GB2054715A - Mine roof support - Google Patents

Abstract

A self advancing mine roof support comprises a pair of double prop frames (1, 2) and a mechanism (3) for inter-connecting the frames (1, 2) and advancing them alternately toward the mining face. The mechanism (3) includes a T-shaped hollow beam (16), two slides (17, 18) received in the internal space of this beam (16) and secured to the respective sections (1, 2), two guides (19, 20) extending parallel to the beam (16) and connected to the respective sections (1, 2) to enable independent advance of one section relative to the other in a direction perpendicular to the mining face, and hydraulic cylinders (21, 22) accommodated in the guides (19, 20). Each guide (19, 20) is attached to its respective frame (1, 2) by lugs (41) connected to the props (4, 5) by leaf spring packs (32) extending parallel to the axis of the beam (16). The props (4, 5) in each frame are joined by flexible connections (14, 15). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Powered mine roof support set The present invention relates to powered mine roof support sets.

The invention is particularly applicable to mechanisation and power-operation into the techniques of supporting mine face roofs, mine roof control and conveyer-advancing, particularly, in coal faces while ploughing.

The present invention provides a powered mine roof support set comprising a pair of double prop sections coupled to a mechanism for advancing the sections alternately along the mining face line of advance, each prop being coupled to the mechanism by a leaf spring pack extending generally longitudinally of the advancing mechanism and to the other prop of the same section by a flexible connection, whereby the leaf spring packs and flexible connections permit inclination of the individual props relative to each other to compensate for irregularities of the floor of the working area.

More specifically, the invention provides a powered mine roof support set comprising a pair of double prop sections and a mechanism for connecting the sections and advancing them alternately toward the mining face line advance, the mechanism including a hollow elongate beam, two slides in the beam cavity movable axially of said beam and their ends being secured to the respective sections of the set, two guides extending parallel with the hollow beam and connected each with a respective one of said sections for independent motion of one section relative to the other in a plane perpendicular to the mining face line, an hydraulic cylinder extending parallel with the axis of said beam within each said guide and having its cylinder body connected with the beam, and its piston rod rigidly secured in the respective guide; each said guide having two leaf spring abutments with through-going slots defined between lugs extending parallel with the axis of the beam, each said prop having a leaf spring abutment with a through-going slot defined between lugs extending perpendicular to the axis of said beam, a leaf spring pack being included for connecting each said guide with the respective one of said sections, one end of said leaf spring pack being embraced by said lugs in said slot of said guide and being retained against falling out of said slot, the other end of said leaf spring pack being embraced by said respective lugs in said slot of said prop and being retained against falling out of said slot, said leaf spring packs extending parallel with the axis of said beam.

By virtue of the connection between the guide and the section incorporating the spring packs extending parallel with the axis of the beam, their ends being retained in through-going slots made in the abutments of the guides and the props, the overall dimensions of the structure can be reduced, the capacity of the roof support to master the irregularities of the floor is enhanced, the risk of breakdown of the elements of the section connecting mechanism when the props are loaded with their work load is reduced, and also there is precluded the slanting of the props as they are thrust in the area of an irregular bed seam, whereby a high lateral and longitudinal stability of the roof support is provided for.

It is expedient that the spring leaf packs should be secured in the slots so as to permit inclination of the props in a vertical plane parallel with the mining face line and in a plane perpendicular to the mining face line.

This has been found to enhance the performance of the mine roof support and to increase its lateral stability in operation with sloping mineral beds or seams.

To improve the lateral stability of the mine roof support in operation with sloping mineral beds or seams, it is further expedient that each guide should have mounted thereon, at the side where the piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder is secured thereto, a journal supporting a bracket with the slide for angular adjustment relative to the plane of the bed seam.

Owing to this, there are ensured prerequisites for pre-slanting the section in a direction opposite to that of the action of the respective component of the gravity force, which improves the stability of the section in the course of the advancing of the mine roof support.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, with reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 shows the general view of a single set of a powered roof support embodying the invention, viewed in plan with the roofing members removed; FIG. 2 is a view taken along line A in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 shows on an enlarged scale a sectional view taken on line Ill-Ill in FIG. 1; FIG. 4 shows on an enlarged scale a sectional view taken on line lY-lY in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 shows on an enlarged scale a sectional view taken on line V-V in FIG. 1; FIG. 6 shows on an enlarged scale a sectional view taken on line Vl-Vl in FIG.4.

Referring now in particular to the appended drawings, the disclosed mine roof support is made up of a plurality of identical sets of which one is illustrated in FIG. 1 of paired double-prop sections 1, 2 and a mechanism 3 for connecting the sections and advancing them successively toward the mining face line advance. Each section 1 or 2 includes, in addition to the props 4 and 5 (FIG. 2), the respective base 6 and 7, and a roofing member 8 and 9. The props 4 and 5 are connected each with the respective base 6 and 7, and with the roofing member 8 and 9 in a manner known per se suitable for mine roof supports of the herein described type.

