GB2177033A - Self-propelled roof drilling and bolting trolley - Google Patents

Abstract

The trolley (10) comprises a platform (12-15) carrying a drilling mast assembly (22) and power means (20,21) to operate same, and transversely spaced wheels or rollers on the underside of the platform adapted to engage the upper face of an armoured face conveyor (11) for movement therealong, and power means (45) on the trolley for propelling same along the conveyor. Where the mining machine haulage is a chainless haulage system, the trolley propulsion is by a power driven sprocket wheel on the trolley which engages the rack (44) of the chainless haulage system. Alternatively, the trolley propulsion is by a power driven friction wheel engaging a running track on the conveyor (11). The drilling mast assembly (22) comprises a drill mast (23) carrying a drill (30) and a motor (31) which drives the drill, and a plurality of piston and cylinder units (20,21,27) to position the drill mast said mast being located at one side of the trolley (10), the face side in use, and being moveable between an upright or transversely inclined drilling position and a horizontal position longitudinally of the trolley for transportation, and variably positionable transversely of the trolley. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Self-propelled roof drilling and bolting trolley This invention relates to a trolley for use in drilling bolt holes and inserting bolts into the drilled holes in a mine longwall face.

Roof bolting is widely practised in most coal-fields overseas and is becoming more popular in the United Kingdom.

On a longwall face in the U.K. hand held rotary drills are used to drill the holes for the roof bolts to be inserted. For other places elsewhere underground in the U.K., semi-portable masts with automatic drill traverse are in common use. These masts are mounted on a sledge which is hauled along an armoured face conveyor by the'mining machine mounted on the conveyor. In consequence, the mining machine has to be stationary when roof drilling takes place. Overseas, large floor based high H.P.

machines fitted with crawlertracks and power packs are employed for the same purpose but these are too large and cannot be used in the United Kingdom because they do not comply with the requirements of the Coal Mines Act regulations.

It is an object of this invention to provide a trolley which can be used independently ofthe mining machine.

According to the present invention there is pro vided a trolley for use in drilling bolt holes and insert- ing bolts into the drilled holes in a mine driveway, said trolley comprising a platform carrying a drilling mast assembly and power means to operate same, and transversely spaced wheels or rollers on the underside of the platform adapted to engage the upper face of an armoured face conveyor for movement therealong, and power means on the trolley for prop- elling same along the conveyor.

Preferablywherethemining machinehaulageunit is a chainless haulage system, the trolley propulsion is by a power driven sprocket wheel on the trolley which engages the rack of the chainless haulage system.

Alternatively, the trolley propulsion is buy a power driven friction wheel engaging a running track on the conveyor along which the mining machine moves.

Preferably also, the drilling mastassemblycom- prises a drill mast carrying a drill and a motorwhich drives the drill, and a plurality of piston and cylinder units to position the drill mast, said mast being located at one side ofthe trolley, the face side in use, and being moveable between an uprightortransversely inclined drilling position and a horizontal position longitudinally ofthe trolley fortransportation, and variably positionable transversely of the trolley.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa perspective view from above and to the face side of an A. F.C. conveyor illustrating one embodiment of a trolley according to the invention; Figure2 is an end view illustrating the trolley in its drill-operating mode; Figure3isasimilarviewillustratingthetrolley in its transport mode; Figure 4is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 illustrating a second embodiment of the trolley and Figure 5is an end view showing the trolley of the second embodiment in its drill operating mode.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 3, the trolley 10 is mounted on an armoured face conveyor 11 for movementtherealong independently of a mining machine (notshown) e.g. a drum shearer.

The trolley 10 has a horizontal platform formed by a substantiallytriangularframework comprising a longitudinal bar 12 and two transverse bars 13, 1 4which diverge towards one side, (in use the face side of the conveyor 11) and are joined by a short longitudinal bar15.

