Paul C Pierce

US Patent:

6736225, May 18, 2004

Filed:

Sep 9, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/221289

Inventors:

Paul A. Pierce - Spokane WA

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services - Washington DC

International Classification:

E21B 2500

US Classification:

175 58, 175220, 175 87, 175162, 173 38, 173184

Abstract:

The present disclosure provides a coring guide for converting a mine roof bolter into apparatus suitable for guiding a coring rod, or drill, into a mine roof, as well as a method for obtaining a geological core from the mine roof using the guide. The guide includes a pair of jaws, wherein each jaw has an adapter end and a pivotable end. The adapter end of each jaw includes a cavity that faces a cavity included in the adapter end of the other jaw, such that the closed jaws form at least a major portion of a cylindrical coring cavity that accommodates a coring rod. Each jaw includes means for fixing the rod guide within a mine roof bolter apparatus such that when the coring guide is positioned between the jaws and the jaws are partially closed such that they enclose the coring rod, the roof bolter causes the coring rod to penetrate the mine roof and obtain a core sample. The method of obtaining the geological core includes installing the rod guide into the roof bolter apparatus, introducing a cylindrical coring rod, driving the coring rod into the mine roof sufficiently to accumulate a core therein, and withdrawing the rod.