CA3083110A1 - Autonomous drilling machine for the construction of service shafts and open shafts - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an autonomous drilling machine for the construction of service shafts and open shafts, also known as slots, especially designed to improve efficiency in mining and civil engineering, as well as significantly reducing interaction between people and machines, thereby preventing the necessary risks in underground drilling and operations associated with conventional shaft construction methods.

Description

AUTONOMOUS DRILLING MACHINE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF
SERVICE SHAFTS AND OPEN SHAFTS
Object of the invention The invention refers to an autonomous drill rig for the construction of service raise and open face also known as "slot", specially designed to improve efficiency in the process of mining production and civil projects, as well as considerably reducing man-machine interaction, avoiding risks required for operations and underground drilling related to conventional methods of raise construction.
Background The dimensions of the slot raise, or free face, which are normally built in the different mining units vary from 1.2 m to 2.1 m diameter and are preferably executed of

2.1 meters with lengths of 20 m to 200 m, with tilt angles varying around 90 to 450 taking the horizontal plane as a reference.
A drill rig of service raise and open face is originally designed for drilling mine ventilation raises, among other applications, being capable of drilling holes, preferably 2.1 meters in diameter and between 20 and 200 meters in length, and where the process of building the raise requires about 4 to 8 weeks. The drilling of service raise and free face "slot" provides a very stable and smooth finish reducing considerably the post-drilling works. To perform the pre-drilling process, traditionally it is required to build a typical concrete slab for the machine of about 3 m x 4m x 0.4 meters high, where the machine needs to be fixed with anchor bolts, preferably 22.2 mm in diameter by 1.2 meters.
Likewise, a structural base composed of high strength structural beams and steel is required to support the machine once the drilling is completed. This type of machine consists of a power unit, an electrical cabinet and a separate control console, which implies the connection of hoses and electrical cables at a distance of approximately 5 to 7 meters in length depending on the work area, with difficulty at the time of moving the machine with all its units to the different work chambers since it will be transported by a front-end loader leading to a loss of more than 15% of the reaming time inside the mine. .
To improve the reaming process times and increase productivity in the drilling of service raise and free face in the different mining units, a new design, and manufacturing of an autonomous machine was carried out, with its own drill rig motion system, which is preferably but not limited to a crawler tractor propelled by an internal combustion engine, optionally located on the rear, controlled by fixed commands located on the rear of the crawler preferably. Once in place, the machine is completely leveled for the raise to be drilled, considering that the axial axis of the raise must coincide with the central axial axis of the mechanical transmission gearbox, which provides a variable speed of rotation and constant torque which suit the condition of the ground to be drilled. This machine has two levels of angle and fixed control of leveling and anchoring, first, the crawler tractor is leveled by leveling cylinders, then the drilling angle is adjusted by using tilt cylinders;
finally, the machine is anchored both by floor as well as gallery ceiling with lower anchor cylinders on the floor and upper anchor cylinders on the station ceiling without use of anchor bolts or concrete slab. The drill rig of service raise and open face of this subject matter has a power unit and electrical cabinet incorporated into the motion system of the drill rig which is preferably a crawler tractor, so there is no need to connect or disconnect hydraulic hoses or electrical cables between the machine components during the workstation installation and removal, consequently, it reduces considerably transport time and work installation, reducing these downtimes, obtaining drilling from 20 m to 200 meters in 3 to 4 weeks, achieving 85% efficiency per hole; and, thus, the existing risks in the process of transfer and reaming and the environmental contamination produced by the spillage of hydraulic oil due to leakage of hoses when connecting and disconnecting are reduced.

Description of the invention The following subject matter is described referring to drawings and appendixes, which illustrate the relation of this i subject matter.
Picture 1 is a right side view of the machine in transport mode.
Picture 2 is a left side view in operating mode.
Picture 3 is a front view in operating mode.
The drill rig of this subject matter has its own means of mine transportation, which is autonomous since it has a drill rig's motion system being preferably but not limited to a crawler tractor powered by an internal combustion engine, which fixed transport controls are preferably located at the left rear of the crawler and completely direct and level the machine for the raise to be drilled, considering that the axial axis of the raise must coincide with the central axial axis of the mechanical transmission gearbox, which provides a variable rotation speed and constant torque to suit the ground conditions. For this purpose, the machine is equipped with angle levels and fixed leveling and anchoring controls. First, the crawler tractor is leveled by leveling cylinders, then the drilling angle is regulated by tilt cylinders; finally, the machine is anchored to the ground as in the gallery ceiling with lower and upper anchor cylinders on the workstation roof without using bolts and concrete slabs.
The drill rig of service raise and free face of this subject matter is capable of drilling holes of 2. 1 meter in diameter and about 200 meters in length which are usually requested by the different mining units, with angles of preferably between 90 to 450 inclination regarding the longitudinal center of the machine, and 90 to 45 to the transversal of the

