Recovery head with track seal
AssigneeSORD Technologies Limited
InventorNeil Deryck Bray Graham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for assembling a liner from a plurality of longitudinal sections of flexible material having longitudinal edges adapted to be joined one to another to form the liner includes a path means along which the longitudinal sections of flexible material can be conveyed in a laterally reduced condition, an assembly zone at which the longitudinal edges can be joined together to form the liner, and a guide structure about which the flexible material can turn upon exiting from the path means to provide an inner section and an outer section turned back with respect to the inner section. The guide structure presents a guide, surface over which the longitudinal sections of flexible material can pass, the surface being configured to facilitate spreading of each longitudinal section from the laterally reduced condition.
Claims18
A recovery head comprising:
- a chamber for receiving material to be recovered;
- a screen associated with the chamber for screening material entering the chamber;
- propulsion means for propelling the recovery head through a formation containing the material to be recovered, said propulsion means including an endless track having a first run which is exposed to the exterior of the recovery head for driving engagement with the environment through which the recovery head is to pass and a second run within the confines of the recovery head so as not to be exposed to that environment;
- a seal positioned between the first run and a wall of the recovery head for inhibiting the ingress of unwanted material into the interior of the recovery head;
- and
- water jets positioned adjacent the seal such that water under pressure can issue from the water jets and clean the seal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.