FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention generally relates to mining. More specifically, the invention relates to a transport vehicle for use in a pipeline conveyance system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Movement of material vertically in an underground mining shaft and horizontally tunnels has essentially remained unchanged for decades. Rails, and rail cars, have been used to transport material in the horizontal tunnels and sloping mining shafts, whereas large freight elevators driven by ropes and pulleys tend to be used to move material in vertical shafts.

[0003] Compressed air systems using air tight steel pipes and capsules have been conceived to improve the efficiency of movement of material in a mine. However, the cost associated with such a system and maintaining the system in an air tight manner makes these systems impractical.

[0004] As the depths of underground mines throughout the world become deeper, there is a need to develop economical and reliable systems to haul material to and from the location of the mining operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transport vehicle for use in a pipeline conveyance system. The transport vehicle having a canister for transporting material to and from a worksite, at least a portion of the outer surface of the canister having a metal component; at least one carriage assembly associated with the canister for engaging one or more guide rails; and a series of rollers positioned on the outer surface of the canister for centering the canister in a conduit. [0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pipeline conveyance system for transporting material to and from a worksite. The system having a transport vehicle as described above, a conduit having one or more guide rails positioned on the inner surface of the conduit; and one or more linear induction motor assemblies in close proximity to the outer surface of the conduit and positioned to engage the metal component of the canister.

[0007] According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for transporting material to and from a worksite. The method involves providing a pipeline conveyance system as described above; and activating a linear induction motor assembly to propel the canister through the conduit along the guide rail towards another linear induction motor assembly positioned along the conduit.

[0008] In one embodiment, the carriage assemblies have one or more wheels that ride on the guide rails.

[0009] In another embodiment, the rollers are either bearings or wheels.

[0010] In a further embodiment, the metal component covers the bottom portion of the canister.

[0011] In a yet further embodiment, the conduit is made from polypropylene.

[0012] In a still further embodiment, the linear induction motor assemblies are positioned equidistance along the conduit to continuously propel the canister through the conduit. These linear induction motor assemblies comprise more than one linear induction motor. In another embodiment, the linear induction motor assemblies comprise nine linear induction motors.

[0013] In a further embodiment, the canister is propelled from each linear induction motor assembly with a velocity to allow the canister to bypass the next linear induction motor assembly positioned along the conduit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description and the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a depiction of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a depiction of a transport vehicle in a pipeline conveyance system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0017] FIG. 3 is a depiction of a pipeline conveyance system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The following description is of a preferred embodiment by way of example only and without limitation to the combination of features necessary for carrying the invention into effect.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the transport vehicle (1) has a canister (2), at least one carriage assembly (3) and a series of rollers (4). The transport vehicle (1) is used for transporting material to and from a worksite. In the case of an underground mine, the transport vehicle (1) can be used to remove ore and other debris from the mine to a depository on the surface. It also can be used to transport material to the worksite from the surface.

[0020] Typically, the canister (2) will be mostly hollow to maximize the haulage capacity of the vehicle (1). To permit vertical movement of the vehicle, access to the inside of the canister (2) should be controllable. In other words, doors (5) or some other form of access hatch should be provided on the canister (2), which can be opened during loading and unloading, and closed during transport. [0021] For cost considerations and durability, the canister (2) is typically made completely from a metal, such as steel. However, to work within the system described herein, only the portion of the canister (2) that engages the linear induction motors (6) described below, needs to be metal. As such, to decrease the overall weight of the canister (2) it may be advantageous to produce the canister (2) from a high density/strength plastic, such a polypropylene, and cover only the portions of the canister (2) that engage the linear induction motors with metal. Since the linear induction motors (6) are typically placed around the bottom half of the conduit (7), at least the bottom portion of the canister (2) should be metal, or covered by metal.

[0022] On the outer surface of the canister (2), a series of rollers (4) are provided. The purpose of the rollers (4) is to center the canister (2) in the conduit (7) all the while allowing the canister (2) to move freely within the conduit (7). Any structure can function as a roller (4), so long as serves the intended purpose of this element. Examples of such structures include, are not limited to, wheels, ball bearings and skis. In one embodiment, the rollers (4) are provided as a series of polypropylene wheels. In order to maintain proper orientation and separation with respect to the canister (2) and the conduit (7) the rollers (4) in the form of wheels and ball bearings may be provided as casters. Alternatively, two or more rollers (4) may be interconnected by some form of linkage (8), such as a steel rod.

