AU2015334509B2

AU2015334509B2 - Underground mine support

Info

Publication number: AU2015334509B2
Application number: AU2015334509A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Natalie Killassy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-10-22
Filing date: 2015-10-21
Publication date: 2020-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 2035-10-21
Also published as: ZA201703547B; AU2015334509A1; WO2016063229A1

Abstract

The invention discloses an underground mine support (1) which comprises a container (2) manufactured from a flexible material, the container (2) having at least a top panel (3), a bottom panel (4), and a side wall (5) comprising a plurality of vertically arranged panels (6) each of which has a length and a width equal to that of the container (2) and with the combined height of side panels (5) determining the height of the container (2), adjoining side panels (5) being secured together along their contiguous edges to form an interface (7) between each pair of adjoining side panels (5), the container (2) including a set of vertically spaced apart mesh sheets (8) within the container (2), each mesh sheet (8) being secured along its periphery to an interface (7) between a pair of adjoining side panels (5), at least one filling aperture (12) into the container (2), and the container (2) operatively filed with a filling material.

Description

UNDERGROUND MINE SUPPORT

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to an underground mine support.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION [0002] Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

[0003] During underground mining operations huge volumes of rock is removed which leaves equivalent open spaces that need to be supported to prevent sudden and unexpected closure of such spaces.

[0004] The space created by the removal of rock includes a hanging wall, which is the “roof’ of the space, and a foot wall, which is the “floor” of the space. Supports are used to keep the hanging wall and foot wall apart. These supports typically include temporary supports, short term supports and permanent supports.

[0005] Underground mine supports in the form of backfill bags are widely used to prevent rapid closure of hanging walls onto foot walls by installing the bags between these walls.

[0006] These supports are provided in many forms and generally includes a container, liquid permeable or not, to be filled with a filler material.

[0007] In the case of a container made of liquid permeable material the filler material typically comprises tailings in the form of slurry that is pumped into the container. Most of the solid fraction remains trapped inside the container whilst most, if not all, of the liquid fraction and some of the solid fraction drains through the container walls.

[0008] In the case of a container made of liquid impermeable material the filler material typically comprises a material that sets without a liquid fraction having to be drained away, for example a cementitious material.

[0009] A significant improvement to the structural integrity and strength of such underground supports came in the form of internal reinforcing. This has been done is many

2015334509 05 Feb 2020 forms, of which a common type includes the use of vertically spaced apart sheets of mesh, sized to the width and length of the container. These are vertically spaced apart in the container to form a reinforced network inside the container. Once the filler material has set the mesh network provides equal reinforcement throughout the volume of the container.

[0010] A problem with using such mesh reinforcing has been to accurately space the mesh vertically in the container.

[0011] A solution to this included placing rigid vertical supports within the container prior to filling. This requires that the interior of the container be accessible before filing. It also requires the vertical supports to be secured in an upright position or assumes that the upright supports will not topple over when the filling of the container commences.

[0012] Another solution included supporting the mesh sheets from the top of the container. This requires the container to be installed to the same height every time, which is not always possible in an underground mine. If the top panel bears against an uneven hanging wall - which is very common, if not the norm - then the vertical height on one side of the container may easily be different from that on an opposing side. This then affects the height of the top panel and of course the spacing of the mesh on the one side to differ from the other side. On the one side the bottom mesh sheet will be closer to the foot wall than the other.

[0013] Another problem with these types of supports is varying stope heights in mines. These can vary between a few hundred millimetres to a few metres. It all depends on the material mined, the thickness of the reef and the type of mining used to remove the mined material. For example it is not uncommon for gold reefs to be very narrow and for coal mines to have very wide reefs.

[0014] It is problematic making a single underground mine support container that can be used in most of not all of these mines.

OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION [0015] It is an objective of the present invention to provide an underground mine support which at least partly overcomes the abovementioned problem, or at least provides a useful alternative.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0016] In accordance with this invention there is provided an underground mine support which comprises a container manufactured from a flexible material, the container having at least a top panel, a bottom panel, and a side wall comprising a plurality of vertically arranged panels each of which has a length and a width equal to that of the container and with the combined height of side panels determining the height of the container, adjoining side panels being secured together along their contiguous edges to form an interface between each pair of adjoining side panels, with the interface between each pair of adjoining side panels including an overlapped portion of the periphery of each of the pair of adjoining side panels secured together by means of at least one row of stitches at a predetermined distance from the edges of the panels, with the overlapped portions directed to the interior of the container, the container including a set of vertically spaced apart mesh sheets within the container, each mesh sheet being secured along its periphery to an interface between a pair of adjoining side panels, at least one filling aperture into the container, and the container operatively filled with a filling material.

[0017] There is further provided for a mesh sheet to be secured to each interface between adjoining side panels.

[0018] There is still further provided for the height of the container to be provided as a multiple of the number of side panels used to form it, with each container having a predetermined height.

[0019] There is still further provided for the overlapped portion of each interface comprises an equal portion of the periphery of each of the pair of adjoining side panels.

