Mine Roof Support Member and Method for Constructing Improved Mine Roof Support Columns
OwnerJames Thomas Arnoneinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A support member (100) and method for constructing an improved mine roof support column (200), the support member (100) comprising a pair of bearing members (10) held in spaced apart relationship by a beam (20), each bearing member further comprising a female coupling structure (40) formed on a side opposing a complementary male coupling structure (30). A first set (300) of support members is placed in parallel, spaced apart relationship on a mine floor, and a second set (300′) of support members is turned 90 degrees relative to the first set (300) and then are coupled to the first set via the coupling structures (30 40), the process being repeated until a stacked support column (200) spanning the floor to the roof of the mine is created.
Claims17
A support member (100) suitable for constructing a support column (200) used in a mine tunnel as a secondary support structure between a mine roof and a mine floor, the support member comprising:
- a pair of bearing members (10), each bearing member comprising a planar top side (12) opposed to a planar bottom side (14), the planar top side and the planar bottom side held in spaced apart relation by a beam side (16) sandwiched between the planar top side and the planar bottom side;
- a beam (20) having two opposing ends (22), the beam side (16) of each bearing member (10) affixed to an opposing end (22) of the beam (20);
- and
- wherein the planar top side (12) is further formed with a male coupling structure (30), and the planar bottom side (14) is further formed with a female coupling structure (40) adapted to receiving the male coupling structure (30).
A method of constructing a roof support column (200) suitable for supporting a roof of a mine by spanning an interior space of the mine from a floor of a mine to the roof, the method of constructing the roof support column comprising:
- obtaining at least a first set (300) of support members (100), each support member (100) having a pair of bearing members (10), each bearing member having two opposing sides, the bearing members affixed to and held in spaced apart relationship by a beam (20), each bearing member including a female coupling structure (40) adapted to receiving a male coupling structure (30), the female coupling structure and the male coupling structure formed on opposing sides of the bearing members and parallel to the beam;
- and
- laying the support members (100) of the first set (300) in parallel spaced apart relationship on the floor, with the female coupling structure of each bearing member adjacent to the floor and the male coupling structure facing the roof to form the roof support column (200) whereby the roof is supported.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.