Foam slabs in mine tunnel stoppings
AssigneeThe Celotex Corporation
InventorsJames A. Berry, Morton Sherman, John W. Stevenson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A stopping for use in improving underground mine ventilation comprising an assembly of wall elements, said wall elements comprising: (a) a plurality of rigid blocks, and (b) a plurality of compliant sealing members. The rigid blocks and compliant sealing members are combined in courses to form a wall which extends over substantially the entire cross section of a tunnel being stopped, the sealing members being interposed between and/or around the rigid blocks in a uniform or nonuniform arrangement throughout the extent of the wall so as to (i) accommodate convergence loads imposed on the wall, and (ii) form, together with the rigid blocks, a barrier against the flow of gas through the tunnel.
Claims26
A stopping for use in improving underground mine ventilation comprising an assembly of wall elements, said wall elements comprising:
- (a) a plurality of rigid non-yielding components, and
- (b) a plurality of compliant sealing members, the sealing members being composed of flame spread-resistant and gas flow-impervious material, the rigid components and sealing members being arranged in courses which extend from one side to the other of a tunnel opening and from the floor to the ceiling of the opening to form a wall which extends over substantially the entire cross section of the opening being stopped, the sealing members being positioned at the top and bottom perimeters of the wall and between the rigid components so as to (i) accommodate convergence loads imposed on the wall, and (ii) form, together with the rigid components, a barrier against the flow of gas through the tunnel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.