GB1592262A

GB1592262A - Caunch supports

Info

Publication number: GB1592262A
Application number: GB4038677A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Durham Drilling & Eng Co Ltd
Current assignee: Durham Drilling & Eng Co Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-25
Filing date: 1978-05-25
Publication date: 1981-07-01

Description

(54) CAUNCH SUPPORTS (71) We, DURHAM DRILLING & BR< ENGINEERING COMPANY LIMITED, of Burnside Works, Mill Pit, Shiney Row, Fence House, County Durham, a British Company do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to side or overhead rock or dross support in caunch supporting operations in underground workings, particularly coal mines.

In coal mine workings, the seam is usually shallower than the depth of mine roadways and galleries, which are constructed to enable men and machinery to work in reasonable comfort. However, the practice is for the seam and the overlying rock (or caunch) to be excavated separately, so that the coal won is not figuratively contaminated or mixed with dross. Accordingly, miners excavate the coal from the seam below the rock usually during one shift, and then in- the next shift, the under mined rock is blasted loose and cleared. The new caunch-face above the seam has to be shored up, and roof support girders put in place.

When done manually this is a dangerous and awkward job. Furthermore, gross inequalities of the rock face such as protruding boulders, often prevent adequate shoring of the face, so that loose stones and debris may fall onto the backs of miners subsequently excavating the seam from below the new rock face, with consequent injury particularly to their exposed backs.

An object of the invention is to provide a device for supporting the roof and face of a newly excavated area which can be set up rapidly after rock overlying a ripped-out seam has been blasted and removed.

According to the invention a device for supporting the roof and face of a newly excavated area, comprising a support trolley means mountable on a previously erected roof girder, an arm extending from the support trolley means and carrying at least one roof support screen, and means for retaining shoring for the face.

Preferably, the arm carries means for raising permanent roof support arches into position, and has two wall support screens one to each side of the arm.

The screens and support arch raising means are preferably carried together and raisable into position by hydraulic rams on the arm.

The means for retaining face shoring may comprise brackets on the forward edges of the screens for holding shoring planks or boards.

In the preceding and following description and claims "forward" means.towards the rock face, and "rearward" means away from the rock face.

A preferred embodiment of device according to the invention will now be further described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device according to the invention and Figure 2 is a frontal elevation of the same device from the left of Figure 1.

In the preferred embodiment of device according to the invention, a device for supporting the roof and face of newly excavated mine workings comprises a forward trolley 10, and a rear trolley 11, mounted on a central roof support girder 12, in a previously mined and supported part of the workings (not shown). The girder 12, is of the usual I-section, and the trolleys 10, 11, have wheels 13, running on the upper and lower flanges 14, of the girder, 12. The forward trolley 10, carries a pair of dependant flanges 15, between the lower-most ends of which an arm 17, is pivotally mounted to extend forwardly from the flanges 15. Pivotally attached to the arm 17, by an elbow joint 18, is an extension 19, which carries a beam 20.A bracket 21, is mounted about two thirds of the way along the arm 17, to which the cylinder of a ram 22, is pivotally connected, the piston 23, of which is connected pivotally to the forward trolley 10, near the tops of the flanges 15. A second ram 24, is connected pivotally to the bracket, and its piston 25, is pivotally connected via a bracket 19A, to the extension 19, about half way therealong. These rams 22, 24 operate to lift the arm 17, and extension 19.

The beam 20, carried by the extension 19, is engaged about half way along by the extension 19, on bracket 19A and rigidly connected thereto at an angle of about 30 .

Two screens 26, 27 with a gap between them are pivoted at their upper edges to each side of the beam 20, and are generally dependent from the beam. Each screen 26, 27 comprises a pair of frame members 26a, 26b, or 27a, 27b respectively between which extend a plurality of horizontal rods 28, the screens 26, 27 each taking the form of a grille. Each screen frame has a lower portion 29, hinged to its main portion 30, capable of being hinged back with a retaining hook 31, on one side frame member 26b, 27b, of the lower portion 29, for catching on a pin 33, on the side frame member 34, of the main portion 30.

