AU2007201289B2 - Rock drilling and bolting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An adapter for rock bolting includes a stem 18 insertable into a chuck, a drill steel holding portion 19 shown in section in Figure 6 and a bolt holding portion 20 shown in section in Figure 7. The drill steel holding portion 19 shown in section in Figure 6 includes a gripping arrangement 21 such that upon rotation of the portion 19, a drill steel simply inserted into the gripping arrangement 20 will be locked upon 450 rotation. The adapter also includes a cable spinning tool section 22 shown in section in Figure 8. The adapter has a central passage or bore 25 extending from an entrance 26 where the socket 20 is to the cable spinning tool 22. The relationship between the tools in the adapter is such that a cable is supported along a major portion of the length of the bore, the drill steel tool extends along an intermediate and generally medially placed region while the socket is at the entrance.

Description

1 P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: SCOTT ROBERT PATE Actual Inventor(s): Scott Robert Pate Address for Service: INTELLEPRO Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys Level 7 102 Adelaide Street BRISBANE, QLD, 4000 (GPO Box 1339, BRISBANE, 4001) Invention Title: "ROCK DRILLING AND BOLTING APPARATUS" Details of Associated Australian Patent Application No 2006901521 Provisional Application No: filed 24 March 2006. The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 ROCK DRILLING AND BOLTING APPARATUS FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to a rock drilling and bolting apparatus and in particular but not limited to a rock drilling and bolting apparatus suitable for 5 setting rock bolts in mine roofs. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Underground mining involves the need to prevent the collapse of overhead ceilings or roofs and ribs of mines to prevent injury to personnel or damage to mining equipment. The usual process involves roof bolting and rib 10 bolting and these processes secure the ribs, side walls and roofs of mines to other stable strata using bolts. These processes are relatively slow and the main cause in preventing mines advancing at a faster rate. Holes are drilled at pre-determined intervals into the ceiling and ribs and elongated retaining bolts are installed in the holes. Such bolts are commonly 15 used in connection with retaining plates and support members. These arrangements serve to secure together thin strata or beams of rock located adjacent to ribs and roofs to prevent lateral shifting of the strata, as well as, in some instances, to anchor the strata to more massive overlaying rock. Thus it will be appreciated that during the initial drilling phase there are 20 prospects for an unsupported roof to fall and then followed by the subsequently setting of the roof bolt into the drilled hole where there are further prospects of the roof to fall. Usually a supporting structure is utilised around the area to be drilled and this may be part of the drilling apparatus which is retained in place. Drill steel is held in a drill chuck and after a hole is drilled, the drill steel is 3 removed from the chuck. Another a tool is inserted into the chuck to drive a bolt into the drilled hole. In some apparatus the apparatus may be equipped with separate drill and bolt setting shafts where bolts are indexed into the apparatus, the hole drilled and then the bolt setting section of the apparatus placed in 5 position, a bolt is indexed into the assembly and then driven into the hole. In each case there is a requirement for a separate mechanism to hold the drill and a separate mechanism to hold the bolt. This clearly has the disadvantage that there is effectively a need to double handle in terms of reconfiguring the apparatus between the drilling and bolting 10 phases. Apparatus that requires the indexing of separate drilling and bolting apparatus in the one assembly although in automated fashion are nevertheless expensive. They also are active in their operation and therefore prone to high maintenance costs. It would therefore be useful and desirable to provide an apparatus which 15 is effectively passive in its operation but is able to take both a drill and a bolt in the one unit without having to reconfigure the apparatus. Another process for supporting the roof of a mine shaft includes drilling a hole into the roof and then inserting a multi-stranded cable into the hole. During the insertion, the cable is rotated or spun using a spinning tool and a 20 bonding agent is introduced into the annulus between it and the surface of the hole. As in the case of the bolt setting process the drilling tool must be removed and the spinning tool inserted to set the cable with the same attendant disadvantages arising from the need to change tools.

4 OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide rock bolting apparatus having an adapter able to hold a drill for a drilling operation and the same adapter being able to hold a bolt for a bolt setting operation. 5 In one broad aspect therefore, the present invention provides a rock bolting apparatus having an adapter for operatively holding a drill bit in a drill bit section while drilling a hole and further adapted to operatively hold a rock bolt in a rock bolt section while driving a bolt, the adapter being able to hold the drill bit and the rock bolt interchangeably and co-axially in the adapter. 10 In another aspect there is provided an adapter for interchangeably holding a drill steel and a rock bolt in a rock bolt setting apparatus, the adapter having a central bore having a central axis such that the drill steel and rock bolt may be positioned on the same axis a different times when held in the bore. Preferably, the adapter includes a drill steel holding part and a rock bolt 15 holding part, the rock bolt holding part being adjacent an entrance to the bore and the drill steel holding part being further inside the bore. Preferably, the adapter includes a drill steel holding part and a rock bolt holding part, the rock bolt holding part being adjacent an entrance to the bore and the drill steel holding part being further inside the bore and further including 20 a cable spinning tool located still further down the bore. Preferably, the adapter is passive being insertable into a chuckto provide a rigid extension to the chuck. Preferably, the drill bit section includes a mechanism to hold a drill bit.

