Screen handling system
AssigneeJoy Global Underground Mining LLC
InventorsRenier Koekemoer, Joseph St. Amand, Justin Barter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A screen handling system is provided for a rock drilling device including a feed assembly, at least one rail system supporting the feed assembly for translational movement relative to a boom along a first axis, and an actuator for advancing a bit or bolt into a rock face parallel to the first axis. The screen handling system includes a pad disposed proximate the bit or bolt, a block having a bore that defines a second axis parallel to the first axis, a gripper at least partially disposed within and axially moveable relative to the bore in a direction along the second axis, and a drive mechanism coupled to the block that is capable of continuously rotating the pad about the second axis to a desired orientation.
Claims23
A screen handling system for a rock drilling device, the rock drilling device including a feed assembly, at least one rail system supporting the feed assembly for translational movement relative to a boom along a first axis, and an actuator for advancing a consumable into a rock face parallel to the first axis, the screen handling system comprising:
- a pad disposed proximate the consumable;
- a block having a bore that defines a second axis parallel to the first axis;
- a gripper at least partially disposed within and axially moveable relative to the bore in a direction along the second axis;
- and
- a drive mechanism coupled to the block that is capable of continuously rotating the pad about the second axis to a desired orientation.
A rock drilling device for use on a boom of a mining machine, the rock drilling device comprising:
- a feed assembly;
- a first frame at least partially supported by the feed assembly for translational movement relative to the boom along a first axis and a second frame supported for translational movement relative to the first frame;
- a drill feed coupled to the second frame for rotating and advancing a consumable into a rock face along a second axis that is parallel to the first axis;
- and
- a screen handler configured to connect to and maneuver a screen relative to the rock face by rotating the screen, the screen handler including,
- a pad disposed proximate the consumable, and
- drive mechanism including a hydraulic motor, a worm gear driven by the hydraulic motor about a motor axis, and a worm wheel that meshes with the worm gear, the pad being driven to rotate with the worm wheel, the drive mechanism capable of rotating the pad in one direction of rotation through an infinite number of rotations.
A method of installing a screen on a rock face, the method comprising:
- grasping the screen with a stinger assembly by securing a portion of the screen between a pad and a gripper;
- actuating a feed assembly that supports the stinger assembly to extend toward the rock face until the screen is adjacent the rock face;
- continuously rotating the pad and the screen via a slew drive mechanism to precisely position the screen in a desired orientation relative to the rock face;
- engaging the gripper against the rock face to stabilize the feed assembly relative to the rock face;
- and
- driving a consumable through the screen and into the rock face to hold the screen against the rock face.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.