Mobile platform for the delivery of bulk explosive

• US 9,267,777 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2015
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin P
• Application Number:
  US14/617,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20150168117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 102/324, 102/313, 102/293, 102/331, 137/316, 137/899, 137/615, 206/3, 86/201.5, 141/387, 141/388, 149/109.6
• 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 includes a vehicle, a tank for holding an explosive composition, and a conduit structure for conveying an explosive composition between the tank and a blast hole. The platform also includes a load cell structure for providing weight/mass data related to whatever explosive composition is disposed in the tank. The conduit structure includes a movable tube that is used to convey the explosive composition from a discharge port associated with the tank towards a blast hole. The platform is configured to prevent the movable tube and any explosive composition located in the tube from adversely affecting the operation of the load cells.

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;

wherein a first portion of the tank defines an uppermost extent of the tank and a second portion of the tank defines a lowermost extent of the tank, the uppermost extent of the tank being the portion of the tank that is farthest from the ground when the vehicle is on level ground and the lowermost extent of the tank being the portion of the tank that is closest to the ground when the vehicle is on level ground;

wherein the tank further defines a discharge port for discharging an explosive composition from the tank, the discharge port being located closer to the ground than the uppermost extent of the tank when the vehicle is on level ground; 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 discharge port of the tank and an outlet port for discharging a bulk explosive from the substantially rigid tube, the inlet port of the substantially rigid tube is located closer to the ground than the uppermost extent of the tank when the vehicle is on level ground;

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

an actuator that engages the substantially rigid tube to apply a force to the substantially rigid tube so as to cause the substantially rigid tube to rotate about the 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.

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 discharge port that is vertically 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, the conduit structure being configured to provide selective positioning of the substantially rigid tube such that outlet port can be moved towards and away from the tank;

wherein the discharge port includes a vertically extending discharge port portion that extends from a discharge port terminal edge to a location that is closer to the tank along the path that bulk explosive follows from the tank to the discharge port terminal edge;

wherein the inlet port of the substantially rigid tube includes a vertically extending inlet port portion that extends from an inlet port terminal edge to a location that is closer to the outlet port along the path that bulk explosive follows from the inlet port to the outlet port;

wherein the vertically extending inlet port portion is located closer to the ground than the vertically extending discharge port portion when the vehicle is located on level ground;

wherein the discharge port terminal edge defines a discharge port footprint;

wherein the inlet port terminal edge defines an inlet port footprint;

wherein the discharge port footprint is located within the inlet port footprint such that any bulk explosive expelled from the discharge port will fall into 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 11, further comprising:

an actuator that engages the substantially rigid tube to apply a force to the tube so as to cause the outlet port to move towards or away from the tank.

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.