Bolt driving rig and method for rock reinforcement

Abstract

This invention provides a bolt-driving rig and method for reinforcing rock formations. [Solution] The bolt driving rig (1) is a bolt storage section (12) supported at the front of a carrier (2), and includes a bolt storage section (12) that is movable to a pickup position (PP). The bolt driving unit (4) includes a bolt rack (11) and is positioned at a pickup position for simultaneously replenishing several lock bolts (5) from the supply surface (16) of the bolt storage section.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rock bolt driving rig for drilling holes and installing rock bolts to reinforce the surface of a rock mass.

[0002] The present invention further relates to a method for rock mass reinforcement.

Background Art

[0003] The field of the present invention is more specifically defined in the preamble of the independent claims.

[0004] In mines, construction sites, and other work areas, it is necessary to reinforce the surface of a rock mass, thereby ensuring its safety and suitability for the intended purpose. A common method for rock mass reinforcement is to drive rock bolts. In such a reinforcement system, several rock bolts are fixed in drill holes by grouting material. In this way, the rock mass layers are joined together, reducing the risk of collapse. There are several different types of rock bolts, bolt driving rigs, and methods for installing rock bolts. However, it has been shown that the current solutions for handling rock bolts at the work site have several drawbacks.

Summary of the Invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved solution for handling and installing rock bolts for reinforcing the surface of a rock mass.

[0006] The bolt driving rig according to the present invention is characterized by the characteristic functions of the independent device claims.

[0007] The method according to the present invention is characterized by the characteristic functions of the independent method claims.

[0008] The disclosed solution idea is that a bolt storage unit is supported on a carrier of a bolt-driving rig and is movable in front of the carrier. The bolt storage unit can be moved to a desired pickup position located in front of the carrier in the operating direction. A bolt rack is attached to the bolt-driving unit and has multiple parallel storage locations for receiving several lock bolts. A control unit can control the movement of the bolt boom to position the bolt rack in the pickup position in response to data regarding the position and orientation of the bolt storage unit.

[0009] In other words, the bolt storage unit is part of the bolt-driving rig and can be moved to a desired pickup position in the front area of ​​the carrier. Furthermore, the bolt rack of the bolt-driving unit is moved to the pickup position to collect new lock bolts from the bolt storage unit located at the pickup position. Thus, to replenish the bolt rack, both the bolt storage unit and the bolt rack are moved to the pickup position under the control of the control unit and aligned at the pickup position to perform the pickup of lock bolts.

[0010] The advantage of the disclosed solution is that the bolt housing is located away from the carrier, which allows for greater flexibility in the carrier's layout. In other words, the bolt housing does not require space on the carrier.

[0011] A further advantage is that, since there is no fixed physical pickup position, the pickup position can be selected or defined according to work efficiency, available space in the direction of operation, collision avoidance, the kinematics of the bolt-driving boom, and other conceivable challenges. Because there is no fixed or predetermined pickup position, any suitable position can function as the pickup position. This improves the operational flexibility of the solution. The pickup position can be selected in place during operation.

[0012] Furthermore, the lateral stability of the bolt rig, particularly its slewing stability, can be improved. The bolt housing can be moved to the outermost position within the slewing radius, thereby balancing the possibility of lateral tilting.