[0023] In most cases, at least two rows of rollers (4) will be provided to prevent disproportionate radially movement along the length of the canister (2) in the conduit (7). One row of rollers (4) is positioned proximal to one end of the canister (2) and the other row positioned proximal to the other end of the canister (2). One or more rollers (4) or rows of rollers (4) can also be positioned between the first two rows to minimize mechanical stress to the central section of the canister (2). [0024] The transport vehicle (1) also has at least one carriage assembly (3) that allows the vehicle (1) to travel on a guide rail (9) connected to the conduit (7). The carriage assembly (3) can take many forms, such as, but not limited to, a carriage that locks onto the guide rail (9) or a indentation in the outer surface canister (2) that accommodates the guide rail (9). In the embodiment where the carriage assembly (3) is an indentation in the outer surface of the guide rail (9), one or more wheels (10) may be provided in the carriage assembly (3) to allow the canister (2) to freely travel along the guide rail (9).

[0025] The transport vehicle (1) is used in a pipeline conveyance system (FIG. 2). The pipeline conveyance system comprises a conduit (7) having one or more guide rails (9) and one or more linear induction motor assemblies (11). In the case of a mine, the conduit (7) would run from the surface to the underground mine and back again. Alternatively, the conduit (7) could run in a relatively straight line to move material from the drift to the shaft of a mine and a separate line provided to transport the material through the shaft from the mine to the surface. To allow for the efficient use of linear induction motors (6), the conduit (7) is made from a plastic, such a polypropylene. Moreover, the use of polypropylene reduces the overall cost to manufacture such a system. The conduit (7) will typically be tubular in shape to accommodate a cylindrical transport vehicle. However, the conduit (7) can be provided in a shape that is complementary to the shape of the transport vehicle. For example, if the transport vehicle was cuboidal, then the conduit (7) could be provided in a similar shape.

[0026] Access ports (12) can be provided along the conduit (7) to permit loading and unloading of the transport vehicle (1) and for maintenance of the conduit (7)(FIG. 3). Moreover, these access ports (12) can act as vents to allow air to escape and enter the conduit (7). Additionally, separate vents could be provided for the same purpose. To improve the safety of the system by preventing unauthorized entry into the conduit (7), the access ports (12) should be provided with a moveable door. [0027] Positioned in the conduit (7), preferably along the bottom of the conduit (7), there is provided at least one guide rail (9). The guide rail (9) ensures that the transport vehicle (1) travels in a single linear direction, and does not rotate while moving through the conduit (7). Additional guide rails (9) may be provided in the conduit (7) to improve the stability of the transport vehicle (1) while in motion and while being loaded and unloaded. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the guide rails (9) are provided as part of a guide rail assembly (13) that interconnects the guide rails (9). Such an arrangement requires less holes to be drilled through the conduit (7) to attach the guide rails (9), thus improving the overall structural integrity of the conduit (7). Guide rails suitable for use in the present system will be known to a person skilled in the art.

[0028] Positioned at various locations along the length of the conduit (7) and outside thereof are linear induction motor assemblies (11). Each linear induction motor assembly (11) consists of at least one linear induction motor (6). However, to provide sufficient power to propel the transport vehicle (1) through the conduit (7) more than one motor (6) should be used. In one embodiment, nine linear induction motors (6) are used in each linear induction motor assembly (11). These linear induction motors (6) can be bidirectional so that the transport vehicle (1) can be propelled in either direction in the conduit (7).

[0029] In operation, the linear induction motor assembly (11) is activated when the transport vehicle (1) approaches, thus propelling the transport vehicle (1) with enough force so that is capable of reaching the next linear induction motor assembly (11) positioned along the conduit (7). However, to minimize potential downtime and to ensure that the system can operate, even when there is a failure of a linear induction motor assembly, it is preferred that the linear induction assembly (11) propel the transport vehicle (1) with enough force for it to reach the next but one linear induction assembly (11). In other words, the transport vehicle (1) is propelled down the conduit (7) with enough force that it bypasses the next linear induction motor assembly (11) and reaches the second assembly in the line. This is best achieved by positioning the linear induction motor assemblies (11) equidistance apart along the length of the conduit (7). [0030] The conduits (7) described above can be provided as a network throughout the mine. In some cases, it may be advantageous to provide a dedicated conduit (7) to move material away from the worksite and a second conduit (7) to return the transport vehicle (1) to the worksite. Other arrangements, such as loops, can also be used within this system.

[0031] It will be understood that numerous modifications thereto will appear to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description and accompanying drawings should be taken as illustrative of the invention and not in a limiting sense. It will further be understood that it is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice within the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features herein before set forth, and as follows in the scope of the appended claims.