SUBOCEAN MINING PLANT (VARIANTS) Russian patent published in 2005 - IPC

FIELD: mining industry, particularly for obtaining minerals from underwater.

SUBSTANCE: plant comprises frame carried by catamaran, drum reels secured to frame at different levels and provided with driving means. Arranged in lower frame base is vessel having chute in which auger is installed. The auger is provided with drive. Frame drums are connected to truck through endless chains to which buckets are hinged. Load cavities of the buckets have orifice arranged from end side thereof and adapted to remove water when buckets move over water surface. Lower bases of the buckets are connected with chains through flexible rods and maintain vertical positions of loads arranged on chains when chain inclination varies. Plant also has compressor connected to float chambers of the buckets by flexible armored tube secured to electric winch rope and by spring. Electric winch is linked with microswitches by electric circuit. Microswitches are adapted to automatically bring electric winch into electric circuit during bucket movement. Catamaran is connected to truck platform through ropes of the winch connected to ship and adapted to lower or lift the truck from ocean bottom. Electric drives of the winches are linked with switch buttons of control panel, which provides remote winch control. Installed in catamaran body are devices to separate concretion mass into fraction and to dehydrate thereof. The devices are made as rotary netted drums with different orifice diameters. The drums are coaxial and spaced apart one from another. Each drum is provided with receiving chamber, drive and fraction outlet. Each fraction outlet is connected to centrifugal means having drive. In accordance to the second embodiment plant has case including three or more frames arranged in staggered order in two rows and centrifugal means. The plant is made as trailed unit and may be unitized with ship. The case is provided with floating pontoon supports. Each pontoon support is connected to compressor and has electromagnetic valve so that the support may immerse the case at proper depth in stormy conditions and emerge thereof after storm termination. Two longitudinal vessels provided with chutes are connected to each frame. Installed in chutes are augers with drives. Shafts with drum reels and drives are secured from both vessel sides at different levels thereof. The drums are provided with endless chains to which buckets are hinged. In accordance with the third embodiment the plant comprises case having three or more frames. The frames are arranged in one or two rows and connected one to another. One longitudinal vessel in secured to each frame. The vessel is provided with chute in which auger with drive is installed. The plant also has case installed on truck, which is mounted on ocean bottom. Conveying wedge-like mechanism is fixedly secured in front of conveyers under truck platform. The wedge-like mechanism is movably installed between drum reels to shift concretion layer from two sides towards bunker bucket loading means.

EFFECT: increased capacity, reliability and durability, improved technical means, workmanship and extended technological capabilities.

3 cl, 16 dwg