GB2100318A

GB2100318A - Improvements in and relating to support members

Info

Publication number: GB2100318A
Application number: GB8114660A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Ogc Research & Dev Ltd
Current assignee: Ogc Research & Dev Ltd
Priority date: 1981-05-13
Filing date: 1981-05-13
Publication date: 1982-12-22

Abstract

A telescoping support formed from two tubes (10 and 12) has closed ends and a seal (14) to prevent the exit of liquid material between the two telescoping members. An inlet valve (28) allows liquid cement grout or settable plastics material to be pumped into the interior of the telescoping members and an exit valve (30) allows air to be released until the interior of the two telescoping members is completely filled with grout or plastics material to allow the interior of the two members (10 and 12) to be pressurised to effect a desired displacement of the two members to accommodate the headroom of the roof or the height to which a member is to be supported. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and relating to support members Field of invention This invention concerns support members such as extendable columns which may be used alone or in combination with similar devices to form a support for a platform or roof or building.

Background to the invention It is known to provide adjustable length support members as mine roof supports, supports for platforms, floors and buildings. Hitherto the adjustability of such members has normally been provided by constructing the member from telescoping parts normally in the form of interfitting sleeves and either providing a screw thread jack for causing one part to move relative to another or by providing seals between relatively moving parts, by pumping oil or air under pressure into the interior of the member so as to cause the displaceable parts to move apart and increase the length of the overall member.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative and preferred such device Summary of the invention According to the present invention an extendable support member comprises at least two relatively moveable hollow members which can telescope so as to increase or decrease the overall length of the member with sealing means therebetween to prevent fluid means from escaping and two non-return valves adjacent the opposite ends of the member, one of the valves serving to admit fluid material into the member and the other allowing fluid material to exit from the member, the former valve at least being capable of admitting a liquid cement material for filling the interior of the member with quick drying cement.

Conveniently a member comprises two cylindrical sleeves having closed outer ends which are dimensioned so as to be capable of being a sliding fit one within the other, a sealing means such as '0' ring seals or the like between the two sliding surfaces of the sleeves.

Preferably the cement which is pumped into the member is a quick drying cement grout which does not shrink on drying.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method of supporting a platform above a floor comprises the steps of: 1. Locating between the said platform and floor a member having at least two moveable parts in the form of telescoping sleeves which when telescoped in a direction to increase the overall length of the member will extend to a distance at least equal to and preferably greater than the distance between the floor and the platform.

2. Pumping into the interior of the telescoping members a quick drying cement grout through a first non-return valve.

3. Allowing air to escape from the said interior as the cement grout is forced therein until all of the air has been expelled and the interior of the telescoping members is filled with grout.

4. Continuing to pump in the grout if further telescoping of the two members is required to fill the space between the floor and the platform.

5. Allowing the quick drying cement to set hard within the interior of the telescoping members to form a rigid column therewith in.

In the preceding paragraph, the references to platform and floor are tended to be construed generally as meaning on the one hand any plate or load-bearing or load-spreading member and on the other hand any lower surface on which the foot of the supporting member is to stand and above which some other member is to be supported.

The two telescoping members may be integrally formed with the floor and platform members or may themselves have load-spreading members such as a foot at the lower end and some sort of plate at the upper end for engagement with floor and platform members respectively.

In one particular application the device is arranged to support the roof of a mine in which event the lower end is adapted to stand on the floor of the mine-and the upper end is adapted to either engage the roof of the mine directly or the underside of a sheet plate member or roofing timber for supporting the mine roof.

The invention is a particular application to those forms of mining in which a tunnel is formed which is then extended laterally through a seam of material to be mined and after the extent of the seam has been reached the floor of the cavity so formed is allowed to collapse and a further tunnel is formed some feet above the first one and the exercise is repeated. In this type of mining the roof supports are abandoned on each stage and consequently hitherto wooden supports have tended to be used where wood has been available en mass and has been relatively cheap. However, this situation is not likely to continue indefinitely as forests are raped and what is perhaps even more important is that wooden supports do not provide the degree of safety and security which is increasingly being dictated in mines.It is with this in mind that the present support has been developed with the intention of replacing the wooden prop. It should not, however, be seen as a replacement for the adjustable hydraulic support characteristic of British coal mining where the intention is that the support should be capable of being used more than once in which event it is impossible to use a liquid material which sets hard and such devices are limited to the uses of oils and like fluids.

Whilst conventional oils etc., are essentially incompressable and once a column of pressurised oil has been established within such a roof support the support should not move, it is known in practise that so-called "creep" does occur and failures have occurred in the past at least as a result of seal failure usually due to the ingress of dirt or moisture.

