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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7690307 | Mechanical stemming apparatus for mining blasting operations An apparatus to mechanically stem (plug) a borehole or blast hole to contain or confine the gases generated by explosives is provided, thus preventing the energy generated by explosives to be released to the atmosphere. An assembly of the mechanical stemming apparat... | 04/06/2010 |
| 7387071 | Blasting method and blasting accessory A drill hole (350) extends into rock to be blasted. A blasting accessory (310) includes a container portion (312) for holding a predetermined volume of stemming material, and a spacer (330) for spacing the stemming material a predetermine... | 06/17/2008 |
| 7258054 | Continuous explosive charge assembly for use in an elongated cavity A method and apparatus for placement of continuous pre-split, gel explosive in an elongated borehole or cavity. An anchor is attached to one end of a selected length of continuous gel explosive. A suitable anchor is a flexible, plastic “pilgrim's hat” with a hol... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7237487 | Low debris perforating gun system for oriented perforating Disclosed herein is a reinforcing system for a shaped charge assembly for use in a perforating gun. The shaped charge assembly includes a shaped charge combined with a longitudinal reinforcing system extending along a portion of a perforating gun barrel. The reinfor... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7210409 | Modular explosives cartridge and novel spider construction A modular explosives cartridge comprises a tubular body having lockable coupling members secured on opposite ends thereof to form a bayonet coupling between opposite ends of respective cartridges to form an elongate tubular explosives cartridge. The lockable couplin... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7052092 | Drillhole blasting A blasting arrangement (10) includes drillholes (30) in a rock mass (20). Blind ends (32) are drilled to a desired level and, if necessary, are adjusted as shown at (62) to said level. Each hole (30) is plugged by means of a... | 05/30/2006 |
| 6901865 | Primer casing and method of charging a blasthole Primer casing (1) comprising sleeve portion (5) and leading portion (5a), wherein sleeve portion (5) includes tabs (6) to retain primer (11) and blasthole engagement means (2), and wherein leading portion (5... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6631684 | Rock blasting method using air bladders embedded in loading layers Disclosed herein is a rock blasting method using air bladders embedded in explosives. The rock blasting method includes the step of drilling a plurality of loading holes into a rock to predetermined depths in a predetermined arrangement. Thereafter, the l... | 10/14/2003 |
| 6502631 | Reinforced borehole plugs Reinforced borehole plugs useful in the presplitting and blast removal of earth formations, the improvements provided by the invention comprising inflatable devices intended to support stemming, explosives and the like at suspended locations within a bore... | 01/07/2003 |
| 6454359 | Method for blasting tunnels using an air bladder A tunnel blasting method is disclosed. The method including the step of drilling blast holes such as cut holes, cut spreader holes, floor holes and roof holes to predetermined depths and in a predetermined hole arrangement. The blast holes are loaded with... | 09/24/2002 |
| 6386111 | Stemming arrangement and method for blast holes The present invention relates to a stemming arrangement and stemming method for use in blast holes. A rigid but deformable hollow member is located in a blast hole with its curved shape providing a clearance between opposed wall portions. A stemming mater... | 05/14/2002 |
| 6347837 | Slide assembly having retractable gas-generator apparatus The present invention is directed to a boom supporting a slide assembly. The slide assembly includes a guide track, a drill, and a stemming member for use in small charge blasting. The drill is initially moved along the guide track to form the drill hole.... | 02/19/2002 |
| 6332401 | Method and apparatus for pressure wave suppression in small-charge blasting The present invention is directed to a method for selecting pressure wave suppression devices from among a menu of pressure wave suppression devices to satisfy the pressure wave requirements of a given job or application. The present invention is further ... | 12/25/2001 |
