Method of and apparatus for breaking rock
AssigneeNXCO International Limited
InventorAndre Van Dyk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for breaking rock includes a cartridge with a base and a wall which extends from the base, the base and the wall forming an enclosure, a propellant inside the enclosure and means for igniting the propellant, and wherein at least the wall is made from a malleable material adapted to reinforce the wall of a hole in the rock in which the cartridge is located.
Claims19
A method of breaking rock which includes the steps of:
- (a) substantially filling a cartridge with a gas-evolving substance, the cartridge having a malleable wall and a base adapted to reinforce a wall and a bottom of a hole in the rock;
- (b) loading and confining the cartridge in the hole;
- (c) initiating a reaction of the gas-evolving substance and releasing a gas to cause the malleable wall and the base of the cartridge to simultaneously expand under pressure of the gas to the contours of its confinement and thus simultaneously reinforce the wall and the bottom of the hole, respectively;
- and
- (d) confining the gas within the cartridge, thus allowing a further build-up of pressure therein until rupture of the malleable wall and dislodgement of rock from the reinforced wall of the hole are achieved.
Apparatus for breaking rock which includes a cartridge with a base and a wall which is made from a malleable material and which extends from the base, the base and the wall forming an enclosure, a propellant which substantially fills the enclosure, and means for igniting the propellant, thereby to produce pressurized material which expands the cartridge wherein the malleable material is at least capable of plastic deformation in a radial sense without rupturing by at least 10% so that the wall and the base of the cartridge, upon expansion, simultaneously reinforce a wall and a bottom of a hole in the rock in which the cartridge is located, wherein a weakened zone is formed at a junction of the wall and the base so that when the cartridge is internally pressurized the container ruptures initially at this junction.
Apparatus for breaking rock which includes a cartridge with a base and a wall which is made from a malleable material and which extends from the base, the base and the wall forming an enclosure, a propellant which substantially fills the enclosure, and means for igniting the propellant, thereby to produce pressurized material which expands the cartridge wherein the malleable material is at least capable of plastic deformation in a radial sense without rupturing by at least 10% so that the wall and the base of the cartridge, upon expansion, simultaneously reinforce a wall and a bottom of a hole in the rock in which the cartridge is located, wherein the cartridge includes a rupture valve and wherein pressurized material, released upon ignition of the propellant, is allowed to escape from the cartridge via the rupture valve, at least initially, prior to escaping through the side wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.