Each respective prop 4 and 5 has a housing 10 (FIG. 3) and 11 (FIG. 2) encompassing the cylindrical body of the prop 4, 5 and being capable of axial motion relative to this body of the prop 4, 5. The bases 6 and 7 have respective rigid bearings 12 (FIG. 2) and 13 adapted to have mounted therein the props 4 and 5, and are interconnected with flexible plates 14 (FIGS. 1 and 3) and 15(FIG. 1).

The above mentioned roofing members and the bases can be of any suitable known per se structure incorporable in a mine roof support of the type being described.

The mechanism for interconnecting the sections 1 and 2 and advancing them alternatingly toward the mining face line advance includes a Tshaped beam 1 6 (FIG. 1) of which the elongate central leg is hollow. The internal space or cavity of the elongated leg of the beam 1 6 receives for reciprocation axially thereof the first ends of two slides 17 (FIG. 2) and 18. Each slide 17 and 18 has its other end attached to the respective section 1 and 2 of the set. Extending longitudinally of the beam 16 and two guides 19 (Figure 1) and 20 connected each to the respective section 1 and 2 for independent motion in a plane perpendicular to the mining face line. Each guide 1 9, 20 accommodates a respective hydraulic cylinder 21, 22 running parallel with the axis of the beam 16.

The cylinder body 23 and 24 of the respective hydraulic cylinder 21 and 22 is connected to the transverse arm of the T-shaped beam 1 6 with aid of a link 25 (FIG. 4) and pivot pins 26 so that the cylinder 23, 24 is movable within limits relative to the beam 1 6 in a plane perpendicular to the mining face line.

The plunger or piston rod (not shown in the drawings) of each hydraulic cylinder 21, 22 is fixed in the guide 19, 20 with aid of a shaft 27.

Each guide 1 9, 20 has fast therewith two spring abutment bodies 41 each having a through slot 28 (FIG. 5) defined between lugs 29 which are prism-shaped, the apeces of the prism-shaped lugs 29 facing each other and extending parallel with the axis of the beam 1 6.

Fast with each body 10 and 11 of the props 4 and 5 is a spring abutment having a through-going slot 30, also with prism-shaped lugs 31, with the apeces facing each other, and extending perpendicular to the axis of the beam 1 6. The guides 19 and 20 are each connected with the respective body 10 and 11 of the prop 4 and 5 with aid of a leaf spring pack 32. One end of each spring pack 32 is embraced by the respective lugs 29 in the slots 28 of the guides 1 9, 20, while its other end is embraced by the lugs 31 in the slots 30 of the bodies 10 and 11 of the props 4 and 5.

Shafts 33 (FIG. 3) retain the spring packs 32 against falling out from the respective slots 28 of the guides 19 and 20 and from the slots 30 of the bodies 10 and 11 of the props 4 and 5.

To preset the inclination of the props 4 and 5 in a vertical plane parallel with the mining face line and in a plane perpendicular to the mining face line, the position of the spring pack 32 relative to the respective slots 28 and 30 is adjustable and fixed with aid of hold-down screws 34 (FIGS. 3 and 5).

The abovesaid spring packs 32 are arranged parallel with the axis of the beam 1 6. The guides 1 9 and 20, at the side thereof where the piston rods of the hydraulic cylinders 21 and 22 are secured therein, carry journals 35 (FIGS. 2, 4 and 6) and 36 on which shaped brackets 37 carrying the slides 1 7 and 1 8 are mounted with aid of piris 38 (FIG. 6) for angular adjustment with respect of the plane of the mineral seam of bed floor. Shown in FIG. 6 in dash lines are positions of the shaped bracket 37 at different angular settings with respect of this plane of the mineral seam or bed floor. The props 4 and 5 are provided with coil springs 39 (FIG. 2) mounted between shoulders 40 and the respective bodies 10 and 11.

The shaped bracket 37 (FIGS. 4 and 6) has holes 42, while the journal 35 is provided with corresponding holes 43, so that the bracket and the journal can be interconnected by the pin shaft 38. The respective slide 1 7, 1 8 is secured to the shaped bracket 37 with aid of a shaft 44.

The herein described powered mine roof support is operated as follows.