| 6330860 | Method of blasting using air tubes charged in a blasthole A rock blasting method is provided in which a series of aligned boreholes are charged with explosives and air tubes in a predetermined pattern. The air tube is a cylindrical flexible tube having a predetermined width and length to be fitted with the boreh... | 12/18/2001 |
| 6324980 | Conical plug for sealing blastholes in open cut mining A conical plug for sealing a blast hole in the earth is provided. The plug is made from a generally circular sheet of elastic material such as plastic or metal and can be folded and releasably locked with a trigger into a conical shape. When in its conica... | 12/04/2001 |
| 6321655 | Method and apparatus for flyrock control in small charge blasting The present invention is directed to a method for selecting flyrock control devices from among a menu of flyrock control devices to satisfy the flyrock requirements of a given job or application. The present invention is further directed to flyrock device... | 11/27/2001 |
| 6286430 | Device for the pyrotechnic cutting of non-metallic parts A pyrotechnic cutting device (14) is designed for directly cutting one or two parts (10) made form a nonmetallic material, such as a composite material. The device (14) comprises a pyrotechnic expansion tube (16), which acts on the part or parts (10) to b... | 09/11/2001 |
| 6213212 | Spherical stemming plug and method of use A method of stemming a borehole (6) includes the steps of placing a first layer (16) of stemming in the borehole, placing a spherical body (20) in the borehole on top of the layer (16), the body being relatively incompressible and a diameter slightly smal... | 04/10/2001 |
| 6209458 | Inflatable plugs for charging blastholes A device for locating and inflating a blasthole plug comprising; (i) a shroud adapted to enclose at least part of a deflated plug as the deflated plug is passed along a blasthole, (ii) an ejection means for removing the deflated plug from the shroud into a des... | 04/03/2001 |
| 6035784 | Method and apparatus for controlled small-charge blasting of hard rock and concrete by explosive pressurization of the bottom of a drill hole Rock and other hard materials, such as concrete, are fragmented by a controlled small-charge blasting process. A cartridge containing an explosive charge is inserted at the bottom of a hole drilled in the rock. The explosive charge is configured to provid... | 03/14/2000 |
| 5979327 | Method and apparatus for blasthole stemming A device and process for plugging an explosives blasthole, the device having an inner member (7a, 7b) in the form of a conduit having a valve (9) and being adapted for the passage of fluid bulk explosives and an outer member (1) adapted to engage the wall... | 11/09/1999 |
| 5936187 | Blasting stemming plug A stemming plug constructed from a durable, resilient material and comprising a circumferential wall defining an inner cavity, an end wall at the first end and an open second end. In the preferred embodiment, the circumferential wall is fluted so that it ... | 08/10/1999 |
| 5900578 | Method of breaking slabs and explosive shock transmitting and moderating composition for use therein Rock slabs or pieces are broken from larger rocks or from rock formations with reduced cracking of the broken rock slabs or pieces by drilling bore holes along the desired break lines, placing detonating cord into the bore holes, filling the bore holes wi... | 05/04/1999 |
| 5841060 | Blast plug A plug device for absorbing the energy of an explosion generated during a blasting operation in a bore located in a rock formation including a cup-shaped member having an annular sidewall and a closure wall, the cup-shaped member being constructed of a yi... | 11/24/1998 |
| 5803172 | Mine shaft and adit closure apparatus and method A mine shaft closure plug which is created by a self-expanding plastic foam on a platform positioned within the mine shaft. Multiple expansion foam containers are used to provide the foam. Each expansion foam container has two closed waterproof pouches, a... | 09/08/1998 |
| 5665933 | Device for cladding tubes by means of an explosive process A device for internally cladding an outer tube with an inner tube by means of an explosion process. The device includes an outer tubular fixture (1) in which a workpiece in the form of the outer (2) and the inner (3) tubes can be placed; at least one end ... | 09/09/1997 |
| 5585593 | Inert stemming materials A stemming agent is provided comprising: A) a neutralized acrylic acid polymer; B) a neutralized mixture of sodium silicate and a silicon oxide-containing material such as sand, clay, stones, volcanic ash, or the like; or C) a mixture of materials A) and ... | 12/17/1996 |
