System and Method of Producing Mine Roof Bolts
A method of producing a mine roof bolt includes: providing a plurality of bars of a predetermined length, moving the plurality of bars along a conveyor and indexing the position of the plurality of bars, and passing a portion of each of the bars through a processing station, where the processing station comprises at least one of a header assembly, an extruder assembly, and a threading assembly. The method further includes processing a portion of each of the bars with the processing station. A system for producing a mine roof bolt includes a conveyor configured to index and transport a bar, a feed arrangement configured to continuously deliver bars to the conveyor, a processing station comprising at least one of a header assembly, an extruding assembly, and a threading assembly, where the processing station is positioned along the conveyor and configured to receive and process a portion of the bars.
Latest FCI Holdings Delaware, Inc. Patents:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/776,010, filed Mar. 11, 2013, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the InventionDescription of Related Art
Mine roof bolts are used to reinforce unsupported rock formations adjacent to a mine opening. In particular, the roof of a mine is conventionally supported by tensioning the roof with steel bolts inserted into bore holes drilled in the mine roof that reinforce the unsupported rock formation above the mine roof. The mine roof bolt may be anchored mechanically to the rock formation by engagement of an expansion assembly on the distal end of the mine roof bolt with the rock formation. Alternatively, the mine roof bolt may be adhesively bonded to the rock formation with a resin bonding material inserted into the bore hole. A combination of mechanical anchoring and resin bonding may also be employed by using both an expansion assembly and resin bonding material.
A mechanically anchored mine roof bolt typically includes an expansion assembly threaded onto a distal threaded end of the bolt shaft and a drive head for rotating the bolt. A mine roof plate is positioned between the drive head and the mine roof surface. The expansion assembly generally includes a multi-prong shell supported by a threaded ring and a plug threaded onto the end of the bolt. When the prongs of the shell engage with rock surrounding a bore hole, and the bolt is rotated about its longitudinal axis, the plug threads downwardly on the shaft to expand the shell into tight engagement with the rock thereby placing the bolt in tension between the expansion assembly and the mine roof surface.
When resin bonding material is utilized, the bonding material penetrates the surrounding rock formation to adhesively join the rock strata and to firmly hold the roof bolt within the bore hole. Resin is typically inserted into the mine roof bore hole in the form of a two component plastic cartridge having one component containing a curable resin composition and another component containing a curing agent (catalyst). The two component resin cartridge is inserted into the blind end of the bore hole and the mine roof bolt is inserted into the bore hole such that the end of the mine roof bolt ruptures the two component resin cartridge. Upon rotation of the mine roof bolt about its longitudinal axis, the compartments within the resin cartridge are shredded and the components are mixed. The resin mixture fills the annular area between the bore hole wall and the shaft of the mine roof bolt. The mixed resin cures and binds the mine roof bolt to the surrounding rock. The mine roof bolt is typically rotated via a drive head. With bolts that are point anchored and tensioned, a breakaway nut may be used to rotate the bolt and subsequently tension the bolt upon curing of the resin bonding material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one embodiment, a method of producing a mine roof bolt includes providing a plurality of bars of a predetermined length, moving the plurality of bars along a conveyor and indexing the position of the plurality of bars, and passing a portion of each of the plurality of bars through a processing station, where the processing station comprises at least one of a header assembly, an extruder assembly, and a threading assembly. The method further includes processing a portion of each of the plurality of bars with the processing station.
The method may further include where a longitudinal and lateral position of the plurality of bars is indexed. The processing station may include a header assembly, and processing the portion of each of the plurality of bars may include: heating a portion of a first bar of the plurality of bars; passing the portion of the first bar through the header assembly; and forging a head at an end of the first bar. The method may further include actuating clamping assemblies to fix the position of the first bar during forging. The processing station may include an extruder assembly, and processing the portion of each of the plurality of bars may include: passing a portion of a first bar of the plurality of bars through the extruder assembly; actuating a die cylinder to move a die holder assembly toward the first bar; and extruding a portion of the first bar. The method may include, after extruding the portion of the first bar, moving the first bar along the conveyor toward a second extruder assembly, passing the portion of the first bar of the plurality of bars through the second extruder assembly, actuating a die cylinder to move a die holder assembly toward the first bar, and further extruding the portion of the first bar. The method may include moving each of the plurality of bars from a feed rack to the conveyor using a feed delivery device. The movement of the conveyor and the feed delivery device may be synchronized. The method may include, after processing the portion of the bar, continuing to move the bar along the conveyor and depositing each of the plurality of bars into a receptacle.