[0013] A control unit and its actuators that control the operation of a rock bolt driving rig are provided with sensing data regarding the movement of the bolt driving boom, bolt driving unit, and bolt stage, and can generate position data necessary to move the bolt stage to any desired position in front of the carrier, can define position data for a selected pickup position, and can move the bolt track to a specified pickup position.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the bolt rack is configured to pick up several lock bolts simultaneously from the bolt storage section. Then, all storage compartments of the bolt rack are replenished simultaneously in a single pick-up operation. In this way, refilling the bolt rack becomes quick and efficient.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the number of storage spaces in the bolt rack is 2 to 6, preferably 4. The bolt rack can be considered an intermediate bolt storage section between the actual bolt storage section and the bolt supply device of the bolt driving unit.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the bolt rack is a stationary component fixedly attached to the bolt driving unit and does not include any handling device for moving the lock bolts from the bolt storage area to the bolt rack. Subsequently, there are no handling arms, manipulators, robotic arms, or corresponding devices in or associated with the bolt rack. Inside the bolt rack, there are only gripping members for holding the lock bolts supplied onto the bolt storage area. The gripping members may be spring-loaded or may have jaws operated by one or more actuators.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the disclosed solution, which includes a bolt housing and a bolt rack, is configured to handle a pre-assembled lock bolt provided with a tension nut and a bearing plate. The bearing plate is also known as an anchor plate or washer. The pre-assembly of the lock bolt may be performed at the work site or elsewhere. Furthermore, the pre-assembly may be performed manually or alternatively by mechanized or automated equipment.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the disclosed solution, which includes a bolt housing and a bolt rack, is configured to handle unassembled lock bolts, i.e., steel rods or threaded rods without bearing plates. In this case, the assembly of the bearing plates may be performed, for example, in a bolt-driving unit. In some cases, the housing steel rods may be without tension nuts and bearing plates, thereby the assembly including the attachment of nuts and plates.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the bolt-driving rig includes at least one lock bolt component on a carrier. Then, there may be a first component storage section for steel rods, a second component storage section for tension nuts, and a third component storage section for bearing plates. The first component storage section may be located at the front of the carrier and oriented laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the carrier. Then, the stored steel rods are close to the bolt storage section and easy to handle.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the bolt-driving rig may be provided with a cable bolt supply and handling device in addition to the disclosed rock bolt storage and handling arrangement. Thus, the bolt-driving rig may have a dual system to which either rock bolts or cable reinforcements can be attached.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the bolt-driving unit may be equipped with a rock-drilling machine, or alternatively, the bolt-driving rig may be equipped with a separate drilling boom having a rock-drilling unit.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the bolt-driving rig also relates to a rock-drilling rig configured to excavate blast holes or any other type of drilled holes by a drilling boom, the rock-drilling rig further comprising the disclosed bolt-driving boom, bolt-driving unit, and bolt storage section. The disclosed solution can then be implemented, for example, in a tunnel rig configured to first perform face drilling.

[0023] According to one embodiment, a bolt storage unit supported by a carrier is movable at least laterally to the carrier, thereby allowing the bolt storage unit to move to at least one refilling position located laterally and externally in front of the carrier, in addition to the pickup position. In other words, the refilling position is located separately from below the bolt boom oriented in the direction of operation. The bolt storage unit can then be moved away from the normal operating area of ​​the bolt-driving boom, thereby allowing for safe replenishment. The normal operating area is typically a sector-shaped area defined by the reach of the bolt-driving boom. The refilling position is defined outside this area (where there is no collision between the bolt boom and the bolt unit).

[0024] According to one embodiment, the refilling position is located on the side of the carrier. The side of the carrier has more available space, making it easier to perform the required handling operations.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the bolt storage unit is movable vertically relative to the carrier in addition to moving laterally. The advantage of the vertical movement function is that the height of the bolt storage unit can be adjusted. This makes the removal of bolts, which is performed by the bolt rack and operated by the bolt-driving boom, smoother. Vertical movement can also be performed, for example, when reloading the bolt storage unit.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the bolt storage part is supported by a handling arm connected to the front part of the carrier, and is movable in the horizontal and vertical directions by at least one rotary joint and at least one rotation mechanism. In other words, the handling arm can move the bolt storage part to various pickup positions and replenishment positions in a versatile manner.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the first end of the handling arm is connected to the front part of the carrier by one or more joints, whereby the handling arm and the bolt storage part located at the second end of the handling arm can be moved in a versatile manner. In this way, the work of the operator of the bolt placing rig can be made easier, safer, and more productive. The length of the handling arm can also be constructed to be adjustable.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the first end of the handling arm is connected to the front part of the carrier at a distance laterally from the longitudinal center line of the carrier. The handling arm can be attached at a mounting point that is maximally lateral from the center line. Then, the handling arm can be rotated to a transport position. In the transport position, the handling arm is oriented laterally or substantially laterally with respect to the longitudinal direction of the carrier. Thereby, the handling arm and the bolt storage part at its distal end do not increase the length of the carrier and do not form a visual obstacle when driving and arranging the bolt placing rig.

[0029] Furthermore, the handling arm can be rotated to a desired angular orientation with respect to the carrier, whereby the bolt storage part can be positioned at a desired position relative to the bolt placing unit during bolt operation. When the attachment of the handling arm is at a position close to the side surface of the carrier, for example, when it is rotated to one side of the carrier to refill bolts into the bolt storage part, the handling arm has sufficient lateral reach.

