OA21319A - A device for positioning and securing blast equipment in a blast hole. - Google Patents

Abstract

A device 10 for positioning and securing blast equipment in a blast hole (not shown) includes a primary receiving formation 12 configured and dimensioned to receive blast equipment (not shown) therein. The device is provided with outwardly biased gripping formations 14 extending from an outer wall 16 of the device 10 for in use engaging a wall of a blast hole, thereby securing the device 10 substantially centrally at a desired location in the blast hole. The device 10 further includes a secondary receiving formation 18 extending from the primary receiving formation 16.

Description

? A DEVICE FOR POSITIONING AND SECURlNG.BLAST EQUIPMENT IN,A BLAST HOLE:

Field of the Invention’· : « ; This invention relates to a device .for positioning and securing blast equipment in a blàst hole which is packed or filled with an explosive.

Background to the Invention

- Blast holes aredrilled into rock walls in mines so that they can be filled with an explosive ' I : which is then detonated so as to create cracks deeper in the wall in order to allow further drilling and mining of the rock.

A detonator and often also a booster are placed atornear a bottom or closed end of the blast hole priorto the holebeing packed orfilled with explosive. Blastholes often contain - , water at theirclosed end and during filling with the explosive the water rises, thereby displacing the detonator and booster. In the event that the explosive is an émulsion, this s may also cause the detonator and booster to be displaced and rise in the blast hole.

The detonator and booster may be displaced and then corne to rest at an angle instead of being located centrally in the blast hole.

-Both the upward displacement of the detonator and booster as well as their coming to i rest inrthe blast hole at an angle results in the explosion upon détonation taking place somewhere along the length of the blast hole instead of at the bottom while the détonation may not be uniform. This in turn can cause the top of the blast hole to explode, releasing gases and possibly causing flying rocks. The explosion is therefore not only less effective and predictable but also dangerous.

The inventor therefore believes that a need exists for providing a device that will assist in overcoming at least some of the problems described .above.

Summary of thé Invention

According to the invention, there is provided a device for positioning and securing blast equipment in a blast hole, the device including:

- a primary receiving formation configured and dimensioned to receive blast equipmenttherein; and ' . . - . - .-J ΐ /-2-. . ' . :; ; ν ; / ^γ at least two outwardly:biased gripping formations -'extending from an outèr wall of ι···ί/-U'U ' the device for in use engaging a wall of a blast hôle, thereby securing the device o/·· r ’ ? substantially céntrally at a desired location in the blast hole.

κ r ... The device may include a secondary ;receiving formation extending from the primary ï < 5 receiving formation. In use, the secondary receiving formation may recëive a 'Ioading

Y stick, charge hose, or charging nozzle therein.

^?? ? The primary and secondary' receiving formations may be cylindrical. An internai diameter wv , of the primary receiving formation may be larger than that of the secondary receiving formation.

λ ? 10 A bracemember may extend across an innef wall of the primary receiving formation. The < ? brace member may be located ata junction between the primary and secondary receiving formations. ' ÿ In use, the brace member may inhibit blast equipment in the primary receiving formation < from being pushed oui of the device during positioning of thé devicein the blast hole.

The blast equipment may^ for example, be ohe or more of: a detonator, a blast booster, and an energizer.

; A slit may be défined in the wall of the device along the ehtire length thereof.

The gripping formations may be in the form of arms extending at an acute angle from the ? device towards a free end ofthe secondary receiving formation. The arms may be located at the junction between the primary and secondary receiving formations. Each arm may terminate in a foot portion which may in use engage a wall of a blast hole.

' ln a preferred embodiment, five arms may be spaced apart substantially equidistantly around the device.

“ In use, the device¹ may be inserted into the blast hole with the primary receiving formation / 25 leading. During the insertion process, the arms may flex towards the device thereby allowing the device to be.located at a desired position in the blast hole.

Once the device has corne to rest at the desired position, the biased arms may push outwardly so that their foot portions may. engage the wall of the blast hole thereby securing the device in position substantially centrally in the blast hole.

The device may be manufactured from any suitable inert material. The device may be manufactured froma synthetic plastics material. .....

. ' ’ 9 · The interiordiameterof theprimaiy receiving formation may bè between 5 mm and 150 μ - .>.? i ai mm and may preferably be about 52 mm;· ·'<·.

ώ ; îq-î . The interior diameter of the secondàry receiving formation may be between 5 mm and36· ; mm and may preferably be about 36 mm. .

%-i·«· ’;'5 ' The length of the primaiy receiving formation may beibetween 6 mm and 60 mm and.may preferably be about 52 mm.

i a? λ / The length of the secondàry receiving formation may be between 10 mm and 52 mm and

- ? may preferably be about 50 mm.

ί Detailed Description of the Invention % ? 10 The invention wiII now be described by way of the following, non-limiting example with % w ; référencé to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

h? ; s Figure 1 shows a first side view of a device for positioning and securing blast equipment ? « ·> in a blast hole in accordance with the présent invention;

Figure 2 shows a second side view;

Figure 3 shows a sectioned side view along line A-A in Figure 2;

Figure 4 shows a top view;

: : Figure 5 shows a top three-dimensional view; and

Figure 6 shows a bottom three-dimensional view.

? 20 ? In the drawings, référencé numéral 10 generally indicates an embodiment of a device for ? positioning and securing blast equipment in a blast hole in accordance with the présent invention.

