US3728863A

US3728863A - Mine roof support assemblies

Info

Publication number: US3728863A
Application number: US00180325A
Authority: US
Inventors: I Hidasi
Original assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia GmbH
Current assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia GmbH
Priority date: 1971-09-14
Filing date: 1971-09-14
Publication date: 1973-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 1990-04-24

Abstract

A mine roof support assembly composed of two independently movable frames each consisting of two or more telescopic props with roof engaging caps carried at their upper ends, the frames being interconnected through piston and cylinder units which enable the positional relationship between the frames to be adjusted. Each roof cap bears a slidable L-shaped cover member and the cover members of the frames have depending limbs which abut one another between the frames. A curved leaf spring is attached to each of the roof caps and has its ends slidably guided on the associated cover member so as to maintain the cover members in engagement with one another.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Hidasi 1451 Apr. 24, 1973 1 MINE ROOF SUPPORT ASSEMBLIES [75] Inventor: lstvan Hidasi, Viola u 7, Hungary [73] Assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia,

Westfalia, Germany [22 Filed: Sept. 14, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 180,325

[52] U.S. Cl. ..6l/45 D, 248/357 [51] Int. Cl. ..E2ld 17/00 [58] Field of Search ..61/45 D; 248/357;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,218,811 Barall et a1. ..61/45 D FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS France ..61/45 D Great Britain ..6l/45 D Great Britain ..61/45 D Primary Examiner-Dennis L. Taylor Attorney-Chittick, Pfund, Samuels & Gauthier [5 7] ABSTRACT A mine roof support assembly composed of two independently movable frames each consisting of two or v more telescopic props with roof engaging caps carried at their upper ends, the frames being interconnected through piston and cylinder units which enable the positional relationship between the frames to be adjusted. Each roof cap bears a slidable L-shaped cover member and the cover members of the frames have depending limbs which abut one another between the frames. A curved leaf spring is attached to each of the root caps and has its ends slidably guided on the associated cover member so as to maintain the cover members in engagement with one another.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 24 my;

SHEET 1 BF 2 Fig.1.

PATENTEDAPR 24 1975 saw 2 BF 2 Fig.2

MINE ROOF SUPPORT ASSEMBLIES BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION The present invention relates to movable roof support assemblies for use in mineral mines.

In mines having friable roofs, particularly with deposits of brown coal and the like, the entire roof surface must be covered as completely as possible, at least between the adjacent roof engaging parts of displaceable support frames to prevent material from falling from the roof into the frames. Attempts have been made, for instance, to place wooden boards over the roof engaging parts or to stretch wire netting over these parts. An attempt has also been made to design the roof engaging parts so that the parts associated with the frames rest against one another at all times. All these measures have been unsatisfactory since it is not possible to keep the roof engaging parts at exactly the same distances from one another at all times and to maintain these parts exactly parallel.

A general object of the invention is to provide an improved support assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a movable roof support assembly for use in mineral mines; said assembly comprising at least two individually displaceable frames, each frame having a plurality of telescopic props with a roof engaging member or cap mounted at the upper ends of the props, a cover member movably supported on each roof cap, and resilient means for maintaining the cover members in a pre-determined relationship independent of the position of the frames. These cover members completely cover the roof surface between the adjacent frames even in mine workings with inclined floors.

The cover members corresponding to one of the roof caps would be firmly clamped between the roof and the roof cap when the props of the associated frame were set and the displaceability of the cover member in relation to the roof cap should allow angular movements between these parts. According to a further feature of the invention, this can be achieved by making the resilient means in the form of curved leaf springs, each of which is attached at a central portion to the side of the associated roof cap and each of which has free ends abutting the cover members.

Preferably each cover member has a first portion which is in slidable engagement with the upper face of its associated roof cap and extends inwardly beyond said roof cap towards the adjacent frame and a further portion which depends from said first portion, the resilient means serving to maintain said further portions of the cover members in engagement with one another.

According to a further feature of the invention, each leaf spring has its ends movably supported on the further portion of the associated cover member so as to maintain the further portions of the members in contact with one another. To this end there is preferably further provided guide means supported on the further portion of each cover member and adapted to slidably guide the ends of the associated leaf spring for movement longitudinally of the spring.

To ensure that the distance between the roof caps will not arbitrarily change and particularly after one frame has been shifted outwardly beyond the other frame it is preferable to provide means, such as piston and cylinder units, operably disposed between the props of the two frames and adapted to adjust the relative positions of the frames. With the aid of this adjusting means the roof caps and frame can be restored to the required position after the pertinent frame has been removed.