[0030] In one alternative solution, the handling arm can be arranged at an attachment point on the center line of the carrier.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the bolt storage can be supported on the guide rail and can slide on the guide rail to one or more pick-up positions in front of the carrier. A further possibility is to directly support the body of the bolt storage on the front end of the carrier by means of one or more joints. Thereby, the bolt storage can be rotated to various pick-up positions and replenishment positions in the front area of the carrier.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the attachment of the bolt storage is provided with quick coupling means, whereby the bolt storage becomes an exchangeable unit. In other words, the bolt storage can be removed and reattached quickly and easily. This facilitates, for example, maintenance measures, and in case the bolt storage fails, it can be replaced with a new one.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the bolt storage is a pre-filled unit and is replaced with a new pre-filled bolt storage when it becomes empty. The prior filling of the removed bolt storage can be carried out outside the work site under good and safe conditions. By using an exchangeable pre-filled bolt storage, the efficiency and safety of the refilling operation are improved.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the bolt storage can be moved away from the bolt area laterally by a movable handling arm. Then, the change of the bolt storage can also be carried out during bolt operation without the need to enter below the bolt boom. Furthermore, the change of the bolt storage may be carried out by a transport vehicle such as a forklift.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the bolt housing further comprises support elements for supporting several adjacent rows of lock bolts. In this case, each row comprises several consecutive lock bolts. Also, on one side of the bolt housing, there is a supply surface extending longitudinally along the lock bolts. At least one supply arrangement is positioned to move the lock bolts inside the bolt housing toward the supply surface. This provides the supply surface with several parallel lock bolts accessible by the bolt rack. In other words, the bolt housing feeds several lock bolts simultaneously toward the supply surface for a bolt rack that is movable near the supply surface. The supply arrangement feeds the lock bolts by moving them along a linear movement path.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the supply arrangement is configured to move the supply surface by a further distance from the basic structure of the bolt housing. This movement of the supply surface can function as a fine positioning movement relative to a roughly positioned bolt rack near the supply surface. In other words, the final positioning movement at the pickup position can be performed by a supply arrangement that moves the supply surface toward the bolt rack. In this way, the supply arrangement can not only move the lock bolt inside the bolt housing but also assist in positioning at the pickup position.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the bolt housing is provided with a physical guide element on the supply surface side for guiding the bolt rack when positioning the bolt rack and the bolt housing relative to each other. The physical guide element facilitates and expedites the final positioning stage.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the supply arrangement includes a scissors mechanism operated by one or more actuators, thereby the bolt housing may include a scissors-lift mechanism for moving the lock bolt toward the supply surface. The scissors mechanism may be operated, for example, by a pressurized fluid cylinder or a motor. The advantages of the scissors mechanism are that it is simple, reliable, and inexpensive to construct.

[0039] According to an alternative embodiment, the supply arrangement comprises a platform, support table, or any other movable structure. These can be moved linearly by one or more actuators, such as pressurized fluid cylinders or motors.

