AU2011101710A4 - Rock Bolt - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A rock bolt comprising an elongate shaft configured to be located in a bore formed in a rock substrate, wherein a s visual indicator designating a physical characteristic of the rock bolt is incorporated into the material of the rock bolt. 3036520 _ (GHMatters) P86029.AU. 1 20112/11

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Standard Patent Applicant(s): FCI Holdings Delaware, Inc. Invention Title: Rock Bolt The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to me/us: 2 ROCK BOLT ASSEMBLY Technical Field The present invention relates to rock bolts suitable for use in the mining and 5 tunneling industry to provide rock and wall support. The invention is suitable for softer strata, such as that often found in coal mines, as well as hard rock applications. It is to be appreciated that the term "rock" as used in the specification is to be given a broad meaning to cover both of these applications. 10 Background Roof and wall support is vital in mining and tunneling operations. Mine and tunnel walls and roofs consist of rock strata, which must be reinforced to prevent the possibility of collapse. Rock bolts are widely used for consolidating the rock strata. In conventional strata support systems, a bore is drilled into the rock by a drill 15 rod, which is then removed and a rock bolt is then installed in the drilled hole and secured in place typically using a resin or cement based grout. The rock bolt is tensioned which allows consolidation of the strata by placing that strata in compression. The rock bolt is typically formed from a steel rod. To allow the rock bolt to be tensioned, the end of the bolt may be mechanically 20 anchored with the rock formation through use of a mechanical device such as an expansion assembly, or adhesively bonded to the rock formation with a bonding material inserted into the bore hole. Alternatively, a combination of mechanical anchoring and bonding can be employed by using both an expansion assembly and resin bonding material. 25 Summary of the Disclosure Disclosed is a rock bolt comprising an elongate shaft configured to be located in a bore formed in a rock substrate. A visual indicator designating a physical characteristic of the rock bolt is incorporated into the material of the rock bolt. 30 In one form the physical characteristic of the rock bolt is length. In one form the physical characteristic of the rock bolt is thickness. In one form the physical 2519759_1 (GHMatters) P86029.AU 3 characteristic of the rock bolt is strength. In one form the physical characteristic of the rock bolt is a combination of two or more physical characteristics. In one form the visual indicator is a colour. In one form the visual indicator is 5 texture. In one form the visual indicator is a pattern incorporated into the material of the rock bolt. In one form the material of the rock bolt is impregnated with the colour. 10 In one form the entirety of the rock bolt shaft is impregnated with the colour. The indicator on the rock bolt is thus integrated into the bolt itself. This provides relevant information to the user in relation to physical characteristics of the rock bolt which may not be immediately obvious. The integral nature of the indicator reduces the is possibility for removal of the indicator through wear or tampering. In the case of thickness or strength indicators it also allows for cutting down of the rock bolt without unintentionally removing the indicator. Further, the indicator is visible from all sides of the rock bolt and is equally visible when the rock bolt is stacked or otherwise covered with only a portion of the rock bolt being visible. 20 In one form the rock bolt is formed of a settable material such as a polymeric material, fiberglass or metals. The colour is incorporated into the material before setting and the bolt or a component of the bolt is then formed. 25 In one form the rock bolt is composed of fiberglass. The colour is incorporated in one or more components used in making the fiberglass (such as in the resin or in the glass fibers) and the bolt is then formed from the fiberglass. In a second aspect, disclosed is a method of manufacturing a rock bolt 30 comprising an elongate shaft configured to be located in a bore formed in a rock substrate. The method comprised preselecting a visual indicator to associate with at least one physical characteristic of the rock bolt, selecting a material incorporating that visual indicator, and forming a rock bolt with the or each selected physical characteristic from the material. 35 25i9769_l (GHMatlers) P86029AU 4 In one form the visual indicator is colour. In one form the material is impregnated with the colour. 5 In one form the at least one physical characteristic is length. In one form the at least one physical characteristic is thickness. In one form the material from which the bolt is formed is fiberglass. In one form io the fibreglass is coloured. Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: is Figure 1 illustrates a side view of one embodiment of a rock bolt; Figure 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the rock bolt of Figure 1 through A-A; Figure 3 illustrates an enlarged view of detail 1 from Figure 1; Figure 4 illustrates an end view of the rock bolt of Figure 1. 20 Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments Referring to the Figures, disclosed is a rock bolt 1 comprising an elongate shaft 2. The shaft extends from a leading end 3 to a trailing end 4. The rock bolt 1 is configured to be inserted into a bore hole drilled in a rock formation to reinforce the rock wall. 25 In use, an installer drills a bore hole into the rock formation. The bore hole will have a specified diameter and depth. The bore hole is flushed with water. In the case where resin is being utilised to secure the bolt in position in the bore hole, a resin capsule is inserted into the distal end of the bore hole ordinarily by positioning the resin capsule at the leading end of the rock bolt. 30 In order to provide sufficient tension and therefore reinforce the rock wall, the rock bolt must reach the distal end of the bore hole and must not have too much or too 2519769.1 (GHMatss) PBB029.AU 5 little room about its circumference within the bore hole. As a result, it is important that a rock bolt of the appropriate length and diameter is selected for a given bore hole. Shaft 2 is composed of a material that includes an integral visual indicator 5. In the illustrated form the indicator 5 is colour. The colour of the rock bolt material is s selected so that the physical characteristics of the shaft 2 can be indicated clearly. In the illustrated form, the shaft is composed of coloured fiberglass and is cuttable to provide given lengths of rock bolt 1. In not illustrated forms, the visual indicator could comprise texture or composition of the material or pattern within the material or etched onto the material surface. 10 In the illustrated form, the entirety of the material of the rock bolt incorporates the visual indicator, in this case impregnated colour. In not illustrated forms the colour may be impregnated into an outer layer, into the surface or into a particular section of the rock bolt. The visual indicator incorporated into the material of the rock bolt shaft allows for 15 a simplification of the manufacturing process in that once the rock bolt is formed from the material incorporating the visual indicator, it can be cut to length without limiting the effectiveness of the visual indicator and without requiring an additional step of adding a visual indicator to the rock bolt. Further, if the visual indicator is incorporated into the entirety of the outer edge of the rock bolt, the visual indicator on the rock bolt can be 20 viewed from all angles including the end. This means that if the rock bolt is stacked or partially covered the visual indicator will remain viewable. While the invention has been described in reference to its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the words which have been used are words of description rather than limitation and that changes may be made to the invention 25 without departing from its scope as defined by the appended claims. It is to be understood that a reference herein to a prior art document does not constitute an admission that the document forms part of the common general knowledge in the art in Australia or in any other country. In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, 30 except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to 25197691 (GHMatters) PB8020.AU 6 preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention. 251769_1 (GHMatter) P86029AU