In a further embodiment, a system for producing a mine roof bolt includes a conveyor configured to index and transport a bar, a feed arrangement configured to continuously deliver bars to the conveyor, a processing station comprising at least one of a header assembly, an extruding assembly, and a threading assembly. The processing station is positioned along the conveyor and configured to receive and process a portion of the bars.
The feed arrangement may include a feed rack and a feed wheel positioned adjacent to the feed rack with the feed wheel configured to receive bars from the feed rack and to deliver the bars to the conveyor. The conveyor may include a drive member and at least two drive sprockets with the drive member forming a continuous loop and extending circumferentially around the at least two drive sprockets. The drive member may include a plurality of indexing clamps with the plurality of indexing clamps configured to receive the bars and index a lateral position of the bars relative to adjacent bars. The system may further include a heating source configured to heat a portion of the bar and the processing station may be a header assembly. The header assembly may include a frame assembly, upper and lower clamp assemblies, and at least one header die assembly with the upper and lower clamp assemblies configured to engage a portion of the bar. The at least one header die assembly may include a die cylinder, a die holder, and a tool received by the die holder with the die holder moveable between a retracted and extended position via the die cylinder. The header assembly is configured to form a head at an end of the bar. The processing station may be an extruder assembly with the extruder assembly including a frame assembly, upper and lower clamp assemblies, and at least one extruder die assembly. The upper and lower clamp assemblies are configured to engage a portion of the bar. The at least one extruder die assembly may include a die cylinder, a die holder, and a tool received by the die holder with the die holder moveable between a retracted and extended position via the die cylinder. The extruder assembly is configured to extrude a portion of the bar.
The processing station may be a threading assembly that includes a frame assembly, a moving die assembly, and a stationary die assembly with the moving die assembly movable relative to the frame assembly and the stationary die assembly via a threading die cylinder. The moving die assembly and the stationary die assembly are configured to form threads on a portion of the rod. The threading assembly may further include a support stand having first and second paddles with the first and second paddles each configured to initially support the rod prior to forming threads on a portion of the rod. The first and second paddles are movable in a downward direction. The system may further include an index cylinder and a stop plate that are configured to index the longitudinal position of a bar positioned on the conveyor with the index cylinder moveable between first and second positions and configured to move a bar until the bar contacts the stop plate. The system may further include a receptacle positioned adjacent to an end of the conveyor with the plurality of indexing clamps configured to release the bars and deposit the bars into the receptacle.
For purposes of the description hereinafter, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “right”, “left”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, and derivatives thereof, shall relate to the invention as it is oriented in the drawing figures. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative variations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are simply exemplary embodiments of the invention. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring still to
Referring to
Referring again to
Referring to
Referring again to
Referring to
Referring again to
Referring still to
Referring to
Referring to
Although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the description. For example, it is to be understood that the present invention contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any embodiment can be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment.
Claims
1. A method of producing a mine roof bolt comprising:
- providing a plurality of bars of a predetermined length;
- moving the plurality of bars along a conveyor and indexing the position of the plurality of bars;
- passing a portion of each of the plurality of bars through a processing station, wherein the processing station comprises at least one of a header assembly, an extruder assembly, and a threading assembly; and
- processing a portion of each of the plurality of bars with the processing station.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein a longitudinal and lateral position of the plurality of bars is indexed.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing station comprises a header assembly, and wherein processing the portion of each of the plurality of bars comprises:
- heating a portion of a first bar of the plurality of bars;
- passing the portion of the first bar through the header assembly; and
- forging a head at an end of the first bar.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
- actuating clamping assemblies to fix the position of the first bar during forging.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing station comprises an extruder assembly, and wherein processing the portion of each of the plurality of bars comprises:
- passing a portion of a first bar of the plurality of bars through the extruder assembly;
- actuating a die cylinder to move a die holder assembly toward the first bar; and
- extruding a portion of the first bar.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:
- actuating clamping assemblies to fix the position of the first bar during the extruding.
