of rock breaking cartridges and a secondary loader magazine for housing the number of cartridges required for a blasting cycle, and a charge conveyor connects the main charge storage container with the loader magazine and reciprocal ram transfers one cartridge at a time from underneath the magazine into a drilled hole; and wherein an igniter of the igniter system is located at the end of the reciprocal ram, which ignites the charge as it is inserted at the required depth.

11. A rock tunneling machine as claimed in claim 10, which includes a mesh production assembly for producing a wire mesh lining for progressively lining the walls and roof of the tunnel.

12. A rock tunneling machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the mesh production assembly includes wire on two longitudinal wire spindles and wire on a lateral wire spindle and wherein the longitudinal wires are fed out and over forming wheels arranged along the shape of the tunnel and the lateral wire is drawn by means of directional guides and feeding wheels transverse and underneath the longitudinal wires and urged and welded to the underside of the longitudinal wires by means of a welding ram.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(1) The invention is further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIG. 1 shows a front side perspective view of a machine for tunnelling in rock, in accordance with the invention;

(4) FIG. 2 shows a front top perspective view of the machine for tunnelling in rock;

(5) FIG. 3 shows a back side perspective view of the machine for tunnelling in rock;

(6) FIG. 4 shows a top perspective of drilling and charging systems of the machine for tunnelling in rock;

(7) FIG. 5 shows a top perspective of the rock clearing means of the machine for tunnelling in rock;

(8) FIG. 6 shows a top perspective of the mobility assembly of the machine for tunnelling in rock;

(9) FIG. 7 shows a top perspective of the wire mesh production assembly of the machine for tunnelling in rock;

(10) FIG. 8 shows a side view of the machine for tunnelling in rock drilling a pilot hole;

(11) FIG. 9 shows a side view of the machine drilling blast holes;

(12) FIG. 10 shows a side view of the machine charging the blast holes;

(13) FIG. 11 shows a side view of the machine picking the roof of the tunnel;

(14) FIG. 12 shows a side view of the machine drilling holes in the tunnel roof for roof anchors;

(15) FIG. 13 shows a side view of the machine moving forward;

(16) FIG. 14 shows a top perspective of the charge handling and loading assembly;

(17) FIG. 15 shows a top perspective of the rock clearing means of the machine together with the dust suppression or removal system;

(18) FIG. 16 shows a further top perspective of the wire mesh production assembly of the machine;

(19) FIG. 17 shows a top perspective detail of part of the wire mesh production assembly of the machine;

(20) FIG. 18 shows a top perspective of part of the drilling and charging systems of the machine; and

(21) FIG. 19 shows a top perspective of a machine for tunnelling into rock adapted for stope mining.

(22) With reference to the drawings, the machine for tunnelling in rock is generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The machine 10 includes a pilot drill assembly 12 for drilling a pilot hole of 300 mm into and generally perpendicular into a rock face 14 and a blast hole drill assembly 16 for drilling a series of blasting holes around the pilot hole or previous blast hole. The diameter of the blast holes are typically between 75 and 100 mm The machine 10 further includes a charge handling and loading assembly 18 for loading the first series of holes with propellant charges 20 and integral therewith an ignitor system (not shown) for igniting the charges. Together with the pilot drill assembly 12, the machine is provided with a rock pick 24 for clearing and picking the floor, roof or walls to provide clear access for the machine into the tunnel. The machine 10 also includes a rock clearing means 26 for removing the blast rock from the blast face, which clearing means is located underneath a mobility assembly 28 for moving the machine forward. The machine 10 also includes a remotely situated control console (not shown) provided with control means for controlling the pilot drill assembly 12, blast hole drill assembly 16, charge handling and loading assembly 18, ignitor system, rock clearing means 26, mobility assembly 28 and the rock pick 24. The machine 10 also includes a mesh production assembly 30 for producing a wire mesh lining for progressively lining the walls and roof of the tunnel, in use. The mesh production assembly 30, includes a set of longitudinal wire spindles 32 and a lateral wire spindle 34. The longitudinal wires 36 are fed out and over forming wheels 38 arranged along the shape of the tunnel. The lateral wires 40 are drawn transverse and underneath the longitudinal wires 36 and urged and welded to the underside of the longitudinal wires by means of a set of welding rams 42.

(23) The rock clearing means 26 includes a lower and forward extending pair of bucket type conveyors 44 arranged on arms in a V-formation for drawing in any rocks on the floor of the tunnel in front of the machine 10. The conveyors 44 may pivot in a horizontal plane allowing each to sweep in a lateral arc. The conveyors 44 are configured to have a forward and backward movement. The rock clearing means 26 further includes a conveyor belt 46 to convey the rocks underneath the machine 10 and onto a further conveyor system or chute to move the rock out of the tunnel.

(24) The machine 10 is also be provided with a dust suppression system 48, typically a suction means for sucking in dusty air and smoke through a filter system.

(25) The charge handling and loading assembly 18 includes a main charge storage container 50 for storage of rock breaking cartridges or charges 20 and a secondary loader magazine 52 for housing the number of cartridges 20 required for a blasting cycle. A charge conveyor 54 connects the main charge storage container 50 with the loader magazine 52. Reciprocal rams 56 transfer one cartridge at a time from underneath the magazine into a drilled hole. The reciprocal rams 56 are spaced the same distance as the drills 58 of the drilling assembly 16.

(26) The igniter 22 of the igniter system is located at the end of each reciprocal ram 56, which ignites the charge 20 as it is inserted at the required depth. The igniter system will be electric, mechanical or optical ignition. The ignition system can be a direct or a indirect ignition system.

(27) The blast hole drill assembly 16 for drilling a series of blasting holes includes and is arranged on a hydraulic arm 60 configured to move in any one or more of a x, y or z axis. It further include two or more pairs of rock drills 58 arranged on a rotatable track 62, and the pairs of drills are movable along the track.

(28) The pilot drill assembly 12 is arranged on its own hydraulic arm 64 configured to move in any one or more of a x, y or z axis. The pilot drill assembly arm also carries the rock pick 24 for clearing and picking the floor, roof or walls.

(29) The mobility assembly 28 for moving the machine forward and backward may comprise a set of continuous belt tracks 66. In the case of a stope mining machine (FIG. 19), the mobility assembly 28 may also include a set of transverse tracks 68, which is configured to be lifted, when not in use.

(30) Gas analysing sensors will monitor the rock face for traces of methane gas on a regular bases. The machine will be programed to take the necessary safety actions when methane gasses are detected.

(31) It shall be understood that the examples are provided for illustrating the invention further and to assist a person skilled in the art with understanding the invention and are not meant to be construed as unduly limiting the reasonable scope of the invention.