[0040] According to one embodiment, each support element comprises at least two support arrangements that are positioned at a certain distance from each other when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the lock bolt, thereby ensuring the stability of the lock bolt inside the bolt housing.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the support element comprises longitudinally extending slots configured to receive several lateral lock bolts side by side. The supply surface is located on the vertical upper surface of the bolt housing. In other words, several lock bolts are stacked in each slot. The supply surface is located on the upper surface of the bolt housing, i.e., at the free end of the slot, and is accessible in the vertical direction by the bolt rack. Thus, in this embodiment, the bolt housing feeds out lock bolts vertically simultaneously through several laterally adjacent slots. The bolt rack receives several fed-out lock bolts from the upper layer of the bolt housing.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the slots are defined by vertically oriented bars, or alternatively, there are one or more vertical support plates provided with vertically oriented slots in their structure.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the support element is a bracket with a support surface on the vertical upper surface of a horizontally oriented parallel bracket, so that each support element is configured to support several laterally adjacent and horizontally oriented lock bolts. The supply surface is located on the vertical side surface of the bolt housing located on the distal end side of the bracket. In other words, the supply surface is located at the free end of the horizontal bracket and is accessible by the bolt rack in the horizontal direction. Thus, in this embodiment, the bolt housing feeds laterally adjacent lock bolts horizontally and simultaneously feeds them to several support elements arranged above each other.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the control unit is configured to identify a pickup location in response to data provided regarding the planned work cycle of a rock bolt installation means to be performed at the work site. In other words, the control unit considers the bolt installation plan, the bolt locations and number of rock bolts to be installed, the bolt installation order, the bolt installation sequence, and other available bolt installation data when a suitable location for filling the bolt rack from the bolt storage unit is identified. The control unit can then reposition the bolt storage unit near the bolt installation unit, thereby enabling rapid filling of the bolt rack. In this way, the disclosed system can be prepared for the next refilling of the bolt rack. An advantage of this embodiment is that the pickup of rock bolts from the bolt storage unit interrupts, or does not interrupt, the actual bolt installation means for as short a time as possible.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the control unit is configured to assess the need to fill the bolt rack in manually controlled or computer-assisted bolting. The control unit can then identify the location of the bolting unit and the number of remaining lock bolts in the bolt rack, and can control the system to pre-position the bolt storage unit near the bolting unit or at other suitable pickup locations where the bolt rack can be smoothly refilled.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the bolt housing includes a gripping mechanism for gripping at least one pre-loaded bolt assembly and for holding the bolt assembly within the bolt housing. In other words, the bolt housing is configured to receive one or more bolt assemblies (each bolt assembly is provided with multiple lock bolts). The implementation of the bolt assemblies expedites the refilling of the bolt housing.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the bolt assembly is a bolt clip or magazine, which is filled with several lock bolts and comprises a casing or support structure that is filled with lock bolts inside. The bolt storage area may comprise several separate adjacent spaces, each of which can accommodate one bolt clip. For example, when the bolt rack has an intermediate storage area for four lock bolts, the bolt storage area comprises four adjacent bolt clips, each bolt clip positioned to supply a lock bolt to the supply surface of the bolt storage area. The bolt storage area may comprise one common supply arrangement for supplying lock bolts to the supply surface, or alternatively, the bolt clips may be provided with dedicated supply arrangements.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the bolt assembly is a bolt bunch. In this case, multiple lock bolts are connected to one another. Thereafter, the bolt bunch can be handled integrally when filling at least one bolt bunch into the bolt housing at a time. A gripping mechanism can, for example, grip both ends of the bolt bunch. The gripping mechanism may include end plates with projections for supporting both ends of the lock bolts of the bolt bunch. Furthermore, the bolt housing may include several parallel brackets with support surfaces on their upper surfaces, so that each bracket is configured to support several laterally adjacent lock bolts. The brackets may be supported by a rotatable support pole positioned between the end plates. This support pole can be rotated between an operating position where the brackets can provide support for the housed lock bolts and a stationary position where the brackets face away from the gripping of a new bolt bunch. The bolt bunch may be bound by strips, or other couplings and support elements may be present. These can be removed when the bolt bunch is properly set in the bolt housing. The binding strips can be removed after the brackets have been rotated to their operating positions. In this case, the lock bolts are supported by the upper support surfaces of the brackets.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the disclosed solution also relates to a method for rock reinforcement. The method includes using a bolting rig comprising a carrier, a bolting boom, a bolting unit, and a bolt storage unit supported by the carrier; drilling holes in the surface of the rock mass with a rock drilling machine; supplying grout material into the holes; and supplying rock bolts into the holes by a supply device of the bolting unit. The method further includes providing a bolt rack in the bolting unit for intermediate storage of several rock bolts; moving the bolt storage unit, which is in the operating area of ​​the bolting boom and in front of the carrier, to a desired pickup position; operating the bolting boom to move the bolt rack to the pickup position to replenish several rock bolts in the bolt rack; positioning the bolt rack and the bolt storage unit relative to each other at the pickup position so that several storage locations in the bolt rack align with several rock bolts accessible by the bolt storage unit; and clamping several rock bolts simultaneously by the bolt rack.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the method further includes simultaneously feeding several parallel lock bolts to the supply surface of the bolt housing by at least one supply arrangement of the bolt housing.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the method further includes moving the bolt storage unit in front of the carrier by a handling arm to position the bolt storage unit at several pickup positions and at least one replenishment or refilling position in which a lock bolt is loaded into the bolt storage unit.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the method further includes replenishing the bolt storage by simultaneously loading several lock bolts into the bolt storage using a bolt clip or bolt bundle.

[0053] The multiple embodiments disclosed above can be combined to form a suitable solution having some of the required features described above.

