U.S. patent application number 10/810783 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-23 for detonating cord inventory control marking system.
Invention is credited to O'Brien, John P., O'Brien, Timothy J..
Application Number | 20040255810 10/810783 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33519055 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040255810 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
O'Brien, John P. ; et
al. |
December 23, 2004 |
Detonating cord inventory control marking system
Abstract
A system for deploying detonating cord from a reel that allows
the user to tell at a glance whether he has left on the reel
sufficient cord to complete the task. Before wrapping the cord on
the drum, the detonating cord is marked incrementally. Once wrapped
the user will have a visual indication of the number of feet,
yards, or meters left on the reel.
Inventors: |
O'Brien, John P.;
(Pawcatuck, CT) ; O'Brien, Timothy J.; (Pawcatuck,
CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCCORMICK, PAULDING & HUBER LLP
CITY PLACE II
185 ASYLUM STREET
HARTFORD
CT
06103
US
|
Family ID: |
33519055 |
Appl. No.: |
10/810783 |
Filed: |
March 26, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60458466 |
Mar 28, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
102/275.8 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C06C 5/04 20130101; F42D
1/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
102/275.8 |
International
Class: |
C06C 005/04 |
Claims
I claim:
1. In a detonating cord reel having a drum wrapped with detonating
cord, and end flanges, axially spaced on the drum for containing
many layers of cord wrapped on the drum, improvement to such cord
comprising: incremental numerical markings on the cord at
predetermined locations along the cord, said numerical markings
providing an accurate visual indication of the number of cord
increments remaining on the drum, whereby the user of cord so
marked, and so arranged on the drum, will know in advance of
deploying each segments of detonating cord to be used on each
particular job/use of the cord, whether the remaining cord wrapped
on the drum will satisfy the job/use requirement.
2. A method of deploying a desired segment of detonating cord from
a reel of detonating cord, and comprising: providing numerical
markings at equally spaced increments on the detonating cord,
wrapping the cord around the reel drum such that at least the
highest number is readily visible adjacent the free end of the
cord, and inspecting that visible numerical marking at ascertain
whether sufficient cord is available on that reel to complete an
anticipated deployment.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This utility application incorporates by reference and
claims priority to a prior provisional application filed in the
USPTO on Mar. 28, 2003, assigned Ser. No. 60/458,466.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This invention relates to a method of marking detonating
cord to provide a precise and facile means of controlling inventory
at field locations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Detonating cord is widely used in various blasting
operations in mining, quarrying, and oil well servicing. Detonating
cord typically consists of a high explosive core that is encased in
textiles and then covered in an outer plast6ic jacket. The
explosive core can consist of PETN, RDX, HMX, HNS or other
secondary high explosives. Typical textiles are cotton, polyester,
polypropylene, or Kevlar. Plastic jacket materials are
thermoplastic materials chosen for their handling characteristics
or high temperature resistance. Typical thermoplastics are PE, PVC,
Nylons, and fluoropolymers.
[0004] Regardless of the materials chosen, detonating cord is
typically supplied on a reel inside an outer fiberboard box.
Typical reel sizes range from 500 feet to 2,000 feet depending on
the ultimate customer application. These sizes are light enough to
be easily handled and yet large enough to be economically shipped.
A customer will receive the detonating cord package and place the
package inside a storage magazine until its use is required.
[0005] In field use the reel of detonating cord will be removed
from the box and detonating cord can be unreeled horn the spool
until the desired length is removed from the spool. Then the spool
is returned to the box and returned to the storage magazine. For
inventory control purposes, the new length of product remaining on
the spool must be marked on the spool and recorded in the explosive
inventory log.
[0006] Having an accurate inventory of explosive products is of
critical importance. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms
(BATF) as well as State and local agencies regulate explosive
storage in the United States. All of these government agencies
require that an accurate inventory of explosive items be kept. In
the case of detonating cord supplied in bulk on a reel, it is
extremely difficult to maintain an accurate inventory as material
is removed from the reel. Unless each removal is accurately
recorded, inventory discrepancies may arise. Also marking each
removal on the spool flange leads inevitably to crossed out numbers
and the possibility of significant errors. Due to the explosive
nature of the product, maintenance of an accurate inventory is
absolutely essential.
