GB2222208A - Pumping apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus pumping a composition comprising at least two ingredients comprises a piston, worm or archimedean screw pump (14, 15) for pumping each ingredient separately and to deliver the ingredient separately to a common outlet (22). The reciprocating pumps shown are of the piston type and are operated by a single hand lever (18). The pumps may instead be operated by an air or electric motor. the latter driving worm or screw pumps via gearing. The apparatus is particularly useful in the pumping of a settable resin into drilled holes in unstable mine workings, the resin and hardener being supplied to the point of use through a lance comprising concentric tubes. <IMAGE>

Description

PUMPING APPARATUS The invention relates to pumping apparatus.

The invention is particularly, though not exclusively, concerned with the pumping of a settable resin into drilled holes in unstable mine workings.

It is a known practice to strengthen unstable strata in mines by drilling elongate holes through the strata and then inserting bolts or dowels into the holes. Generally a settable resin is inserted into the holes to assist in fastening the dowels and bolts in place.

It is preferable to pump the resin into holes, because it then tends to be forced not only into the holes, but also into fissures in the strata, and relatively complicated and expensive pumping machinery is available for this purpose. Since however the resin is settable, the pumping apparatus has to be immediately and thoroughly cleaned after each use, to prevent the resin from hardening within the pumping apparatus.

Because of the difficulties associated with pumping, using known apparatus, the most common technique used at present is to insert sausage shaped packs of resin and hardener into the holes, then to drive a mixing rod into the holes and rotate the rod to mix the resin and hardener. Not only is this somewhat time consuming and inconvenient, but substantial quantities of the sausage shaped packs can become damaged or lost in the difficult working conditions of a mine, and even after the sausages have been inserted into a hole, they can drop out again, before a mixing rod has been inserted into the hole, particularly with an upwardly extending hole.

We have now developed pumping apparatus which makes it possible to obtain all the advantages of pumping but without the disadvantage of the pumping apparatus being damaged by hardening of the resin within the pump.

Accordingly, the invention provides pumping apparatus for use in pumping a composition comprising at least two ingredients, the apparatus having means to pump each ingredient separately and deliver the ingredient separately to a common outlet.

Preferably, common drive means is provided to operate the pump means.

For example, there may be a common pump handle connected to each pump means.

Preferably at least one pump means has a different capacity to another pump means, to enable ingredients to be pumped according to a pre-determined ratio.

The pump means may be mounted on a common support, which is connected to reservoir means for the ingredients, there being a separate reservoir for each ingredient.

Preferably, there are means to ensure that any given pump means can only be inserted into the appropriate reservoir.

The mounting may comprise a plate which forms a lid for a storage drum containing the reservoirs.

According to an alternative embodiment the pumping apparatus may be power driven.

Preferably, common power drive means is provided to operate the pump means.

The power drive means may comprise a motor. For example, there may be a common compressed air motor driving each pump means.

The motor may drive one pump means directly and another pump means indirectly e.g. via a connecting rod.

The rod may comprise a lever which is pivotally mounted to an anchor bracket and pivotally connected to both a first and a second pump means.

Preferably, the first pump means has a different capacity to the second pump means, to enable ingredients to be pumped according to a pre-determined ratio.

The different capacity may be achieved by using a different bore or using a different stroke length. The different stroke length may be achieved by adjusting the leverage ratio of the lever connections.

Accordingly the ratio according to which the ingredients may be pumped may be altered by adjusting the lever connections to change the leverage ratio.

The pump means may be connected to a lance, the lance having separate passageways along its length for each ingredient.

The passageways may be concentric.

The end of the lance may be provided with means for preventing the ingredients from running back along the outside of the lance.

The pump lance may have graduations marked on it so that the user may know how much of the lance has been inserted into the hole.

Because of the heavy use envisaged, for example underground in the often difficult conditions found in mineworkings, there may be a protective sleeve around the part of the lance where the hoses join at the lance, which part of the lance may be vulnerable.

The lance may have a mixing end, for example, in which helical pathways mix the ingredients up to 1000 times.

The end of the lance may be detachable and disposable.

The entire apparatus may be enclosed in a case and preferably lubrication reservoirs may be accessible from outside the case.

A bench mounted version of the apparatus may be provided in which an inlet pipe is connected to each of the pump means which are both connected to a single outlet pipe, so that the inlet pipes may be located in different reservoirs containing different ingredients for the purpose of testing mixture quality in the laboratory.

By way of example, specific embodiments of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 is a rear view of an embodiment of pump according to the invention, specifically adapted for use in pumping resin into drilled holes in mine workings; Figure 2 is a side view of the pump shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the pump shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a detailed view of a connection of the pump; Figure 5 is a detailed plan view of a container drum for use with the pump; Figure 6 is a front view of a second embodiment of pump according to the invention, specifically adapted for use in pumping resin into drilled holes in mine workings; Figure 7 is an end view of the pump shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 is a plan view of the pump shown in Figure 6;; Figure 9 is a detailed view showing the hoses coupled to the lance; Figure 10 is a side view of yet another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 11 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in Figure 10; and Figure 12 is a view of the lance of this embodiment.

The object of the specific embodiment of pump shown in Figures 1 to 5 is to inject into a drilled hole in a mine working, under pressure, a charge of settable resin, in a simple and economic manner and without the pump subsequently becoming blocked because of setting of the resin within the pump.

Accordingly, the pump comprises two separate pump cylinder units 10 and 11, each mounted on a support plate 12 which also forms a lid for a storage drum 13. Each pump cylinder operates in a conventional manner, having an inlet within the drum 13, which is not visible in the drawings, an operating piston, the top end of which is indicated respectively by the reference numerals 14 and 15, valve means within the cylinder, also not visible in the drawings, and outlets respectively indicated by the reference numerals 16 and 17 in Figure 3.

Each of the pistons 14 and 15 is connected to a common handle 18 which is pivotally mounted on the plate 12 such that pumping the handle 18 up and down will move the pistons 14 and 15 up and down in unison, to pump the contents of the drum 13 out of the outlets 16 and 17.

The pump cylinder 10 is of larger capacity than the pump cylinder 11 and is intended for use in pumping the principal resin component of a two part settable resin. The other component, the catalytic hardener, is intended to be pumped by the pump cylinder 11. As can best be seen from Figure 5, the drum 13 is divided into two parts. A small sector of the drum 19 contains the hardener, and this is separated from the larger resin compartment 20 by walls 21 which are resistant to attack by the hardener, which tends to be acidic. The plate 12 and drum 13 have interconnections, not visible in the drawings, which ensure that the plate 12 can only be fitted to the drum 13 in one particular orientation, in which the pump cylinder 11 enters the sector 19 and the pump cylinder 10 enters the sector 20.This reduces the risk that the pump cylinders will be accidentally introduced into the wrong areas of the drum 13.

The outlet 17 from the cylinder pump 10 leads directly into one end of a lance 22, as best shown in Figure 4. The outlet 16 for the hardener enters the lance 22 via a branch pipe, again as best shown in Figure 4. With the lance 22, there is a narrower central tube 23 and the outlet 16 connects with the end of this tube 23. The tube 23 extends right to the end of the lance 22, where the lance terminates in a steel washer 24.

The entire apparatus has a central carrying handle 25.

Each pump cylinder is secured in place on the plate 12 by a lock nut 26. The plate itself is held in place on the drum 13 by winged retaining nuts 27.

Various sizes of lance 22 and drum 13 may be used, depending on the requirements. The length of the lance 22 is chosen to suit the length of the hole into which resin is to be inserted, and the diameter of the steel washer 24 is selected to be only very slightly less than the diameter of the hole. The size of the drum 13 is selected dependent upon the size and number of holes to be filled with resin.

The pump is particularly suitable for use when it is desired to strengthen unstable strata in a mine by drilling holes through the unstable strata and inserting bolts or dowels to pin the strata together. It is advantageous to pump resin into the holes before the bolts or dowels are inserted, to assist in securing the bolts or dowels in position and also to enter fissures in the strata to assist in bonding the strata together.

Until now however, relatively complicated and expensive pumping machinery has been necessary, and because the resin is settable, the pump has to be cleaned very thoroughly immediately after use, to prevent the pump from being ruined by resin setting within the pump.

