US2012247836A1PendingUtilityA1

Mining machine with booms providing enhanced rib access

33
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Dec 15, 2009Filed: Jun 15, 2012Published: Oct 4, 2012
Est. expiryDec 15, 2029(~3.4 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Henry E. WilsonSteven E. PayneRobert Sherwood Anderson
E21D 20/003
33
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

An apparatus for use by an operator in forming boreholes in an underground mine passage including ribs and a roof. The apparatus includes a base and first and second booms pivotally mounted to the base for swinging toward and away from the adjacent lib. A drill is mounted to the base independent of the first and second booms. An actuator including first and second independently movable rods may be used to move the drill relative to the boom.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An apparatus for use by an operator in forming boreholes in an underground mine passage including ribs and a roof, comprising:
 a base;   first and second booms pivotally mounted to the base for swinging toward and away from the adjacent rib; and   a drill mounted to the base independent of the first and second booms.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second booms each carry another drill. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drill lies between the first and second booms. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of any of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second booms comprises a first operator's station adjacent the first drill, said operator's station adapted to allow the operator to access the rib when positioned on the operator's station without interference from the boom. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the operator's station is at least partially positioned between a first plane extending generally parallel to the rib and a second plane aligned with an adjacent face of the boom. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the operator's station includes a platform for supporting the operator arranged at least partially between a generally vertical plane aligned with the second lateral side and the rib. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the operator's station extends across a central longitudinal axis of the boom to the second lateral side of the boom. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the operator's station includes a platform for supporting the operator in a standing position, and an upper surface of the boom is lower than a top of the operator's shoulder. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further including a vehicle having a walkway with an exit end adjacent to the platform of the operator's station. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of any of  claim 4 , wherein the operator's station further includes a shield for at least partially shielding the operator from a face of the mine passage. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the shield is adapted to prevent the operator from exiting the platform in a direction of the rib. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a disable switch is associated with the shield. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the disable switch is connected to a lever pivotally mounted to an upper portion of the shield. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including means for raising or lowering the boom. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including means for moving the drill relative to the boom. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the means for moving comprises an actuator including first and second independently movable rods. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second boom includes a second operator's station accessible from the walkway. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further including a turret for mounting a drill to the distal end of at least one of the first or second booms. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one of said first or second booms includes a first end pivotally mounted to the base and a second end adapted for swinging outwardly from the base from a first home position to a second extended position closer to an adjacent rib than at the home position, and returning to a third stowed position farther from the adjacent rib than at the home position. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for use by an operator in forming boreholes in a mine passage including a rib and a roof, comprising:
 a base;   a boom mounted to the base;   an actuator for moving the boom relative to the base, said actuator including a first extensible rod having a first end mounted to the base and a second extensible rod having a second end mounted to the boom.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , further including a first pair of ports for directing fluid for extending or retracting the first rod. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , further including a second pair of ports for directing fluid for extending or retracting the second rod. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the first rod is shorter than the second rod. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the first rod is arranged to extend a first maximum distance from a housing of the actuator that is less than a second maximum distance that the second rod may extend from the housing. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second rods are independently actuated. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein a first control for controlling the first rod is mounted on the base, and a second control for controlling the second rod is mounted on a boom associated with the base. 
     
     
         27 . A mine roof bolter including the apparatus of  claim 20 . 
     
     
         28 . A method for forming boreholes in a mine passage including an adjacent rib and a roof, comprising:
 providing a vehicle including a first pivotably mounted boom carrying a first drill and a second pivotally mounted boom carrying a second drill, each boom including a station adapted for receiving an operator, and   providing the vehicle with a third drill independent of the first and second drills of the first and second booms.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further including simultaneously drilling the rib or roof using the first, second, and third drills. 
     
     
         30 . A method of operating an apparatus for forming boreholes in a mine passage, comprising:
 providing a base having a boom;   moving the boom from a stowed to a home position by moving a first rod of an actuator in a first direction; and   moving the boom to an operative position by moving a second rod of an actuator in the first direction.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step of moving the boom to the home position comprises extending the first and second rods. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step of moving the boom to the operative position comprises retracting the first and second rods. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the step of moving the boom to the operative position comprises retracting the first rod before retracting the second rod. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , where the step of moving the boom to the home position comprises moving the first rod using a first control on a base of the apparatus and the step of moving the boom to the operative position comprises moving the second rod using a second control on a boom mounted to the base.

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