Shot-rock diggability monitor
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsEverett G. Brandt, William C. Evans
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method and Apparatus are disclosed for dynamically determining the efficiency of blast design parameters at a mine site from measured machine loader characteristics whereby a microprocessor system receives signals indicative of power train and work implement linkage measurements and develops diggability ratio indices therefrom to ascertain the blast design efficiency.
Claims16
An apparatus for dynamically determining the efficiency of blast design parameters using muckpile condition at a mine site from measured machine loader characteristics, said loader including a drive train having an engine coupled through a torque converter and a transmission to a set of drive wheels and a digging apparatus including a bucket, comprising:
- a payload sensor coupled to the digging apparatus and operative to determine a parameter indicative of a payload carried by said bucket during an operational loading cycle and produce an output signal indicative thereof;
- A plurality of sensors coupled to the drive train components and to the digging apparatus and operative to measure operational parameters relating to an operational loading cycle of the loader, each sensor producing an output signal thereof;
- and a microprocessor coupled to receive the payload and operational output signals and process the signals to produce diggability ratio indices indicative of the blast design parameter efficiency.
A method for dynamically determining the efficiency of blast design parameters at a mine site from measured machine loader characteristics, said loader including a drive train having an engine coupled through a torque converter and a transmission to a set of drive wheels and a digging apparatus including a bucket, including the steps of:
- sensing a parameter indicative of a payload carried by said bucket during an operational loading cycle and producing an output signal indicative thereof;
- measuring operational parameters relating to an operational loading cycle of the loader and producing an output signal representative thereof;
- and
- coupling the payload and operational output signals into a microprocessor and processing the signals to produce diggability ratio indices indicative of the blast design parameter efficiency.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.