In accordance with the invention, the cover member which belongs to a particular frame which is being moved, will be always held firmly and accurately against the adjacent cover member regardless of the position assumed by the associated roof cap. When the aforesaid frame has been moved the roof cap can be restored to its correct position, i.e., at the desired distance from the adjacent frame and roof cap, and parallel thereto by the adjusting means, so that when the props of the frame are re-set against the roof, the cover member and the roof cap associated therewith will have resumed the original position in relation to each other. This cycle would be repeated for the other frame.

The invention may be understood more readily and various other features of the invention may become apparent from consideration of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS A constructional embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein FIG. 1 is a part sectional elevation of a support assembly made in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the assembly with certain parts removed.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings, a movable support assembly is composed of two displaceable frames 1', 2', each frame I, 2' having in this construction two

telescopic props

1, 2 possible with a floor rail (not shown) extending between their lower end portions. The

corresponding props

1, 2 of the

frames

1, 2 are interconnected by means of a piston and cylinder unit 3 and these units 3 areused to maintain the frames 1', 2 in correct alignment after the frames 1', 2' have been shifted. In known manner the assembly can be shifted with shifting rams by moving each frame I, 2 in turn in a walking movement.

At the upper ends of the props l, 2 of each frame 1' 2 there is provided a roof cap or

girder

4, 4 composed of upper and lower plates interconnected by upstanding pieces to form a hollow structure. Each

roof cap

4, 4 has allocated thereto an L-shaped cover member 5,

5' and these cover members 5, 5' each rest on the upper plate of the associated roof cap 4, 4'. Each

member

5, 5 has a limb or

portion

50, 50 in slidable engagement with, and extending parallel to, the upper plate of the associated roof cap 4, 4' and the portion 50, 50' extends inwardly beyond the inner side edge 11, II of the

cap

4, 4 towards the other frame 1, 2'. Each member 5, 5' has a further limb or portion 6, 6' extending down from the first-mentioned portion 50, 50' and substantially perpendicular thereto. The

portions

6, 6

of the cover members 5, 5' engage one another and have ends 60, slightly bent in towards the associated frame 1', 2' relative to the remainder of the portion 6, 6' to guide the portions 6, 6' as these move vertically relative to one another when the props of the frame 1 2 are set and extended or relieved of pressure and retracted.

Resilient means is used to maintain the

portions

6, 6 together. In this construction each

roof cap

4, 4 has its inner side edge 11, 11' attached to a central part of a

curved leaf spring

7, 7 by means of a

screw

10, 10. Each

leaf spring

7, 7 has its ends 8, 8' slidably received in

guide members

9, 9 and 9, 9 respectively, attached to the inner face of the

portion

6, 6 of the associated cover member 5, The

springs

7, 7 serve to urge the portions 6, 6' of the

members

5, 5 together and as shown in FIG. 2 this contact between the portions 6, 6' is maintained even if the frames 1' 2 are inclined in relation to one another by virtue of the

guide members

9, 9 and 9, 9. In the position depicted in FIG. 2, the member 5 is inclined in relation to the associated roof cap 4 and frame 1'.

I claim:

1. In a movable roof-support assembly for use in mineral mines, said assembly comprising at least two spaced apart individually displaceable frames, each frame having a plurality of telescopic props and a roof cap mounted on the upper ends of the props, the improvement therein comprising:

a. a cover member displaceably supported on each said roof cap, said cover member having i. a first portion slidably supported on said roof cap for movement beyond said roof cap centrally towards the spaced-apart frame; and

ii. a further portion depending from said first portion; and

b. resilient means affixed to each said cover member for urging said cover members towards each other and for maintaining said further portions in continuous engagement independent of displacement changes of said spaced-apart frames.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said resilient means includes curved leaf springs operably disposed between said roof caps and their said associated cover members.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein each said leaf spring is attached at its central portion to its said associated roof cap.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the spring ends of each said leaf spring are movably supported on its said associated cover member further portion.

5. The assembly of claim 2 further comprising guide means affixed to each said cover member further portion, said guide means acting to slidably guide the free ends of said leaf spring longitudinally of said spring.

6. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising piston and cylinder units disposed between said telescopic props of said frames, said units operating to adjust the relative positions of said frames.

Claims

1. In a movable roof-support assembly for use in mineral mines, said assembly comprising at least two spaced apart individually displaceable frames, each frame having a plurality of telescopic props and a roof cap mounted on the upper ends of the props, the improvement therein comprising: a. a cover member displaceably supported on each said roof cap, said cover member having i. a first portion slidably supported on said roof cap for movement beyond said roof cap centrally towards the spacedapart frame; and ii. a further portion depending from said first portion; and b. resilient means affixed to each said cover member for urging said cover members towards each other and for maintaining said further portions in continuous engagement independent of displacement changes of said spaced-apart frames.