Mining Equipment

Abstract

A machine for setting permanent mine-roadway supports is formed by forward and rearward machine parts interconnected by two double-acting advancing rams, and comprises a canopy adapted to carry a horizontal roof bar (or bars) of a permanent mine roadway support to be set in position by the machine, hydraulic displacement means for advancing the canopy towards the roof of the roadway or for retracting the canopy from the roof of the roadway, and preferably two hydraulic rams carried by, or supported from, the canopy and adapted, in use, to act directly below the roof bar to be set and on the upper ends of the two vertical legs which complete the permanent mine roadway support by displacing the upper ends of these legs from an inclined position to a set position in which both legs engage the roof bar advanced by the canopy to the roof.

Description

This invention relates to mining equipment and, in particular, to a machine for setting permanent mine roadway supports in rectangular roadways.

Over the years the particular space normally considered to be the roadhead, has been of particular hazard involving a very high accident rate. Excavation of coal and stone sets up a redistribution of strata stresses adjacent to the excavation whereby the control of "falls" of immediate roof and side strata becomes a matter of very great importance for the roadhead contains generally a very high concentration of men and machines.

Several attempts have been made in the past to provide support at this area of a roadway. Thus, there has been proposed an arrangement consisting basically of a series of parallel roof bars supported upon vertical hydraulic jacks and set at right-angles to the direction of roadhead advance, advance of the individual bars being obtained in a concertina-like manner. Another proposal has been to provide from the face of the roadhead to about 10 yards back from the face, a plurality of hydraulically actuated bars and vertical jacks, to give temporary support, with the permanent supports following on behind. However, apart from the complexity of the two systems outlined above, neither has provided for the setting of the permanent supports at the closest possible distance from the face of the roadhead, and indeed neither system has been of any assistance in the setting of permanent supports at all.

Amongst the objects of the present invention are the provision of a machine that gives quick, early and safe mechanical support to the newly exposed excavations at roadheads and gateheads underground which are formed continuously by the drivage of "coal and stone" headings and the working of "shortwall and longwall" coal faces, and the rapid and safe setting of normal roadway supports by mechanical means for the lining of the said excavations.

Generally "roadhead" and "gatehead" have the same meaning, but the latter term is widely used in connection with the formation of roadways by the advancing coal faces. However, the term "roadhead" will be used exclusively in this Specification and should be considered as embracing the term gatehead.

According to the present invention a machine for setting permanent mine-roadway supports comprises a canopy adapted to carry a horizontal roof bar (or bars) of a permanent mine roadway support to be set in position by the machine, hydraulic displacement means for advancing the canopy towards the roof of the roadway or for retracting the canopy from the roof of the roadway, and at least one hydraulic ram carried by, or supported from, the canopy and adapted, in use, to act directly below the roof bar to be set and on the upper ends of the two vertical legs which complete the permanent mine roadway support by displacing the upper ends of these legs from an inclined position to a set position in which both legs engage the roof bar supported by the canopy.

Thus, in use, the canopy is located in its retracted position and a roof bar (or bars) is manually loaded on to the canopy which is thereafter advanced and positioned underneath the point where it is required to be applied to the roof (e.g., at a distance 3 feet from the previously set roadway support, if the supports are being set at 3 feet centres).

The hydraulic displacement means is then actuated to advance the canopy and hence the roof bar carried thereby to the roof of the roadway, and upon contact with the roof of the roadway reaction between the roof bar and canopy and the machine resting on the floor of the roadway provides immediate and substantial roof support. The ram carried by the canopy is then set in retracted position and a first vertical leg has its lower end manually placed on the floor of the roadway in the desired setting position and its upper, inwardly inclined end brought into engagement with the ram of the canopy, extension of that ram urging the leg from the inclined position to a vertical position in which it supports one end of the roof bar and this technique is repeated with the second leg at the other end of the roof bar. The machine to be then advanced to set the next roadway support.