Each screen 26, 27 is pivotally attached at a point on its respective main portion 30, to the piston of a ram 35 or 36, the cylinder of which is pivotally connected to a Y shaped bracket 37, depending from the beam 20.

The beam 20, carries two pairs of spaced flanges 38 one pair at the forward end of the forward pair of screens 27, and the other pair 38, over the gap between the forward and rearward screens 26, 27. These flanges 38, can carry two pairs of T-sectioned arched roof support girders (not shown) which can then be lifted into place by the arm and extension.

The forward ends of the forward screens carry a plurality of L-shaped brackets 39, upon which may be placed shoring planks or panels to support a rock face.

The rear trolley 11, is mounted behind the forward trolley 10, on the I-sectioned girder 12, and this is connected to the forward trolley by a ram 40. The girder 12, is provided with a plurality of stops 41, and the after trolley carries a reversable pawl 42, which can be positioned to prevent forward or rearward motion of the trolley 11, by engagement with the stops 41, or released to allow the trolley 11 to be moved.

In use, when excavation of blasted rock from a face area has been completed, the forward trolley 10, is moved to near the forward end of the existing central girder 12, and the arm 17 and extension 19, lowered by means of their rams 27 and 24. Roof support arches are assembled over the beam 20 between the pairs of brackets 38 on the beam and welded or bolted to complete two U-shaped arches before raising.

The arm 17, and extension 19, - are then raised using their rams 22, 24, to apply the beam 20 against the newly formed roof, and the arches forced into position. The screens 26, 27 are expanded outwardly against the side walls of the new portion, to prevent falls of loose stones from the walls, and shoring planks are mounted on the Lshaped brackets 39, to shore up the new rock face.

Miners can then proceed with ripping the seam below the shored rock face.

When ripping has proceeded to the maximum safe distance undercutting the rock, the screens 26, 27 and beam 20 are lowered from the roof by moving the arm 17, and extension 19, leaving the new roof support arches in position. The apparatus mounted on the forward trolley 10, is pulled away from the rock face by setting the pawl 42, of the rearward trolley 11, to prevent forward motion and retracting the ram 40, between the trolleys 10 and 11. The rock face is then blasted, and after removal of the debris, the I-girder 12, can be extended by welding or bolting a fresh section into place, and the wall between the new roof arches provided with a permanent support screen, or finished with plaster to prevent falls of stone.

The forward trolley 10 is advanced onto the new girder section 12 ready to repeat the process in the further excavated area by setting the pawl 42 of the rearward trolley 11, to prevent rearward motion of the trolley 11, and extending the ram 40 between the trolleys 10 and 11. The rearward trolley 11 itself may be advanced by freeing the pawl 42 after the screens 26, 27, have been applied to the new walls, and retracting the ram 40.

The invention is not restricted in its use to coal mining operations and may be applied to all subteranean workings, including tunnelling for roads, railways and aqueducts.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A device for supporting the roof and face of a newly excavated area, comprising a support trolley means mountable on a previously erected roof girder an arm extending from the support trolley means and carrying at least one roof support screen, and means for retaining shoring for the face.

2. A device according to Claim 1, the support trolley means comprising a forward trolley and a rearward trolley, mountable on a roof support girder and having wheels for running on the flanges thereof, the trolleys being connected by an extendable and retractable ram, the arm extending forwardly