[0054] Several embodiments are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0055] [Figure 1] This is a schematic side view of a bolt-driving rig used to install rock bolts on the surface of bedrock. [Figure 2] This is a schematic top view of a bolt driving rig with a movable bolt storage section located at the front of the carrier. [Figure 3] This is a schematic top view of a bolt driving rig with the bolt storage section moved to the transport position. [Figure 4] This is a schematic top view of the front of a bolt driving rig with the bolt storage section moved to the refill position. [Figure 5] This is a schematic side view of the front of a bolt driving rig, which is equipped with a handling arm for moving the bolt storage section. [Figure 6] This is a schematic side view of a portion of a bolt housing that includes an expedited coupling mechanism for detachably connecting the bolt housing to a handling arm. [Figure 7] This is a schematic side view of a bolt storage section and bolt rack configured to pick up lock bolts from the supply side. [Figure 8] This is a schematic side view of a scissors-type supply arrangement configured to feed out the lock bolts from the inside of the bolt storage section toward the supply surface. [Figure 9] This is a schematic side view of a bolt housing section provided with horizontally oriented support elements, and a pre-loaded bolt assembly held by the support elements. [Figure 10] This is a schematic side view of a bolt storage section having a vertically oriented supply surface and a bolt rack positioned adjacent to the bolt storage section. [Figure 11]This is a schematic side view of a bolt storage section equipped with gripping means for gripping a pre-loaded bolt assembly. [Figure 12] This is a schematic side view of the front of a bolt-driving rig, which is equipped with a parts storage section oriented laterally to the carrier. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0056] For clarity, these figures illustrate some of the embodiments of the disclosed solution in a simplified manner. In these figures, similar reference numbers indicate similar elements.

[0057] Figure 1 discloses a bolt-driving rig 1 comprising a movable carrier 2 and at least one bolt-driving boom 3. At the free end of the bolt-driving boom 3 is a bolt-driving unit 4 for installing rock bolts 5 inside a drilled hole 6. The bolt-driving unit 4 may comprise a rock-drilling unit 7 for drilling the drilled hole 6, or alternatively, the drilled hole 6 may already be drilled. The bolt-driving unit 4 comprises a bolt-driving head 8 or bolt-feeding device for supplying the rock bolts 5. The bolt-driving head 8 is connected to a grout supply system 9, thereby allowing grout to be supplied to the drilled hole 6 through the rock bolts 5. Thus, the bolt-driving head 8 is connected to a grout supply hose 10, which can be used to install any known grout. The bolt-driving head 8 can also pre-tension the rock bolts 5 by screwing a tension nut placed on the rock bolt 5. Furthermore, the bolt-driving unit 4 is provided with a bolt rack 11 near the bolt-driving head 8 for holding one or more rock bolts 5. A mechanism exists for moving the lock bolts 5 from the bolt rack 11 to the bolt driving line defined by the bolt driving head 8. For clarity, the moving mechanism is not shown. The bolt driving rig 1 also includes a bolt storage section 12 for storing multiple lock bolts 5. The bolt storage section 12 is supported by a carrier 2 and is movably positioned in front of the carrier 2. The bolt storage section 12 can then be moved to a pickup position PP. The pickup position PP is located in front of the carrier 2 in the operating direction OO. When the bolt storage section 12 is positioned at the pickup position PP, the bolt rack 11 can also be positioned at the pickup position PP to collect new lock bolts 5 from the bolt storage section 12. The movement of the bolt storage section 12 and the bolt driving unit 4 can be controlled under the control of a control unit CU. Thereafter, the bolt storage section 12 and the bolt rack 11 can be automatically positioned at the pickup position PP. The position and orientation of the pickup position PP can be determined on a case-by-case basis during the bolt driving process.Therefore, when executing a bolting design plan such as a fan-shaped bolt pattern 13, several different pickup positions PP can be implemented.

[0058] As can be seen, the bolt storage unit 12 is attached to the articulated handling arm 14 and can be moved in a versatile manner below the bolt driving boom 3 in the forward operating area.

