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AssigneeMaxam Dantex South Africa (Propietary) Limited
InventorLeon Michael Zimmermann
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One aspect of the invention concerns a method of charging an upwardly oriented hole with a pumpable material, typically a pumpable explosive material such as an ANE. In the method of the invention a laterally expandable retainer is provided. This is of smaller length than the hole and has an inlet at a lower end thereof and an outlet at an upper end thereof. In an unexpanded state the retainer has a smaller lateral dimension than the hole. The retainer is inserted upwardly into the hole in an unexpanded state, whereafter material with which the hole is to be charged is pumped upwardly into the retainer through the inlet such that the retainer fills up and expands laterally into engagement with a wall of the hole. Excess pumped material is allowed to upwardly out of the retainer into the hole through the outlet. After the retainer has been filled with material and the hole above the retainer has been at least partially filled with any excess material, the pumping operation is stopped and the inlet is closed. The material is then retained in the hole by engagement of the filled and expanded retainer with the wall of the hole. Another aspect of the invention concerns the apparatus used in the method.
A method of charging an upwardly oriented hole with a pumpable material, the method comprising the steps of:
An apparatus for charging an upwardly oriented hole with a pumpable material, the apparatus including a laterally expandable retainer comprising a length of lay flat tubing which is of smaller length than the hole, which has an inlet at an operatively lower end thereof and an outlet at an operatively upper end thereof and which, in an unexpanded state, has a smaller lateral dimension than the hole, a charging conduit, separate from the retainer, to an operatively upper end of which the inlet of the retainer is attached and which is sufficiently stiff to push the retainer upwardly into the hole in an unexpanded state, whereafter material with which the hole is to be charged can be pumped into the retainer through the inlet via the charging conduit such that the retainer fills up and expands laterally into engagement with a wall of the hole, with excess material being able to flow upwardly out of the retainer through the outlet, and means for closing the inlet after the retainer and at least a portion of the hole above the retainer have been filled with material and pumping of material has been terminated, such that engagement between the filled and expanded retainer and the wall of the hole serves to retain the material in the hole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.