GB2246595A

GB2246595A - Bore hole clamp

Info

Publication number: GB2246595A
Application number: GB9013645A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon Neil Robinson
Original assignee: WORTH MINING Ltd
Current assignee: WORTH MINING Ltd
Priority date: 1990-06-19
Filing date: 1990-06-19
Publication date: 1992-02-05
Also published as: GB9013645D0

Abstract

A support member 1, made from a single piece of circular cross section bar, comprises resilient leg members 3, 4 which are bent inwardly to provide portions 5, 6 having ends 7, 8 respectively. The support member 1 is pushed into a bore 10, via end 30 thereof. If a load is applied to the member 1 in a direction of arrow 30 ends 7 and 8 tend to dig into the sides of the bore 10 and it is relatively difficult to remove the member 1 from the bore. In particular, the member 1 may be inserted in a bore in a mine roof or wall and apparatus may then be supported by the member. <IMAGE>

Description

SUPPORT MEMBER This invention relates to a support member for insertion in a bore, socket or other hole and a method of supporting an object using such a support member.

In order to suspend pipes or cables from a mine roof, a clamping arrangement is presently used. This arrangement utilises a clamping member which cooperates with a support to which it is securely clamped. Pipes ana cables may then be supported on brackets which are fixed to the clamping member.

However, some mines do not have convenient supports, and the clamping arrangement cannot be secured to the roof in the known fashion and, accordingly, it is difficult to support pipes and cables from the roof.

We aim to improve upon this situation by providing a support member and a method of supporting an object which may alleviate these problems.

According to the present invention, there is provided a support member for insertion in a hole, the support member comprising first means arranged to be inserted in the hole and to cooperate therewith and second means arranged to support an object when the first means is within the hole, the arrangement being such that, in use, an insertion force required to insert the support member into the hole via a first end thereof is substantially less than a removal force required to remove the support member from the hole via said first end.

Preferably, the support member consists essentially of a single continuous member. Preferably, the support member comprises a length of wire. Said wire may have a diameter in the range 3 mm to 10 mm. Preferably, said wire has a diameter in the range 5 mm to 8 mm.

Preferably, said wire is resilient. Preferably, said wire is high tensile. Preferably, said wire is made of steel.

Preferably, the support member comprises two spaced apart generally longitudinally extending leg members, respective first ends of which are provided with operating means which do not significantly impede passage of the support member into the hole but provide significant resistance to withdrawal of the support member from the hole. Preferably, the operating means comprise inturned ends of the leg members. Preferably, there is an acute angle between each leg member and its associated inturned end. Preferably, said first ends comprise said first means and are arranged to abut the wall of the hole in use. Preferably, said leg members are arranged to abut the wall of the hole at least along a part of the length of the leg members. Preferably, said leg members have second ends at opposite ends to said respective first ends, said second ends being joined to one another.

Preferably, said support member comprises a piece of wire bent at at least three positions. Preferably, said support member is arranged to support up to 1 ton.

The invention extends to a method of supporting an object from a member having a hole therein, the method comprising inserting a support member as hereinbefore described into the hole a sufficient distance so that the support member is substantially secure within the bore and attaching said object to said support member.

The method may include the step of forming the hole.

The hole may be underground. The hole may be in a mine roof, wall or floor.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure la is a side elevation of an embodiment of support member according to the invention.

Figure lb is a plan view of the support member; Figure 2a is a cross-section through a bore with the support member in situ; Figure 2b is a plan view of the support member in situ; and Figure 3 is a cross-section through a bore with the support member incompletely inserted.

The support member 1 (Figure 1) is made from a single piece of circular cross-section wire. The wire is bent to provide a member having an end 2 and two longitudinally extending resilient leg members 3,4. The leg members 3,4 are disposed at an angle of "x" degrees to one another when the member 1 is in a non-stressed condition. At an end opposite end 2, the leg members are bent inwardly through an angle of "y" degrees in order to provide respective inwardly facing portions 5, 6, having ends 7, 8 respectively. The respective portions 5, 6 extend a distance "a" and the support member is of a length "b", as shown in Figure 1.

The support member 1 is suitably made from hightensile stainless steel wire, having a diameter in the range 5 to 6 mm.

The support member 1 may be used as follows: A bore 10 of diameter "z", is drilled in, for example, a roof in a mine. The leg members 3, 4 of the support member 1 are grasped by an operator towards ends 7, 8 and the ends 7, 8 urged inwardly. The leg members 3, 4 pivot about end 2 against a resilient force provided by the high tensile steel wire.

