US Patent Issued to J.H. FLETCHER & Co. on June 17 for "Mine drill module including gripper with folding arms" (Ohio, West Virginia Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 19 -- United States Patent no. 12,331,643, issued on June 17, was assigned to J.H. FLETCHER & Co. (Huntington, W.va.).

"Mine drill module including gripper with folding arms" was invented by Nathan U. Payne (South Point, Ohio), Marc D. Endicott (Kenova, W.va.), Gregory E. Hinshaw (Proctorville, Ohio) and Timothy D. Burgess (South Point, Ohio).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "An apparatus is for installing support for a surface of a mine passage, such as a mine roof, using an object, such as a roof bolt. The apparatus includes a driver adapted to advance toward the surface for driving the object into the surface. A gripper includes first and second arms for gripping the obje...