Methods of field blasting of earth formations using inflatable devices for suspending explosives in boreholes
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for suspending explosive material or stemming material within a borehole, comprising:
- disposing an inflatable bag-like device within the borehole at a desired location within the borehole;
inflating the device within the borehole with an inflation fluid to seal the device within the borehole; and
,disposing an explosive material or stemming material within the borehole above and in contact with the inflated device.
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Abstract
The invention provides methods and apparatus useful primarily in the presplitting and blast removal of earth formations, the improvements according to the invention involving the use of inflatable devices suspended in boreholes used in shattering earth formations. The inflatable devices of the invention can be of various shapes and are provided with valves to allow a fluid such as air to be pumped into each device on placement of the device at a desired location in a borehole. The inflatable devices are preferably formed of a flexible, polymeric material which allows a desired degree of stretching to cause plugging of a borehole. The "plug" formed by an inflatable device of the invention allows loading of explosives into a borehole in order to produce desired blast results according to the several methods of the invention.
30 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for suspending explosive material or stemming material within a borehole, comprising:
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disposing an inflatable bag-like device within the borehole at a desired location within the borehole; inflating the device within the borehole with an inflation fluid to seal the device within the borehole; and
,disposing an explosive material or stemming material within the borehole above and in contact with the inflated device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for production blasting of an earth formation to remove earth from the formation, comprising the steps of:
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drilling production holes in the formation in a desired pattern; disposing explosive material within the holes; disposing inflatable bag-like devices within at least certain of the holes; inflating the devices to seal or plug the holes; disposing material above each device to suspend the material within the hole through the support provided by the device; and
,detonating the explosive material within the holes in a desired sequence - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for presplitting of an earth formation, comprising the steps of:
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drilling presplitting holes in the earth formation in a desired pattern; disposing explosive material within the presplitting holes; disposing an inflatable bag-like device within each of the presplitting holes at a desired location in the holes; disposing stemming material above each device to suspend the stemming material within each presplitting hole through the support provided by the device; and
,detonating the explosive material within the presplitting holes. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification