Inflatable mine support
AssigneeFosroc International Limited
InventorDavid N. Degville
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inflatable bag for use in a mine support has an inlet for the admission of a pumpable load bearing material such as a cementitious grout and an outlet for the air. The outlet is provided with a valve comprising a porous element the pores of which are capable of being blocked by the grout or similar load bearing material whereby the valve is closed by the grout and the pressure in the bag increased. The porous element can comprise a sponge. The bag is preferably made of a heat sealable material such as a synthetic plastics material e.g. polyethylene. The bag is used with a tube in which it is placed with the inlet in alignment with an aperture in the wall of the tube and grout pumped into the bag to inflate the bag against the floor and roof of the mine.
Claims12
A support for use in mines and other underground workings, said support being inflatable by superatmospheric pressure and comprising:
- (i) a tube to be installed where it is desired to provide support the tube having
- (ii) a flexible bag located within the tube having an inlet for the admission of a pumpable load bearing material and an outlet for releasing air from the bag, the outlet comprising a porous element which is capable of transmitting air but which is capable of being blocked by the load bearing material, the bag being made of a non porous material that permits it to be inflated and stressed against the roof of the mine by the pumpable load bearing material under a superatmospheric pressure and of sufficient flexibility to follow the surface irregularities in the roof of the mine.
A support as claimed in claim 8, wherein the heat sealable material is a synthetic plastics material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.