5 Preferably, the adapter includes a stem insertable into a chuck, an intermediate section adjacent the stem and an end section remote from the stem, the drill bit section being located in the intermediate section and the rock bolt section being at or adjacent the end section. 5 Preferably, the adapter includes a stem insertable into a chuck, an intermediate section adjacent the stem and an end section remote from the stem, the drill bit section being located in the intermediate section and the rock bolt section being at or adjacent the end section, the intermediate section further including a cable spinning section adapted to hold a cable end co-axially in the 10 adapter and interchangeably with the drill steel and rock bolt in order to perform a cable spinning process. Preferably, the adapter includes a stem and a hollow passage extending through the adapterto accommodate a drill bit, the drill bit extending through the rock bolt section to the drill bit section adjacent the stem. 15 Preferably, the adapter includes a passage extending through the adapter to accommodate a drill bit, the drill bit extending along the passage through the rock bolt section to the drill bit section. Preferably, the adapter further includes a cable spinning section and a passage extending through the adapter to accommodate a cable, the cable 20 extending through the rock bolt section, then through the drill bit section to the cable spinning section. Preferably, the adapter includes a passage extending through the adapter to accommodate a drill bit, the drill bit extending through the passage to a drill seat.

6 Preferably, the adapter includes a passage extending through the adapter to accommodate a drill bit, the drill bit extending through the passage to a drill seat, a drill grip means being provided outboard of the drill seat adapted to automatically engage the drill shaft in the event the drill shaft slides from the drill 5 seat. Preferably, the adapter includes a passage extending through the adapter to accommodate a drill bit, the drill bit extending through the passage to a drill seat, a drill grip means being provided outboard of the drill seat adapted to automatically engage the drill shaft in the event the drill shaft slides from the drill 10 seat, the drill grip means allowing 450 rotation of the drill shaft before gripping. Typically, the drill bit section includes a drill seat matched to an end of a drill bit in order to drive the drill bit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the present invention may be more readily understood and 15 be put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein: Figures 1 and 2 illustrate an example of a prior art arrangement; Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the present invention in general terms; Figure 5 is an illustration cut away in part of an adapter according to the 20 present invention; Figure 6 is a section through 6-6 of Figure 5 illustrating a lock arrangement for holding a drill steel inserted into the adapter; Figure 7 is a section through 7-7 of the adapter of Figure 5 illustrating a socket arrangement used to hold a bolt; 7 Figure 8 is is a section through 8-8 of the adapter of Figure 5 illustrating a cable spinning tool arrangement suited to a typical cable; Figure 9 is an end view looking down the bore from the entrance to the adapter; and 5 Figure 10 is an end view from the stem end. METHOD OF PERFORMANCE Referring to the drawings and initiallyto Figures 1 and 2 there is illustrated a prior art rock bolting apparatus 10. In Figure 1 a drill steel 11 is located in a drill chuck 12 about a supporting frame 13. In Figure 2 the drill steel 11 has 10 been removed and a bolt dolly 14 located in the chuck 12. A bolt 14 is then located in the dolly and inserted into a previously drilled hole to secure the roof bolt in place. In use the supporting frame 13 is located against a roof, mine wall or the like, and then the drill steel is advanced into the mine wall, and the drill advanced 15 by moving the drive motor and chuck 12 along the frame 13 to drill a hole for a bolt. Once the hole is drilled, the drill steel is removed from the chuck and the dolly 14 located in the chuck 12. A bolt as illustrated in Figure 2 located in the dolly and subsequently inserted into the drilled hole. Again the motor and chuck 12 is advanced along the frame 13 and the bolt set in the hole. 20 It will be appreciated that on each occasion that a hole is drilled and a bolt set that the dolly 14 must be removed from the chuck for the purpose of drilling the next hole and then placed back in the chuck to set the next bolt. In accordance with the present invention illustrated in Figure 4 there is illustrated a rock bolting apparatus 15 comprising a supporting frame 13, a motor 8 16, a drill chuck 12 and an adapter 16 according to the present invention holding a drill steel 11. This apparatus is used to drill a hole for the purpose of then enabling a bolt 14 to be inserted into the adapter 16 and the bolt set in the hole previously drilled using the drill steel 11 without having to remove anything from 5 the chuck. A typical adapter 16 is illustrated in Figure 5. The adapter in its most basic form includes a stem 18 insertable into a chuck 12, a drill steel holding portion 19 shown in section in Figure 6 and a bolt holding portion 20 shown in section in Figure 7. The drill steel holding portion 19 shown in section in Figure 10 6 includes a gripping arrangement 21 such that upon rotation of the portion 19, a drill steel simply inserted into the gripping arrangement 20 will be locked upon 450 rotation. Clearly, the drill steel can be easily removed from the adapter upon completion of a drilling process. In practice this portion becomes operative when efforts are made to remove drill steel from a hole at the completion of drilling. 15 The drill steel is driven by the square seat 23. After drilling is completed the drill could come out of the seat. In this case the gripping arrangement 20 comes into play to grip the drill steel so that it may be removed from the hole. Figure 7 illustrates a socket portion of the adapter 16 and it will be appreciated that a rock bolt may be simply inserted into the socket portion 22 20 without having to remove the adapter from the drill chuck and the rock bolt may be set in the already drilled hole. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 5 the adapter also includes a cable spinning tool section 22 shown in section in Figure 8. The teeth 9 24 engage the multiple strands in multi-strand cable to enable the cable to be spun in the usual way. As can be seen from Figure 5 the adapter has a central passage or bore 25 extending from an entrance 26 where the socket 20 is to the cable spinning 5 tool 22. The relationship between the tools in the adapter is such that the cable is supported along a major portion of the length of the bore, the drill steel tool extends along an intermediate and generally medially placed region while the socket is at the entrance. Thus the selection of the relative positions of the tools provides for the engagement of the drill steel along a portion of the drill steel 10 and also supports the cable while the socket is at the entrance. Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as herein set forth in the appended claims. 15 For example, the chuck stem section 18 may be spaced by any suitable distance from the drill holding section 19 to make adapters of various lengths. These lengths may be keyed or otherwise extendable in any known or suitable fashion in order to enable the apparatus to be used with roofs of varying heights.