7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:
- after extruding the portion of the first bar, moving the first bar along the conveyor toward a second extruder assembly;
- passing the portion of the first bar of the plurality of bars through the second extruder assembly;
- actuating a die cylinder to move a die holder assembly toward the first bar; and
- further extruding the portion of the first bar.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the plurality of bars comprises:
- moving each of the plurality of bars from a feed rack to the conveyor using a feed delivery device.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein movement of the conveyor and the feed delivery device are synchronized.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- after processing the portion of the bar, continuing to move the bar along the conveyor and depositing each of the plurality of bars into a receptacle.
11. A system for producing a mine roof bolt comprising:
- a conveyor configured to index and transport a bar;
- a feed arrangement configured to continuously deliver bars to the conveyor;
- a processing station comprising at least one of a header assembly, an extruding assembly, and a threading assembly,
- wherein the processing station is positioned along the conveyor and configured to receive and process a portion of the bars.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the feed arrangement comprises a feed rack and a feed wheel positioned adjacent to the feed rack, the feed wheel configured to receive bars from the feed rack and to deliver the bars to the conveyor.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the conveyor comprises a drive member and at least two drive sprockets, the drive member forming a continuous loop and extending circumferentially around the at least two drive sprockets.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the drive member includes a plurality of indexing clamps, the plurality of indexing clamps is configured to receive the bars and index a lateral position of the bars relative to adjacent bars.
15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a heating source configured to heat a portion of the bar, wherein the processing station comprises a header assembly, the header assembly comprising:
- a frame assembly, upper and lower clamp assemblies, and at least one header die assembly, the upper and lower clamp assemblies configured to engage a portion of the bar, the at least one header die assembly comprising a die cylinder, a die holder, and a tool received by the die holder, the die holder moveable between a retracted and extended position via the die cylinder, wherein the header assembly is configured to form a head at an end of the bar.
16. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing station comprises an extruder assembly, the extruder assembly comprising:
- a frame assembly, upper and lower clamp assemblies, and at least one extruder die assembly, the upper and lower clamp assemblies configured to engage a portion of the bar, the at least one extruder die assembly comprising a die cylinder, a die holder, and a tool received by the die holder, the die holder moveable between a retracted and extended position via the die cylinder, wherein the extruder assembly is configured to extrude a portion of the bar.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processing station further comprises a threading assembly, the threading assembly comprising:
- a frame assembly, a moving die assembly, and a stationary die assembly, the moving die assembly is movable relative to the frame assembly and the stationary die assembly via a threading die cylinder, the moving die assembly and the stationary die assembly are configured to form threads on a portion of the rod.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the threading assembly further comprises a support stand having first and second paddles, the first and second paddles are each configured to initially support the rod prior to forming threads on a portion of the rod, the first and second paddles are movable in a downward direction.
19. The system of claim 11, further comprising an index cylinder and a stop plate that are configured to index the longitudinal position of a bar positioned on the conveyor, the index cylinder moveable between first and second positions and configured to move a bar until the bar contacts the stop plate.
20. The system of claim 14, further comprising a receptacle positioned adjacent to an end of the conveyor, the plurality of indexing clamps is configured to release the bars and deposit the bars into the receptacle.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 10, 2014
Publication Date: Oct 23, 2014
Applicant: FCI Holdings Delaware, Inc. (Wilmington, DE)
Inventors: Mark M. Brandon (Gibsonia, PA), Demrey G. Brandon (Pittsburgh, PA), John Daniel Feyrer (Allison Park, PA), Robert McGinnis (Allison Park, PA), Stanley James Ponce (Renfrew, PA), Allen W. Sligar (Winchester, KY)
Application Number: 14/202,081
International Classification: B21K 27/04 (20060101); B21C 23/02 (20060101); B21K 1/46 (20060101);