Abstract: The method for wire saw excavation provides a significant savings in time, effort, and expense in the cutting of a core of material from a solid substrate such as rock or concrete. A single downhole is formed, and a robotic excavator then forms a continuous, closed loop base passage at the distal end of the downhole to define the periphery of the core to be cut. When the base passage has been completed, the robotic excavator is removed and two subsurface guide pulleys are placed in the bottom of the downhole. A wire saw is passed from a first surface pulley around the first and second subsurface pulleys and back to a second surface pulley. The surface pulleys are advanced along the predetermined periphery of the core at the same rate as the subsurface pulleys, so that the saw simultaneously cuts the periphery and the bottom of the core.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for producing a planar cavern are provided. The planar cavern is formed by first creating a continuous bore that extends through a subsurface resource deposit. The drill head used to create the bore can be steered in response to information about the concentration of the resource in the strata through which the drill head is passing, in order to keep the bore within resource deposit. The continuous bore can be formed by connecting first and second bores at a point within the subsurface resource deposit. After the continuous bore has been formed, a sawing assembly is placed within the continuous bore. The sawing assembly is then moved, in a continuous or in a reciprocating fashion, within the continuous bore. As the sawing assembly is moved, it is maintained under tension, to create a planar cavern. By thus exposing a large area of the resource deposit, a relatively large amount of the resource deposit can be dissolved in a solvent introduced to the planar cavern per unit time.

Abstract: A system for slicing material includes a structural support and a nanotube blade. The nanotube blade is coupled to the structural support and includes a nanotube filament having atoms arranged in a lattice structure. A first end and a second end of the nanotube blade are coupled such that the nanotube blade forms a nanotube loop.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for producing a planar cavern are provided. The planar cavern is formed by first creating a continuous bore that extends through a subsurface resource deposit. The continuous bore can be formed by connecting first and second bores at a point within the subsurface resource deposit. After the continuous bore has been formed, a sawing assembly is placed within the continuous bore. The sawing assembly is then moved, in a continuous or in a reciprocating fashion, within the continuous bore. As the sawing assembly is moved, it is maintained under tension, to create a planar cavern. By thus exposing a large area of the resource deposit, a relatively large amount of the resource deposit can be dissolved in a solvent introduced to the planar cavern per unit time. Saturated solution can then be pumped from the planar cavern, and the resource recovered from the saturated solution by evaporation.

Abstract: Monofilament metal saw wire for a wire saw, wherein the saw wire being provided with a plurality of crimps. The crimps are arranged in at least two different planes, such that, when measured, between measuring rods of a micrometer, over a length comprising crimps in at least two different planes, a circumscribed enveloping D diameter of the saw wire is between 1.05 and 1.50 times a diameter d of the saw wire itself.

Abstract: The invention relates to a double slot wire sawing machine and to a method of mining using the machine. The machine has a mobile chassis with a driving arrangement for simultaneously and independently driving two separate wire saws which each cut their own slot in the material being mined. The driving arrangement maintains one wire saw directly over the other by equalizing the tensions in the wire saws at the commencement of a cutting operation and, during cutting, by varying the respective wire saw speeds.

Abstract: A portable wire saw for cutting materials such as stone, concrete, asphalt and the like such as highway lane barriers. The portable wire saw includes a frame having a base on which is mounted a power source. Attached to the base is a plurality of wheels for easy portable movement of the wire saw. At least one of the wheels also provides a pivot point for the frame so that the wire saw can be pivoted between a cutting position and a non-cutting position. The power source drives a wire saw blade carried on a triangular support structure consisting of two pulleys and a drive wheel. The drive wheel is operably connected to the power source. The position of the pulleys is capable of being adjusted relative to the drive wheel. In a preferred embodiment the triangular support structure is arranged in a vertical orientation with the upper pulley functioning to keep the return path of the wire saw blade from having to pass through the material being cut.

Abstract: A method of mining seams is provided for a mineral deposit situated beneath a substantial overburden, such as would be found in a mountaintop ridge formation previously mined by contour mining operations so that roadways exist at the sides of the ridge formation. A continuous loop chain cutting device which extends across the width of the ridge is positioned near the front end of the seam. Vehicles supporting the ends of the device move along the roadways so that the cutting device cuts a thin slot in the seam which remove the mineral deposits yet allowing the remaining mineral deposit and overburden to subside gradually after the cutting blade has passed a given point. At a desired point along the length of the ridge, the vehicles direction and the cutting device continues to cut a thin slot in the seam in the opposite direction. This back and forth movement is continued until the mineral deposit is substantially removed from the ridge.

