Patent Application
20140126961
Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
1. The Field of the Present Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to a low profile can descender. More particularly, but not necessarily entirely, this disclosure relates to a system, method and device for lowering and raising materials with a device that eliminates the head space limitation inherent in using overhead hoist.
2. Description of Related Art
Raising and lowering a load through a vertical space or aperture such as a mine shaft has traditionally been accomplished by the use of a system that employs a hoist of one type or another. Illustrations of two examples of the prior art are set forth in
When the spool rotates in the opposite direction, the length of cable extending below the pulley shortens, raising the load from the hole.
A limitation of the traditional pulley and derrick system is the head space limitation created by the fact that the hoist must be positioned more or less directly over the hole. The distance between the pulley or pulley system and the top of the hole defines the maximum height of any object that may be lowered into the hole at any one time. This is because the object must be short enough to fit between the pulley and the top of the hole.
This height limitation, negatively impacts the usefulness of the pulley and derrick system when taller items must be lowered into the hole. An item that exceeds the head space of the pulley and derrick system must be divided into sections that can fit in the head space and lowered individually into the hole. This method requires a complicated, time consuming and potentially dangerous process wherein the first section must be lowered until the top of the section is flush with the top of the hole. The first section must be fastened in place by bolts or some other type of a brake mechanism. The cable is then removed from the first second while the second section is positioned over the hole, on top of the first section. The second section is fastened to the first section, and the cable is attached, to the second section, the braking means is removed from the first section and the first and second section are then lowered into the hole until the top of the second section is flush with the top of the hole. The process is repeated for each successive section.
The removal of the object is the opposite of the process described immediately above. The object is raised until the bottom of the uppermost section is flush with the top of the hole. Then, the object is held in place by a braking mechanism such as bolts, and the cable is removed from the uppermost section and the uppermost section is unfastened from the section below and removed from the hole. The cable is then attached to the next section and the process is repeated until the entire object is removed from the hole.
The many stops involved with this method of lowering an object into a hole or raising an object from a hole increase the time it would otherwise take to lower a tall object into the hole. It also involves more labor than would otherwise be required. These factors increase the man hours required and hence increase the cost of performing the operation. In addition, the braking and un-braking and the fastening and un-fastening of the cables increases the danger and risk of injury to the persons performing the operation.
In addition, because the traditional pulley and derrick system relies on gravity to position the object of the hole, it is very difficult to control the direction of the object as it is lowered. This makes it very difficult to use the pulley and derrick system to lower an object into a hole that is net parallel to the normal force, i.e, parallel with the force of gravity.
Thus, it would be useful if an object could be lowered into a hole all in one piece regardless of the height of the object. It would also be useful if the angle of the object being lowered could be controlled to aid in lowering an object into a hole that is angled. The problem to be solved to accomplish this goal is to eliminate the head space limitation inherent in the traditional pulley and derrick system. The second problem to be solved is to incorporate a directional controlling function into the lowering mechanism.
Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a means to lower and raise an object all a one time. It is also an object of this invention to provide a means to control the angle of the object as it is lowered for the purpose of lowering an object into a hole that is angled with respect to the normal force.
The features and advantages of the present disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the present disclosure without undue experimentation. The features and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
The features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from a consideration of the subsequent detailed description presented in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles in accordance with the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and any additional applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated herein, which would normally occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the disclosure claimed.
Before the present to profile can descender is disclosed and described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular configurations, process steps, and materials disclosed herein as such configurations, process steps, and materials may vary somewhat. It is also to be understood that the terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting since the scope of the present disclosure will be limited only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
The publications and other reference materials referred to herein to describe the background of the disclosure, and to provide additional detail regarding its practice, are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties, with the following exception: In the event that any portion of said reference materials is inconsistent with this application, this application supersedes said reference materials. The reference materials discussed herein are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as a suggestion or admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior disclosure, or to distinguish the present disclosure from the subject matter disclosed in the reference materials.
It must be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
In describing and claiming the present disclosure, the following terminology will be used in accordance with the definitions set out below.
As used herein, the terms “comprising”, “including,” “containing,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional, un-recited elements or method steps.