The pump according to this embodiment of the invention is so designed that the resin and hardener do not mix until they reach the very tip of the lance 22.

The capacities of the two cylinder pumps 10 and 11 are so selected, relative to one another, that pumping of the common handle 18 automatically pumps resin and hardener in the appropriate ratio along the lance 22 to the tip of the lance. A typical ratio might be 10 to 1.

Because the washer 24 is only slightly smaller than the diameter of the hole into which the lance is inserted, the washer prevents resin and hardener from running back along the outside of the lance.

Although, after use, a small plug of hardened resin may form at the end of the lance 24, this can readily be broken away to clear the end of the lance ready for further use.

When one drum of resin and hardener has been exhausted, the plate 12 can rapidly be released from the drum and fitted to a new, full drum.

Although the pump described above has been specifically designed for use in injecting resin into holes in mine strata, the pump can of course be used for any application where it is desired to pump accurately controlled quantities of a two part composition, where it is desired to keep the two parts of the composition separate until they leave the pump.

The apparatus may be adapted for pumping by means other than the manual arrangement shown in the drawings.

Pumping may be carried out mechanically, electrically, hydraulically, by compressed air, or by any combination of these methods.

The apparatus may be used not only in the strengthening of strata but also for filling holes drilled in sound strata, for example to attach roof bolts for roof support systems and also anchorage bolts for holes drilled in mine floors.

The object of the specific embodiment of pump shown in Figures 6 to 9 is to inject into a drilled hole in a mine working, in a power operated manner, and under pressure, a charge of settable resin, in a simple and economic manner, and without the pump subsequently becoming blocked because of setting of the resin within the pump.

Accordingly, the pump comprises two separate pump cylinder units, 110 and 111, each mounted on a support plate 112, which also forms a lid for storage drums 113 for resin and 114 for catalyst.

Each pump cylinder operates in a conventional manner, having an inlet within its respective drum, which is not visible in the drawings, an operating piston, the top end of which is indicated respectively by the reference numerals 116 and 117, a valve means within the cylinder, also not visible in the drawings, and an outlet respectively indicated by the reference numerals 118 and 119.

The piston 116 is driven up and down directly by a reciprocating 4-inch compressed air motor 121 although the size of the motor may differ according to the circumstances. The motor 121 is mounted on a plate 150 which is spaced from the plate 112 by four spacer bolts 136.

The piston 117 is reciprocated indirectly by means of a connecting rod 120 which rocks about a pivotal mounting 122 on the plate 150 and is also pivotally connected to each of the pistons. The mounting 122 is bolted to the plate 150 by two bolts 137.

The air supply is fed into the motor through an air inlet valve. The compressed air drives the piston of the resin pump 116 up and down at a rate which is determined by the extent to which the air inlet valve is open. The action of the piston 116 causes the piston 117 to move up and down by virtue of the connecting rod. The two pistons 116 and 117 move in unison to pump the contents of the drums 113, 114 out of the outlets 118, 119.

The pump cylinder 110 is of a larger capacity than the pump cylinder 111 and is intended for use in pumping the principal resin component of a two part settable resin.

The other component, the catalytic hardener, is intended to be pumped by the pump cylinder 111.

The plate 112 has interconnections, not visible in the drawings, with the drums 113 and 114, which ensure that the plate 112 can only be fitted to the drums 113 and 114 in one particular orientation, in which the pump cylinder 110 enters the drum 113 and the pump cylinder 111 enters the drum 114. This reduces the risk that the pump cylinders will be accidentally introduced into the wrong drums.

A lance 130, as shown in Figure 9. consists of an inner pipe 131 of diameter 1/8 inch into which the hardener is introduced from the outlet 118 of cylinder pump 110 via a tube 128, and an outer pipe 132 of diameter 3/4 inch concentric with the pipe 131 into which the resin is introduced from the outlet 119 of the cylinder pump 111 via a second tube 128.

The lance terminates in a steel washer 134.

The entire apparatus has carrying handles 125.