Preferably, the canopy carries two horizontally opposed hydraulic rams so that both the legs of a single roadway support may be urged to the set position simultaneously, which avoids potential difficulties from reaction forces, if a single ram is employed. It will also be appreciated that the displacement by the ram or rams of the canopy and the upper ends of the legs effects a pre-loading of those legs which are rammed into position underneath the roof bar, so that the legs are tightly set between the roof bar and the floor of the roadway and are therefore able to offer immediate resistance to the movement of the roof strata, in contrast to conventionally set supports for rectangular roadways which are simply hammered into position manually, or bolted together with little or no pre-loading. Furthermore, by the use of pressure gauges with the (or each) ram circuit, the vertical legs can be set with pre-determined loads in accordance with the needs of the particular mining environment which obtains.

Preferably, the machine is constructed in two parts, a rearward part supporting the canopy and a forward part carrying a hydraulic displaceable roof support beam, the two parts being interconnected by at least one, and preferably two double-acting hydraulic advancing rams. Thus, by appropriately actuating the canopy, the support beam and the double-acting ram(s), the machine may be incrementally advanced.

The support beam may carry a plurality of fore-pole support brackets extending in cantilever fashion therefrom and adapted to support the roadway roof as close as possible to the face of the roadway.

Conveniently the machine, either the rearward or forward part thereof, includes a second canopy also displaceable by hydraulic means towards and away from the roof of the roadway so as to provide further temporary roof support and greater flexibility of use of the machine in dealing with adverse strata situations, if required, during operational sequences performed by the machine. The second canopy, if mounted on the rearward part, may serve as a roof bar magazine. Alternatively, if the second canopy is mounted on the forward part, the canopy on the rearward part may serve as a roof bar magazine. Thus, the canopy constituting magazine may be loaded with as many roof bars as may be required during a shift.

With the machine capable of carrying its own magazine of roof bars, the machine is preferably adapted to draw at least one sledge e.g., of timber, adapted to carry the support legs.

The reaction of the hydraulic displacement means of the canopy, of the roof support beam, and of the second canopy may be taken by the floor via. the machine. Alternatively the various hydraulic means may be arranged to react directly on the floor of the roadway, which means that it is not necessary to design the machine with a capability of withstanding reaction forces.

Each machine part may consists of two, spaced side members connected together by the canopy and/or roof support beam and/or second canopy. Additionally, a beam may bridge the side members to form, with the side members, a machine part of inverted U-shape. With the latter construction, connection points between the beam and the side members may be constructed so as to allow the insertion of, or removal from, the connection points of spacer boxes, so as to enable the width and height of the machine to be best selected for the particular roadway concerned. Conventially, elbows may be interposed between the beam and the side members. Stability aiding tails may extend rearwardly from the forward part of the machine, and may comprise a pair of spaced arms each terminating in a foot to contact the roadway floor.

The invention thus provides a machine which eliminates the present-day task of setting permanent roadway supports manually which involves the lifting of lengthy and awkward steel joists above shoulder level for long period of time, and which provides immediate support of the roof of the roadway when the canopy carrying the roof bar to be set is jacked up to the roof.

The invention is shown in greater detail by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a first embodiment of machine according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in one direction of arrow A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a part sectional plan view of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4A to 4G show one sequence of advance of the machine of FIGS. 1 to 3 for the setting of one roadway support;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of machine according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a view in the direction of arrow B of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a view in the direction of arrow C of FIG. 5.

In both embodiments, like reference numerals are employed for like components.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4G, the machine is shown located in a roadway 1 having a roof 2, a floor 3 and side walls 4, the roadway face, to be advanced being indicated at 5.

The machine comprises a rearward part 6 and a forward part 7, interconnected by a pair of double-acting hydraulic advancing rams 8, one located at each side of the machine and pivotally secured on pins 9 and 10 on the rearward part 6 and forward part 7, respectively, each part 6 and 7 comprising two spaced apart side members seating on the floor 3, as can be appreciated from FIG. 2.

