Excavation apparatus and method

Claim 3

In a method of claim 1, supporting said displaced explosive charge in substantially coaxially aligned contact with said displacement means, and advancing said pin through a central passageway in said displacement means into said percussion initiating impact.

Claim 4

In a method of claim 1, advancing a piston member as said positive displacement means in supported contact with said explosive charge during displacement of same and retaining said displaced explosive charge in said supported contact for said percussion impact initiation, and disengaging the thus initiated explosive charge from said contact with said piston member by said force of percussion impact of said pin member, whereby said explosive charge is concurrently initiated and freed from said piston member and said pin for said detonation.

Claim 5

Apparatus for loading and initiating delay type percussion initiatable explosive charges in bore holes, which comprises: a tubular loading member having a passageway in a side wall thereof for receiving an explosive charge; means for moving said tubular loading member into and out of a bore hole; means for advancing said charge within said tubular loading member into emplacement within said bore hole; means mounted to said advancing means for impacting said emplaced charge to initiate said charge; and means responsive to actuation of said impacting means for actuating said moving means to retract said tubular loading member and said advancing means from said bore hole during the delay period of said initiated charge.

Claim 6

Apparatus for loading and initiating delay type percussion initiatable explosive charges in bore holes, which comprises: a tubular loading member having a passageway in a side wall thereof for receiving an explosive charge; means for moving said tubular loading member into and out of a bore hole; means for advancing said charge within said tubular loading member into emplacement within said bore hole; means mounted to said advancing means for impacting said emplaced charge to initiate said charge; and means responsive to actuation of said impacting means for actuating said moving means to retract said tubular loading member and said advancing means from said bore hole during the delay period of said initiated charge.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said advancing means includes means for supporting said charge and disengaging said charge in response to said impacting means and initiating said emplaced charge.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 4 including a tubular support member having a passageway in a side wall thereof, said tubular loading member being movably supported within and coaxial with said tubular support member, the passageway of said tubular loading member being alignable with the passageway of said tubular support member to allow said tubular loading member to receive an explosive charge.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said tubular support member includes first and second longitudinally extending slots through a side wall thereof, and said moving means includes a first drive means mounted outside said tubular support member operatively connected through said first slot to said tubular loading member for longitudinally moving and retracting said tubular loading member.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said advancing means includes a piston head as a charge displacement member mounted for movement within said tubular loading member and a second drive means mounted outside said tubular support member operatively connected through said second slot to said piston head for longitudinally moving said charge within said tubular loading member.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means responsive to actuation of said impacting means includes electropneumatic means operatively connected to said first drive means for activating said first drive means in a reverse direction for retracting said tubular loading member and said advancing means.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said impacting means includes a firing pin disposed within said piston head, said firing pin being longitudinally movable relative to said piston head for impacting with said charge.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said impacting means includes a mounting member rearward of said piston head, a tubular member connecting said piston head and said mounting member, said mounting member operatively connected through said second slot of said tubular support member to said second drive means, a pin connector member extending within said tubular connecting member and connecting at its forward end with said firing pin, and pneumatic means connecting with said pin connecting member at its rearward end through said mounting member for longitudinally moving said pin connector member and said firing pin so that said firing pin impacts with said charge.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said pneumatic means includes a piston assembly rearward of, and secured to said mounting member, said piston assembly including a cylinder, a piston movable within said cylinder, a piston rod having one end connected to said piston and the other end projecting from said cylinder and connected to said pin connector rod, and means for spring biasing said piston against forward travel; and wherein said pneumatic means includes means for introducing fluid under pressure into said cylinder to move said piston.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said impacting means also includes a plurality of spaced apart detent assemblies each radially extending from, and through the side wall of said piston head, and said firing pin has a substantially radially disposed groove formed about its periphery; first and second detent pin members in each said detent assembly, said first detent pin member longitudinally movable into, and from, said passageway in said piston head for extension into, and retraction from, said groove to respectively lock said firing pin therein, and unlock same for forward travel into said percussion initiating impact with said charge, and said second detent pin member longitudinally spaced from said first detent pin member and longitudinally movable into, and from, the exterior of said piston head; spring biasing means in each said detent assembly operatively connecting with said first and second detent pin members therein to bias said first detent pin member away from said locking position in said groove and to bias said second pin member toward a position outside said piston head, so that when said piston head is sufficiently within said tubular loading member to retain said detent assemblies therein, the side wall of said tubular loading member will press against each said second detent pin member to responsively move said first pin member into said groove in opposition to the biasing force of said spring means; and said piston head sufficiently forwardly movable in a forward section of said tubular loading member to move said second detent pin members from said pressing relationship with the side wall of said tubular loading member to responsively move said first detent pin members from said groove to unlock said firing pin for travel into said percussion initiation impact with said charge.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said tubular loading member includes in a forward end side wall section, a passageway therethrough dimensioned for egress of each said forward displaced charges; and said piston head when forwardly displaced into its forwardmost position being responsively downwardly movable toward and partially into said forward end passageway to release each said second detent pin member from said pressing relationship with said tubular loading member, so that each said spring member by force of said biasing action moves each said first pin member upwardly from said groove to unlock said firing pin for travel into said percussion initiating impact with said charge.