[0020] There is further provided for the mesh sheets to be secured to the interface between a pair of adjoining side panels by securing it with ties to the inwardly directed overlapped portions of the edges of the two side panels, preferably by means of cable ties, alternatively by means of any other suitable ties.

[0021] There is further provided for each of the panels of which the side wall is comprised to have a width and a length greater than its height.

[0022] There is further provided for the container to have a parallelepiped shape and to include four side walls, and for each mesh sheet to having a complimentary rectangular

2015334509 05 Feb 2020 shape and to be secured to the inwardly directed overlapped portions of the edges of a pair of adjoining side panels by means of at least two ties along each side thereof, alternatively for the container to a right circular cylindrical shape with one side wall and for each mesh sheet to have a complimentary circular shape and to be secured to the inwardly directed overlapped portions of the edges of the two side panels by means of at least three equidistantly spaced apart ties.

[0023] There is further provided for the flexible material to comprise a liquid permeable material, alternatively a liquid impermeable material, and further preferably for the material to comprise a woven or non-woven material, alternatively for the material to comprise a flame retardant material.

[0024] There is further provided for the woven material to comprise a woven polypropylene material.

[0025] There is further provided for the container to include at least one air inlet and preferably at least one air outlet, and preferably for the air inlet to be located proximate the operative bottom of the container and for the outlet to be located proximate the operative top of the container, and more preferably for both the air inlet and the air outlet to be located in a side panel of the container.

[0026] There is still further provided for the support to include at least one and preferably a plurality of elongate tensile members extending operatively vertically around the container.

[0027] According to a further feature of the invention there is provided for the side wall to have a predetermined height selected to be greater than the installation height of the support, operatively to allow for vertical expansion of the top of the container into contact with the roof upon filling of the container with a filler material, and preferably for the container to include an upper panel extending between the operatively upper edge of the side wall and the top panel to allow for vertical expansion of the container upon filling with a filler material.

[0028] These and other features of the invention are described in more detail below.

[0029] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise”, “comprising”, and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to”.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0030] A preferred embodiment of the invention is described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

[0031] Figure 1 is a perspective side view of a container according to the invention with detail of the interface between a pair of adjoining side panels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0032] A preferred embodiment of an underground mine support (1) according to the invention is shown in Figure 1.

[0033] It comprises a container (2) manufactured from a flexible material in a parallelepiped shape. The container (2) has a top panel (3), a bottom panel (4), and a side wall (5) comprising a plurality of vertically arranged panels (6) each of which has a length and a width equal to that of the container (2) and the combined height of side panels (6) determining the height of the container (2). Each panel (6) of which the side wall (5) is comprised has a width and length greater than its height.

[0034] The flexible material of which the container (2) is manufactured comprises a woven polypropylene, which is a liquid permeable material. It may also be manufactured from a liquid impermeable material in case cementitious filler material is used.

[0035] Adjoining side panels (6A to 6E) are secured together along their contiguous edges to form an interface (7A to 7D) between each pair of such panels. The container (2) also includes a set of vertically spaced apart mesh sheets (8) within it, each mesh sheet secured along its periphery to an interface (7A to 7D) between adjoining side panels (6A to 6E).

[0036] As shown in the detail in Figure 1 relating to panels 6A to 6C the interface (7A to 7D) between each pair of adjoining side panels (6A to 6E) is formed by an overlapped portion, preferably an equal portion, of the periphery of each of two adjoining side panels (6A & 6B; 6B & 6C) which are secured together by means of at least one row of stitches (9A, 9B) at a predetermined distance from the edges of the panels (6A & 6B; 6B & 6C), with the overlapped portions directed to the interior (10) of the container (2).

[0037] The mesh sheets (8A, 8B) are secured to the interfaces (7A, 7B) between adjoining side panels by securing each by means of a tie, preferably a cable tie (11), to the

2015334509 05 Feb 2020 inwardly directed overlapped portions of the edges of the two side panels. There are at least two ties along each side of each mesh sheet (8) to ensure stability of each mesh sheet (8). Therefore, each mesh sheet (8) is secured around its periphery to the overlapped portions of the respective pair of adjoining side panels (6) by means of eight ties, two spaced apart on each side.

[0038] The container also includes a filling aperture (12), an air inlet (13) proximate the bottom of the side wall (5) and an air outlet (14) proximate the top of the side wall (5).

[0039] The container is also provided with a set of attachment straps (15) to secure it to a suitable support, for example an elongate uptight support or a wall of a mine.

[0040] In use the intended installation height of the container (2) is determined as a multiple of the number of the side panels (6) required to at least reach that height. The width and length for the installation is also determined according to the customer requirements. An empty container (2) is thus provided with the mesh sheets (8) already located inside it, each secured by means of ties (11) to its respective associated interface (7).

