SIDE SHIFT RAISE CLIMBING SYSTEM
First Claim
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.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
16 Claims
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- 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;
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12. A method for modifying an access drift in a mine to incorporate a parking area for a raise climber, said method comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification