Roof bolt bearing plate and method for an underground mine

A method for providing a primary roof support in an underground mine, comprising the steps of:

• (a) positioning a roof bolting machine in an area to be secured or bolted in an underground mine;
• (b) drilling a hole into a mine roof through an immediate roof into an upper strata to a specified depth deeper than the length of a roof bolt being used;
• c) inserting a plastic tube of epoxy resin and hardener into the drilled hole;
• (d) inserting said roof bolt through an aperture of a roof bolt plate;
• e) centering a bolt head on said roof bolt in a drill machine rotation head;
• f) applying upward pressure and rotation as said roof bolt is pushed into said drilled hole in said roof, breaking the tube of epoxy resin and mixing the resin and hardener together and forcing the mixture into any cracks or separations in the strata;
• (g) subsequently after the plate and bolt head reach within about an inch of the roof, stopping the upward pressure and remaining spinning, stopping the spinning motion and applying the full upward pressure of the bolting machine to push the roof bolt and center of the plate to compress the immediate roof, subsequently lowering the bolter head and observing the quality of installation by noticing the lock washer effect on the head of the bolt, and observing whether the bolt head lowers with the bolting machine, such that the installed bolt has lost its anchorage to form a failed bolt, then installing another bolt to replace the failed bolt, and moving to the next area in the underground mine to be secured;
• and
• (h) wherein said roof bolt plate features a round or oval dome-shaped plate and said specified depth is in a range of approximately three to four inches.

A method of supporting a roof in an underground mine comprising:

• (a) providing a round or elliptical dome-shaped plate having an outer rim conforming to regular or irregular roof surfaces of an underground mine, and apertures for hanging cables, and further having a center aperture for receiving a roof bolt;
• (b) providing a recessed center in said dome-shaped plate lower than said outer rim such that the head of said roof bolt will be partially protected, when installed in the roof of an underground mine;
• (c) providing a plurality of ribs on the domed area of said dome-shaped plate for adjusting strength in said dome-shaped plate;
• and
• (d) inserting a roof bolt through said center aperture of said dome-shaped plate and into the roof of an underground mine.