Hydraulic and earth engineering – Earth treatment or control – Shoring – bracing – or cave-in prevention
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-17
2001-06-12
Bagnell, David (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Earth treatment or control
Shoring, bracing, or cave-in prevention
C405S259100, C081S121100, C081S186000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244787
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention pertains to tools for facilitating the spinning of cable bolts about their longitudinal axis and, more particularly, to a tool having an interior socket, uniquely suited for driving engagement with a cable bolt end so that the spinning function can be achieved in a highly satisfactory manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
No art is currently known relative to a cable bolt spinning tool being designed with a type of cable bolt and socket receiving area, for positively engaging such end to accomplish the spinning function. however, for a general understanding of the cable bolt structure art, reference is made to the inventor's prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,545 issued Jul. 2, 1996. By way of introduction and lexography, the term cable bolt as used herein, and as used and understood generally in the art, refers to any cable length, with or without end or medial attachments, where such cable length is constituted by a central king wire about which is helically wrapped a series of wire strands. A customary, vertically oriented cable bolt will have six of such strands which are helically wrapped in a counter-clockwise direction going upwardly from the bottom end of the cable section to the top end thereof. When viewed at a point beneath the lower end of the cable bolt section, the strands will appear as proceeding toward the eye of the viewer as being wound in a clockwise direction.
Cable bolts are used in a variety of contexts such as tunnel constructions, mine roof stabilization and other industries wherein it is desired to enhance stability of earth formations. This is particularly important in the area of underground mining, wherein ground control of mine roof strata is to be enhanced, whether in a passive or in a dynamic manner. Cable lengths comprising cable bolts, as this term is employed herein, may be from 6 feet to 18 feet in length, or more, with the bolts being installed in bolt-holes proceeding from the commencement of the opening to its base. At the base there will be a deposit of an epoxy resin system which is to be made active and mixed upon the spinning of the cable bolt, whereby to positively secure the cable bolt end or portion within which it is positioned. Resin systems to accomplish such anchoring may have setup times anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. What is needed therefor is a mechanism for facilitating the spinning of a cable bolt about its axis so as to mix the resin system whereby to accomplish the cable bolt anchoring function as desired.
There have been developed many types of anchoring structures for cable bolts, with resin system facility, to effect the resin system mixing function. Such facility per se forms no part of the invention. What the invention herein provides is a tool for facilitating the spinning of the wire strand cable bolt utilized, what ever its particular design.
The tool herein, in accomplishing the aforementioned spinning function, will be utilized with power machinery of conventional design, whereby to engage the tool and spin the same so that the latter, in its engagement with the wire strand cable bolt, will spin the latter about its longitudinal axis. Spinning machinery is commonly in the art, are of various designs, and include the large mobile bolter machinery, “stopers,” i.e., stoping drill machinery, jackleg drills and the like. Such machinery will include a chuck or similar structure suitable to grib and/or receive and intermediate tool, whereby the rotating power of the power machinery is transferred by the tool for actually spinning the cable bolt.
What the present invention provides in particular, is a tool having a head provided with an interior socket designed to receive the end of a cable bolt in a unique manner, for positive engagement of the same throughout an appreciable length of the cable bolt end.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
According to the present invention the tool herein basically comprises an elongated shank and a head integral with the shank. The shank has a preferred, noncircular transverse cross-section designed for reception of the chuck or other engagement portion of power equipment. Medially disposed upon the shank will be a transverse peripheral raised portion such as a fixed retainer ring for accommodating the tool for retention in the driving equipment and to preclude axial slippage. The head of the tool includes a cable bolt end admittance cavity which bottoms into a unique cable bolt end engagement socket. The admittance cavity may include one or more conical surfaces for facilitating the easy implacement of the tool over a cable bolt end such that the end is suitably engaged in the socket area. Cable bolts, again, are customarily made up of a central or king wire surrounded by six wire strands that are helically wound about the king wire. The strands proceed in a counter-clockwise direction, from rearward to forward. For maximum engagement strength, this requires that the socket area be suitably designed either with grooves for receiving the outer surfaces of the cable strands or, and preferably, be configured by displaced hexagonal socket portions which will grip at different but adjacent portions of the cable end. In this way the tool can be twisted slightly so that an appreciable depth of the cable end can be accommodated by the bifurcated noncircular socket portions of the tool head. Accordingly, when viewed from a lower point looking upwardly, the lower most socket portion of the head will be displaced slightly, i.e., 10° to 12°, in a clockwise direction relative to the socket portion that is above it. Again, where the socket portions have hexagonal cross-sections, the innermost portion being angularly displaced relative to the remaining portion, then the tool can be advanced and simply twisted slightly as the cable bolt is engaged, whereby adjacent surface portions of the cable bolt are positively retained in such hexagonal socket portions or segments.
OBJECTS
Accordingly, a principle object of the present invention is to provide a tool for facilitating the spinning of wire strand cables such as ground stabilization cable bolts.
A further object is to provide a tool for engaging a cable bolt to be spun whereby the end of the latter is engaged by the former in a positive manner such as to preclude inadvertent rotational slippage.
A further object of the invention is to provide an elongated tool for spinning cable bolts wherein the same is provided with a composite interior socket designed for engaging a substantial portion of the periphery of a cable bolt end.
A further object is to minimize machining and fabrication expense in the production of a cable bolt rotating tool, wherein the same includes an interior socket section suitable for positively engaging the bolt end about a substantial portion of its end periphery.
REFERENCES:
patent: 906040 (1908-12-01), Lucas
patent: 1590200 (1926-06-01), McGuckin
patent: 3161090 (1964-12-01), McLellan
patent: 3940941 (1976-03-01), Libert et al.
patent: 5511909 (1996-04-01), Calandra, Jr. et al.
patent: 5531545 (1996-07-01), Seegmiller et al.
patent: 5931064 (1999-08-01), Gillespie
Bagnell David
Lagman Frederick L.
LandOfFree
Cable bolt spinning tool does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Cable bolt spinning tool, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cable bolt spinning tool will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2450278