Rock bolting system, method of installing rock bolts, and flexible bolt centralizer
Assignee1311854 Ontario Limited
InventorYves Nelson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rock bolting system comprises independently movable hydraulic stinger, drill feed and bolting feed. The stinger is hydraulically extended to sting or engage the face of the rock. With the stinger stinging the rock face, the drill feed drills a hole in the rock. With the stinger still stinging the rock face, the bolting feed is indexed into position and a rock bolt is installed in the hole. A flexible elastomeric bolt centralizer may be mounted to the bolting feed to guide the rock bolt into the hole drilled by the drill feed.
Claims20
A rock bolting system comprising:
- a hydraulic stinger for engaging a rock face to stabilize the rock bolting system;
- a drill feed for drilling a hole in the rock face;
- and
- a bolting feed for installing a rock bolt into the hole, wherein the hydraulic stinger, the drill feed and the bolting feed are each independently extendable and retractable.
A method of installing ground support using a rock bolting system having a hydraulic stinger, a drill feed, and a bolting feed, the method comprising:
- independently extending the hydraulic stinger to engage a rock face while the drill feed and bolting feed remain retracted;
- while the hydraulic stinger is extended, independently extending the drill feed;
- drilling a hole in the rock with the hydraulic stinger engaging the rock face;
- indexing the system to rotate the bolting feed into alignment with the hole with the hydraulic stinger engaging the rock face;
- and
- installing a rock bolt into the hole using the bolting feed.
A bolt centralizer for a bolting feed in a rock bolt system, the bolt centralizer comprising:
- a flexible body capable of elastically flexing from an upright posture for centralizing a rock bolt to a folded posture that permits a bolting feed to advance;
- wherein the centralizer comprises a passage for guiding the rock bolt into a hole drilled by the rock bolt system;
- and
- wherein the centralizer comprises a base for fastening the centralizer to a sliding carriage adapted to travel over rails of the bolting feed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.