A lubrication reservoir 155 for holding lubrication fluid is provided, which is accessible externally. This is kept full of lubricating oil when in operation in order to stop the resin from seizing the pump. The catalyst pump does not require a lubricant.

various sizes of lance 130 and drums 113, 114 may be used, depending on the requirements. However this particular embodiment with its large capacity and powered operation, is intended to be capable of filling a very large number of holes before refilling or replacement of the drums if required. The length of the lance 130 is chosen to suit the length of the hole into which resin is to be inserted, graduations on the lance showing how far it has been inserted once it is in the hole, and the diameter of the steel washer 134 is selected to be only very slightly less than the diameter of the hole. The capacity of the drums 113, 114 is selected dependent upon the size and number of holes to be filled with resin.

The pump according to this embodiment of the invention is so designed that the resin and hardener do not mix until the tip of the lance 130. The capacities of the two cylinder pumps 110 and 111 are so selected, relative to one another that the pumping action provided by the air motor 121 automatically pumps resin and hardener in the appropriate ratio along the lance 130 to the tip of the lance. A typical ratio might be 10:1.

The capacities are determined by choosing an appropriate bore or a stroke length. The stroke length is altered by changing the leverage ratio.

Because the washer 134 is only slightly smaller than the diameter of the hole into which the lance is inserted, the washer prevents resin and hardener from running back along the outside of the lance.

Although, after use, a small plug of hardened resin may form at the end of the lance 130, this can readily be broken away to clear the end of the lance for further use.

When one drum of resin and/or one drum of hardener has been exhausted, the plate 112 can rapidly be released from the drum(s) and fitted to a new, full drum.

The top half of the machine must be lifted up in order that the pump suction tubes clear the drum tops so that the drums can be withdrawn and replaced by full ones.

The machine is constructed so that when lifted by the handles 125 it slides out of the bottom square framework leaving the empty drums resting on the base plate 126.

This is facilitated by having 3/4 ins. square tube inside 1 ins. tube so that when the top half is lifted to the required height, two lock pins 135 may be inserted through the outer and the inner tubes to hold the top half of the machine whilst the containers are changed.

When the lock pins 135 are removed the top half slides back down to its working position.

Turning now to Figures 10 to 12, a third embodiment is shown utilising worm or screw pumps 210 and 211. The pumps are mounted side by side on a base plate 212. The pumps have side inlets 213 and 214 and end outlets 215 and 216. Each pump is such that when its respective rotary drive member 217,218 is rotated, the worm or screw within the pump creates suction at the inlets 213 and 214, and outlet pressure at the outlets 215 and 216.

A drive unit 219 is mounted above the pumps. The drive unit can operate from any convenient source, and may for example involve electric power, hydraulic power, pneumatic power, or a combination thereof. The drive unit has an outlet shaft 220 and this is connected by gearing or a belt and pulley arrangement, or a chain and sprocket arrangement, such that when the shaft driven from 20 rotates, the two drive members 217 and 218 are also rotated.

The two pumps are identical, so that for a given rotational speed of the drive members 217 and 218, the pumps deliver the same quantity of ingredient. Since it will generally be necessary to pump a greater quality of resin than of catalytic hardener, the gearing or other arrangement can be adjusted so that the shaft 218 rotates more quickly than the shaft 217. The ratio may for example be variable from 10:1 to 15:1.

In use a catalyst inlet pipe is connected to the inlet 213, and a resin inlet pipe is connected to the inlet 214. The outlet 216 is connected to a main tube 221 of the lance shown in Figure 12. The catalyst outlet 215 is connected to a branch pipe 222 which leads to an inner concentric pipe 223. Each pipe 221 and 222 has a key 224 to facilitate connection.

The main part of the pipe 221 terminates at 225.

The tube 223 protrudes beyond the point 225 and is closed at the point 226. Between the points 225 and 226 the tube 223 has a plurality of injection outlets, one of which can be seen at 227. In use, a plastics sleeve is fitted onto the pipe 221, to act as an extension thereof, extending over the protruding part of the pipe 223. Thus as pumping progresses, the resin is pumped along the outside of the tube 223, inside the plastics sleeve, and catalyst emerges from the holes such as 227 to be injected into the resin at various points. If desired, the plastics sleeve may also incorporate baffles or screw threads, which assist in the mixing. The plastics sleeve may be disposable.

