SIDE SHIFT RAISE CLIMBING SYSTEM

• US 20090071364A1
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Redpath Canada Limited
• Original Assignee: J.S. Redpath Limited (J.S. Redpath Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grenon, Randy E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,987,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 104/96
• CPC Class Codes: E21D 3/00 Raising shafts, i.e. working upwards from the bottom
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 13/04 Transport of mined material in gravity inclines; in staple or inclined shafts
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 13/06 Transport of mined material at or adjacent to the working face

Abstract

A side-shift raise climbing system is provided that utilizes a side-cut excavated into the wall of the access drift for a raise in a mine. A transfer section is incorporated into the existing length of rail servicing the raise. The transfer section includes a laterally transferable rail that can be detached from the existing rail and shifted along a set of monorails that extend into the side-cut. The transfer section enables a raise climber, when parked thereon, to be shifted out of the access drift without requiring additional access drifts or parking/nesting areas to accommodate the use of muck removal equipment.

Claims

1. A transfer assembly for transferring a raise climber out of an access drift, said transfer assembly comprising:

a modified rail being sized to fit in alignment with an existing rail and to provide continuity therebetween for permitting said raise climber to drive from said modified rail onto said existing rail;

one or more supports attached to and extending upwardly from said modified rail and positioned along said modified rail to be aligned with corresponding transfer rails extending from said access drift into a side-cut in said access drift; and

a trolley at an upper end of each support, each support sized to provide vertical alignment of said trolley with a corresponding transfer rail when said transfer assembly is aligned with said existing raise climber rail, each trolley configured to suspend from and be moveable along said corresponding transfer rail to permit movement of said transfer assembly laterally with respect to said existing rail and into said side-cut.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising one or more of said transfer rails configured to be suspended from a back in said side-cut.

3. The assembly according to claim 2 comprising at least two transfer rails and further comprising at least one crossbeam attached to said at least two transfer rails.

4. The assembly according to claim 2 wherein said one or more transfer rails are suspended from said back using rock bolts.

5. The assembly according to claim 4 comprising a series of rock bolt assemblies for each transfer rail, each rock bolt assembly comprising a plurality of rock bolts sized to extend from said transfer rails to said back.

6. The assembly according to claim 2 comprising three transfer rails, three corresponding trolleys and three corresponding supports in alignment with each other.

7. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising at least one alignment bolt for securing said modified rail in alignment with said existing rail.

8. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a service manifold configured to fit between said modified rail and said existing rail to redirect mine services into said existing rail.

9. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein one of said one or more trolleys is powered by a drive system.

10. The assembly according to claim 9 wherein said drive system is air powered and comprises a control box for controlling movement of said powered trolley along a corresponding transfer rail.

11. The assembly according to claim 10 wherein air supply lines for said drive system are tethered to a cable for guiding said air supply lines during movement of said transfer assembly.

12. A method for modifying an access drift in a mine to incorporate a parking area for a raise climber, said method comprising:

installing in a side-cut in said access drift, one or more transfer rails extending from an existing rail for said raise climber into said side-cut;

providing a modified rail sized to fit in alignment with said existing rail and to provide continuity therebetween for permitting said raise climber to drive from said modified rail onto said existing rail;

providing one or more supports extending upwardly from said modified rail and positioned along said modified rail to be aligned with corresponding transfer rails;

providing a trolley on each support, each trolley configured to suspend from and be moveable along said corresponding transfer rail; and

suspending said modified rail from said transfer rails by suspending each trolley from a corresponding transfer rail.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein said installing comprises rock bolting said transfer rails to a back of said side-cut.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein one of said trolleys comprises a drive system.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein said drive system is air powered and further comprising providing an air supply to said drive system and providing a control box for controlling movement of said powered trolley along a corresponding transfer rail.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising tethering said air supply to a cable for guiding said air supply during movement of said transfer assembly.