[0059] Figure 2 illustrates the possible movement of the bolt storage unit 12 with arrows. The handling arm 14 may include several rotary joints 15a, 15b, 15c and a linear joint 15d for extending and retracting the handling arm 14. The handling arm 14 may be mounted near one side of the carrier 2 or located elsewhere in front of the carrier. The bolt storage unit 12 may have a supply surface 16 on its upper surface, and a bolt rack may be positioned on the supply surface 16 to pick up several lock bolts simultaneously from the bolt storage unit 12. In Figure 2, four lock bolts 5 are available on the supply surface 16 for pickup, but the number of lock bolts 5 may be designed on a case-by-case basis. The lock bolt 5 comprises a rod 17, a bearing plate 18, and a tension nut 19. The pre-assembled lock bolts 5 can be manually fed one by one into the bolt storage unit 12, or several bolt clips or bundles of lock bolts 5 can be inserted into the bolt storage unit 12 by a loading device, or alternatively, the bolt clips can be picked up by the bolt storage unit 12. The bolt storage unit 12 can be moved to the side of the working area, thereby making loading easy and safe to perform and not interfering with the actual bolt driving process.

[0060] Figure 3 discloses the bolt storage section 12 located in the transport position. Thus, the bolt storage section 12 is positioned close to the carrier 2. For clarity, the bolt driving boom is not shown.

[0061] Figure 4 shows that the bolt storage section 12 has been moved to the refilling position RP. The refilling position RP is located on the side of the carrier 2. The refilling position RP is then positioned outside the operating area, which facilitates the loading of new lock bolts 5. The lock bolts 5 can be assembled on the side of the carrier 2, and a pre-loaded bolt assembly 20 can be used to replenish the bolt storage section 12.

[0062] Figure 5 discloses the front of the bolt-driving rig 1. The main features of this solution have already been described with respect to Figures 1 to 4. However, a manipulator or mechanism 21 for moving the lock bolts 5 from the storage location of the bolt rack 11 to the bolt-driving line 22 of the bolt-driving unit 4 is further disclosed. The mechanism 21 may be, for example, a robotic arm as shown in Figure 5, or a linearly movable handling arm as shown in Figure 12. In both Figure 5 and Figure 12, the mechanism 21 is shown in a simplified manner.

[0063] Figure 6 discloses that the frame structure 23 of the bolt housing 12 may include an expedited coupling means 24 for detachably connecting the bolt housing 12 to a handling arm 14 configured to move the bolt housing 12. The handling arm 14 is illustrated in a simplified manner for clarity. The expedited coupling means 24 may include an upwardly projecting rigid pin 25 and a vertical opening 26 in the frame 23 for receiving the pin 25 when the handling arm 14 and the connecting adapter 27 are moved perpendicular to the frame 23. After the fixed pin 25 is coupled, a laterally moving pin 28 is locked in the lateral opening 29 by an actuator 30. An advantage is that a pre-loaded bolt assembly 12 can be implemented when the removal of an empty bolt housing and the connection of a new bolt housing can be easily and quickly performed on-site during bolt installation. The disclosed accelerated coupling means 24 can also be used when connecting a cable bolt reel to a handling arm 14 instead of using a bolt storage section 12.

[0064] Figure 7 discloses a bolt housing 12 having several vertical support elements 31 for forming vertically oriented slots 32 for receiving several lock bolts 5 arranged on top of each other. In Figure 7, there are four parallel slots 32, but the number of slots can be designed as needed. The supply surface 16 is located on the top surface, i.e., the vertical top surface of the bolt housing 12. The lock bolts 5 are arranged in four adjacent rows 33, and four parallel lock bolts 5 are simultaneously accessible on the supply surface 16 for a bolt rack 11 having the same amount of storage space 34. The storage space 34 may be provided with grippers 35, such as gripping jaws, for gripping the rods 17 of the lock bolts 5. The bolt rack 11 can be mounted, for example, on the side of a supply beam 36 on which a bolt-driving head can move. The bolt-driving rack 11 can be positioned toward the supply surface 16 by moving the bolt-driving unit and the supply beam 36, which is part of the bolt-driving unit. The bolt housing 12 includes a supply arrangement 37 for moving the lock bolts 5 inside the slot 32 toward the supply surface 16. This provides the supply surface 16 with several parallel lock bolts 5 accessible by the bolt rack 11. The supply arrangement 37 may include a supply element 38, such as a supply plate, for moving the lock bolts 5 inside the bolt housing 12. The supply element 38 is actuated by a supply actuator 39, such as a fluid-operated cylinder. The upward movement of the supply element 38 may also be utilized when the bolt rack 11 performs gripping of the lock bolts 5.

[0065] Figure 8 discloses an embodiment of a scissor-lift type supply arrangement 37. The supply element 38 can be moved linearly when the actuator 39 is actuated. The mechanism of the supply arrangement 37 includes a linkage mechanism.

