Movable roof support and bolter system

A mine roof support system comprising,

• a plurality of truss members each having first and second end portions, said truss members being positioned in spaced relation one behind the other,
• a plurality of vertically extensible props each having an upper end portion and a lower end portion and including means for extending and retracting said upper end portion relative to said lower end portion to adjust the vertical height of said props,
• one of said props being positioned under said end portion of each truss member,
• said prop upper end portion being connected to a respective truss member end portion so that each truss member is supported by a pair of said props for movement into and out of engagement with a mine roof,
• ground engaging means for supporting each prop for slidable movement on a mine floor,
• extensible means for connecting adjacent props in tandem arrangement beneath said truss member first and second end portions to permit advancement of said truss members and associated props relative to each other in a linear path, and
• means for raising from contact with the mine floor all of said ground engaging means of said props beneath one of said end portions of said truss members as said props at the other ends of said truss members are forwardly advanced to pivot said truss members for movement about a pivot point for movement of the mine roof support system in an arcuate path.

A mine roof support system comprising,

• a plurality of truss members each having first and second end portions, said truss members being positioned in spaced relation one behind the other,
• a plurality of vertically extensible props each having an upper end portion and a lower end portion and including means for extending and retracting said upper end portions relative to said lower end portion to adjust the vertical height of said props,
• one of said props being positioned under each end portion of each of said truss members,
• each prop upper end portion being connected to a respective truss member end portion so that each truss member is supported by a pair of props for movement into and out of engagement with a mine roof,
• ground engaging means for supporting each prop for slidable movement on a mine floor,
• extensible means for connecting adjacent props in tandem arrangement beneath said truss member first and second end portions to permit advancement of said truss members and associated props relative to each other,
• means for stabilizing said extensible means upon the advancement of said truss members and associated props relative to each other,
• roof drilling means mounted on at least one of said truss members for vertical movement relative to said truss member for drilling bolt holes and installing roof bolts in the mine roof,
• said roof drilling means being movable between said props to preselected positions on said truss member for drilling bolt holes and installing roof bolts at a plurality of locations in the mine roof above said truss member, and
• said roof drilling means being movable with said truss to progressively drill bolt holes and install roof bolts at desired locations in the mine roof.

A method for temporarily supporting a mine roof comprising the steps of ,

• positioning a plurality of truss members in a spaced relation extending substantially the width of a mine passageway so that the truss members are positioned one behind the other,
• supporting first and second end portions of the truss members by props positioned on a mine floor for vertical movement of the truss members into and out of engagement with a mine roof,
• connecting the props in tandem relation for movement of the truss members in the mine passageway,
• raising a selected truss member into engagement with the mine roof while lowering the remaining truss members out of contact with the mine roof for advancement of the lowered truss members in a selected direction in the mine passageway,
• advancing along a linear path the props supporting the lowered truss members to move the lowered truss members relative to the truss member engaging the mine roof,
• raising the set of props beneath the first end portion of the lowered truss members out of contact with the mine floor for support about a pivot point on the mine floor,
• advancing on the mine floor the set of props beneath the second end portion of the lowered truss members while maintaining the set of props beneath the first end portion of the lowered truss members fixed to pivot the second end portion of the lowered truss members relative to the first end portion thereof to move the truss member along an arcuate path to change the direction of advancement of the truss members.