Shock Tube Initiator

A method of use of a shock tube initiator including the steps of:

• a) placing a shot shell primer containing an explosive charge within at least one coupling means having a firing pin therein,
• b) coupling to the coupling means one end of a shock tube that has a blasting means at its other end,
• c) electrically connecting a rotary electro-mechanical energising means to a remote controlled operating system adapted to electrically energise the rotary electro-mechanical energising means upon the remote controlled operating system receiving an energising signal,
• d) cocking a mechanical firing mechanism positioned between the coupling means and the rotary electro-mechanical energising means, wherein the mechanical firing mechanism is adapted to fire the firing pin and ignite the explosive charge to initiate burning of the shock tube, and
• e) actuating firing of the mechanical firing mechanism by either:
• i. sending an energising signal to the remote controlled operating system to electrically energise the rotary electro-mechanical energising means so that the energised rotary electro-mechanical energising means causes an actuating means positioned between the rotary electro-mechanical energising means and the mechanical firing mechanism to actuate the mechanical firing mechanism, or
• ii. manually operating the actuation means to actuate the mechanical firing mechanism.

A method of use of a shock tube initiator including the steps of:

• a) positioning a safety mechanism in a safe mode position to prevent the shock tube initiator from initiating,
• b) placing a shot shell primer containing an explosive charge within at least one coupling means having a firing pin therein,
• c) coupling to the coupling means one end of a shock tube that has a blasting means at its other end,
• d) electrically connecting a rotary electro-mechanical energising means to a remote controlled operating system adapted to electrically energise the rotary electro-mechanical energising means upon the remote controlled operating system receiving an energising signal,
• e) cocking a mechanical firing mechanism positioned between the coupling means and the rotary electro-mechanical energising means, wherein the mechanical firing mechanism is adapted to fire the firing pin and ignite the explosive charge to initiate burning of the shock tube,
• f) positioning the safety mechanism to an armed mode to allow the initiation of the shock tube initiator to commence, and
• g) actuating firing of the mechanical firing mechanism by either:
• i. sending an energising signal to the remote controlled operating system to electrically energise the rotary electro-mechanical energising means so that the energised rotary electro-mechanical energising means causes an actuating means positioned between the rotary electro-mechanical energising means and the mechanical firing mechanism to actuate the mechanical firing mechanism, or
• ii. manually operating the actuation means to actuate the mechanical firing mechanism.