The present invention is not in anyway limited to the field of mining, however, and may be used to form a column which is to be rigid and strong for supporting a weight above a floor or other member. Thus the invention may be applied to the construction of columns for buildings, legs for mezzanine floors within buildings, canopy supports, roof supports and the like.

The invention may also be applied to the formation of legs for platforms at sea and this event of the telescoping can be in an opposite downward direction from that conceived for roof supporting and cement grout is pumped into the upper end of the telescoping leg so as to force the leg in a downward direction until the lower end engages the sea bed or a foundation and the telescoping members are then sealed and the column of cement allowed to harden.

Whatever, the application and design of support member, increased loading capability can be obtained by binding a number of such supports together Thus, for example three or four such supports may be bound by steel bands or the like into a very stable configuration.

Although all references hitherto have been to the pumping in of a cement grout preferably a quick drying cement, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to conventional cements and in the alternative for example plastics materials may be used of the type which at the beginning of a polymerization process are flowable liquid materials and at the end are a solid relatively incompressible mass. The process is usually polymerization process and the speed of such a process is normally dictated by the quantity of the active component which is added to the basic plastics material.To this end the speed at which the column of solid material is formed within the hollow interior of the telescoping members can be controlled and where a very quick formation is required, larger quantites of hardener or like material may be added so that the material sets hard within seconds of the column of material being formed within the hollow interior of the telescoping members.

Where a very quick setting material is being employed, clearly the material must either be formed just before it is inserted under pressure into the telescoping members or the active component must not be added until the liquid material is just about to enter the telescoping members.

According, therefore, to another aspect of the invention, apparatus for filling the interior of telescoping members to form a rigid column of solid material formed from two components which when added together react to form the solid material comprises:- 1. A first hopper for a first component of the multi-component material.

2. At least one additional hopper for additional component materials.

3. Means for controlling the quantity of each component material which is to be added to the final mixture.

4. Means for adding material from one hopper to that flowing from or being pumped from at least one other hopper.

5. Flexible hose means for conveying the mixed materials to the inlet to a member having two or more relatively moveable parts for causing same to become extended and filled with the said mixture to allow a column of hardened material to form therein.

6. Where a cement material is to be used, one form of cement which has been found to be suitable is Blue Circle sand CP.12 grout cement with suitable plasticiser. An alternative cement is that under the name Compact W with appropriate plasticiser.

Setting times for cements such as those mentioned can lie in the range of 15 minutes to 2 hours depending on the type and quantity of plasticiser used.

According to another aspect of the present invention the seal used between the telescoping parts of the said member comprises a first annular region adapted to fit between the two telescoping members which includes one or more '0' section sealing rings, a second annular region or ring axially spaced from the first annular region and at least two and preferably more axially parallel ribs extending between the two annular regions.

A sealing member so constructed will provide not only reliable sealing between the two telescoping members but will also serve as a guide to ensure that the inner member remains accurately radially located relative to the outer member and binding of the two members does not occur as telescoping of the members is effected with the ingress of the grout cement or like material.

Where a number of such members are to be put on load simultaneously and the liquid material to be pumped therein is suitable, a connection may be made between the non-return outlet valves and non-return inlet valves of adjacent members using suitable flexible hose or the like and the liquid material pumped into the first of the telescoping members in the chain so formed.

Liquid material will flow from one telescoping member into the next until all of the telescoping members have been filled and when the liquid cement is exiting from the last telescoping member in the chain, this valve can be closed off and the whole system pressurised until all of the telescoping members have achieved the correct height or correct load bearing at which stage the pumping of the liquid material is stopped and the liquid material is allowed to set hard.

Any irregularities in the underside of a platform member which is to be supported by a support member according to the invention may be accommodated by a timber packing piece or secondary support member between the upper end of the telescoping member and the platform.

In a particularly simple method of construction, at least the upper of a telescoping pair is closed off at its up end by a wooden or plastics bung which projects slightly above the metal tubular member into which it is fitted. Subsequent pressure exerted on the bung causes the material from which it is made to conform to any irregularities in the surface of the platform member which it is pressed against.

The upper end of the telescoping members may be angled so as to force air to collect at a high point for venting off.

Alternatively the upper end face may be domed to facilitate air collection.

The upper end of the upper telescoping member may be sealed across a short distance below the extreme upper end of the member and a rim may be provided around the closing of upper end plate. The rim is adapted to crush at least in part so as to conform to irregularities and to bed against the underside of the platform which is to supported.

The rim itself be formed with a series of cuts or slots so as to be discontinuous and to encourage the splaying apart of the separate parts of the rim.