| 5551344 | Method and apparatus for overbalanced perforating and fracturing in a borehole An overbalance technique propagates a fracture in a formation to stimulate hydrocarbon production from a wellbore. A liquid column in the wellbore is driven into the formation by a gas generator to propagate the fracture. The gas generator can be compress... | 09/03/1996 |
| 5497829 | Expansion foam borehole plug and method A borehole decking plug which is created by a self-expanding plastic foam. Two closed waterproof pouches, an inner pouch and an outer pouch, each contain a separate component of the foam. The inner pouch is contained within the outer pouch, and both are c... | 03/12/1996 |
| 5273110 | Inflatable devices for suspending explosives and stemming materials in boreholes Inflatable devices configured for use particularly in large diameter boreholes and in blasting applications such as vertical cratering, the invention finds utility in blast removal of earth formations wherein the inflatable devices act to suspend explosiv... | 12/28/1993 |
| 5253586 | Method of stemming a blast hole A method of stemming a blast hole loaded with an explosive charge. The blast hole has side walls, an outwardly opening mouth and a central axis extending longitudinally of the blast hole. The method comprises inserting a conduit having a discharge end inw... | 10/19/1993 |
| 5247886 | Blast plug and stemming construction for blast holes A plug for use in stemming a blast hole having an explosive charge therein. The plug comprises a wedge member and a stabilizing structure on the wedge member. The wedge member tapers in an outward direction from a relatively wide base to a relatively narr... | 09/28/1993 |
| 5198613 | Waterproof device for holding explosives in a borehole and method for using the same This invention relates to a waterproof device for holding explosives in a borehole, a method of lining at least a portion of a borehole with an elongated, flexible, waterproof liner and a method of lining at least a portion a borehole with an elongated, f... | 03/30/1993 |
| 5092245 | Explosive stemming device An explosive stemming device for dispensing granular material into a boree containing an explosive charge therein is disclosed as including a cylindrical member having a flexible sleeve-like liner adapted to conform to the interior thereof when filled wi... | 03/03/1992 |
| 5035286 | Methods and apparatus for field blasting of earth formations using inflatable devices for suspending explosives in boreholes The invention provides methods and apparatus useful primarily in the presplitting and blast removal of earth formations, the improvements according to the invention involving the use of inflatable devices suspended in boreholes used in shattering earth fo... | 07/30/1991 |
| 5000261 | Inflatable devices for suspending explosives in boreholes Inflatable devices configured for supporting explosives particularly in vertical boreholes of widely varying diameter. The inflatable devices of the invention can be used in the pre-splitting and blast removal of earth formations by suspending explosives ... | 03/19/1991 |
| 4919203 | Methods and apparatus for field blasting of earth formations using inflatable devices for suspending explosives in bore holes The invention provides methods and apparatus useful primarily in the presplitting and blast removal of earth formations, the improvements according to the invention involving the use of inflatable devices suspended in boreholes used in shattering earth fo... | 04/24/1990 |
| 4869173 | Blasting plug with plate members and plastic resin A blasting plug used in conjunction with a drilled blasting hole and serving fill retaining purposes in a use condition. The blasting plug is an assembly of lightweight material, and serves as a substitute for inflatable air bags now in use and, thereby, ... | 09/26/1989 |
| 4846278 | Borehole plug and method An inflatable borehole plug is disclosed, the inflation of which is achieved by chemical reaction of two co-reagents disposed therein which results in evolution of a gas. The borehole plug can be dropped or lowered down a borehole to a preselected positio... | 07/11/1989 |
| 4813358 | Inflatable wand for loading a mining borehole An inflatable wand for positioning within an upward oriented, mining borehole and near a lower collar opening thereof wherein the wand provides a conduit for introducing and retaining liquid explosive materials within the borehole. The wand includes a fle... | 03/21/1989 |
