Mining apparatus and methods

Abstract

A system for mining material in an underground tunnel, comprises a rail on the roof of the tunnel. A tram is supported on the rail and is movable along the rail. The tram has a conveyor for moving material along the length of the tram. Material is transferred to the tram by a loader which is also supported on a rail and movable along the rail. The conveyor has a ramp with a loading conveyor for transporting material upwardly along the ramp. Material is discharged from an upper end of the ramp onto the tram conveyor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for mining material in an underground tunnel, comprising:
 At least one rail mounted to a roof of the tunnel;   a tram comprising:
 a tram carriage supporting said tram on said rail, for movement along said at least one rail; 
 a tram conveyor mounted to said tram carriage, for movement of material relative to said tram carriage; 
   a loader comprising:
 a loader carriage supporting said loader on said rail, for movement along said at least one rail; 
 a ramp having a loading conveyor for transporting material upwardly along said ramp, wherein said loader discharges material from an upper end of said ramp onto said tram conveyor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a drive unit associated with each of said carriages for propulsion along said at least one rail. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said drive unit comprises an electric motor. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  or  claim 3 , wherein said drive unit comprises an output gear that meshes with teeth along said tunnel for propulsion. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said teeth project from said at least one rail. 
     
     
         6 . The system of any one of  claims 1  to  5 , wherein said tram comprises a plurality of interconnected cars, each supported on said at least one rail by a tram carriage. 
     
     
         7 . The system of any one of  claims 1  to  6 , wherein said loader comprises a blade operable to draw material onto said loading conveyor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein said loader comprises a boom and said blade is movable through a stroke between said boom and said ramp to draw material onto said loading conveyor. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said blade is mounted to a wire running between said boom and said ramp. 
     
     
         10 . The system of any one of  claims 1  to  9 , wherein said loader comprises a metering device for controlling discharge of material from said ramp to said conveyor of said tram. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the metering device comprises a flow restrictor. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  or  claim 11 , wherein the metering device comprises a variable-speed drive for matching the speeds of said loading conveyor and said conveyor of said tram. 
     
     
         13 . A method for mining material in an underground tunnel, comprising:
 moving a tram carriage toward a face of said tunnel along at least one rail mounted to a roof of said tunnel;   transferring fragmented rock from a loading ramp suspended from said at least one rail to a conveyor on said tram carriage;   moving said fragmented rock with said conveyor along a length of said tram.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said moving said tram carriage comprises driving said tram carriage with a drive unit on said tram carriage. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  or  claim 14 , wherein said wherein said moving said tram carriage comprises driving said tram carriage with an electric motor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of any one of  claims 13  to  15 , wherein said wherein said moving said tram carriage comprises driving said tram with a drive rack mounted to said roof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of any one of  claims 13  to  16 , comprising drawing fragmented rock onto said loading ramp with a movable blade. 
     
     
         18 . The method of any one of  claims 13  to  17 , wherein said transferring comprises advancing said fragmented rock along said loading ramp with a conveyor. 
     
     
         19 . The method of any one of  claims 13  to  18 , comprising metering a rate of transfer of said fragmented rock from said loading ramp to said conveyor on said tram carriage. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said metering comprises controlling a speed of a conveyor on said loading ramp. 
     
     
         21 . A system for mining in an underground tunnel, comprising:
 a conveyor extending along said tunnel and supported on the floor of said tunnel, said conveyor operable to transport granulated material towards the surface;   a rail extending along the tunnel and mounted to a roof of the tunnel above said conveyor, said rail operable to support wheeled machinery for transportation along said rail.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein said conveyor comprises a conveyor belt. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein said conveyor belt comprises a plurality of belt segments connected at mechanical joints. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein said conveyor comprises a plurality of serially-arranged conveyor modules, said conveyor belt supported by each one of said conveyor modules. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein said conveyor belt comprises a belt segment corresponding to each one of said conveyor modules. 
     
     
         26 . The system of any one of  claims 23  to  25 , wherein said mechanical joints are pinned joints. 
     
     
         27 . The system of any one of  claims 21  to  26 , comprising a plurality of partitions on said conveyor, defining pockets for receiving material to be transported. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , comprising a gear rack extending along the length of said rail, for propulsion of said wheeled machinery by meshing with said gear rack. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein said gear rack comprises a set of teeth projecting from a surface of said rail. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , comprising a loading apparatus suspended on said rail and movable along said rail, said loading apparatus operable to transfer granulated material onto said conveyor. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein said loading apparatus comprises a tram movable along said rail, said tram having a tram conveyor thereon for transferring material onto said conveyor. 
     