Preferably the rim is formed from pressed metal and is itself not part of the walls of the telescoping member so that the splaying apart does not result in possible tearing of the metal forming the closed upper container of the telescoping member.

A pressed metal head or foot with a flexible connection may in addition or alternatively be provided to accommodate movement and uneven surfaces. Such members may be drilled for bolting to lattice beams or platforms or to the floor.

Where the upper end is closed off by a bung of wood or plastics material, the latter may be hollowed out internally to provide for venting air and excess grout cement or the like.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a cross section through a telescoping member embodying the invention, Fig. 2 shows how four such members can support a platform, Fig. 3 shows how three such members can be used similarly, Fig. 4 illustrates a preferred form of seal and guide member between telescoping parts, Fig. 5 shows how a line of member can be filled and pressurised simultaneously, Fig. 6 shows how a group of members can be fitted together to form a support having increased loading capabilities, Figs. 7 to 14 show alternative upper and in some cases lower ends.

In Fig. 1 a telescoping support member is shown comprising an outer cylindrical sleeve 10, an inner cylindrical sleeve 12 and a seal 14 located therebetween to form an airtight seal. The seal is of the type shown in Fig. 4 reference to which should be made for detail of the form and construction of this seal.

The upper most and lower most ends include rims 1 6 and 1 8 into which are fitted crushable blocks such as wood or plastics material 20 and 22 to facilitate the bedding in of the extreme ends of the telescoping member into the floor on the one hand 24 and the roof 26 on the other hand.

Liquid material which will set hard in the telescoping members is pumped into a first nonreturn valve 28 at the lower end of the member 10 and air and excess liquid is allowed to exit through a second non-return valve 30 at the upper end of the upper member 12.

The non-return valves may be removable to allow them to be reused.

The upper non-return valve 30 is adapted to be closed off when the interior of the telescoping members is full of the liquid material and all air has been evacuated.

Where the member is to be used in a mine, hooks 32 and 34 may be provided for attachment of blast screens when the members are in position as roof supports.

Figs. 2 and 3 show how a number of such members can be used to support a platform which may be a roof member or a low platform of which one is denoted by reference numeral 36 in Fig. 2 and the other is denoted by reference numeral 38 in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 2 it is also to be noted that a further improvement in load bearing capability can be obtained by locating a plastics bag 40 below the platform 36 and filling the bag with the same type of cement as the columns.

The seal is shown in Fig. 4. This comprises a first ring of plastics material (typically UPVC) 42 having upstanding '0' section rings 44 and 46.

Upwardly from the ring 42 extend a number of equally spaced apart axially parallel ribs 48, 50 etc., which are joined at their upper end by a second ring 52.

The rings 42 and 52 are a snug fit around the smaller diameter cylindrical sleeve 12 shown in dotted outline whilst the '0' section rings 44 and 46 are a sealing fit within the inside diameter of the larger diameter sleeve 10 (not shown).

The upper ring 52 and ribs 48, 50 etc. form guide means for the inner sleeve 12 relative to the outer sleeve 10 and prevent the two from binding whilst the one moves relative to the other.

In Fig. 5 a number of support members of a type shown in Fig. 1 and each designated by reference numeral 54 are arranged in a series chain by interconnecting the outlet of each member with the inlet of the next member by a flexible armoured hose 56.

Liquid grout cement from a pump is applied to the first inlet valve 58 and when the cement appears in the last exit valve 60 pumping can cease provided all the members have been telescoped correctly.

Fig. 6 shows how four members can be grouped together and secured by a metal band 62. In this way a standard component can be constructed having a given load carrying capability and this can be increased by binding together two, three, four or more such members in the manner shown.

Figs. 7 onwards show head or foot or both alternatives. These are essentially for when the device is used as a jack such as a mine roof support or the like and the device will therefor be referred to as a jack in the description of these Figures.

In Fig. 7 the jack body is closed by a flat plate 64 welded over the open end of the tubular sleeve 1 2. Irregularities in the support face are accommodated by a timber packing piece or secondary support member 66.

Fig. 8 the jack body is closed by a wooden bung 68 which projects slightly above the end of the metal tube 12 with pressure from within the beds closely against the roof member or platform against which the upper end of the tube 12 is to abut.

In 9 an angled metal sealing plate 70 allows air to collect at a high point and be vented off through the outlet valve 30. A timber packing piece may be incorporated as before.

In Fig. 10 the jack body is shown closed by a metal lid 72 stamped to form a dome at 74 again to facilitate air collection at a high point for venting through the outlet valve 30.