As used herein, the phrase “consisting of” and grammatical equivalents thereof exclude any element, step, or ingredient not specified in the claim.
As used herein, the phrase “consisting essentially of” and grammatical equivalents thereof limit the scope of a claim to the specified materials or steps and those that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic or characteristics of the claimed disclosure.
As used herein, the term proximal shall refer broadly to the concept of a nearest portion.
As used herein, the term “distal” shall generally refer to the opposite of proximal, and thus to the concept of a further portion, or a furthest portion, depending upon the context.
As used herein, the phrase “in an at least partially proximal-to-distal direction” shall refer generally to a two-dimensional concept of direction in which the “proximal-to-distal” direction defines one direction or dimension. An item that extends in a non-parallel direction with respect to the “proximal-to-distal” direction, that is, at a non-straight angle thereto, thereby involve two components of direction, one of which is in the “proximal-to-distal” direction and the other being in a direction orthogonal to the “proximal-to-distal” direction.
Turning to
As depicted here, the strand jacks 116 are affixed to a base frame 120 at a point proximal to the base of each strand jack 116. The strand jacks 116 may be removably attached to the base frame 120 or as depicted in
As depicted in
The plurality of strand jacks 116 are configured to work in concert to raise and lower a load disposed between them. Each strand jack 116 is operable independently of the other strand jacks such that the cable 148 of one strand jack 116 may be lengthened or shortened to a greater degree than the cable 148 of the other strand jacks 116. In this manner, the object being raised or lowered 102 may be tipped and therefore angled for insertion into or removal from a hole or shaft that is angled.
Each strand jack 616 may be operated independently such that the lengths of cable 622 extending into the shaft may be varied independently. This varying of the cable lengths allows the can to be angled in any desired direction allowing the can to be inserted into shafts that are angled.
In one embodiment, deck panels 821 of the required size and radius section are selected and removably fastened to the base frame to define a circular interior space whose diameter is slightly larger than the diameter of the can being lowered. This configuration presents the optimum number of points on the interior surface of the deck panels 821 that are in mechanical communication with the exterior surface of the can to guide the can into position as it is lowered in to the shaft.
While the above description deals primarily with escape ways, or cans, it should be apparent that the embodiments depicted above may be use for raising or lowering any load into or of a hole. Because the can descender is assembleable from its constituent parts, it can be transported to areas where space is limited, such as underground mines, and assembled where it is needed. This feature, along with the fact that the can descender can be used in areas with limited head soiree makes this device uniquely suited to work underground.
Thus, this can descender is ideally suited for use in mine escape way installation and removal method and system that utilizes, the can descender as depicted in
The method for employing the system comprises selecting the appropriate base frame members and deck sections required to create a frame and deck structure with sufficient diameter to match the diameter of the mine escape way being raised or lowered. If the can descender is to be used below the ground, the various selected parts of the system are transported below ground to the point where the device is to be used. An escape way of the appropriate size to fit the shaft or aperture into which it is to be inserted is also transported to the point where the device is to be used. Where space is an issue, the escape way may comprise connectible sections of sufficient length to fit through the passageway through which it must pass to get to the point where the device is to be used.
Once the appropriate parts are in place, the base frame sections are assembled around the shaft or aperture and the deck sections are fastened in place. The strand sacks are attached to the base frame. The escape way or escape way segment if placed proximate to the opening of the can descender. The cable end of each strand lack is attached to the escape way or escape way segment. Generally, the cable end would be attached proximal to the base of the escape way or escape way segment. The strand jacks are then operated in such a way that the escape way or escape way segment is lowered into the shaft or aperture. In the case of an escape way that is installed in segments when the first segment is lowered to the point where the top of the escape way segment is approximately even with the deck surface, another escape way segment is maneuvered into place on top of the first escape way segment and fastened to the first escape way segment. The strand lacks are then operated in such a way that the escape way segments are lowered into the shaft or aperture. This process is repeated until all the escape way segments are installed. The cable ends are then removed, from the escape way and retracted. The can descender is then disassembled into its component parts and removed from the site.