[0066] Figures 9 and 10 disclose a bolt storage section 12 provided with horizontally oriented support elements 31. The support elements 31 may be brackets with a support surface on the vertical upper surface of horizontally oriented parallel brackets, so that each of the support elements 31 can support several laterally adjacent and horizontally oriented lock bolts 5. Thus, there are several rows 33 of lock bolts 5 lined up on each other. Two sets of support elements 31 may exist at a horizontal distance from each other. This creates free space between the sets of support elements, thereby allowing the bolt rack 11 to move between the sets when collecting the lock bolts 5. This is shown in Figure 11. In this solution, a supply surface 16 is located on the vertical side of the bolt storage section 12. The position of the supply surface 16 is adjusted laterally when the bolt rack 11 collects the lock bolts 5 from the supply surface 16. However, a supply arrangement may exist for moving the remaining lock bolt 5 toward the end of the support element 31, and the supply surface 16 may be located on the side of the distal end of the support element 31. The bolt housing 12 may also include a gripping mechanism 40 for gripping a pre-loaded bolt assembly 20 and for holding the bolt assembly 20 within the bolt housing 12. In Figure 9, the gripping mechanism 40 is shown by a dashed line for clarity.

[0067] The bolt assembly 20 may be a bolt bunch 41. In this case, multiple lock bolts 5 are connected to one another. Thus, the bolt bunch 41 can be handled as a whole. There may be strips 42 surrounding the bolt bunch 41 and spacers 43 or other pieces or materials to provide adequate space. In this case, the support elements 31 of the bolt housing 12 can be pressed. The disclosed solution is one possible embodiment of a pre-loaded bolt assembly 20 that can be handled by the bolt housing 12. In Figure 10, the bolt assembly 20 is loaded inside the bolt housing 12, and the strips 42 and spacers 43 are removed manually or automatically by appropriate mechanized equipment.

[0068] Figure 11 discloses a gripping mechanism 40 comprising end plates 44 provided with projections 45 for supporting the ends of lock bolts 5 of a pre-loaded bolt assembly 20. The end plates 40 can be moved toward and away from each other to perform the gripping process.

[0069] Figure 12 discloses that the front of the carrier 2 of the bolt driving rig 1 may be a component storage section 46 for housing multiple rods 17 of a lock bolt 5. The component storage section 46 is oriented laterally to the carrier 2. Furthermore, in Figure 12, the bolt storage section 12 is slidably attached to a guide bar 47 or a corresponding support element that allows linear movement of the bolt storage section. The guide bar 47 may be telescopic and may be connected to the carrier 2 and the bolt storage section 12 by one or more joints.

[0070] The devices and systems disclosed in this document may be controlled automatically or in conjunction with the operator of the bolt-driving rig 1 under the control of one or more control units CU. The control unit CU is configured to execute a control program. The bolt-driving boom 3 and the bolt-driving unit 4 may be provided with sensors to provide the control unit CU with the position data required. The handling arm 12 and the bolt storage unit 12 may also be provided with sensors to generate position detection data for the control unit CU. Alternatively or further, one or more position scanning devices or other measuring devices may be present to generate position and orientation data for the control unit CU, thereby assisting the control unit CU in positioning the bolt rack 11 relative to the bolt storage unit 12.

[0071] The drawings and related descriptions are intended solely to illustrate the idea of ​​the present invention. Details of the present invention may vary within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A rock bolt driving rig (1) for installing rock bolts (5) in drilled holes (6) for reinforcing the surface of rock mass, A portable carrier (2), Attached to the carrier (2) and facing the operating direction (OR), at least one bolt-driving boom (3) is provided, At least one bolt driving unit (4) is attached to the distal end portion of the bolt driving boom (3) and configured to supply the lock bolt (5) into the drill hole (6), A bolt rack (11) is attached to the bolt driving unit (4) and is capable of holding at least one lock bolt (5), A bolt storage section (12) supported by the carrier (2) for housing multiple lock bolts (5), At least one pickup position (PP) is configured such that the lock bolt (5) is loaded from the bolt storage section (12) into the bolt rack (11) under the control of at least one control unit (CU), and the pickup position (PP) includes a PP that determines the position and orientation of the bolt storage section (12). The bolt storage section (12), supported by the carrier (2), is movably positioned in front of the carrier (2) and is movable relative to the pickup position (PP), the PP being positioned in front of the carrier in the operating direction (OR), The bolt rack (11) is provided with a plurality of parallel storage spaces (34) for receiving several lock bolts (5), A bolt driving rig characterized in that the control unit (CU) is configured to control the movement of the bolt driving boom (3) in order to position the bolt rack (11) relative to the pickup position (PP) in response to data relating to the position and orientation of the bolt storage section (12).

