Machine and method for installing rock bolts

Abstract

A machine for installing cable bolts, the machine including a drill for drilling a bore into a rock wall, a grout delivery system for delivering grout into the bore, a cable dispensing arrangement for dispensing cable into the bore, an attachment device for attaching a bore anchor to the leading end of the cable prior to the cable being fed into the bore, and a severing device for severing the cable to form a trailing end thereof. A method of installing a cable rock bolt into a bore is also provided.

1 . A machine for installing cable bolts, including a drill for the drilling a bore into a rock wall, a grout delivery system for delivering grout into the bore, a cable dispensing arrangement for dispensing cable into the bore, an attachment device for attaching a bore anchor to the leading end of the cable prior to the cable bolt being fed into the bore, and a severing device for severing the cable to form a trailing end. 
     
     
         2 . A machine according to  claim 1 , the attachment device including a rotatable cartridge that can hold one or more anchors and that can rotate into a position of alignment with the leading end of a cable being fed into the drilled bore, so that the leading end can be advanced into the anchor. 
     
     
         3 . A machine according to  claim 2 , the cartridge including one or more openings for holding one or more anchors and the leading end of the cable being advanced into an opening to engage an anchor. 
     
     
         4 . A machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 , the severing device being a guillotine located behind the attachment device in the direction of feed of the leading end of the cable into the bore. 
     
     
         5 . A machine for installing cable bolts, including, a drill for the drilling a bore into a rock wall, a grout delivery system for delivering grout into the bore, a cable dispensing arrangement for dispensing cable into the bore, facility to allow attachment of a bore anchor to the leading end of the cable, prior to the cable bolt being fed into the bore and a severing device for severing the cable to form a trailing end. 
     
     
         6 . A machine according to  claim 5 , the facility to allow attachment of a bore anchor to the leading end of the cable comprising a space provided for manual application of the bore anchor to the leading end of the cable. 
     
     
         7 . A machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  6 , the anchor being arranged to grip the leading end of the cable when the leading end is advanced into the anchor. 
     
     
         8 . A machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  6 , the anchor including an abutment that the leading end of the cable bears against so that as the cable is fed into the bore, the anchor moves with the leading end. 
     
     
         9 . A machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  8 , further including a device for applying a rock plate to the trailing end of the cable. 
     
     
         10 . A machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  9 , further including a device for applying the cable gripping device to the cable. 
     
     
         11 . A machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  10 , further including a device for applying tension to the cable once the cable has been fully fed into the bore and has been severed to form a trailing end. 
     
     
         12 . A machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  11 , the cable dispensing device being a cable reel located on the machine and the cable being pulled from the reel for feeding into the bore. 
     
     
         13 . A machine according to any one of  claims 1  to  11 , the cable dispensing device being a device for pulling cable from a cable reel which is apart from the machine. 
     
     
         14 . A method of installing a cable rock bolt, the method including, drilling a bore into a rock wall, delivering grout into the bore, attaching a bore anchor to the leading end of a cable, and then feeding the cable into the bore, severing the cable to form a trailing end once the cable has been fed to the desired depth into the bore, applying a rock plate and a cable anchor to the trailing end of the cable, applying tension to the trailing end of the cable to cause the bore anchor to anchor the leading end of the cable within the bore and to cause the rock plate to engage the rock face under pressure.