     
         32 . A method of mining material in an underground tunnel, comprising:
 moving fragmented rock along said tunnel on a ground-mounted conveyor;   moving a loading device relative to said ground-mounted conveyor along a rail mounted to a roof of said tunnel, such that said loading device overlaps said ground-mounted conveyor;   transferring fragmented rock from said loading device to said ground-mounted conveyor.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , comprising extending said loading device towards a face of said tunnel after blasting said face of said tunnel. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32  or  claim 34 , comprising withdrawing said loading device away from said face of said tunnel before blasting said face of said tunnel. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said moving fragmented rock comprises moving a conveyor belt. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , comprising releasing a mechanical connection of said conveyor belt install an extension to said conveyor belt. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said mechanical connection is a pinned joint. 
     
     
         38 . A drilling apparatus for use in a mining tunnel, comprising:
 a wheeled carriage for suspending said drilling apparatus from a rail on the roof of the tunnel;   a frame depending from said wheeled carriage;   a boom, comprising a tool holder having a drill mounted thereon;   a pivotable joint connecting said boom and said frame, wherein said boom can be rotated around said pivotable joint.   
     
     
         39 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 38 , comprising a drive unit for propelling said drilling apparatus along the rail. 
     
     
         40 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein said drive unit comprises an electrical motor. 
     
     
         41 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 39  or  claim 40 , wherein said drive unit comprises an output gear for propelling said drilling apparatus by meshing with a gear rack. 
     
     
         42 . The drilling apparatus of any one of  claims 38  to  41 , wherein said boom comprises a support link connected between said tool holder and said frame, and further comprising pivotable joints between said tool holder and said support link and between said support link and said frame. 
     
     
         43 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein said pivotable joints permit rotation of said tool holder about multiple axes. 
     
     
         44 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 42  or  claim 43 , wherein said support link is axially extendable. 
     
     
         45 . The drilling apparatus of any one of  claims 38  to  44 , comprising an anchoring device mounted to said frame for bracing said drilling apparatus against a wall of said tunnel. 
     
     
         46 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein said anchoring device comprises an arm extendable into contact with said wall. 
     
     
         47 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 45  or  claim 46 , wherein said anchoring device is mounted to said frame at a base, said base pivotable relative to said frame to adjust an angle at which said arm is extendable toward said wall. 
     
     
         48 . A drilling apparatus for use in a mining tunnel, comprising:
 a frame movably suspended from a rail on a roof of said tunnel;   a boom having a drill mounted thereon;   a pivotable joint connecting said boom and said frame, wherein said boom can be rotated around said pivotable joint.   
     
     
         49 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 48 , comprising a drive unit for propelling said drilling apparatus along the rail. 
     
     
         50 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 49 , wherein said drive unit comprises an electrical motor. 
     
     
         51 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 49  or  claim 50 , wherein said drive unit comprises an output gear for propelling said drilling apparatus by meshing with a gear rack. 
     
     
         52 . The drilling apparatus of any one of  claims 48  to  51 , wherein said boom comprises a support link and a tool holder, said support link connected between said tool holder and said frame, and further comprising pivotable joints between said tool holder and said support link and between said support link and said frame. 
     
     
         53 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 52 , wherein said pivotable joints permit rotation of said tool holder about multiple axes. 
     
     
         54 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 52  or  claim 53 , wherein said support link is axially extendable. 
     
     
         55 . The drilling apparatus of any one of  claims 48  to  54 , comprising an anchoring device mounted to said frame for bracing said drilling apparatus against a wall of said tunnel. 
     
     
         56 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 55 , wherein said anchoring device comprises an arm extendable into contact with said wall. 
     
     
         57 . The drilling apparatus of  claim 55  or  claim 56 , wherein said anchoring device is mounted to said frame at a base, said base pivotable relative to said frame to adjust an angle at which said arm is extendable toward said wall. 
     
     
         58 . A platform apparatus for use in a mining tunnel, comprising:
 a wheeled carriage for suspending said platform apparatus from a rail on the roof of the tunnel;   a frame depending from said wheeled carriage;   a working platform for elevating workers to access an end face or a ceiling of said mining tunnel;   a linkage between said frame and platform operable to move said platform relative to said frame.   
     
     
         59 . The platform apparatus of  claim 58 , comprising a drive unit for propelling said drilling apparatus along the rail. 
     
     
         60 . The platform apparatus of  claim 59 , wherein said drive unit comprises an electrical motor. 
     
     
         61 . The platform apparatus of  claim 59  or  claim 60 , wherein said drive unit comprises an output gear for propelling said drilling apparatus by meshing with a gear rack. 
     
