AN APPRATUS AND METHOD FOR FILLING BOREHOLES IN BLASTING OPERATIONS

Abstract

An apparatus and method for filling boreholes with dry mass such sand, gravel, concrete and dry mortars or other similar materials from a deposit or a truck in blasting operations. The apparatus includes a container for storage of mass, conveying device with a conveyor screw for conveying the mass from the container into a hose and a compressed air supply for directing flow of the mass in the hose towards a dispenser. The compressor air supply is adapted to forcibly urge the mass into boreholes. The dispenser is adapted for positioning over the boreholes for filling with mass before blasting operations.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. An apparatus for filling boreholes with mass before blasting operations, the apparatus comprising: a container for storing mass; a conveyor screw at bottom of the container for feeding mass into a hose; a whisk or vibrator mounted above the conveyor screw in the container for guiding the mass into the conveyor screw for feeding into the hose; a compressor having pipes for supplying highly compressed air into the hose; a vacuum pump for creating suction pressure at the end of the hose; and a dispenser for poring the mass into the boreholes, wherein a pipe from the compressor is connected into the hose immediate at the conveyor screw for directing flow of the mass towards the dispenser, and a pipe into the vacuum pump to immediately provide extra lifts for discharging the mass into borehole from the dispenser.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the container receives the mass from a truck or a deposit.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a vacuum pump valve is configured with the vacuum pump so that the mass from the dispenser is discharged out into the boreholes with extra air pressure, when the vacuum pump valve is opened.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a pipe from the compressor is configured with a vacuum pump to extra lifts for discharging mass into the boreholes.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13 further characterized in that a pipe from the compressor can be configured with the hose at a distance from the first pipe to provide extra lift and accelerate flow of the mass towards the dispenser.

18. The apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising an actuation device for actuating the conveyor screw for feeding of the mass into the hose from the container.

19. A method of filling boreholes with mass before blasting operation using an apparatus according to claim 13, the method comprising: supplying mass into a container, wherein the mass is feed into a hose by means of conveying device with conveyor screw at the same time by means of whisk or vibrator, supplying the hose with highly compressed air from a compressor immediately after the conveyor screw, wherein the highly compressed air causes the mass to travel in the hose towards a dispenser, wherein the dispenser which is at end of the hose is filled with the mass supplied from the container, further highly compressed air is again supplied at the dispenser through vacuum pump to provide extra suction pressure for discharging the mass into boreholes from the dispenser.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising placing the dispenser in another borehole until the borehole is substantially full.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein a vacuum pump valve is configured with the vacuum pump so that the mass from the dispenser is discharged out into the boreholes with extra air pressure, when the vacuum pump valve is opened.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein a pipe from the compressor is configured with a vacuum pump to provide extra pressure for discharging mass into the boreholes.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein a pipe from the compressor is configured with the hose at a distance from the first pipe to provide extra lift and accelerate flow of the mass toward the dispenser.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein the whisk or vibrator is mounted above the conveyor screw to guide the mass, and the means for feeding the mass into the hose smoothly.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] The invention will be better understood by reading the detailed description given below, for information, but not limiting, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a schematically a perspective view of an apparatus for filling boreholes according to an embodiment of the invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The invention describes an apparatus and method for introducing dry mass into boreholes in blasting operations. In the discussion of the present disclosure, the term dry mass is used to indicate sand, gravel, concrete and dry mortars or other similar materials that are associated either directly or indirectly with filling material. Generally, mass is fine material of sand, gravel, concrete and dry mortars can be of any kind which can be suitably used with this apparatus. The apparatus can significantly improve the efficiency of construction site and reduce construction costs in the blasting operations.

[0024] Referring first of all to FIG. 1, an apparatus 100 includes the following major components namely a container 102 for storing mass from a truck or deposit, a conveying device with conveyor screw 103 at bottom of the container 102 for feeding mass into a hose 108, a whisk or vibrator 104 mounted in the container above the conveyor screw 103 to slide the mass through conveyor screw 103 for feeding into the hose 108, a compressor 106 having a pipe 108 for supplying high pressure compressed air into the hose 108, a vacuum pump 112 for creating suction pressure at the end of the hose 108, and a dispenser 111 for poring the mass into the boreholes.

[0025] Container 102 is normally mounted onto a frame or on a truck not shown in the diagrams or placed at construction site and will hold dry mass. In the container 102 at bottom a conveyor screw 103 is configured horizontally for feeding mass out from the container 102. Therein a whisk or vibrator 104 is mounted which feeds the mass smoothly into the conveyor screw 103. The mass through the conveyor screw 103 is delivered into the hose 108.

[0026] The frame comprises a platform for placing the container with combination of conveyor screw 103, an actuation device 105 and whisk or vibrator 104. The frame is provided with a plurality of retractable support arms and may also comprise a pair of wheels not shown in diagram for moving the apparatus 100. The frame may comprise wheels for the movement of the apparatus 100 at the construction site. But in general the apparatus 100 can be deployed onto a truck.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, an actuation device 105 for actuating the conveyor screw 103 for feeding of the mass into the hose 108 from the container 102. The actuation device 105 can be of any kind known in the art including motor, pneumatic, hydraulic and/or other types of mechanical actuation. The conveyor screw 103 and whisk or vibrator 104 is configured with the actuation device 105 thereby allowing rotation of the conveyor screw 103 and driving whisk or vibrator 104 for continuous feeding of mass into the hose 108. To avoid bleeding and consistency loss of the mass occurring due to gravity, the bottom end of the conveyor screw 103 is shielded with the container 102. Conveyor screw 103 extending through the bottom of the container 102 can be fixed in the bottom of the container 102.

[0028] In addition, the whisk or vibrator 104 may be mounted in the container 102 above the conveyor screw 103, thereby the allowing whisk or vibrator 104 force urge the mass in the container 102 into the conveyor screw 103 smoothly. In some embodiments, the whisk or vibrator 104 stirred the container vertically. The whisk or vibrator 104 may comprise at least one stirring shaft and a plurality of the stirring blades.

[0029] A source of compressed air i.e., compressor 106 for supplying highly compressed air to carry the mass under pressure into the hose 108. A pipe 109 for source of compressed air communicates with the hose 108 via an interconnection 110 immediately at the conveyor screw 103 exit end for directing the flow of mass towards the dispenser 111. Thereby mass is delivered under pressure through hose 108 into the dispenser 111. The compressibility of the compressed air will also affect the amount of mass that is delivered as does the viscosity of the mass, by preferably smooth rapid flow of mass through the hose 108.

[0030] A vacuum pump 112 creates vacuum at the end of the hose 108, so that the mass when it reaches the end of the hose 108, due to vacuum pressure increase the speed of delivery of mass into the borehole. Further, a vacuum pump valve 113 in the vacuum pump 112 is opened for discharging the mass from the dispenser 111 into the boreholes. A pipe 114 for compressed air supply is also attached to the vacuum pump 112 to provide immediate extra lifts for discharging mass into the boreholes. Basically while in the hose 108 at the starting point the mass is pushed by highly compressed air from the pipe 109, but towards the end point the pressure of the compressed air drops significantly as air escapes through the mass while it is travelling through the hose 108. Also the hose 108 may be lying on uneven surfaces in the rocky areas, thereby encountering pushing of mass through heights. Having a vacuum pump 112 at the receiving end helps pulling the mass by suction pressure in the dispenser before discharging of the mass in the boreholes.

[0031] In order to ensure that the discharging of the mass from the dispenser 111 into the boreholes is done rapidly, opening of the vacuum pump valve 113 will help to push the mass from the dispenser 111 outward with pressure.

[0032] Further, a pipe 115 from the compressor can be configured with the hose at a distance from the first pipe to provide extra lift and accelerate flow of the mass toward the dispenser 111.

[0033] It will be seen that an apparatus 100 of this character is extremely simple, that it may be readily operated by any ordinary air compressor such as commonly used by construction/building industries adapted for pumping wet or slurry sand, gravel. The pumping mechanism may be made, of course, of any desired size for any conditions of work, and it may be made very portable so that it may be carried around from one job to another. The Apparatus is particularly designed to take the place of an existing gravel pump or mortar pump used for pumping out and transporting mass, but it does away with the necessity of detailing a workman for the purpose of operating the pump, and eliminates the necessity of using a motor operated pump provided with pistons, valves and other parts liable to be worn away by the sand or gravel.

[0034] Therefore, the mass being made capable to move along using a whisk or vibrator 104 into the conveyor screw 103 and thereafter, moves along hose 108 towards the dispenser 111 and thereafter being filled into boreholes.

[0035] The apparatus 100 performs the task of introducing a defined amount of mass in the boreholes in blasting operation in a quick and simple procedure.

[0036] Further, the apparatus 100 can be used for depositing of filling small canals or cavities with mass during building construction. Furthermore, the invention provides a method for depositing mass into small canals or cavities during a building construction and/or in a building.

[0037] It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of this structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention the scope of which is defined in the appended claim.