Fig. 11 shows a jack body seal at a point some 50 to 60mm below the rim the latter being formed by a pressed metal sleeve 76 spot welded to the member 12. The pressed metal sleeve 76 may be left hollow or filled with packing material.

In Fig. 12 the walls of the pressed metal sleeve 76 are slotted and splayed apart to facilitate further deformation under load to accommodate unevenness etc., in a roof surface. One of the slots is denoted by reference numeral 78 whilst two of the segments are denoted by reference numerals 80and82.

Movement or uneven surfaces may be accommodated by using a flexible connection such as a rubber bung or the like between a pressed metal head or foot such as that shown at 84 in Fig. 13 and the upper or lower end of the jack members (the upper end of No. 12 being shown in Fig. 13). The head or foot members may be drilled as at 86 to allow for bolting to lattice beams or platforms.

Fig. 14 shows a still further arrangement in which the upper end of the member 12 is closed off by a wooden bung 88 which is hollowed or drilled so as to provide an exit for air and cement grout, the hollowing or drilling communicating with the exit valve 30.

Claims (Filed on 21 April 1982) 1. An extendible support member comprising at least two relatively movable hollow members which can telescope so as to increase or decrease the overall length of the member, sealing means between the two members to prevent fluid means from escaping therefrom, fluid inlet means at one end of said support member to allow fluid material into the member at an aperture at the other end of the said support member to allow displaced fluid material to exit therefrom, the inlet means at least being capable of admitting a liquid cement material for filling the interior of the member with quick-drying cement.

2. An extendible support member as claimed in claim 1 in which at least the inlet means includes non-return valve means.

3. An extendible support member as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the said aperture also includes non-return valve means.

4. An extendible support member as claimed in claims 2 or 3 in which each non-return valve is removable.

5. An extendible support member as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the member comprises two cylindrical sleeves having closed outer ends which are dimensioned so as to be capable of being a sliding fit one within the other, with an '0' ring seal or the like between the two sliding surfaces of the sleeves.

6. A method of supporting a platform above the floor comprises the steps of a) locating between the said platform the floor a member having at least two movable parts in the form of telescoping sleeves which when telescoped in a direction to increase the overall length of the member will extend to a distance at least equal to and preferably greater than the distance between the floor and the platform, b) pumping into the interior of the telescoping members a quick-drying cement grout, c) allowing air to escape from the said interior as the cement grout is forced therein until all of the air has been expelled and the interior of the telescoping members is filled with grout, d) continuing to pump in the grout if further telescoping of the two members is required to fil the space between the floor and the platform, and e) allowing the quick-drying cement to set hard within the interior of the telescoping members to form a rigid column therewithin.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 comprising the additional step of locating at least one further member having at least two movable parts in the form of telescoping sleeves between the said platform and floor and forming a column of quick drying cement within the interior of each of the sets of telescoping members.

8. A roof support for a mine comprising a platform sandwiched between the roof and a plurality of support members each of which comprises a pair of telescoping sleeves filled with quick-drying cement to form a rigid column therewithin wherein the support members are spaced apart beneath the platform at the corners of a triangle or rectangle and a container located within the area defined by the support members beneath the platform, itself containing quick drying cement or the like to form an additional roof support beneath the plate.

9. A roof support as claimed in the preceding claims in which removable panels are located between the upright support members below the platform to provide walls for the said container

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. together two, three, four or more such members in the manner shown. Figs. 7 onwards show head or foot or both alternatives. These are essentially for when the device is used as a jack such as a mine roof support or the like and the device will therefor be referred to as a jack in the description of these Figures. In Fig. 7 the jack body is closed by a flat plate 64 welded over the open end of the tubular sleeve 1 2. Irregularities in the support face are accommodated by a timber packing piece or secondary support member 66. Fig. 8 the jack body is closed by a wooden bung 68 which projects slightly above the end of the metal tube 12 with pressure from within the beds closely against the roof member or platform against which the upper end of the tube 12 is to abut. In 9 an angled metal sealing plate 70 allows air to collect at a high point and be vented off through the outlet valve 30. A timber packing piece may be incorporated as before. In Fig. 10 the jack body is shown closed by a metal lid 72 stamped to form a dome at 74 again to facilitate air collection at a high point for venting through the outlet valve 30. Fig. 11 shows a jack body seal at a point some 50 to 60mm below the rim the latter being formed by a pressed metal sleeve 76 spot welded to the member 12. The pressed metal sleeve 76 may be left hollow or filled with packing material. In Fig. 12 the walls of the pressed metal sleeve 76 are slotted and splayed apart to facilitate further deformation under load to accommodate unevenness etc., in a roof surface. One of the slots is denoted by reference numeral 78 whilst two of the segments are denoted by reference numerals 80and82. Movement or uneven surfaces may be accommodated by using a flexible connection such as a rubber bung or the like between a pressed metal head or foot such as that shown at 84 in Fig. 13 and the upper or lower end of the jack members (the upper end of No. 12 being shown in Fig. 13). The head or foot members may be drilled as at 86 to allow for bolting to lattice beams or platforms. Fig. 14 shows a still further arrangement in which the upper end of the member 12 is closed off by a wooden bung 88 which is hollowed or drilled so as to provide an exit for air and cement grout, the hollowing or drilling communicating with the exit valve 30. Claims (Filed on 21 April 1982)