     
         62 . The platform apparatus of any one of  claims 58  to  61 , wherein said linkage between said working platform and said frame is operable to move said platform along multiple axes. 
     
     
         63 . The platform apparatus of any one of  claims 58  to  62 , comprising an anchoring device mounted to said frame for bracing said drilling apparatus against a wall of said tunnel. 
     
     
         64 . The platform apparatus of  claim 63 , wherein said anchoring device comprises an arm extendable into contact with said wall. 
     
     
         65 . The platform apparatus of  claim 63  or  claim 64 , wherein said anchoring device is mounted to said frame at a base, said base pivotable relative to said frame to adjust an angle at which said arm is extendable toward said wall. 
     
     
         66 . A platform apparatus for use in a mining tunnel, comprising:
 a frame movably suspended from a rail on the roof of the tunnel;   a working platform for elevating workers to access an end face or a ceiling of said mining tunnel;   an articulated linkage between said working platform and said frame.   
     
     
         67 . The platform apparatus of  claim 66 , comprising a drive unit for propelling said drilling apparatus along the rail. 
     
     
         68 . The platform apparatus of  claim 67 , wherein said drive unit comprises an electrical motor. 
     
     
         69 . The platform apparatus of  claim 67  or  claim 68 , wherein said drive unit comprises an output gear for propelling said drilling apparatus by meshing with a gear rack. 
     
     
         70 . The platform apparatus of any one of  claims 66  to  69 , wherein said linkage between said working platform and said frame is operable to move said platform along multiple axes. 
     
     
         71 . The platform apparatus of any one of  claims 66  to  70 , comprising an anchoring device mounted to said frame for bracing said drilling apparatus against a wall of said tunnel. 
     
     
         72 . The platform apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein said anchoring device comprises an arm extendable into contact with said wall. 
     
     
         73 . The platform apparatus of  claim 71  or  claim 72 , wherein said anchoring device is mounted to said frame at a base, said base pivotable relative to said frame to adjust an angle at which said arm is extendable toward said wall. 
     
     
         74 . A method of mining material, comprising:
 blasting a region of rock positioned vertically between overcut and undercut tunnels, to create a debris pile;   moving a conveyor along a roof-mounted rail in said undercut tunnel, so that said conveyor is positioned to receive fragmented material from said debris pile;   suspending a blade above said debris pile from a wire between said pulley and said conveyor; and   drawing said blade across said debris pile with said wire to draw fragmented material onto said conveyor.   
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 74 , comprising moving a pulley along a roof-mounted rail in said overcut tunnel, so that said pulley is positioned above said debris pile. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said pulley is a first pulley and comprising moving a second pulley along said roof-mounted rail in said upper tunnel, so that said pulley is positioned above debris pile, wherein said wire extends from said first pulley to said second pulley and from said second pulley to said conveyor. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein said blade is moved through a stroke atop said debris pile, and wherein said stroke is defined by relative positions of said pulleys. 
     
     
         78 . The method of any one of  claims 74  to  77 , wherein suspending a blade comprises feeding said wire through said pulley, and dropping said wire through a void between said overcut and said undercut tunnels. 
     
     
         79 . The method of any one of  claims 74  to  78 , wherein said blasting comprises drilling holes in a floor of said overcut tunnel. 
     
     
         80 . An apparatus for mining material, comprising:
 a first rail mounted along a roof of an overcut tunnel;   a second rail mounted along a roof of an undercut tunnel, said undercut tunnel positioned below said overcut tunnel, wherein a void extends vertically between said undercut tunnel and said overcut tunnel;   a conveyor mounted to said second rail in said undercut tunnel proximate said void;   a blade suspended from a pulley on said first rail, said blade movable through said void across a debris pile to draw material from said debris pile onto said conveyor.   
     
     
         81 . The apparatus of  claim 80 , wherein said pulley is a first pulley and comprising a second pulley mounted to said first rail, wherein said blade is suspended from both of said first and second pulleys. 
     
     
         82 . The apparatus of  claim 81 , wherein said blade is suspended with a wire passing through said first and second pulleys. 
     
     
         83 . The apparatus of  claim 81  or  82 , wherein at least one of said pulleys is movable along said first rail to define a stroke of said blade. 
     
     
         84 . The apparatus of any one of  claims 80  to  83 , comprising a loading ramp suspended from said second rail and operable to transfer material onto said conveyor. 
     
     
         85 . The apparatus of  claim 84 , wherein said ramp comprises a loading conveyor. 
     
     
         86 . The apparatus of  claim 85 , wherein said blade is movable to draw material from said debris pile onto said conveyor by way of said ramp.