Truss shoe for a mine roof and method

A truss shoe for use on a mine roof truss having at least one inclined bolt and at least one horizontal bolt, the truss shoe comprising:

• a base, the base including a first end, a second end, a curved side, a generally planar bearing surface, and a top side disposed opposite the bearing surface, the bearing surface arranged for contact with the mine roof;
• a stanchion formed on the top side, the stanchion including an angled bore having a top end and a bottom end, the bottom end of the bore extending through the bearing surface, the bore sized and positioned to receive the inclined bolt;
• and
• a retaining bracket formed on the top side and spaced away from the stanchion, the retaining bracket including a J-shaped bore having an open slot, the bore and the slot both sized to receive the horizontal bolt.

A system for forming a mine roof truss comprising:

• a pair of spaced apart inclined bolts;
• a horizontal bolt having a pair of ends;
• a pair of truss shoes, each of the truss shoes including:
• a base, the base including a first end, a second end, a continuous first side and a continuous second side extending between the first and second ends, wherein one of the first and second sides is curved and exclusively convex side, a generally planar bearing surface, and a top side disposed opposite the bearing surface, the bearing surface arranged for contact with the mine roof;
• a stanchion formed on the top side, the stanchion including an angled bore having a top end and a bottom end, the bottom end of the bore extending through the bearing surface;
• and
• a slotted retaining bracket formed on the top side and spaced away from the stanchion;
• the stanchion of each of the truss shoes receiving a corresponding one of the inclined bolts;
• the retaining bracket of each of the truss shoes receiving a corresponding one of the ends of the horizontal bolt;
• and
• whereby the roof truss is formed upon tensioning each of the inclined bolts and upon tensioning the horizontal bolt.

A method of forming a mine roof truss comprising the steps of:

• inserting a pair of spaced apart inclined bolts into the mine roof;
• providing a cross member having a pair of ends;
• providing a horizontal bolt having a pair of ends:
• providing a truss shoe for each of the roof bolts, each of the truss shoes including:
• a base, the base including a first end, a second end, a continuous first side and a continuous second side extending between the first and second ends, wherein one of the first and second sides is curved, a generally planar bearing surface, and a top side disposed opposite the bearing surface, the bearing surface arranged for contact with the mine roof;
• a stanchion formed on the top side, the stanchion including an angled bore having a top end and a bottom end, the bottom end of the bore extending through the bearing surface;
• and
• a retaining bracket formed on the top side and spaced away from the stanchion, the retaining bracket including an open bore having a slot defining a gap sized to receive the horizontal bolt;
• placing an exposed end of each inclined bolt through the stanchion of a corresponding one of the truss shoes and positioning the truss shoe in a first position with the bearing surface perpendicular to the mine roof;
• tensioning each of the inclined bolts to cause each truss shoe to automatically shift to a second position in which the bearing surface is parallel to the mine roof;
• positioning each end of the horizontal bolt in the retaining bracket of a corresponding truss shoe by placing the horizontal bolt through the slot and into the bore;
• and
• tensioning the cross member to form the roof truss.