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. by an elbow joint 18, is an extension 19, which carries a beam 20. A bracket 21, is mounted about two thirds of the way along the arm 17, to which the cylinder of a ram 22, is pivotally connected, the piston 23, of which is connected pivotally to the forward trolley 10, near the tops of the flanges 15. A second ram 24, is connected pivotally to the bracket, and its piston 25, is pivotally connected via a bracket 19A, to the extension 19, about half way therealong. These rams 22, 24 operate to lift the arm 17, and extension 19. The beam 20, carried by the extension 19, is engaged about half way along by the extension 19, on bracket 19A and rigidly connected thereto at an angle of about 30 . Two screens 26, 27 with a gap between them are pivoted at their upper edges to each side of the beam 20, and are generally dependent from the beam. Each screen 26, 27 comprises a pair of frame members 26a, 26b, or 27a, 27b respectively between which extend a plurality of horizontal rods 28, the screens 26, 27 each taking the form of a grille. Each screen frame has a lower portion 29, hinged to its main portion 30, capable of being hinged back with a retaining hook 31, on one side frame member 26b, 27b, of the lower portion 29, for catching on a pin 33, on the side frame member 34, of the main portion 30. Each screen 26, 27 is pivotally attached at a point on its respective main portion 30, to the piston of a ram 35 or 36, the cylinder of which is pivotally connected to a Y shaped bracket 37, depending from the beam 20. The beam 20, carries two pairs of spaced flanges 38 one pair at the forward end of the forward pair of screens 27, and the other pair 38, over the gap between the forward and rearward screens 26, 27. These flanges 38, can carry two pairs of T-sectioned arched roof support girders (not shown) which can then be lifted into place by the arm and extension. The forward ends of the forward screens carry a plurality of L-shaped brackets 39, upon which may be placed shoring planks or panels to support a rock face. The rear trolley 11, is mounted behind the forward trolley 10, on the I-sectioned girder 12, and this is connected to the forward trolley by a ram 40. The girder 12, is provided with a plurality of stops 41, and the after trolley carries a reversable pawl 42, which can be positioned to prevent forward or rearward motion of the trolley 11, by engagement with the stops 41, or released to allow the trolley 11 to be moved. In use, when excavation of blasted rock from a face area has been completed, the forward trolley 10, is moved to near the forward end of the existing central girder 12, and the arm 17 and extension 19, lowered by means of their rams 27 and 24. Roof support arches are assembled over the beam 20 between the pairs of brackets 38 on the beam and welded or bolted to complete two U-shaped arches before raising. The arm 17, and extension 19, - are then raised using their rams 22, 24, to apply the beam 20 against the newly formed roof, and the arches forced into position. The screens 26, 27 are expanded outwardly against the side walls of the new portion, to prevent falls of loose stones from the walls, and shoring planks are mounted on the Lshaped brackets 39, to shore up the new rock face. Miners can then proceed with ripping the seam below the shored rock face. When ripping has proceeded to the maximum safe distance undercutting the rock, the screens 26, 27 and beam 20 are lowered from the roof by moving the arm 17, and extension 19, leaving the new roof support arches in position. The apparatus mounted on the forward trolley 10, is pulled away from the rock face by setting the pawl 42, of the rearward trolley 11, to prevent forward motion and retracting the ram 40, between the trolleys 10 and 11. The rock face is then blasted, and after removal of the debris, the I-girder 12, can be extended by welding or bolting a fresh section into place, and the wall between the new roof arches provided with a permanent support screen, or finished with plaster to prevent falls of stone. The forward trolley 10 is advanced onto the new girder section 12 ready to repeat the process in the further excavated area by setting the pawl 42 of the rearward trolley 11, to prevent rearward motion of the trolley 11, and extending the ram 40 between the trolleys 10 and 11. The rearward trolley 11 itself may be advanced by freeing the pawl 42 after the screens 26, 27, have been applied to the new walls, and retracting the ram 40. The invention is not restricted in its use to coal mining operations and may be applied to all subteranean workings, including tunnelling for roads, railways and aqueducts. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A device for supporting the roof and face of a newly excavated area, comprising a support trolley means mountable on a previously erected roof girder an arm extending from the support trolley means and carrying at least one roof support screen, and means for retaining shoring for the face.

from the trolley and carrying pairs of roof support screens in such a way that they can be moved into and out of engagement with the roof.

3. A device according to Claim 2 wherein the screens are controlled by rams mounted on the arm and further, the arm has an extension pivoted to the main part of the arm, and controlled by a ram, carrying the roof support screens.

4. A device according to Claims 2 or 3, wherein the extension carries a beam to which the screens are pivoted in pairs on opposite sides of the beam, the said beam having at least two pairs of locating plates for carrying and locating at least two roof arch support girders.

5. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the forward edge of said support screens have L-shaped brackets for carrying shoring planks.

6. A device for supporting the roof and face of a newly excavated area, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.