Atransverse plate 16 overlies the framework supported by the bars 12 and 15 and carries a transversely disposed hydraulic piston and cylinder unit 20,21 forming part of a drilling mast assembly 22. Adrilling mast 23 can be disposed upright (Figure 1) and is pivotally connected at its centre to an arm 24 attached to the piston 20; thus the mast can be extended transversely away from the trolley or drawn towards it. A small piston and cylinder unit 25 (Figure 2) attached to the mast 23 and arm 24 serves to pivot the mast on the arm about an axis which is longitudinal relative to the conveyor 11 (Figure 2) thus the mast can be tilted transversely towards a coal face alongside which the conveyor 11 is placed.The mast 23 can also be swivelled manually or powered hydraulically about a transverse axis on a free swivel joint 26 to lie longitudinal relative to the conveyor 11 (Figure 3). Finally a further piston and cylinder unit 27 is attached to the underside of arm 24 and to a side plate 28 on the short sidle bar 15 ofthetrolleyand is pivotal on the plate 28 about a longitudinal axis relative to the conveyor 11; thus the arm 24 can be raised or lowered by the piston and cylinder unit 27to raise or lower the mast, and when the arm 24 is drawn over the trolley by retrac tionofthepiston and cylinderunit20,21,the unit27 can aiso retract and pivot towards the trolley so that the mast 23 is drawn as close to the trolley as possible and swivelled to lie longitudinally horizontal for transportation along the conveyor 11.On reaching the next location where drilling isto be done, the mast is swivelled to the upright position, and tilted if necessary. The mast carries a drill 30 which is operated by a motor 31 at the lower end of the mast 23 and guided through an apertured flange 32 atthe upper end. An anchor spike 33 is mounted on the flange 32.

The trolley 10 has transversely spaced wheels 40 which run on upper faces of the conveyor 11; there is one wheel on the face side and two on the goaf side, and they are mounted on the longitudinal bars 15 and 12 respectively. Also at the goaf side and carried on the trolley framework is a toothed sprocket 41 over which a casing 42 is located. The sprocket 41 engages between teeth 43 of a rack bar 44on the conveyor and is driven bya geared motor45 mounted on the trolley.The geared motor 45 which drives the sprocket is powered from an hydraulic supply which can be di- verted to power the drill motor 31 and the piston and cylinder units which control the positioning ofthe drill mase 23. Aplate 46 is mounted at the goaf side of each transverse bar 13, 14 and has a lower projection which extends under a trapping bar 47 carried by the rack bar44to hold the trolley down on the conveyor surface.

In a second embodiment, Figures 4 and 5, the platform comprises a horizontal substantially triangular plate 50 from which depend flanges 51,52 (Figure 5) carrying running wheels 53,54 on the goaf side and running wheel 55 on the face side. One of the goaf side wheels 53 is driven by a motor 56.

A brake unit comprising a hinged arm 57 and brake pad 58 are mounted on the extreme goaf side ofthe trolley so that the pad 58 can engage againstthe outer goaf side face of the track spine plate 59 when it is desired to halt the trolley and operate the drill mast.

The other components of the trolley of thins embodi ment correspond to those ofthe first embodiment and have like numerals.

An advantage of a trolley as herein before described is its independence because it can be moved along a conveyor by its own drive.

In addition it can be lifted bodily offthe conveyorto allow passage of a mining machine mounted on the conveyor; alternatively the drilling mast assembly, which is easily dismantled can firstly be removed and then the trolley easily dismantled and lifted clear of the conveyor.

Atrolley according to the invention can be designed forfitting to any known type of conveyorand chainless haulage system of varying designs and dimensions.

Asecondaryfunction of the trolley is its ability to be used as a vehicle for moving equipment along the face which otherwise would have to be manhandled.

Claims (4)

1. Atrolleyforuse in drilling boltholes and inserting bolts into the drilled holes in a mine driveway, said trolley comprising a platform carrying a drilling mast assembly and power means to operate same, and transversely spaced wheels or rollers on the underside of the platform adapted to engage the upper face of an armoured face conveyor for movement therealong, and power means on thetrolleyforprop- elling same along the conveyor.

2. Atrolleyasclaimed in claim 1,inwhich,where the mining machine haulage unit is a chainless haulage system, the trolley propulsion is by a power driven sprocket wheel on thetrolleywhich engages the rack of the chainless haulage system.

3. Atrolley as claimed in claim 1, in which, the trolley propulsion is by a power driven friction wheel engaging a running track on the conveyor along which a mining machine moves.

4. Atrolley as claimed in any one of claims 1 to3, in which, the drilling mast assembly comprises a drill mast carrying a drill and a motorwhich drivesthe drill, and a plurality of piston and cylinder units to position the drill mast, said mast being located at one side ofthe trolley, the face side in use, and being moveable between an upright ortransversely inclined drilling position and a horizontal position longitudinally of the trolley for transportation, and vari ablypositionabletransverselyofthetrolley.