Side Shift Raise Climber Transfer Rail System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional raise climbing systems in underground mines face issues of costly and unstable parking areas, interference with muck removal equipment, and safety concerns due to elevated work platforms, which are not reusable after excavation.
Innovation Solution
A lateral excavation or 'side-cut' is made into the side wall of the access drift to create a transfer rail system that allows the raise climber to be safely stored out of the way, eliminating the need for additional excavation and suspended decking, thereby reducing costs and instability, and enabling reuse of the space for other purposes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional parking area is excavated to store the raise climber, then the raise climber can be safely stored out of the debris path, but the excavation is costly, creates instability requiring additional rock stabilization, and cannot be reused after raise excavation
Solution Approach 1:
The raise climber is moved from a horizontal parking area excavation to a vertical dimension by suspending it from the drift ceiling using transfer rails and trolleys. This eliminates the need for large horizontal excavation while providing safe storage away from the debris path.
Solution Approach 2:
Transfer rails and trolleys are introduced as intermediary elements to move the raise climber laterally from the main drift to a suspended storage position. This mediator system enables safe storage without requiring direct excavation of a parking area.
2Ease of operation
If a suspended timber decking parking area is installed to assist personnel, then access and loading/unloading is improved, but the structure requires additional materials (timber, chains, turnbuckles), increases cost, and creates safety concerns with ladder access
Solution Approach 1:
The complex suspended timber decking structure with chains, turnbuckles, and ladder access is completely removed. Personnel access and loading functions are simplified by working directly from the drift floor level, eliminating the need for elevated platforms.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the raise climber is positioned above the parking area to avoid falling debris, then protection from debris is improved, but the raise climber and decking timber still interfere with muck removal equipment requiring regular maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
Transfer rails and trolleys serve as intermediaries to laterally displace the raise climber from the debris path during blasting operations. This allows the raise climber to be positioned away from falling debris while maintaining clear access for muck removal equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
A side-shift raise climbing system is provided that utilizes a side-cut excavated into the wall of the access drift for a raise in a mine. A transfer section is incorporated into the existing length of rail servicing the raise. The transfer section includes a laterally transferable rail that can be detached from the existing rail and shifted along a set of monorails that extend into the side-cut. The transfer section enables a raise climber, when parked thereon, to be shifted out of the access drift without requiring additional access drifts or parking/nesting areas to accommodate the use of muck removal equipment.