Multiple tier stopping and method of constructing stopping

#This invention relates to braces for mine stoppings, a two-tier stopping and to a method of installing a two-tier mine stopping.

#Mine stoppings are widely used in mine passageways to stop off the flow of air therethrough. A conventional metal stopping shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,642 comprises a plurality of elongate extensible panels 7 extending vertically from the floor to the roof of the mine passageway and positioned in side-by-side relation across the passageway. (See FIG. 1 of the patent.)

#Some mine passages can be quite large, e.g., 20 feet wide and 10 feet high and even as large as 60 feet wide and 35 feet high. Further, the pressure differential across a stopping can be very high. The high pressure differential and/or the large size of the mine passages that a stopping closes can subject the stopping to large forces which cause the stopping to bend or deflect.

#FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a mine stopping in a mine with the stopping having a plurality of reinforcing braces secured thereto;

#FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section view taken along the line 2—2 of FIG. 1

#FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one brace of the system of FIG. 1;

#Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

#Referring to FIG. 1, the numeral 1 generally designates a high pressure stopping system of an embodiment of this invention adapted for use in mines to at least partially close a mine passageway 3. The system can be used to substantially or partially seal the passageway against air flow therethrough. In this embodiment, the stopping system 1 is used to substantially seal against air flow creating a pressure differential across the stopping system 1 with a normally high pressure side 8 and a normally low pressure side 9. This pressure differential applies force to the stopping system 1 in the direction of the higher pressure side 8 toward the lower pressure side 9. It is to be understood that the high pressure side 8 and the low pressure side 9 may switch under certain circumstances, but they are normally in one orientation. Also, the stopping may be incorrectly installed such that the high and low pressure sides 8, 9 are reversed. Sealing can be accomplished by having the top edge 4, side edges 5, 6 and bottom edge 7 of the stopping system adjacent to the roof 12, opposite side walls 14, 15 and the floor 16, respectively, and having suitable sealing material (e.g., polymeric foam such as polyurethane and polystyrene) therebetween.

#The stopping system 1 of this embodiment includes a plurality of stopping panels 18 positioned in side-by-side relation and extending vertically in the mine passageway 3 generally between the side walls 14, 15 to thereby form a stopping wall. The stopping panels 18 can be of any suitable style, e.g., each one can be fabricated as a single piece panel or multiple panels such as a pair of panel sections 19 (upper section) and 20 (lower section) which are preferably channel shaped (FIG. 2) in transverse cross section. The panel sections 19 and 20 are slidably or telescopically connected, i.e., one fits within the other and can move coaxially relative to one another to form a telescoping stopping panel 18 as exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,483,642, 4,547,094, 4,820,081 and 4,911,577, which are incorporated herein by reference. As shown in FIG. 2, each panel section 19, 20 has a channel-shaped transverse cross section with a panel web 22, opposing flanges 23, inturned legs 24 extending parallel to the web and lips 25 extending parallel to the opposing flanges. The panel sections 19 and 20 are preferably of the same shape with one being slightly smaller than the other so the smaller one will fit within the larger one for connection and telescoping movement. Preferably, the panels 18 are metal, preferably steel.