Claims (15)

1. A rock bolt comprising an elongate shaft configured to be located in a bore formed in a rock substrate, wherein a visual indicator designating a physical characteristic of the s rock bolt is incorporated into the material of the rock bolt.

2. A rock bolt as defined in claim 1, wherein the physical characteristic of the rock bolt is length. 10

3. A rock bolt as defined in claim 1, wherein the physical characteristic of the rock bolt is thickness.

4. A rock bolt as defined in claim 1, wherein the physical characteristic of the rock bolt is strength. 15

5. A rock bolt as defined in claim 1, wherein the physical characteristic of the rock bolt is a combination of two or more physical characteristics.

6. A rock bolt as defined in claim 1, wherein the visual indicator is a colour. 20

7. A rock bolt as defined in claim 6, wherein the material of the rock bolt is impregnated with the colour.

8. A rock bolt as defined in any of the preceding claims, wherein the rock bolt is 25 composed of fiberglass.

9. A method of manufacturing a rock bolt comprising an elongate shaft configured to be located in a bore formed in a rock substrate, the method comprising: preselecting a visual indicator to associate with at least one physical 30 characteristic of the rock bolt, selecting a material incorporating that visual indicator, forming a rock bolt with the or each selected physical characteristic from the material. 25197691 (GHMatters) P8SO29.AU 8

10. A method of manufacturing a rock bolt as defined in claim 9 wherein the visual indicator is colour.

11. A method of manufacturing a rock bolt as defined in claim 10, wherein the material 5 is impregnated with the colour.

12. A method of manufacturing a rock bolt as defined in any one of claims 9 through 11, wherein the at least one physical characteristic is length. 10

13. A method of manufacturing a rock bolt as defined in any one of claims 9 through 11, wherein the at least one physical characteristic is thickness.

14. A method of manufacturing a rock bolt as defined in any one of claims 9 through 13, wherein the material is fibreglass 15

15. A method of manufacturing a rock bolt as defined in claim 14, wherein the fibreglass is coloured. 2519769_1 (GHMatter) P88029.AU