A device 10 for positioning and securing blast equipment in a blast hole (not shown) includes a primary receiving formation 12 configured and diméhsioned to receive blast 25 equipment (not shown) therein.

The device is provided with outwardly biased gripping formations 14 extending from an outer wall 16 df the device 10 for in use engaging a wall of à blast hole, thereby securing the device 10 substantially centrally at a desired location in the blast hole.

' . 4 ' .

.-':·» he dëvicêilùÎurther includes^ secondary récëiying formation 18 extending from the ' > /primary réceivingiormation 46. In use; the secondary receiving formation 18-can receive < ;; oaloading stick;, charge hose, or charging nozzle therein. · . ' · The fprimaryand^ secondary receiving formations 12 and I8:are çyiindrical ascan bes·] bë î shi-seemin Figures/5 and 6. An internai diameter of the primary receiving formation 12 is c æo slightly larger than that of the secondary receiving formation 18.

; ; ’ > A brace member 20 including a ring 22 and two struts 24 extends across an inner wall of the primary receiving formation 12. The brade member 20 is located at a junction 26 ;. between the primary and secondary receiving formations 12 and 18.

λ 10 s In use, the brace; member 20 inhibits-blast equipment in the primary receiving formation — w 12 from being pushed out of the deviée 10 during positioning of the device 10 in the blast ¹ hole. The blast equipment is typically one or more of: a detonator, a blast booster, and an energizer.

A slit 28 is defined in the wall of the device 40 along the entire length thereof as can best 15 be seen in Figure 6. The slit 28 allows the device 10 to flex open a little when blast « equipment is pushed into the primary receiving formation 12, thereby exerting a : > compressive force on the blast equipment once it is in place. The slit 28 also allows for : a cord of a detonator located in the primary réceiving formation 12 to be run exterior the device 10 towards an opening of the blast hole.

20' Apart from inhibiting the blast equipment from being pushed out of the device 10, the brace member 20 also limits the amount that the device 10 is able to flex open.

? The gripping formations 14 are in the form of arms 30 extending at an acute angle from > the device 10 towards a free end of the secondary receiving formation 18. In the embodiment shown, the arms 30 are located at the junction 26 between the primary and 25 secondary receiving formations 12 and 18. Each arm 30 terminâtes in a foot portion 32 which in use engages a wall of a blast hole.

In the embodiment shown, five arms 30 are spaced apart substantially equidistantly around the device 10.

In use, the device 10 is inserted into the blast hole with the primary receiving formation 30 12 leading after the blast equipment has been placed into it. During the insertion process, the arms 30 flex towards the device 10 in the direction of arrow “B” in Figure 5, thereby allowing the device 10to be tocated at a desired position in the blast hole.

• .. ' ' 5 . ' ^: Once thexieyicè/IO has· corné to_: rest at the desired position,•the;biased arms 30 push p: 7 ·, oùtwardly <n the^;directronof arrow “C” in Figure 6, so thattheir foot portions 32 engage ' ? > the wall of the blast holé thereby securing the device 10 in position substantially centrally in the blast hole.

^{Ύ 1} R 5 The device 10'is manüfactured from any suitable · inert material and is typicaily ί p mânufactured from a synthetic plastics material.

Theiinteriordiameter of theprimary receiving formation 12 is between 6 mm and 60 mm, preferably about 42.3 mm.

ΐ / The interior diameter of the secondary receiving formation 18 is between 5 mm and 36 10 mm, preferably about 36 mm.

^; The lengthof the primary receiving formation 12 is between 5 mm and 150 mm, preferably about 52 mm.

x The length of the secondary receiving formation 18 is between 10 mm and 52 mm, preferably about 50 mm.

It is to be appreciated, that the invention is not limited to any particular embodiment or configuration herêinbefore generally described and/or illustrated.

Claims (1)

1. L tï î j ! A device ;for positioning and securing blast equipment in à blast. hole, the device including: · . : ' r_;i a primary^ receiving formation configured and dimensioned to receive blast ' 5 equipment therein; and ? · -/ -Λί a at least two outwardly biased gripping formations extending from an outer wall of ? < the device for in use engaging a wall of a blast hole, thereby securing the device î î ΐ « substantially centrally at a desired location in the blast hole.

   Tri 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, including a secondary receiving formation 10 extending from the primary receiving formation.

   ··.-»·*. 3àî :;xA device: as claimed in claim 2, wherein the primary and secondary receiving formations are cylindrical.

   -Φ 4. A device^; as claimed in claim 3, wherein an internai diameter of the primary - ? - - receiving formation'is langer than that of the secondary receiving formation.

   15 5; , A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a brace member ' : extends across an inner wall of the primary receiving formation.

   ; 6. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a slit is defined in the wall of the device along the entire length thereof.

   7. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gripping ; 20 formations are in the form of arms extending at an acute angle from the device towards a free end of the device.

   ^z 8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein each arm terminâtes in a foot portion which in use engages a wall of a blast hole.

   9. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the device is 25 manufactured from any suitable inert material.

   10. A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the device is manufactured from a synthetic plastics material.

   11. A device for positioning and securing blast equipment in a blast hole as claimed in claim 1, substantially as herein described and illustrated.

   ' 7 .

   ? c:. r 12. ; A device for pésitioning and securing .biast equipment in a blasthole according to * : i m the invention, substantiâily as hereinbefore described or exemplified. · î 13. i^: A device forpositioning and securing/blast eqriipment in a blast hole as specificaiiy described withTéference to^or as illustrated in any one of the accompanying drawings.