The section of the support, relieved from load, e.g. the section 2, is advanced with respect of the retained section 1 with aid of the connection mechanism 3, the section 2 being pulled by its respective hydraulic cylinder 22 toward the beam 1 6, and then being advanced by the hydraulic cylinder 21 of the other section 1 into the leading position. Following this advancing step, the props 4 and 5 of the sections 1 and 2 are thrust between the roof and the floor. As the mineral is being excavated, the mining face line advances, and the stepping cycles of the mine roof support are repeated.As the props 5 are thrust in an area with bed seam irregularities, the section 2 is displaced in a plane perpendicular to the mining face line by the height of this floor irregularity, with the mechanism 3 connecting the sections 1 and 2 of the set of the mine roof support being displaced accordingly relative to the props 4 and 5, together with their bodies 10 and 11, whereby the springs 39 are compressed. Moreover, with the advanced section 2 being displaced relative to the section 1 in the course of the thrusting of the props 5 in the irregular bed seam area, there takes place resilient deformation of the spring packs 32 and displacement of the slides 1 7 of the connection mechanism 3. Owing to this, the roof support structure is capable of mastering floor irregularities, the eventuality of the elements of the connecting mechanism 3 becoming deformed as the props 5 are loaded with the work load being precluded, as is the eventuality of the props 5 becoming canted as they are thrust in an area with irregular bed seam.

While being advanced, each section maintains its stable position, owing to the resilient connection between the sections 1 and 2 and the guides 1 9 and 20 of the connecting mechanism 3, as wells to the connection between the guides 1 9 and 20 by means of the shaped brackets 37 and 38 and the slides 17 and 18 kinematically connected with the beam 1 6.

The presetting and adjustment of the props 4 and 5 in a vertical plane parallel with the mining face line is effected by positioning correspondingly the spring packs 32 in the slots 28 of the guides 19 and 20 with respect to the lugs 29 and securing them in the selected position with the hold-down screws 34. The props 4 and 5 are mounted in a plane perpendicular to the mining face line by positioning correspondingly the spring packs 32 in the respective slots 30 of the bodies 10 and 11 of the props 4 and 5 relative to the lugs 31 and securing them in the selected position with the hold-down screws 34.

To enhance the lateral stability of the sections 1 and 2 of a set of the mine roof support in sloping mineral beds or seams, the sections 1 and 2 are preferably set at a certain inclination in the direction opposite to the action of the resulting component of the gravity force, by adjusting the shaped brackets 37 and 38 at a corresponding angle to the floor - by turning them about the respective journals 35 and 36 of the guides 19 and 20 and fixing them in the adjusted angular position with aid of the pins 38.

The herein disclosed mine roof support structure broadens the field of applications of powered roof supports in mineral, e.g. coal seams sloping at various angles under complicated.

mining-geological conditions, particularly, in thin seams; furthermore, it reduces the amount of labour involved in operating the roof support and enables the designer to simplify and decrease the dimensions of the roof support structure.

Claims (5)

1. A powered mine roof support set comprising a pair of double prop sections coupled to a mechanism for advancing the sections alternately along the mining face line of advance, each prop being coupled to the mechanism by a leaf spring pack extending generally longitudinally of the advancing mechanism and to the other prop of the same section by a flexible connection, whereby the leaf spring packs and flexible connections permit inclination of the individual props relative to each other to compensate for irregularities of the floor of the working area.

2. A powered mine roof support set comprising a pair of double prop sections and a mechanism for connecting the sections and advancing them alternately toward the mining face line advance, the mechanism including a hollow elongate beam, two slides in the beam cavity movable axially of said beam and their ends being secured to the respective sections of the set, two guides extending parallel with the hollow beam and connected each with a respective one of said sections for independent motion of one section relative to the other in a plane perpendicular to the mining face line, an hydraulic cylinder extending parallel with the axis of said beam within each said guide and having its cylinder body connected with the beam, and its piston rod rigidly secured in the respective guide; each said guide having two leaf spring abutments with through-going slots defined between lugs extending parallel with the axis of the beam, each said prop having a leaf spring abutment with a through-going slot defined between lugs extending perpendicular to the axis of said beam, a leaf spring pack being included for connecting each said guide with the respective one of said sections, one end of said leaf spring pack being embraced by said lugs in said slot of said guide and being retained against falling out of said slot, the other end of said leaf spring pack being embraced by said respective lugs in said slot of said prop and being retained against falling out of said slot, said leaf spring packs extending parallel with the axis of said beam.

3. A powered mine roof support as claimed in claim 1, 2, wherein said leaf spring packs are retained in the respective said slots of said guides and said props for adjustable inclination of said props in a vertical plane parallel with the mining face line and in a plane perpendicular to the mining face line.

4. A powered mine roof support as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein each said guide, at the side thereof where the plunger rod of said hydraulic cylinder is secured, carries a journal supporting a shaped bracket adjustable angularly with respect of the plane of the bed seam.

5. A powered mine roof support, substantially as herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.