3 machine in both directions (left and right) employing a pivoting system which allows inclination and fixing of the machine. This function allows drilling in reduced spaces by losing maneuverability of the machine in different galleries. In the raise construction process, using the autonomous drill rig of this subject matter, approximately

4 days are required to drill holes of 2.1 meters in diameter by 20 meters in length, obtaining finishes, very stable and homogeneous raises throughout the diameter. One of the main advantages of using an autonomous machine for drilling of service raise and free face is a significant reduction of the man-machine interaction, by using a remote control to operate both the positioning arm of pipes, the electro-hydraulic key for the increase of pipes and its removal. From the economic concept, productivity is increased compared to the previous design.
Description of Pictures Picture 1 shows the raise drill rig and slot in the transport position. It is shown on the crawler tractor 01, the internal combustion engine 02, fixed controls 03, and the transport remote control 35, with which the machine is moved. The component 06 correlates with the fixed controls driving the leveling cylinders 07 of the crawler tractor.
The machine anchor is executed by lower anchor cylinders 09 which are fixed to the floor and the upper anchor cylinders are fixed to the ceiling of the working chamber. The electrical cabinet 11 and the power unit 20, which provide the hydraulic power required to operate the machine, are located at the rear of the machine. The positioning arm of pipes 15 allows the addition and removal of drill pipes. The thrust sets 18 are located on the sides of the machine and transmit the vertical force required for the reaming and piloting process. The hydraulic tank 22 stores the oil required to drive the crawler tractor 01 and the hydraulic tank 23 stores the oil to drive the power unit 20.
Picture 2 shows the drill rig in working position on the profile plane, which has an inclination of approximately 45 regarding the transverse axis of the machine with the lower anchor cylinders extended to the chamber floor and the angle value is controlled at level 05 located on one side of the "gear case". The mechanical transmission gearbox 04 which transmits the torque supplied by the hydrostatic motor 25 which is in its upper position allows the installation of a drill pipe 16 using a positioning arm 15.
Picture 3 shows a machine front view in operating mode, noticing that the machine has a turn of approximately 45 to the left side concerning the cross axis of the machine. Said turn may be given to both sides, once the machine is located in its working position the lower cylinders 07 and outer cylinders 29 are extended to be positioned on the floor of the chamber and on top of it to stabilize the machine at the time of Preferred realization of the subject matter To operate this machine, a removable control console 12 and an operating remote control 34 are available and will be hung around the operator's neck. The drilling method consists of 2 stages, a pilot hole, and a reaming hole. The first is executed downwards using 11 inches (279.4 mm) diameter and a series of drill pipes of 10 inches (254 mm) diameter by 1.5 m long 16 in proportion to the length of the raise. Drillings may also be made at different angles either on the longitudinal or transverse axis to the machine, which varies preferably from approximately 90 to 45 angle according to the requirements or ground conditions. The mine requirements for the machine are 440 volts of three-phase alternating current at 60 Hertz, with a 350-kilovolt amperes power, and an average of 8 to gallons per minute and clean water for the extraction of detritus, which enters into the machine through the rotating water inlet coupling 14. The machine has a positioning arm of pipes 15 electro-hydraulically driven to load each pipe 16 and position it in the machine drill head 32 effectively and safely. For adjusting the torque of the threaded connections of the mechanical transmission as well as the drill pipe, the machine has an electro-hydraulic key 17 located at its base. The mechanical transmission has several gear reduction stages and a hydrostatic motor 25, which together provide a

5 constant torque and the possibility of adjusting the drill string rotation speed according to the ground conditions.
The drill rig of this subject matter, weighing less than 16 metric tons with an installed power of less than 150 kW, has been designed to work in galleries of determining height, preferably less than 3.8 m, which is why it is called "low profile", and its transport measures are less than 2.5 m high by 2.3 m wide, allowing it to enter a shipping container.
For this purpose, its packages of push cylinders 18 work in tandem, allowing raising the gearbox 04 enough to couple a pipe in the middle and to retract completely at the end of the raise to achieve the transport height. These cylinders include internal safety valves, one on each side of the machine, which lowers the gearbox very slowly in the event of an oil leakage incident.
The hydraulic thrust force and the torque with which the drill column rotates allow to communicate the level where the machine is located with the lower target level in both stages of this drilling method. Once the pilot drilling is completed, the second stage of upward reaming drilling begins. For this, the drill bit is uncoupled and the next drill pipe 16 in the lower level of the mine to attach the reamer. The machine uses this cutting device to expand the diameter of the raise as it upwards drills, removing the components of the drill column, mainly made up of pipes 16. For decoupling each component of the drilling column, the lower key located at the machine base 17, and the upper key 19 located at the drill head 32 are used. Both keys are electro-actuated hydraulically avoiding human contact with the machine.

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Claims