Mine door system including an air pressure relief door

A mine stopping system installed in a passageway of a mine for closing the passageway, the system comprising:

• a wall extending at least partway across the passageway,
• a door frame installed in or adjacent the wall to define a doorway to allow passage of machinery,
• a door leaf hinged on the door frame for swinging between a closed position in the doorway and an open position, the leaf having a first face facing in a direction in which it swings open and a second face facing an opposite direction, the leaf when closed being subject to a differential in air pressure involving higher pressure on one of said faces of the leaf than on the other of said faces, said door leaf being substantially parallel with the door frame when the leaf is in the closed position,
• an opening disposed in at least one of said leaf, wall and door frame for passage of air therethrough to more nearly equalize the pressure on said faces of the leaf and thereby reduce the force required to open or close the leaf, and
• a power-operated closure for said at least one opening movable between a closed position blocking passage of air and an open position allowing passage of air.

A mine door unit for installation in a passageway of a mine comprising:

• a door frame adapted to be installed in the passageway to define a doorway sized and shaped to allow passage of machinery,
• a leaf hinged on the door frame for moving between a closed position for at least partially closing the doorway and an open position to permit passage of machinery through the doorway,
• a man doorway in the leaf sized and shaped to allow passage of personnel,
• a man door mounted on the leaf for closing the man doorway,
• a pressure relief opening in the leaf and not in the man door, and
• a closure mounted on the leaf for moving between a closed position for closing the pressure relief opening and an open position for relieving pressure against the leaf to facilitate opening of the leaf, the closure not being on the man door.

A mine stopping system forming an airlock space in a mine passageway comprising:

• a plurality of stoppings mounted in the passageway in spaced apart relation, said stoppings forming an airlock with an airlock space therebetween,
• each stopping including a door leaf mounted for moving between open and closed positions,
• at least one of said stoppings including a pressure relief opening therein and a closure mounted adjacent the opening for moving between a closed position for closing the pressure relief opening and an open position for relieving air pressure against the leaf to facilitate opening or closing of the leaf, and
• a first actuator mounted adjacent said closure for moving said closure between the open position and the closed position.

A mine door for installation in a passageway of a mine comprising:

• a power-operated leaf adapted to be mounted in the passageway for swinging between a closed position and an open position, the leaf having a first face facing in a direction in which it swings open and a second face facing an opposite direction in which it swings closed, said leaf being adapted for installation in the passageway where the leaf when closed is subject to a differential in air pressure involving higher pressure on said first face of the leaf than on the second face of the leaf,
• an opening formed in the leaf for passage of air therethrough from adjacent said one of said faces of the leaf to adjacent the other of said faces to more nearly equalize the pressure on said faces and thereby reduce the force required to open or close the leaf, and
• a power-operated closure mounted adjacent said opening and movable between a closed position blocking passage of air through said opening and an open position allowing passage of air, said closure being mounted such that said closure opens toward the higher pressure,
• said power-operated closure being movable from said closed position to said open position against pressures up to a first maximum pressure differential, said power-operated leaf being moveable from said closed position to said open position against pressures up to a second maximum pressure differential, said second maximum pressure differential being less than said first maximum pressure differential.

A mine door for installation in a passageway of a mine comprising:

• a leaf adapted to be mounted in the passageway for swinging between a closed position and an open position, the leaf having a first face facing in a direction in which it swings open and a second face facing an opposite direction in which it swings closed, said leaf being adapted for installation in the passageway where the leaf when closed is subject to a differential in air pressure involving higher pressure on said first face of the leaf than on said second face of the leaf,
• a first actuator for moving said leaf between said closed position and said open position,
• an opening formed in the leaf for passage of air therethrough from adjacent said one of said faces of the leaf to adjacent the other of said faces to more nearly equalize the pressure on said faces and thereby reduce the force required to open or close the leaf,
• a closure movable between a closed position blocking passage of air through said opening and an open position allowing passage of air, and
• a second actuator for moving said closure between the open position and the closed position, the second actuator being mounted to said second face of the leaf such that when the leaf is in the closed position the second actuator is not subjected to the higher pressure.

A mine door for installation in a passageway of a mine comprising:

• a power-operated leaf adapted to be mounted in the passageway for swinging between a closed position and an open position, the leaf having a first face facing in a direction in which it swings open and a second face facing an opposite direction in which it swings closed, said leaf being adapted for installation in the passageway where the leaf when closed is subject to a differential in air pressure involving higher pressure on said first face of the leaf than on said second face of the leaf,
• an opening formed in the leaf for passage of air therethrough from adjacent said one of said faces of the leaf to adjacent the other of said faces to more nearly equalize the pressure on said faces and thereby reduce the force required to open or close the leaf,
• a power-operated closure movable between a closed position blocking passage of air through said opening and an open position allowing passage of air, and
• a switch for simultaneously activating said power-operated leaf and said power-operated closure.