The use of separate inlet pipes for connection to the inlets 213 and 214 has two advantages. Firstly, it enables the device to be used in a bench mounted manner as described above so that different resins and catalysts can be used or tested, with different mixing ratios.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it enables the apparatus to be used at a point remote from the supply reservoirs of catalyst and resin, as, for example, may be required when working in restricted mine spaces. The pumps 210 and 211 are actually capable of sucking resin and catalyst for a distance of up to 20 feet, so it is possible for the apparatus to operate at a distance of up to 20 feet from supply drums.

Furthermore, the pumps 210 and 211 are capable, if required, of pumping ingredients from the outlets 215 and 216 for a distance of up to 100 feet.

In use, all components shown in Figure 10 are housed within a protective casing.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims (35)

1. Pumping apparatus for use in pumping a composition comprising at least two ingredients, the apparatus having means to pump each ingredient separately and deliver the ingredient separately to a common outlet.

2. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, in which common drive means is provided to operate the pump means.

3. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, in which there is a common pump handle connected to each pump means.

4. Pumping apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one pump means has a different capacity to another pump means, to enable ingredients to be pumped according to a predetermined ratio.

5. Pumping apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the pump means are mounted on a common support which is connected to reservoir means for each ingredient.

6. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, in which there are means to ensure that any given pump means can only be connected to the appropriate reservoir.

7. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, in which the mounting comprises a plate which forms a lid for a storage drum containing the reservoirs.

8. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, which is power driven.

9. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 8, in which common power drive means is provided to operate the pump means.

10. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, in which the power drive means comprises a motor.

11. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, in which a common compressed air motor is provided to drive each pump means.

12. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 9 or Claim 10, or Claim 11, in which the motor drives one pump means directly and drives another pump means indirectly.

13. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, in which the indirect driving is via a connecting rod.

14. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 13, in which the connecting rod comprising a lever which is pivotally mounted to an anchor bracket and pivotally connected to both a first and a second pump means.

15. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 14, in which the first pump means has a different capacity to the second pump means, to enable ingredients to be pumped according to a predetermined ratio.

16. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 15, in which each pump means comprises a reciprocating pump, and the different capacity is achieved using a different bore and/or using a different stroke length.

17. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 16 in which the different stroke length is achieved by adjusting the leverage ration of the lever connections.

18. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, in which the pump means each comprise a rotary pump.

19. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 18, in which each pump comprises a worm or archimedean screw type pump.

20. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 19, or Claim 20, in which a common motor is provided to rotate the drive member of each pump.

21. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 20, in which the common motor is capable of driving the drive members at different speeds, to vary the ratio in which ingredients are pumped.

22. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 21, in which the rotation at different speeds is brought about by gearing.

23. Pumping apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the pump means are connected to a lance, the lance having separate passageways along its length for each ingredient.

24. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 23, in which the passageways are concentric.

25. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 23 or Claim 24, in which the end of the lance is provided with means for preventing the ingredients from running back along the outside of the lance.

26. Pumping apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 25, in which the lance has graduations marked on it so that the user may know how much of the lance has been inserted into the hole.

27. Pumping apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 26, in which there is a protective sleeve around a part of the lance where supply hoses join at the lance.

28. Pumping apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 27, in which the lance has a mixing end.

29. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 28, in which the mixing end has helical passageways which mix the ingredients up to 1000 times.

30. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 28 or Claim 29, in which the mixing end includes a portion where one ingredient is pumped out of an inner passage, through a plurality of apertures, to be injected into a second ingredient contained in an outer surrounding passage.

31. Pumping apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 28 to 30, in which the end of the lance is detachable and disposable.

32. Pumping apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, enclosed in a protective case.

33. Pumping apparatus as claimed in Claim 32, in which at least one lubrication reservoir is accessible from outside the case.

34. Pumping apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which each pump means has its own inlet pipe.

35. Pumping apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, with reference to Figures 1 to 5, or Figures 6 to 9, or Figures 10 to 12, of the accompanying drawings.