AU8088098A - A mine support - Google Patents

Description

ReWJuflcn 32(2)

.MUSTRALIA

Patenis Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

STANDARD

PATENT

Application Number: 80880/98 Lodged: 21 AUGUST 1998 invention Title: A MINE SUPPORT

S

S S The following statement Is a full description of this invention, Including the best method of performing It known to us 7 !j 2 THIS INVENTION relates to a support bag. More particularly, the invention relates to a support bag for use in an underground mine and to a support system for use in an underground mine.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a support bag for use in an underground mine which includes a grout containment bladder having a substantially centrally located passage; a filler nozzle fast with and communicating with the interior of the bladder whereby the grout may be charged into the bladder; a first protective sheet on one side of the bladder, which has an opening that is aligned with the passage at one end thereof; and J a second protective sheet on the other side of the bladder, which also has an opening that is aligned with the passage at the other end thereof.

The bladder may include a tubular member having opposed ends which are closed, with an aperture in opposed wall portions intermediate the ends; and a tubular element extending between the wall portions and aligned with the I 3 apertures, which defines the passage.

The tubular element may be secured to the wall portions or to the protective sheets.

The nozzle may be fast with a wall portion of the tubular member close to one end.

The protective sheets may be adhesively secured to outer surfaces of the wall portions of the bladder around the apertures.

'The support bag may have a perimetral wall which extends around the bladder and which is secured to the perimeter of the first and second protective sheets, the perimetral wall having a hole through which the nozzle projects. The perimetra! wall may comprise a tubular member.

The protective sheets may be substantially rectangular.

*o 9 The protective sheets may comprise a synthetic plastics material, such as woven polypropylene. The bladdermay be formed of a fluid impervious material such as polyethylene.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a support system for use in an underground mine, which includes r r- 4 an elongate support; and a plurality of bags as described above.

The elongate support may be a wooden pole.

The support system may include a blast protection shroud for covering the bags.

The invention is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

In the drawings, o* Figure 1 shows an isometric view of a bag, in accordance with a first aspect of the invention, for use in an underground mine; Figures 2 to 4 show different steps in a process for manufacturing the bag of Figure 1; S* Figure 5 shows a schematic side view of a support system, in accordance with a second aspect of the invention, for use in an underground mine, with empty bags; and Figure 6 shows a schematic side view of the support system of Figure with the bags charged with grout.

'Ile Si ~Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, a support bag, in accordance with a first aspect of the invention, for use in an underground mine, is designated i 5 5 i i generally by the reference numeral The support bag 10 includes a grout containment bladder 12 having a centrally located passage 14. Referring now to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, the bladder 12 includes a tubular member 16 having opposed ends 18 and which are sealed off (as illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings).

Apertures 22.1 and 22.2 are defined in opposed wall portions 24.1. and 24.2 of the bladder 12. The bladder 12 also includes a tubular element 26 which extends between the wall portions 24.1 and 24.2 to define the passage 14 (as shown in Figure 1).

S. The bag 10 also includes a filler nozzle 28, schematically indicated as a circle, fast with the wall portion 24.1. The nozzle 28 is in flow communication with the interior of the bladder so that grout may in use be charged into the bladder 12.

S: The bag 10 also includes a substantially square first protective sheet 30 and a substantially square second protective sheet 32. The first and second protective sheets 30 and 32 have openings 36.1 and 36.2, which are aligned with the apertures 22.1 and 22.2, respectively. The bag 10 also has a perimetral wall 38, comprising a substantially rectangular tubular member which is secured to the perimeter of the first and second protective sheets 30 and 32. The perimetral wall i 38 has a hole 40 through which the nozzle 28 may project.

L -7 M i I" i Ii Referring in particular to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, the bag is constructed by positioning the tubular member 16 between the first and second protective sheets 30 ar.d 32. The protective sheets 30 and 32 are adhesively secured to outer surfaces of the wall portions 24.1 and 24.2 of the bladder 12 by means of an adhesive material 42. The sides 18 and 20 of the tubular member 16 are sealed off as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. The openings 36.1 and 36.2 in the first and second protective sheets 30 and 32 and the apertures 22.1 and 22.1 the wall portions 24.1 and 24.2, are punched out in a single action, so that the openings 36.1 and 36.2 are aligned with the apertures 22.1. and 22.2.

The perimetral side wall 38 is sewn to the perimeter of the first and second protective sheets 30 and 32 so that the bag assumes a box-like configuration. The tubular element 26 is secured to the wall portions 24.1 and 24.2 and the protective sheets 30 and 32 thereby forming the passage 14.

The bag 10 is formed of woven polypropylene and the bladder 12 is formed of polyethylene. The height of the bag is preferably about 35 mm.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, a support system, in accordance with another aspect of the invention, is generally indicated by reference numeral The support system 50 includes an elongate support in the form of a timber pole 52 which is erected in an upright position between a hanging wall 54 r I and a foot wall 56. A plurality of bags 10 are stacked on top of each other in a doughnut-like fashion around the pole 52. The diameter of the pole 52 matches the diameter of each of the passages 14 so that the pole 52 seats snugly inside the passages 14.

