Mobile Platform for the Delivery of Bulk Explosive

• US 20150168117A1
• Filed: 02/09/2015
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LDE Corporation (Hanwha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LDE Corporation (Hanwha Corporation)
• Inventors: Waldock, Kevin H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,267,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/2205 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/224 comprising auxiliary devices, e.g. for unloading or level indicating catwalks, ladders or safety railings therefor B60R3/005
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/2245 Adaptations for loading or unloading
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/2265 Arrangements for hoses, tubes, or reels
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 1/10 Feeding explosives in granular or slurry form; Feeding explosives by pneumatic or hydraulic pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 1/22 Methods for holding or positioning for blasting cartridges or tamping cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6855 Vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8807 Articulated or swinging flow conduit

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a mobile platform for the delivery of bulk explosives to a blast hole. One embodiment of the platform provides the ability to obtain weight information relating to the contents of a tank that is associated with the platform and that, in operation, contains either the bulk explosive or a constituent of the explosive. The platform comprises a vehicle with a frame, a tank, a load cell structure for connecting the frame and the tank and providing weight data relating to the contents of the tank, and a suspension system that prevents relative movement of the frame and the tank that could compromise the load cell structure. Another embodiment of the platform provides a tank for holding an explosive composition and a rotary shaft that supports a mixing blade that mixes the explosive composition within the tank. The platform further comprises bearing structure for supporting the rotary shaft that is located to deter any of the explosive composition from entering the bearing. A further embodiment of the platform comprises a conduit structure for discharging a bulk explosive into a blast hole that includes a substantially rigid tube with an outlet port for discharging a bulk explosive into the blast hole. The tube is adapted to rotate about a vertical axis such that the outlet port can be moved towards and away from the vehicle along an arc of less than 180°. In one embodiment, the outlet port can be positioned substantially adjacent to an operator'"'"'s station to allow an operator to readily view the loading of the explosive into the blast hole.

Claims

1. A mobile platform for the delivery of bulk explosive comprising:

a vehicle comprising a frame;

a tank for holding a material related to a bulk explosive; and

a conduit structure for conveying a bulk explosive between the tank and a blast hole;

wherein the conduit structure comprises;

a substantially rigid tube that has an inlet port for receiving a bulk explosive from the tank and an outlet port for discharging a bulk explosive from the substantially rigid tube;

a rotary mount that engages the substantially rigid tube and allows the substantially rigid tube to rotate about a vertical axis;

wherein rotation of the substantially rigid tube about the vertical axis causes the outlet port to move towards or away from the vehicle along an arc that is limited to less than 180°

.

2. A mobile platform for the delivery of bulk explosive, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a load cell structure for connecting the frame and the tank and providing weight data relating to any contents of the tank.

3. A mobile platform for the delivery of bulk explosive, as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the tank has a discharge port that is aligned with the inlet port of the substantially rigid tube;

wherein the inlet port of the substantially rigid tube is substantially isolated from the tank.

4. A mobile platform for the delivery of bulk explosive, as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

the discharge port of the tank has a discharge port footprint;

the inlet port of the substantially rigid tube has an inlet port footprint;

wherein the discharge port footprint is smaller than the inlet port footprint.

5. A mobile platform for the delivery of bulk explosive, as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a load cell monitoring system for receiving load cell data from the load cell structure, processing load cell data to determine weight information relating to the contents of the tank, and providing weight information to an operator.

6. A mobile platform for the delivery of bulk explosive, as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a load cell monitoring system for receiving load cell data from the load cell structure, processing load cell data to determine weight information relating to the contents of the tank, and providing weight information to an operator located within an operator station of the vehicle and/or to an operator located outside of the vehicle.

7. A mobile platform for the delivery of bulk explosive, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle comprises an operator station; and

a portion of the arc is located substantially adjacent to the operator station so that an operator can readily view the loading of bulk explosive into a blast hole when the outlet portion of the substantially rigid tube is positioned along the portion of the arc.

8. A mobile platform for the delivery of bulk explosive, as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

the operator station comprises a conduit control panel that is located between where an operator is normally situated within the operator station and the portion of the arc.

9. A mobile platform for the delivery of bulk explosive, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a load cell structure for connecting the frame and the tank and providing weight data relating to any contents of the tank; and

a suspension for preventing relative movement of the frame and the tank that could compromise the load cell structure.

10. A mobile platform for the delivery of bulk explosive, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a rotary shaft for supporting a mixing blade that is used to mix a bulk explosive within the tank;

wherein the rotary shaft comprises a first end that passes through a hole in a side wall of the tank and extends outside of the tank;

a bearing for engaging the first end of the rotary shaft;

wherein the bearing is located outside of the tank and spaced from an exterior side wall surface of the side wall such that a portion of the first end of the rotary shaft is located between the exterior side wall surface and the bearing.

11. A mobile platform for the delivery of an explosive composition comprising:

a vehicle comprising a frame;

a tank for holding an explosive composition, the tank defining a discharge port for discharging an explosive composition from the tank;

a load cell structure for connecting the frame and the tank and providing weight data relating to any contents of the tank;

a conduit structure for conveying an explosive composition between the tank and a blast hole;

wherein the conduit structure comprises a substantially rigid tube that has an inlet port for receiving an explosive composition from the discharge port of tank and an outlet port for discharging an explosive composition from the substantially rigid tube.

12. A mobile platform for the delivery of an explosive composition, as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the inlet port of the substantially rigid tube is substantially isolated from the tank.

13. A mobile platform for the delivery of an explosive composition, as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

the discharge port associated with the tank has a discharge port footprint;

the inlet port of the substantially rigid tube has an inlet port footprint;

wherein the discharge port footprint is smaller than the inlet port footprint.

14. A mobile platform for the delivery of an explosive composition, as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the conduct structure includes a rotary mount that engages the substantially rigid tube and allows the substantially rigid tube to rotate about an axis.

15. A mobile platform for the delivery of an explosive composition, as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

the rotary mount is operatively connected to the frame.

16. A mobile platform for the delivery of an explosive composition, as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the rotary mount limits rotation of the substantially rigid tube about the axis to less than 180°

.

17. A mobile platform for the delivery of an explosive composition, as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the tank has a lateral side wall with a top edge;

the discharge port is located below the top edge.

18. A mobile platform for the delivery of an explosive composition, as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the vehicle comprises a trailer; and

the trailer comprises the frame.

19. A mobile platform for the delivery of an explosive composition, as claimed in claim 11, wherein:

the vehicle comprises at least one of;

an engine, a motor, a wheel that is operatively connected to the frame, and a track that is operatively connect to the frame.