Explosive Cartridge And A Method Of Arranging An Explosive Cartridge In A Blast Hole

• US 20100107917A1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Montanuniversität Leoben
• Original Assignee: Montanuniversitat Leoben
• Inventors: Moser, Peter
• Application Number:
  US12/442,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20100107917A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 102/313
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/087 Flexible or deformable blasting cartridges, e.g. bags or hoses for slurriesloaded cartridge bags F42B5/38
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 1/22 Methods for holding or positioning for blasting cartridges or tamping cartridges

Abstract

An explosive cartridge for generating an explosion in a blast hole, the explosive cartridge comprising a flexible casing for containing an explosive and a mechanism for expanding the casing in a first direction and for simultaneously contracting the casing in a second direction which differs from the first direction.

Claims

1. An explosive cartridge for generating an explosion in a blast hole, the explosive cartridge comprising:

an at least partially flexible casing for containing an explosive;

a mechanism for expanding the casing in a first direction and for simultaneously contracting the casing in a second direction which differs from the first direction; and

an injection cartridge member and an expansion cartridge member, the mechanism being activatable by inserting the injection cartridge member into the expansion cartridge member.

2. The explosive cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the flexible casing comprises at least one of the group consisting of a plastic, polyethylene, and a rubber-type material.

3. The explosive cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the flexible casing comprises a flexible portion and a rigid portion, the flexible portion being arranged adjacent to a bottom of the casing to be positioned in a deepest part of the blast hole.

4. The explosive cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the flexible portion of the flexible casing has a smaller thickness than the rigid portion of the flexible casing.

5. The explosive cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the flexible portion of the flexible casing is made of a first material being more flexible than a second material of which the rigid portion is made, the first material being different from the second material.

6. The explosive cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism is adapted in such a manner that the first direction is essentially perpendicular to the second direction.

7. The explosive cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism comprises at least one of the group consisting of a mechanical pull mechanism, a mechanical push mechanism, a spring mechanism, a pneumatic mechanism, a chemically activatable mechanism, a magnetic mechanism, and an electric mechanism.

8. The explosive cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism is activatable remotely.

9. The explosive cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism is activatable by at least one of the group consisting of an ignition wire, a string, a time switch, a delayed chemical reaction, and a delayed spring mechanism.

10. The explosive cartridge according to claim 1, comprising a lowering unit adapted for lowering the explosive cartridge into the blast hole.

11. The explosive cartridge according to claim 1, comprising the explosive material contained in the casing, particularly comprising non-loose explosive material contained in the casing in a sealed manner.

12. The explosive cartridge according to claim 1, having an average density of more than 1 g/cm³, particularly of at least 1.4 g/cm³.

13. The explosive cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a bottom portion of the explosive cartridge comprises a hole in which a detonator is inserted.

14. The explosive cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism is at least partially integrated in the casing.

16. The explosive cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the at least partially flexible casing defines a sealed space accommodating a fixed amount of the explosive.

20. A method of using an explosive cartridge according to claim 1 in the field of material fragmentation.

15. (canceled)

17. A method of installing an explosive cartridge for generating an explosion in a blast hole, the method comprising:

inserting the explosive cartridge in the blast hole;

expanding a casing of the explosive cartridge in a first direction and simultaneously contracting the casing in a second direction which differs from the first direction; and

providing an injection cartridge member and an expansion cartridge member, the mechanism being activatable by inserting the injection cartridge member into the expansion cartridge member.

18. The method according to claim 17, comprising performing the expanding and the contracting before generating an explosion in the blast hole.

19. The method according to claim 17, comprising expanding the casing in a direction perpendicular to an extension of the blast hole and simultaneously contracting the casing in a direction parallel to the extension of the blast hole.