1. An extendible support member comprising at least two relatively movable hollow members which can telescope so as to increase or decrease the overall length of the member, sealing means between the two members to prevent fluid means from escaping therefrom, fluid inlet means at one end of said support member to allow fluid material into the member at an aperture at the other end of the said support member to allow displaced fluid material to exit therefrom, the inlet means at least being capable of admitting a liquid cement material for filling the interior of the member with quick-drying cement.

whilst the quick-drying cement contained therein sets hard.

10. A building structure comprising a platform or floor member supported by a plurality of extensible support members each of which comprises two relatively slideable sleeves, one being slideable within the other and each of which is filled with quick-drying cement to form a rigid column therewithin.

11. A structure adapted to be located on the sea-bed or on wet lands and in marsh conditions comprising a platform member having on the underside thereof extensible support members each of which is formed from two or more relatively slideable sleeves sealingly engaged one with the other and relatively displaceable thereto and adapted to be filled with liquid quick-drying cement which serves the dual purpose of extending the sleeves in a telescoping manner until the bottom end of the support reaches a firm surface such as the sea-bed on which the foot of the support can rest and after setting hard forms a rigide column of concrete within the sleeves.

1 2. Methods and structures as hereinbefore claimed wherein the quick-drying cement is a plastics material which at the beginning of a polymerisation process is a flowable liquid and at the end is a solid relatively incompressible mass.

1 3. A method of filling and producing relative extension of two telescoping sleeve members by pumping into the interior of the sleeve members a liquid material which will set hard comprising the step of combining a first liquid material, a second material which may be liquid or solid, and mixing the two material just before entry into the interior of the telescoping sleeves.

14. Apparatus for filling the interior of telescoping members to form a rigid column of solid material formed from two components which when added together react to form the solid material comprising 1) a first hopper for a first component of the multi-component material, 2) at least additional hopper for additional component materials, 3), means for controlling the quantity of each component material which is to be added to the final mixture.

4) means for adding material from one hopper to that flowing from or being pumped from at least one other hopper, 5) flexible hose means for conveying the mixed materials to the inlet of a member having two or more relatively movable parts for causing same to become extended and filled with the said mixture to allow a column of hard material to form therein.

1 5. Methods and apparatus as hereinbefore claimed in which the quick-drying cement is Blue Circle Sand CP12 grout cement with plasticiser added, or Compact W cement with an appropriate plasticiser.

1 6. A seal for sealing two relatively movable telescoping parts of a telescoping support member which is extended to take a load by the introduction of a quick-drying liquid cement material into the interior thereof comprising a first annular region adapted to fit between the two telescoping members and which includes one or more '0' section sealing rings, a second annular region or ring axially spaced from the first annular region and at least two and preferably more axially parallel ribs extending between the two annular regions, the axially parallel ribs serving to guide the one telescoping member relative to the other and accurately radially locate the two telescoping members.

17. Apparatus as hereinbefore claimed adapted to be fitted under an uneven or undulating roof wherein the upper end of the said apparatus includes crushable material for accommodating unevenness or undulations in the said roof.

1 8. Methods of supporting roofs and the like as hereinbefore claimed further comprising the step of inserting between the upper end of a telescoping support member and a roof or the like to be supported, a wedge or block or crushable material such as timber or plastics material before the telescoping members are extended to engage the roof.

1 9. A telescoping roof support member including at least two telescoping relatively displaceable sleeves in which at least the upper sleeve includes around its upper end a rim of material which is adapted to crush at least in part under load so as to conform to any irregularities on the underside of a platform or roof face which the member is to support.

20. Apparatus as claimed in the preceding claim wherein the rim is castellated or otherwise cut away to encourage the splaying apart of the separate or otherwise cut away to encourage the splaying apart of the separate parts of the rim under load.

21. A support member for a mine roof or the like constructed arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

22. A structure adapted to settle on the seabed or for use on wet lands or in marsh conditions constructed arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

23. Methods of supporting roofs and loadbearing platforms substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.