The rearward part 6 supports a canopy 11 extending laterally of the roadway, which canopy is hydraulically displaceable away from the roof 2 by a hydraulic displacement means constituted by two spaced apart hydraulic jacks 12, one reacting on each side member and one acting on each end of the canopy 11, so that the latter connects together the two side members.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the canopy 11 is provided with a pair of horizontally opposed rams 13, a piston rod 14 of each ram being pivotally connected at 15 to cradle 16.

The rearward part 6 also carries a second canopy 17 which is also hydraulically displaceable towards or away from the mine roof 2 by a pair of spaced apart hydraulic rams 18, one reacting on each side member, the canopy 17 also connecting together the two side members of the rearward part 6 as well as serving as a magazine for roof bars, to be referred to in further detail later.

The forward part 7 carries a support beam 19, that is hydraulically displaceable towards or away from the mine roof 2 by a pair of spaced apart hydraulic rams 20 reacting on the side members of the forward part 7. The support beam 19 is provided with a plurality of fore-pole support brackets 21, extending in the direction of the roadway face 5.

Operation of the machine is as follows. Considering firstly FIGS. 1 and 2, roof bar 22 has been set in position, as have the two spaced apart support legs 23. The next roof bar 22A, has been positioned on a part of the canopy 11 directly above the longitudinal axes of the horizontally opposed rams 13, and has been raised by the canopy 11 into contact with the roof 2 at it's required setting position i.e., at distance "X" from the support legs 23. Support legs 23A, intended to support roof bar 22A, have their lower ends 24 manually placed in the required setting position on the floor 3 and their upper ends 25 placed in a cradle 16, the horizontally opposed rams 13 being in retracted position. The next operation is extension of the horizontally opposed rams 13 which push the upper ends 25 of the two support legs 23A into their supporting position under the roof bar 22A, which simultaneously gives the desired pre-loading effect to the permanent roadway support formed by the elements 22A and 23A. After this has been done, the machine is ready to be moved on by the distance "X" to the next setting position, and this sequence, together with the setting sequence, is shown in detail in FIGS. 4A to 4G, subsequent roof bars to be set being indicated in FIG. 1 at 22B to 22G.

In FIGS. 4A to 4G, the rearward part 6 of the machine is shown attached by chains 26 to a sledge 27 loaded with a plurality of support legs 23 A, B, C etc. (FIG. 4B). As shown by FIG. 4A, the machine is manoeuvred into position until such time as the part of the canopy 11 immediately above the longitudinal axes of the horizontally opposed rams 13 is the required distance from the last set support legs 23, the forward part 7 being adjacent the rearward part 6. The support beam 19 is urged to it's roof supporting position in contact with roof 2, while the canopy 11 is also displaced towards the roof 2 to put the roof bar 22A that is on the canopy 11 immediately above the axes of the horizontally opposed rams 13 into it's roof engaging position. Also the second canopy 17 is elevated and this is the position in which the machine finds itself in FIG. 4C. A pair of support legs 23A are then removed from the sledge 27 and positioned as shown in, and described with respect to, FIG. 2, the horizontally opposed rams 13 then being actuated to displace the upper ends 25 of the support legs 23A into their setting position. This corresponds of course, to the position shown in FIG. 1, but after the horizontally opposed rams 13 have been actuated. The machine is now ready to be advanced and firstly the second canopy 17 is urged into a roof supporting position, the roof bars 22D to 22G being brought into contact with the roof 2, and the support beam 19 is retracted from the roof 2, this being the position shown in FIG. 4D. Then the advancing rams 8 are actuated to push the forward part 7 of the machine forwards, the reactions being taken by the rearward part 6 which remains staked in a roof supporting position. The canopy 11 is then retracted from the roof 2 simultaneously, with the displacement of the support beam 19 to the roof in it's advanced position, and this is the position as shown in FIG. 4E. The next roof bar 22B is then manoeuvred along the canopy 11 until it lies above the axes of the horizontally opposed rams 13 i.e., until it is in position of roof bar 22A of FIG. 1. With the support beam 19 urged into a roof supporting position, the forward part 7 remains staked in position while the advancing rams 8 are retracted, to draw the rearward part 6 towards the advanced forward part 7, and this is the position as illustrated in FIG. 4F, which has advanced the next roof bar to be set viz. 22B, by the distance "X" The canopy 11 is then displaced towards the roof 2 to bring the roof bar 22B into engagement with the roof, and the next pair of support legs 23B removed from the sledge 27 and set in the manner previously described, this process being repeated as the face 5 is advanced.

