APPARATUS FOR RESIN INJECTION, MINING MACHINE AND METHOD

Abstract

An apparatus for injecting grouting material, a mining machine and a method of reinforcing rock surfaces by a grouting material is provided. The apparatus includes an injector head provided with a mixing device, which are both insertable into a drilled hole. The apparatus is for feeding resin mixtures having two different setting times. The injector head is connected to a fluid inlet arrangement having a common first feed line for slow and fast resin base components and a second feed line for a resin catalyst.

Claims

1. An apparatus for injecting grouting resin into a drilled hole for rock reinforcement, the apparatus comprising: an injector head insertable inside the drilled hole, the injector head being a grouting resin feeding tool, whereby the tool is removed from the drilled hole when the resin feeding is completed and before a separate rock bolt is fed into the drilled hole filled with the grouting resin; at least one fluid inlet arrangement connected to the injector head for feeding a resin base component and a resin catalyst to the injector head, the injector head including a mixing device arranged for mixing the fed resin base component and the resin catalyst together, whereby the mixing device is configured to be fed together with the injector head inside the drilled hole, and wherein the fluid inlet arrangement includes two separate feed lines, wherein a first feed line is selectable for alternative feeding of a first resin base component and a second resin base component the first and second resin base components having different setting times, and wherein a second feed line is for the resin catalyst; a resin pumping arrangement provided with two feed pumps, wherein a common first feed pump is configured to feed alternatively the first resin base component or the second resin base component to the first feed line and a second feed pump is arranged for feeding the resin catalyst to the second feed line; and at least one feed valve arranged for selectively connecting an inlet channel of the common first feed pump to a first container provided for the first resin base component, or to a second container provided for the second resin base component .

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first feed pump and the second feed pump are volumetric pumps and are configured to operate synchronously, whereby volume of the fed first or second resin base component in relation to the fed resin catalyst is constant.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first feed pump and the second feed pump are powered by means of a common actuator (29).

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a solvent feeding system configured to feed a solvent medium for flushing the injector head and the mixing device, wherein the solvent feeding system includes a third pump for pumping the solvent medium from a third container.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the solvent feeding system includes a dedicated third feed line arranged for feeding the solvent medium from the third pump to the mixing device .

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is controlled by a control unit , wherein a sequence of insertion between the first or second base resin components and the resin catalyst (A1+B; A2+B), and potentially a solvent, are managed according to time or flow measurement or pump movement measurement.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is connectable to a mining machine, and wherein a feed device of the mining machine is configured to insert and move the injector head and the mixing device inside the drilled hole (7).

8. A mining machine comprising: a movable carrier; at least one boom connected movably on the carrier (2); an apparatus for injecting grouting resin into drilled holes; at least one bolting unit at a distal end of the boom for feeding rock bolts into the drilled holes after being injected with the grouting resin, wherein the boom is provided with a feed device arranged for moving an injection head of the injecting apparatus inside the drilled hole; and an apparatus in accordance with claim 1 being arranged for injecting the grouting resin .

9. A method of injecting grouting resin into several drilled holes, the method comprising: inserting an injector head inside a drilled hole; providing the injector head with a mixing device, whereby the mixing device is inserted together with the injector head inside the drilled hole; feeding a resin base component and a resin catalyst to the injector head by means of a fluid inlet arrangement; mixing the fed resin base component and the resin catalyst to form a resin mixture inside the drilled hole by means of the mixing device; initiating injection of the resin mixture at a bottom part (7b) of the drilled hole and moving the injector head and the mixing device towards an opening of the drilled hole during the injection; completing the injection and removing the injection head from the drilled hole ; inserting a metallic rock reinforcement inside the drilled hole provided with the grouting resin; injecting in sequence two different resin mixtures with different setting times into the drilled hole; providing the fluid inlet arrangement with two feed lines, wherein a first feed line is selectable with a feed valve for alternative feeding of a first resin base component and a second resin base component each having different setting times, and wherein a second feed line is for the resin catalyst; feeding in a selective order through the first feed line a the first resin base component A1 and the second resin base component A2; and feeding through the second feed line the resin catalyst simultaneously with the selected first or second resin base component .

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0037] Some embodiments are described in more detail in the accompanying drawings, in which

[0038] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a rock drilling rig intended for underground drilling and rock reinforcing,

[0039] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of an arrangement system for feeding grouting material to a drilled hole,

[0040] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing some features relating to reinforcing measures of a rock surface,

[0041] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of a drilled hole after being filled with two types of resin material,

[0042] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the drilled hole of FIG. 4 after being equipped with a rock bolt,

[0043] FIG. 6 is schematic view of an apparatus for injecting grouting material to a drilled hole, and

[0044] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing some principles and features relating to the rock reinforcing.