Abstract: A method for sinking a shaft having a wide diameter e.g. 4 meters. A concrete diaphragm wall is formed with five radially inwardly extending sections (12), in each of which a guide hole (13) is formed. Five outer boreholes are drilled to depth using the guide holes and a central borehole (14) is also drilled to depth. The ground within the wall is excavated to rock level. Vertical cuts are made between adjacent outer boreholes (14) and between the central borehole (14) and the outer boreholes (15) using a wire (19) saw cutter. Cross cuts are then made to form separated segments (33) of rock which are removed sequentially. This is repeated progressively downwards to the required depth.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of cutting an interior surface in reinforced concrete. Holes are drilled to define the shape of the concrete (usually a rectangular block) to be removed, these can be drilled to any suitable depth, which was not possible under prior art methods. Slots are cut between the holes except at one side using an endless wire saw. An interior cut is made using the endless wire saw from the periphery to the uncut side. The wire saw is secured in the cutting operations at the interior end of the holes by swivel pulleys secured at the exterior end of the holes to the concrete surface. The invention also relates to a swivel pulley assembly especially adapted for application in the method. The invention further relates to a method of cutting a substrate by allowing the wire saw to cut between two pulleys interior of the substrate, from a nonlinear path between the pulleys to a line connecting the pulleys.

Abstract: A wire sawing method for cutting buildings, dams, bridge piers, foundations and other reinforced concrete structures is exhibited.This method is characterized by laying a cable on a reinforced concrete structure and using a moving type cable driving machine which pulls the cable for cutting and drives it circularly while the machine itself moves, together in series with a fixed type cable driving machine which drives the tension side part of the cable for cutting. The endless cable for cutting is circularly driven while its running speed and tension are adjusted by the cable driving system.

Abstract: In a wire saw drive apparatus having a carriage, a wire drive pulley mounted on the carriage, pulley drive means for rotating the wire drive pulley to drive an endless cutting wire, a pair of adjust pulleys for guiding a tensile side and a loose side of the cutting wire, and carriage drive means for moving the carriage and maintaining the cutting wire under a desired tension, the improvement comprises elastic means mounted between an adjust pulley supporting body for guiding at least the tensile side of the cutting wire and the carriage, for receiving a force applied from the cutting wire to the adjust pulley, and a guide pulley mounted on the carriage near the adjust pulley for guiding the tensile side of the cutting wire, for guiding the cutting wire into S shape fashion in cooperation with the adjust pulley.

Abstract: A method of preparing an underground bed for treatment. A channel is formed in the bed extending from the ground down through the bed and up to the ground. A cutting device is inserted into the channel operated to form a pathway in a substantially vertical plane.

Abstract: A mining vehicle has a body with a center boom extending forwardly from the body. A temporary roof support is mounted on the outer end of the center boom. The roof support has a base, a telescopic column, and a cross beam on top of the column with auxiliary beams pivotally connected to the cross beam to engage the roof. Hydraulic jacks are connected between the base and the outer ends of the beams, respectively. A pedestal is pivotally mounted on the front end of the body, on each side of the center boom, to support a drill boom. A drill head is pivotally mounted at the outer end of the drill boom and is vertically movable by the drill boom for roof drilling. Each drill boom has the end opposite the drill head received in a track on the pedestal which serves to maintain the drill head on a vertical axis in any position of the drill boom. Each pedestal, at its inner end, has a laterally extending arm, the outer end of which is pivotally connected to the body at a pivot joint.

Abstract: A coal mining technique is disclosed whereby the coal, which is to be removed from horizontal seams, is cut from the inside of the seam first, thereby allowing the earth around the seam to collapse behind the cutting blades. In one embodiment, a tunnel is bored into the seam from a front surface of the hill. The tunnel is constructed into a "U" shape such that both an entrance and an exit hole are laterally displaced along the front surface of a hill. A chain drive having rotating cutters spaced therealong is drawn through the tunnel by a motor located outside the tunnel. The motor provides continuous outward pressure on the chain, causing the blades to rotate, thereby cutting the coal from the inside back wall of the tunnel. Buckets mounted along the chain serve to remove the coal from the tunnel. When rotating blades are not used, cutters may be mounted on the outside of the buckets to chip the coal from the seam.