In use, a plurality of empty bags 10 are threaded over the pole 52.

The pole 52 is then erected between the hanging wall 54 and the foot wall 56.

Each of the bags 10 is in turn charged with grout, starting with a bottom-most bag 58 as shown in Figure 5. Each bag 10 is charged by connecting a pipe 60 to the inlet 40 and pumping grout into the bladder 12 inside the bag 10. A valve or tubular sleeve (not shown) connected to the inlet 40 impedes grout from leaking S through the inlet 40 after the bag has been charged with the grout. The bags are charged until an upper-most bag 62 abuts the hanging wall 54 as shown in Figure 6. It is to be understood that the bags need not be pressurised, but merely charged until the bags 10 fill the space between the hanging wall 54 and the Sfootwall 56. The grout is then allowed to harden so that the charged bags Stogether form a cylinder around the pole. In use, with closure of the hanging wall 54 towards the footwall 52, the bags 10 dissipate forces away from the pole 52 providing a wider area of support. However, the bags could, if necessary be pressurised, the bags being suitably adapted.

The applicants believe that the support system 50 has a large number of advantages. The support system 50 is used as a replacement for traditional timber or wood packs. Firstly, this has the advantage of providing a cost effective 8 I replacement for wood, while at the same time still at least equalling the performance thereof. It is believed that the support system 50 will provide a pressure curve which compares closely to that of traditional timber packs. It also addresses problems relating to the amount of materials being transported from surface to stope, and saves on cage and shaft time. The bags 10 are formed of polypropylene and are light and flexible and can be transported in folded condition until charged. Obviously, using less wood has beneficial environmental implications.

A further advantage is that a wide range of grout types may be used without adversely influencing the performance of the bag 10. The applicants believe that the bags 10, which are stacked on top one another, create radially extending "baffles" for dissipating the forces created with closure of the hanging wall towards the footwall.

A further advantage of the system 50 is that it creates good 00o containment of the settable material until it hardens, therefore reducing the normal scaling pattern in traditional grout type packs. Also, the pole 52 creates the initial support allowing the settable material in the bags 10 to harden before they take 0 pressure. More importantly, the cylinder formed by the bags 10 fits snugly around the pole 52 and dramatically enhances pole 52 performance and also inhibits the 1- Spole 52 from blowing out during blasting.

The support system 50 can be accurately positioned and installed at 6 :i.L ~cn BrrrCla~pl~ i~irrina~ substantially right angles to stope or face areas, thereby minimising point loading.

The height of the support system 50 can easily be adjusted by adjusting the length of the pole 52, the number of bags 10 and by using different sizes of bags Another advantage is that the support system 50 is simple to install and is user friendly.

The applicants have also found that a further advantage of the bag is that leakage where the tubular element 26 is joined to the wall portions 24.1 and 24.2 and the sheets 30 and 32, is minimised by the introduction of the adhesive material 42 between the wall portions and the sheets around the apertures 22.1 and 22.2 and the openings 36.1 and 36.2.

J o l l*

Claims (8)

1. A support bag for use in an underground mine which includes a grout containment bladder having a substantially centrally located passage; a filler nozzle fast with and communicating with the interior of the bladder whereby the grout may be charged into the bladder; a first protective sheet on one side of the bladder, which has an opening that is aligned with the passage at one end thereof; and a second protective sheet on the other side of the bladder, which also has an opening that is aligned with the passage at the other end thereof. «4

2. The support bag as claimed in Claim 1, in which the bladder includes a tubular member having opposed ends which are closed, with an aperture in opposed wall portions intermediate the ends; and a tubular element extending between the wall portions and aligned with the apertures, which defines the passage.

3. The support bag as claimed in Claim 2, in which the tubular element 4 is secured to the wall portions.

4. The support bag as claimed in Claim 2, in which the tubular element is secured to the protective sheets- The support bag as claimed in Claim 2, in which the nozzle is fast Al I1I wIth a wall portion of the tubular member close to one end. .fl S 6 S. I

6. The support bag as claimed in Claim 2, in which the protective sheets are adhesively secured to outer surfaces of the wall portions of the bladder around the apertures.

7. The support bag as claimed in Claim 1, which has a perimetral wall which extends around the bladderand which is secured to the perimeterof the first and second protsctfve sheets, the perimetral wall havzing a hole through which the nozzle projects.

8. The support bag as claimed in C[aimn 1, In which the protective sheets are substantially rectangular.

9. A support system for use in an underground mine, which includes an elongate support; and a plurality of bags as claimed in any o.-e of Claims I to 8. The support system as claimed in Claim 9, in which the elongate support is a wooden pole. DATIED this 21st day of August 1998. K*IPAK 7PMDUCrS LTED WATE1FA2K PAITEWI TRADEM~aI ALCEMEYS 290 BUFWWD MQAD HAWflHO8. VIC. 3122. I caW- ta. EfL nd the precefiflt 0C pages P- i Vag originally lodged. S C..