[0041] The empty container (2) is erected into its vertically extended erected position, which spaces the mesh sheets (8) at their predetermined distances from each other and from the foot wall. To the extent that the upper panel (6A) of the side wall (5) is higher than what is required to reach up to the hanging wall, this upper panel (6A) will fold in against the hanging wall. The first mesh sheet (8A) will however retain its relative position to the second mesh sheet (8B), since this does not depend on the height to which the upper side panel (6A) extends above the first side panel interface (7A), provided of course that the intended installation height of the container (2) has been selected correctly.

[0042] By ensuring that the container (2) height is selected correctly to ensure that at the lowest point there will be contact between the top panel (3) and the hanging wall, it is also ensured that the relative spacing between the mesh sheets (8) is retained. In a similar manner any undulations on the foot wall does not affect the spacing between the mesh sheets (8).

[0043] In position the container is secured by means of the securing straps (15) to a convenient support to raise the container up in its then still empty condition. A filler hose (not shown) is secured to the inlet (12) and filler material is pumped into the container (2).

2015334509 05 Feb 2020 [0044] To ensure adequate mixing in the case of cementitious filler material with a liquid impermeable container an air hose is connected to the air inlet (13). An air outlet pipe may be connected to the air outlet (14) to direct air from the outlet of one container (2) to the inlet of another (to not waste pressurised air, remembering that for cementitious filler material the container will be liquid impermeable which allow air to remain, at least to some extent, pressurised if the outlet if connected to another container). The air inlet (13) and air outlet (14) are not required unless stirring is required. With a liquid permeable container (2), as shown in the drawing, stirring is typically not required and for such a case the air inlet (13) and air outlet (14) may be omitted.

[0045] The container (2) is filled and allowed to set, be it through draining of the liquid and some solid component of slurry through a liquid permeable container or through setting of cementitious filler material in a liquid impermeable container (2).

[0046] This container may find beneficial use in many underground mining conditions, including installations in coal mines where access to certain areas has to be blocked. In such installations it performs duty not only as a support but also as a physical barrier.

[0047] It will be appreciated that the embodiment described herein is given by way of example only and is not intended to limit the scope of this invention.

[0048] As mentioned above, the flexible material of which the container (2) is manufactured may also be comprised of a non-woven material. It may also be made from a flame retardant material.

Claims

1. An underground mine support which comprises a container manufactured from a flexible material, the container having at least a top panel, a bottom panel, and a side wall comprising a plurality of vertically arranged panels each of which has a length and a width equal to that of the container and with the combined height of side panels determining the height of the container, adjoining side panels being secured together along their contiguous edges to form an interface between each pair of adjoining side panels, with the interface between each pair of adjoining side panels including an overlapped portion of the periphery of each of the pair of adjoining side panels secured together by means of at least one row of stitches at a predetermined distance from the edges of the panels, with the overlapped portions directed to the interior of the container, the container including a set of vertically spaced apart mesh sheets within the container, each mesh sheet being secured along its periphery to an interface between a pair of adjoining side panels, at least one filling aperture into the container, and the container operatively filled with a filling material.

2. A support as claimed in claim 1 in which a mesh sheet is secured to each interface between adjoining side panels.

3. A support as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the overlapped portion of each interface comprises an equal portion of the periphery of each of the pair of adjoining side panels .

4. A support as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the mesh sheets are secured to the interface between a pair of adjoining side panels by securing it with ties to the inwardly directed overlapped portions of the edges of the two side panels, preferably by means of cable ties, alternatively by means of any other suitable ties.

5. A support as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which each of the panels of which the side wall is comprised has a width and a length greater than its height.

6. A support as claimed any one of claims 1 to 5 in which the container has a parallelepiped shape and includes four side walls, and with each mesh sheet having a complimentary rectangular shape and being secured to the inwardly directed overlapped portions of the edges of a pair of adjoining side panels by means of at least two ties along each side thereof.

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7. A support as claimed any one of claims 1 to 5 in which the container has a right circular cylindrical shape with one side wall and with each mesh sheet having a complimentary circular shape and being secured to the inwardly directed overlapped portions of the edges of a pair of adjoining side panels by means of at least three equidistantly spaced apart ties.

8. A support as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 in which the flexible material comprises a liquid permeable material, alternatively a liquid impermeable material, and the material further preferably comprises a woven or non-woven material.

9. A support as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 in which the container includes at least one air inlet and preferably at least one air outlet, and the air inlet is preferably located proximate the operative bottom of the container and the outlet is located proximate the operative top of the container, and more preferably both the air inlet and the air outlet are located in a side panel of the container.

10. A support as claimed in claim in any one of claims 1 to 9 in which the support includes at least one and preferably a plurality of elongate tensile members extending operatively vertically around the container.

11. A support as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 in which the height of the container is provided as a multiple of the number of side panels used to form it, with each container having a predetermined height.

12. A support as claimed in claim 11 in which the side wall has a predetermined height selected to be greater than the installation height of the support, operatively to allow for vertical expansion of the top of the container into contact with the roof upon filling of the container with a filler material, and the container preferably includes an upper panel extending between the operatively upper edge of the side wall and the top panel to allow for vertical expansion of the container upon filling with a filler material.