The end opposite end 2, that is the end adjacent to free ends 7, 8, is then pushed into the bore 10, via an end 30 thereof. The ends 7, 8 abut the sides of the bore 10 as the member is pushed into the bore. As the portions 5, 6 are angled relative to the respective leg members 3, 4 and due to the use of high tensile wire, during insertion into the bore, portions 5, 6 may bend inwardly slightly so as to enable the member 1 to be pushed into the bore relatively easily, as shown in Figure 3.

When the member 1 has been pushed a sufficient distance into the bore 10, leaving a lower part 20 protruding therefrom, the member is relatively secure in the bore. The member 1 can be pushed relatively easily into the bore. If the ends 7 and 8 catch on the sides of the bore, or are impeded by friction, the angle y tends to decrease, easing the passage of the member 1.

However, if load is applied in the direction of arrow 30 of Figure 2a, after the member 10 has been inserted to the position shown in Figure 2a, frictional forces applied to the ends 7 and 8 , by the sides of the bore, will tend to increase the angle y, causing the ends 7 and 8 to dig into the sides of the bore and lock the member in position.

In order that the support member 1 is satisfactorily secured in the bore 10, the member 1 must be pushed into the bore beyond a critical distance, so that the leg members 3, 4 are kept relatively straight when within the bore. Figure 3 shows, in exaggerated form, what happens if the member 1 is not pushed far enough into the bore 10.

In this case, the leg members 3, 4 assume a bowed configuration and the ends 7, 8 do not abut the walls of the bore 10 to any great extent. Thus, when the support member 1 is inserted as shown in Figure 3, it is very easy to remove from the bore.

The support member and the method described above, may be of particular utility for supporting objects in mines. In this case, the support member is secured in a bore and then, cables for example, may be supported either within the region 20 protruding from the bore or a further member may be attached to the region 20 protruding from the bore, this further member being arranged to cooperate with an object to be supported.

When used to support objects from, for example, mine roofs, the support member 1 may suitably be constructed from high tensile steel wire having a diameter in the range 5mm to 6mm. When the member 1 is unstressed the angle x may suitably be in the range 10 to 20 degrees and the angles y may be in the range 40 to 50 degrees.

Distance a is suitably about 4 cm. Distance b is suitably about 30 cm.

The member 1 may be of any suitable size and made from any suitable material. It may also have utility in supporting objects in places other than mines.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1. A support member for insertion in a hole, the support member comprising first means arranged to be inserted in the hole and to cooperate therewith and second means arranged to support an object when the first means is within the hole, the arrangement being such that, in use, an insertion force required to insert the support member into the hole via a first end thereof is substantially less than a removal force required to remove the support member from the hole via said first end.

2. A support member according to Claim 1, the support member consisting essentially of a single continuous member.

3. A support member according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, comprising a length of wire.

4. A support member according to Claim 3, said wire having a diameter in the range 3 mm to 10 mm.

5. A support member according to Claim 4, said wire having a diameter in the range 5 mm to 8 mm.

6. A support member acccording to any of Claims 3 to 5, said wire being resilient.

7. A support member according to any of Claims 3 to 6, said wire being high tensile.

8. A support member according to any of Claims 3 to 7, said wire being made of steel.

9. A support member according to any of the preceding Claims, the support member comprising two spaced apart generally longitudinally extending leg members, respective first ends of which are provided with operating means which do not significantly impede passage of the support member into the hole but provide significant resistance to withdrawal of the support member from the hole.

10. A support member according to Claim 9, in which the operating means comprise inturned ends of the leg members.

11. A support member according to Claim 10, in which there is an acute angle between each leg member and its associated inturned end.

12. A support member according to any of Claims 9 to 11, said first ends comprising said first means and being arranged to abut the wall of the hole in use.

13. A support member according to any of Claims 9--to 12, said leg members being arranged to abut the wall of the hole at least along a part of the length of the leg members.

14. A support member according to any of Claims 9 to 13, said leg members having second ends at opposite ends to said respective first ends, said second ends being joined to one another.

15. A support member according to any of the preceding Claims, said support member comprising a piece of wire bent at at least three positions.

16. A support member according to any of the preceding Claims, arranged to support up to 1 ton.

17. A method of supporting an object from a member having a hole therein, the method comprising inserting a support member according to any of the preceding Claims into the hole a sufficient distance so that the support member is substantially secure within the bore and attaching said object to said support member.

18. A method according to Claim 17, including the step of forming the hole.

19. A method according to Claim 17 or Claim 18, in which the hole is underground.

20. A method according to Claim 19, in which the hole is in a mine roof, wall or floor.

21. A support member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

22. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.