In the second embodiment, the canopy 11 serves not only for placing roof bars in their required setting position but also as the magazine for roof bars to be used subsequently, while the second canopy 17 is mounted on the forward part 7 of the machine. As can be appreciated from FIG. 6, the side members of the parts 6 and 7 are bridged by a beam 28 to form an inverted U-shape, rather than relying solely on the canopies and support beam connecting the side members, as in the first embodiment. The beam 28 is connected to the side members via. elbows 29 at flanged connections points 30. Although not illustrated, spacer boxes may be inserted between, or removed from the connection points 30 to vary the width of the beam 28 and the height of the side members.

Also in contrast to the first embodiment it will be seen from FIG. 5, firstly that the canopy 11 is supported by four rams 12 (two on each side member of the rearward part 6), and secondly, that the rams 12, 18 and 20 do not react on their associated side members and thence to the floor 3, but pass therethrough to react directly on the floor 3, and when advancing are lifted clear of the floor by a coil spring (not shown) co-axially surrounding the rams, to the lifted position shown in chain-dotted line at the right hand side of FIG. 5.

The forward part 7 is provided with a pair of rearwardly extending, stability aiding tails 31, each terminating in a foot 32, resting on the roadway floor 3.

Setting of further permanent roadway roof supports made up of elements 22, 23 and 22A, 23A etc. is done in the same manner as that previously described in respect of the first embodiment. The mode of advance is, from the position shown in FIG. 5, to retract the second canopy 17 and the support beam 19, the lower ends of the rams of these elements then being spring urged upwardly, and to extend the advancing rams 8 to advance the forward part 7, the reaction being taken by the staked rearward part 6 to the required advanced position. When this position is reached, the second canopy 17 and roof beam 19 are again urged to the roof to stake the forward part 7 in position whereupon after retracting the canopy 11, the advancing rams 8 may be retracted to draw the rearward part 6 towards the advanced forward part 7 until, the part of the canopy 11 directly above the longitudinal axes of the horizontally opposed rams 13 is underneath the roof 2 at the next position where it is required to place a roof bar 22A etc, the next roof bar being manually manoeuvered on to this part of the canopy 11 before the latter is urged upwardly against the roof 2.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. A machine for setting permanent mine-roadway supports, each support being constituted by one horizontal roof bar and two spaced apart vertical legs, said machine comprising a canopy adapted to carry a horizontal roof bar of a permanent mine roadway support to be set in position by the machine, hydraulic displacement means for advancing said canopy towards a roof of a roadway or for retracting said canopy from said roof of said roadway, and at least one hydraulic ram carried by, or supported from, said canopy and adapted, in use, to act directly below said roof bar to be set and on upper ends of said two vertical legs which complete the permanent mine roadway support, by displacing said upper ends of said legs from an inclined position to a set position in which both said legs engage said roof bar advanced by said canopy to said roof.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, comprising two horizontally opposed hydraulic rams carried by said canopy.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1, comprising a rearward machine part supporting said canopy, a forward machine part, a hydraulic displaceable roof support beam carried by said forward machine part, and at least one double-acting hydraulic advancing ram interconnecting said forward and rearward machine parts.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein two spaced apart side members constitute elements of each machine part, and said canopy and said roof support beam and a second canopy connect said two spaced side members of the respective machine parts together.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein a beam bridges said side members to form, with said side members, a machine part of inverted U-shape.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein elbows are interposed between said beam and said side members.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 3 comprising two double-acting hydraulic advancing rams, one at each side of the machine.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein a plurality of fore-pole support brackets are carried by and extend in cantilever fashion from said support beam.

9. A machine as claimed in claim 1, comprising a second canopy also displaceable by hydraulic means towards and away from said roof of said roadway.