Claims (14)

1. A rock bolting apparatus having an adapter for operatively holding a drill bit in a drill bit section while drilling a hole and further adapted to 5 operatively hold a rock bolt in a rock bolt section while driving a bolt, the adapter being able to hold the drill bit and the rock bolt interchangeably and co-axially in the adapter, the drill bit having a drill shaft, the drill bit section being configured to form at least one drill seat and a drill grip means outboard of each drill seat; and including a passage extending through the adapter to 10 the drill bit section for accommodating the drill bit, whereby the drill shaft extending through the passage to said at least one drill seat, and the drill grip means being adapted to automatically engage the drill shaft in the event the drill shaft slides from the drill seat by rotation of said drill bit section. 15

2. An adapter for interchangeably holding a drill steel and a rock bolt in a rock bolt setting apparatus, the adapter having a central bore having a central axis such that the drill steel and rock bolt may be positioned on the same axis at different times when held in the bore, the adapter including a drill steel holding part and a rock bolt holding part, the rock bolt holding part being 20 adjacent an entrance to the bore and the drill steel holding part being further inside the bore, the drill steel having a drill shaft, the drill steel holding section being configured to form at least one drill seat and a drill grip means outboard of each drill seat; and the bore extending through the adapter to the drill steel holding section for accommodating the drill steel, whereby the drill shaft 25 extending through the bore to said at least one drill seat, and the drill grip 11 means being adapted to automatically engage the drill shaft in the event the drill shaft slides from the drill seat by rotation of said drill bit section.

3. An adapter according to claim 2 wherein, the rock bolt holding part being adjacent an entrance to the bore and the drill steel holding part being 5 further inside the bore and further including a cable spinning tool located still further down the bore.

4. An adapter according to claim 2 wherein the adapter is passive being insertable into a chuck to provide a rigid extension to the chuck.

5. A rock bolting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the at least one 10 drill seat and the drill grip means outboard of each drill seat being configured as a mechanism to hold a drill bit.

6. A rock bolting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the adapter includes a stem insertable into a chuck, an intermediate section adjacent the stem and an end section remote from the stem, the drill bit section being 15 located in the intermediate section and the rock bolt section being at or adjacent the end section.

7. A rock bolting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the adapter includes a stem insertable into a chuck, an intermediate section adjacent the stem and an end section remote from the stem, the drill bit section being 20 located in the intermediate section and the rock bolt section being at or adjacent the end section, the intermediate section further including a cable spinning section adapted to hold a cable end co-axially in the adapter and interchangeably with the drill steel and rock bolt in order to perform a cable spinning process. 12

8. A rock bolting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the adapter includes a stem and the drill bit extending through the rock bolt section to the drill bit section adjacent the stem.

9. A rock bolting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the drill bit 5 extending along the passage through the rock bolt section to the drill bit section.

10. A rock bolting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the adapter further includes a cable spinning section and the passage extending through the adapter to accommodate a cable, the cable extending through the rock 10 bolt section, then through the drill bit section to the cable spinning section.

11. A rock bolting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the drill grip means allowing 450 rotation of the drill shaft before gripping.

12. An adapter according to any one of claim 3 wherein the adapter has an entrance and the bore extending from the entrance to the cable spinning tool, 15 the relationship between the tools in the adapter is such that the cable is supported along a major portion of the length of the bore, the drill steel tool extends along an intermediate and generally medially placed region while the socket is at or adjacent the entrance.

13. An adapter substantially as described with reference to Figure 5 of the 20 accompanying drawings.

14. An adapter according to any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the relative positions of the tools are substantially as illustrated in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings. 2-5