[0007] It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a
detonating cord with a marking system to facilitate close inventory
control.
[0008] It is a further object of this invention to provide a
detonating cord clearly marked for cutting precise lengths in the
field.
[0009] Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed
out in more detail hereinafter.
[0010] A better understanding of the objects, advantages, features,
properties and relations of the invention will be obtained from the
following description and accompanying drawings which set forth
certain illustrative embodiments and are indicative of the various
ways in which the principles of the invention are employed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] A detonating cord product according to the present invention
comprises, in its preferred embodiment, a detonating cord with
markings along its entire length to provide information allowing
precise lengths to be cut in the field and provide accurate
information on the length of detonating Cord remaining on the reel.
For automated inventory control, some of the markings can be in the
form of bar codes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 shows a 500-foot length of detonating cord that would
be wound on a reel for field use. Marks are placed on the
detonating cord at intervals of 20 feet with the remaining footage
printed next to the mark. As detonating c0ord is removed from the
reel, the footage markings provide a clear record of the amount of
material remaining on the reel.
[0013] FIG. 2 shows a conventional reel of unmarked cord.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] In the oil well servicing industry, detonating cord is
typically provided on 500-foot reels. This detonating cord is used
to initiate well perforating charges in a perforating gun. A
typical perforating gun assembly may hold 20 to 40 individual
shaped charges. These charges consist of a metal housing containing
a pressed explosive charge. A powdered metal liner is then pressed
into the explosive charge. When initiated, the shaped charge forms
a high velocity jet that will perforate the well casing and the
surrounding rock formation allowing oil to flow into the well.
[0015] Detonating cord is threaded along the back of the shaped
charges to transmit an initiation signal to detonate the individual
shaped charges. For a typical perforating gun, the overall length
of the gun is twenty feet.
[0016] In loading a perforating gun, the reel of detonating cord
will be positioned on a payoff stand. Next to the first mark on the
detonating cord is the number "500". This number indicates that
there is a full reel of 500 feet of detonating cord on the reel.
Detonating cord is removed from the reel until the next mark is
reached. The number "480" is positioned next to the second mark,
indicating the 480 feet of detonating cord remains on the reel. The
detonating c6rd is cut at the second mark and the twenty-foot
length of detonating cord removed is used to load the perforating
gun.
[0017] When the reel of detonating cord is returned to the
explosive storage magazine, the mark on the reel indicates to the
magazine keeper that the quantity of detonating cord being returned
to the magazine is 480 fret. The magazine keeper can accurately
update his written magazine inventory records accordingly.
[0018] Referring in detail to drawing 1, the detonating Cord length
of 500 feet is indicated by the number 10. The detonating cord is
marked with bands 12, with the bands being located twenty feet
apart. Located next to each bond is a number indicating footage
remaining on the reel 14. This number starts at "500" indicating a
full reel of 500 feet of detonating cord. The number decreases in
increments of 20 feet until all of the detonating cord has been
removed from the reel.
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a conventional reel having detonating cord
wound on the drum portion, between end flanges axially spaced on
the drum. Note the hole to receive an elongated axle or the like to
facilitate support of the reel as the user walks (or runs) from the
location where he has set the charge to a safe distance where he
can detonate that charge.
[0020] If he has a "used" reel that is not full, but may have less
than the 500 feet supplied initially, he will have to guess how
much may be left for his next 50 foot walk (or run).
[0021] In order to provide a quantitative indication of the length
of detonating cord he has left in a "used" reel we have improved
the cord to add incremental markings, preferably every foot (or
yard/meter) to give the user a safer product than the currently
available reels of detonating cord.
[0022] In addition to the inventory control markings, additional
markings can be applied to the detonating cord indicating the type
of explosive contained in the detonating cord, the product
designation, and safety information such as "EXPLOSIVE DANGEROUS".
Also some or all of the information can be in the form of a bar
code readable by an optical scanning device.
[0023] Although the invention has been illustrated and described
with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be
understood by those skilled in the art dud the foregoing and
various other changes may be made departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention.
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