Claim 17

Apparatus for loading and initiating a percussion initiatable delay type explosive charge in a bore hole which comprises: a longitudinally extending tubular support member positionable in alignment with and adjacent to said bore hole; a tubular loading member having a passageway in a side wall thereof for receiving an explosive charge, said tubular loading member being longitudinally movable within and through a forward end of said tubular support member so as to be advanced into said bore hole from within said support member; means for moving said tubular loading member through said forward end of said tubular support member into and out of a bore hole; means for advancing said charge within said tubular loading member into emplacement within said bore hole; means mounted to said advancing means for impacting said emplaced charge to initiate said charge; and means responsive to actuation of said impacting means for actuating said moving means to retract said tubular loading member and said advancing means from said bore hole during the delay period of said initiated charge.

Claim 18

Apparatus for loading and initiating a percussion initiatable delay type explosive charge in a bore hole which comprises: a longitudinally extending tubular support member positionable in alignment with and adjacent to said bore hole; a tubular loading member having a passageway in a side wall thereof for receiving an explosive charge, said tubular loading member being longitudinally movable within and through a forward end of said tubular support member so as to be advanced into said bore hole from within said support member; means for moving said tubular loading member through said forward end of said tubular support member into and out of a bore hole; means for advancing said charge within said tubular loading member into emplacement within said bore hole; means mounted to said advancing means for impacting said emplaced charge to initiate said charge; and means responsive to actuation of said impacting means for actuating said moving means to retract said tubular loading member and said advancing means from said bore hole during the delay period of said initiated charge.

Claim 19

Apparatus for drilling and blasting to form earth breakage product comprising: a support member; means for rotation of said support member; a centrally disposed drill carried by said support member for drilling a relief hole in an earth formation; a plurality of space-apart drilling units, each carried by said support member for forming a bore hole in said earth formation, each of said drilling units spaced from said centrally disposed drill; means mounted to said support member for loading and initiating delay type percussion initiatable explosive charges in said bore hole including: a tubular loading member having a passageway in a side wall thereof for receiving an explosive charge, means for moving said tubular loading member into and out of a bore hole, means for advancing said charge within said tubular loading member into emplacement within said bore hole, means mounted to said advancing means for impacting said emplaced charge to initiate said charge, and means responsive to actuation of said impacting means for actuating said moving means to retract said tubular loading member and said advancing means from said bore hole during the delay period of said initiated charge; and means for advancing said support member toward said earth formation for said drilling and loading and subsequent initiation of each of said explosive charges for detonation to form said breakage product.

Claim 20

Apparatus for drilling and blasting to form earth breakage product comprising: a support member; means for rotation of said support member; a centrally disposed drill carried by said support member for drilling a relief hole in an earth formation; a plurality of space-apart drilling units, each carried by said support member for forming a bore hole in said earth formation, each of said drilling units spaced from said centrally disposed drill; means mounted to said support member for loading and initiating delay type percussion initiatable explosive charges in said bore hole including: a tubular loading member having a passageway in a side wall thereof for receiving an explosive charge, means for moving said tubular loading member into and out of a bore hole, means for advancing said charge within said tubular loading member into emplacement within said bore hole, means mounted to said advancing means for impacting said emplaced charge to initiate said charge, and means responsive to actuation of said impacting means for actuating said moving means to retract said tubular loading member and said advancing means from said bore hole during the delay period of said initiated charge; and means for advancing said support member toward said earth formation for said drilling and loading and subsequent initiation of each of said explosive charges for detonation to form said breakage product.

Claim 23

The method of claim 17 including supporting said charge during movement thereof into said bore hole.