2. The bolt storage section (12) supported by the carrier (2) is movable at least laterally to the carrier (2), thereby enabling the bolt storage section (12) to move to at least one refilling position (RP) located on the front lateral side of the carrier (2) in addition to the pickup position (PP), as described in claim 1, for the bolt driving rig.

3. The bolt storage section (12) is supported by a handling arm (14) connected to the front of the carrier (2), and is movable in the horizontal and vertical directions by at least one rotary joint (15a to 15c) and at least one rotating mechanism, as described in claim 2.

4. The bolt driving rig according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bolt storage section (12) is attached by an expedited coupling means (24), thereby making the bolt storage section (12) a changeable unit.

5. The bolt storage section (12) is further, A support element (31) for supporting the rock bolts (5) in several adjacent rows (33), wherein each row (33) comprises a plurality of continuous rock bolts (5), The supply surface (16) on one side of the bolt housing portion (12) extending in the longitudinal direction of the lock bolt (5), and A bolt driving rig according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising at least one supply arrangement (37) for moving the lock bolts (5) inside the bolt housing (12) toward the supply surface (16) so that several parallel lock bolts (5) accessible by the bolt rack (11) are provided on the supply surface (16).

6. The support element (31) is provided with vertically oriented slots (32) configured to receive several lateral lock bolts (5) arranged on top of each other, The bolt driving rig according to claim 5, characterized in that the supply surface (16) is located on the vertical upper surface of the bolt storage section (12).

7. The support element (31) is a bracket having a support surface on the vertical upper surface of a horizontally oriented parallel bracket, and each of the support elements (31) is configured to support several laterally adjacent and horizontally oriented lock bolts (5). The bolt driving rig according to claim 5, characterized in that the supply surface (16) is located on the vertical side surface of the bolt storage portion (12) which is located on the side surface of the distal end of the bracket.

8. The bolt driving rig according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control unit (CU) is configured to identify the pickup position (PP) in response to being provided with data relating to a planned work cycle of a rock bolt driving means to be performed at a work site.

9. The bolt driving rig according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bolt storage section (12) includes a gripping mechanism (40) for gripping at least one pre-loaded bolt assembly (20) and for holding the bolt assembly (20) within the bolt storage section (12).

10. A method for reinforcing bedrock. The bolt driving rig (1) is used, which includes a carrier (2), a bolt driving boom (3), a bolt driving unit (4), and a bolt storage section (12) supported by the carrier (2). Drilling a drill hole (6) into the surface of the rock mass using a rock drilling machine (7), To supply grout material into the drill hole (6), and This includes supplying a lock bolt (5) into the drill hole (6) using the bolt driving head (8) of the bolt driving unit (4), The aforementioned method further, The bolt driving unit (4) is provided with a bolt rack (11) for intermediately storing several lock bolts (5). To move the bolt storage section (12), which is located in the operating area of ​​the bolt driving boom (3) and in front of the carrier (2), to a desired pickup position (PP), To replenish the bolt rack (11) with several lock bolts (5), the bolt driving boom (3) is operated to move the bolt rack (11) to the pickup position (PP). To align some of the storage locations (34) of the bolt rack (11) with some of the accessible lock bolts (5) of the bolt storage section (12), the bolt rack (11) and the bolt storage section (12) are positioned relative to each other at the pickup position (PP), and A method characterized by including clamping several lock bolts (5) simultaneously with the bolt rack (11).

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that at least one supply arrangement (37) of the bolt storage section (12) simultaneously feeds several parallel lock bolts (5) to the supply surface (16) of the bolt storage section (12).

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that a handling arm (14) moves the bolt storage unit (12) in front of the carrier to position the bolt storage unit (12) at several pickup positions (PP) and at least one replenishment position (RP) in which a lock bolt (5) is loaded into the bolt storage unit (12).

13. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that it includes replenishing the bolt storage section (12) by simultaneously loading several lock bolts (5) into the bolt storage section (12) using bolt clips or bolt bundles.

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