Automated mining system

• US 6,267,539 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1999
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert E. Mihalcin
• Original Assignee: Robert E. Mihalcin
• Inventors: Mihalcin, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bower, Kenneth W
• Application Number:
  US09/430,819
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 406/2, 406/38, 406/39, 406/31, 406/32, 406/108, 406/134, 406/136, 406/137, 406/146, 406/194, 406/196
• US Class Current: 406/38
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 17/00 Methods or devices for use in mines or tunnels, not covered elsewhere mine lighting F21, H05B

Abstract

A system and apparatus for transporting a colloidal like mixture of mineral material and water from a mining site to a processing facility comprising at least one automated water gun discharging continuous high velocity stream of water into a mineral stockpile and slurry pit in a predetermined undulating pattern to facilitate the mixing and movement of the mineral material and water into a hydraulic pump inlet disposed behind a crushing grid within the slurry pit wherein the automated water gun is moveably mounted on a portable sled and in operative communication with a water supply conduit having a barrel selectively moveable through a predetermined range of vertical and horizontal motion by a vertical positioning device and a horizontal positioning device respectively.

Claims

1. An automated hydraulic mining system for producing and transporting a colloidal like mixture of mineral material and water from a mining site to a processing facility through a mineral delivery conduit comprising at least one automated water gun discharging continuous high velocity streams of water into a mineral stockpile and slurry pit in a plurality of predetermined undulating patterns to facilitate the mixing and movement of the colloidal like mineral material and water mixture through the slurry pit into a pump inlet disposed within the slurry pit, said automated water gun having a barrel selectively moveable through one of said predetermined undulating patterns of vertical and horizontal motion by a vertical positioning device and a horizontal positioning device respectively.

2. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 1 including a first automated water gun positioned on one side of said slurry pit and a second automated water gun positioned on the opposite side of the slurry pit.

3. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 1 wherein each said automated water guns are mounted on a portable sled in operative communication with a portable water supply conduit.

4. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 1 wherein said barrel is formed on an articulated water supply pipe comprising a substantially vertical straight supply tube with an integral substantially horizontal water tight swivel joint and a substantially horizontal curvilinear supply tube with an integral water tight swivel joint.

5. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 4 wherein said vertical positioning device comprises a positioning mechanism coupled between a first vertical control arm rigidly attached to said substantially horizontal curvilinear supply tube on one side of said second water-tight swivel joint and a second vertical control arm rigidly attached to said substantially horizontal curvilinear supply tube on the other side of said second water-tight swivel joint and wherein said horizontal positioning device comprises a positioning mechanism coupled between a first horizontal positioning arm rigidly attached to the substantially vertical straight supply tube on one side of said substantially horizontal water tight swivel joint and a second horizontal control arm rigidly attached to the substantially vertical straight supply tube on the opposite side of said substantially horizontal water tight swivel joint.

6. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 5 where said vertical positioning device and said horizontal positioning device are operatively coupled to a hydraulic power supply.

7. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 4 further including water gun control commands include a plurality of discrete sets of control commands, each discrete set of control commands producing a cyclic pattern of movement of the barrel of said automated water gun wherein movement the barrel of the automated water gun is initiated at a beginning point and progresses through a predetermined pattern of horizontal and vertical movement returning the barrel to the point of beginning at the end of the pattern.

8. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 7 further including a control circuit with a series of control commands actuated by key switches which allow a human operator to selectively choose and initiate a pattern of movement for said automated water gun.

9. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 8 wherein said control circuit includes a series of control commands actuated by key switches which allow a human operator to selectively modify the range of horizontal and vertical movement in said predetermined patterns of motion.

10. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 9 wherein said control circuit includes a series of control commands actuated by key switches which allow a human operator to selectively modify the center of horizontal and vertical movement in said predetermined patterns of motion such that a particular pattern of motion can be directed to a particular area of said slurry pit.

11. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 10 wherein said control circuit includes a series of control commands actuated by key switches which allow a human operator to manually control the movement of said barrel in real time through a control input means comprising a joy stick or a plurality of directional keys.

12. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 11 including a monitoring means comprising at least one video camera focused on said automated water guns and the surrounding area operatively coupled to a video displayed disposed within said remote control room.

13. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 12 wherein said video camera is mounted on a robotic camera mount disposed on a telescoping mast mounted on said remote control room, said robotic camera mount being operatively coupled to a control circuit disposed at said remote site.

14. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 13 wherein said monitoring means includes a percentage solids detector disposed in or around said mineral delivery conduit to detect the percentage of the mineral material therein, said percentage solids detector being operatively coupled to a percentage solids meter disposed within said remote site comprises a control room.

15. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 14 wherein said remote control room is mounted on a truck or all terrain vehicle.

16. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 15 wherein said pump inlet is disposed behind a crushing grid within said slurry pit.

17. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 16 including a third automated water gun disposed adjacent to the first automated water gun.

18. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 1 including a pattern positioning device comprising a first positioning mechanism and a second positioning mechanism to selectively move through one of said predetermined undulating patterns or directed against the dry mineral stockpile or the surface of the slurry.

19. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 18 wherein each automated water gun includes a water gun barrel with a discharge nozzle formed on an articulated supply pipe comprising a straight substantially vertical supply tube including a first supply tube section and a second supply tube section and a curvilinear supply tube;

a first water-tight swivel joint formed in the first supply tube section and a second water-tight swivel joint formed in said curvilinear supply tube for selective articulation of said first water-tight swivel joint and said second water-tight swivel joint such that said water gun barrel is moveable through a selectable range of vertical and horizontal motion.

20. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 19 wherein first positioning mechanism comprising a first positioning assembly operatively coupled between a first control arm attached to said curvilinear supply tube on one side of said second water-tight swivel joint and a second control arm coupled to said curvilinear supply tube on the other side of said second water-tight swivel joint and said second positioning mechanism comprising a second positioning assembly operatively coupled between a first control arm rigidly attached to said first supply tube section on one side of said first water-tight swivel joint and a second horizontal control arm rigidly attached to the supply tube section on the other side of the first water-tight swivel joint.

21. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 20 wherein each positioning assembly comprises a first element rod and a second element movably coupled to each other and to the corresponding first and second vertical control assembly and the corresponding first and second horizontal control arms.

22. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 18 further includes a barrel shifting mechanism selectably moveable through a predetermined horizontal range sufficient to allow water discharged from said discharge nozzle to be aimed or directed selectively either toward the dry mineral stockpile or the slurry pit.

23. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 1 including a pattern positioning device comprising a first positioning mechanism and a second positioning mechanism to selectively move through one of said predetermined undulating patterns or directed against the dry mineral stockpile, the surface of the slurry.

24. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 23 wherein each automated water gun includes a water gun barrel with a discharge nozzle formed on an articulated supply pipe comprising a straight substantially vertical supply tube including a first supply tube section and a second supply tube section and a curvilinear supply tube;

a first water-tight swivel joint formed in the first supply tube section and a second water-tight swivel joint formed in said curvilinear supply tube for selective articulation of said first water-tight swivel joint and said second water-tight swivel joint such that said water gun barrel is moveable through a selectable range of vertical and horizontal motion.

25. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 24 wherein first positioning mechanism comprising a first positioning assembly operatively coupled between a first control arm attached to said curvilinear supply tube on one side of said second water-tight swivel joint and a second control arm coupled to said curvilinear supply tube on the other side of said second water-tight swivel joint and said second positioning mechanism comprising a second positioning assembly operatively coupled between a first control arm rigidly attached to said first supply tube section on one side of said first water-tight swivel joint and a second horizontal control arm rigidly attached to the supply tube section on the other side of the first water-tight swivel joint.

26. The automated hydraulic mining system of claim 25 wherein each positioning assembly comprises a first element rod and a second element movably coupled to each other and to the corresponding first and second vertical control assembly and the corresponding first and second horizontal control arms.