[0045] For the sake of clarity, the figures show some embodiments of the disclosed solution in a simplified manner. In the figures, like reference numerals identify like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a rock drilling rig, which is an example of a mining machine 1. The rock drilling rig comprises a movable carrier 2 and at least one boom 3 connected to the carrier 2. At a distal end portion of the boom 3 is a drilling unit or bolt insertion unit 4. The unit 4 may comprise a feed beam 5 and a rock drilling machine 6 supported on it. A drilling tool is connectable to the rock drilling machine 6. The rock drilling machine 6 comprises at least a rotating device for rotating the drilling tool around its longitudinal axis. The rock drilling machine 6 and the boom 3 may be turned so that drill holes 7 can be drilled to walls 8 and ceilings 9 of tunnels and other underground spaces in order to mount reinforcing rock bolts. The unit 4 may also be provided with a bolting unit 10 and an apparatus 11 for feeding grouting resin mixtures. The drilling machine 6, the bolting unit 10 and the resin feeding apparatus 11 may be connected to the drilling unit 4 so that they can be indexed on central axis of the drilled hole 7, or alternatively they all or some of them can be mounted to dedicated booms or other support structures. At the distal end of the boom 3 is at least one feed device 12 for moving the devices 6, 10, 11 relative to the distal end of the boom 3. Further, on the carrier 2 there may be a first container 13 provided for a first resin base component A1, a second container 14 provided for a second resin base component A2, a third container 15 for a solvent medium S and a fourth container 16 for a resin catalyst B.

[0047] FIG. 2 discloses a drilled hole 7 provided with an opening 7a and a bottom 7b. Inside the drilled hole 7 is inserted an injector head 17 provided with a mixing device 18. The injector head 17 is connected to a fluid inlet arrangement 19 comprising a first feed line 20, a second feed line 21 and an optional third feed line 22. The first feed line 20 is a common feed line for components A1 and A2, whereas the second feed line is dedicated for the component B. The third feed line 22 is for feeding the solvent agent S, but the system may be without any third line 22 if line 20 or 21 is used for solvent feeding. The feed lines 20 - 22 may be hoses or tubes. In FIG. 2 resin mixture 23 is fed through the injector head 17 and the mixing device 18 to the bottom 7b of the drilled hole 7. The system is retracted R simultaneously during the injection.

[0048] FIG. 3 discloses steps relating to reinforcing rock surfaces. These issues have already been discussed above in this document.

[0049] FIG. 4 discloses that a drilled hole 7 is filled with two types of resin mixtures 23a, 23b. At a bottom 7b of the drilled hole 7 there is injected a fast setting resin mixture 23b and the rest of the drilled hole up to an opening 7a of the hole 7, or close to it, is filled with a slow setting resin mixture 23a.

[0050] In FIG. 5 a rock bolt 24 is pushed into the drilled hole 7 so that its distal end extends to the mentioned fast setting resin mixture 23b which hardens rapidly and locks the end of the rock bolt 24. Thereafter the rock bolt 24 can be tightened before the slow setting resin mixture 23a hardens. This way a spring effect can be achieved. The spring effect is illustrated by means of broken lines 25 between the bottom of the hole 7b and the opening 7a.

[0051] FIG. 6 discloses a grouting resin feed system and apparatus 11. Many of the features have already been shown and discussed in the previous Figures. There are containers 13 - 16 for the resin components A1, A2 and B, and also for the solvent S. Also the injector head 17 inserted inside the drilled hole 7 and provided with the feed lines 20 - 22 is already discussed. However, FIG. 6 shows some additional issues relating to the pumping of the resin components A1, A2, B and the solvent S. The apparatus 11 comprises a resin pumping arrangement 26 provided with two pumps 27 and 28. A common first feed pump 27 is configured to feed alternatively the first resin base component A1 or the second resin base component A2 to the first feed line 20. A second feed pump 28 is dedicated for feeding the catalyst B to the second feed line 21. Further, the first feed pump 27 and the second feed pump 28 are volumetric pumps and are configured to operate synchronously, whereby volume of the fed resin base component A1 or A2 in relation to the fed catalyst B is constant. The first feed pump 27 and the second feed pump 28 may be powered by means of a common actuator 29, such as a motor M. The pumps 27, 28 may be connected to a common output shaft 30 of the motor M. The apparatus 11 comprises at least one feed valve 31 for selectively connecting an inlet channel 32 of the common first feed pump 27 to a first container 13 provided for the first resin base component A1, or to a second container 14 provided for the second resin base component A2. The second feed pump 28 is always connected to the fourth container 16. There may be check valves 33 in the resin feed lines.

[0052] The apparatus further comprises a solvent feeding system 34 configured to feed solvent medium S for flushing the injector head 17 and the mixing device 18. The solvent feeding system 34 comprises a third pump 35 for pumping the solvent medium S from a third container 15. The pump 35 may be actuated by means of an actuator 36, which may be a motor M, for example. There is a dedicated third feed line 22 for feeding the solvent medium S from the third pump 35 to the mixing device 18.

[0053] A control unit CU may control operation of the disclosed system and related pumps, actuators and valves.

[0054] FIG. 6 further discloses that the containers 13 -16 may be connected to pressurization or desiccant/vent dryer systems 37 for facilitating feeding of their content.

[0055] It should be noted that the apparatus 11 disclosed in FIG. 6 may also be implemented with slightly different components and arrangements. For instance, a pump can be dedicated to A1 and another pump for A2 and a third pump for B.

[0056] FIG. 7 is a simplified diagram illustrating some issues disclosed in this document.

[0057] The drawings and the related description are only intended to illustrate the idea of the invention. In its details, the invention may vary within the scope of the claims.