US2644311A

US2644311A - Self-propelled mine roof prop

Info

Publication number: US2644311A
Application number: US242159A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul J Malloy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-08-16
Filing date: 1951-08-16
Publication date: 1953-07-07
Anticipated expiration: 1970-07-07

Description

P. J. MALLOY SELF-PROPELLED MINE Roos1 PROP July 7 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.- 16, 1951 v INVENTOR.

Hsu J.' Afa/.my

July 7, 1953 Filed Aug. 16, 1951 P. J. MALLOY SELF-PROPELLED MINE ROOF PROP f-f-G. 4

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

July 7, 1953 P. J. M-ALLoY 2,644,311

Y SELF-PROPELLED MINE ROF PROP Armenie-ys Patented July 7, 1953 Paul J. Malloy,- Lakewoo'd', Ollio, assignor of onefA half tolaul V. Malloy, Lakewood, `Ohio Application August 16, 1951 vSerial No.` 242,159-` This invention relates to mining apparatus and, more particularly, to mine roof supports or prop devices. v

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel prop device which is of a simple and economical construction involving a relatively small number of parts, but which is very rugged and durableand can be readily manipule. lated'for engaging the same with or disengaging the same from the mine roof. -v

yAnother object is to providea novel propr device of this character which comprises adjacent' prop units andl ismovable along the ymine iloor inY response to a relative step-by-step .movement between the prop units, and in which the movement of they prop device is preferably'a selfpropelled movement. y

A `further-object is toY provide a novel prop device of the character mentioned in which the adjacent propunits comprise, respectively, a pairofv spaced jacks and al third jackv disposed between' the spaced jacks, and infwhich' an actuating means for the prop units imparts pushing and pulling forces thereto for causing/the step by-step advance movement of 'the Vprop device.'

As still another object, this invention providesv a'novel prop device of the kind above' referredV to inA which each of theY prop units comprises'` floor and roof engaging members and an actuating means for the roof engaging `member including cooperating inclined wedging surfaces.V The invention can be further briey sum,

marized as consisting in certainy novel combinations and arrangements of parts-hereinafter de-v scribed and particularly set 'out in the claims'v 1 but showing'the prop device in a longitudinally extended condition; I Y Fig. 4' is a top plan view of the prop such longitudinally extended condition;

Fig. 5 a longitudinal vertical sect'ion'talrenlv through the prop device substantially asA indicated by section line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. v6i iS a similar longitudinal sectional view taken as indicated byv section lmet-5 6' of lFig.'

Vrignfllis a transverse vertical section taken deviceA in` l9 Claims. (01.,61-4'5) n Y 2 throughthe prop device as indicated `by section line .'I-'1 of Fig. Y1'.

As one practical embodiment of this invention, the drawings show the novel prop device Ii) as f comprising a pair of longitudinally extending adjacent prop u'nits Il andy I2. The prop unit Il comprises a pair of longitudinally extending jacks I3l andv I4 which are disposed in adjacent substantially paralleli-relation withga longitudinal-spacer'I51therebetween.l The propV unit I2 comprises a single longitudinally extending jack located-between the spaced jacks I3 and Ill of the propA unit IIL Ihe space I5 constitutes a Working space for' the intermediate 'prop unit orjackl,V 'l

' As shown' in; Figs. 1, 5 and. 7, each of the jacks I3 and lIt of the prop unit II- comprises a lower or floor engagingf'member- I6 adapted to be sup' ported onthe mine floors II and an upper or roof engaging'vmember I8 'which isv engageable with thermine roof -I9`inthe mannerexplained hereinafter. The members' I6and I8 are in the form off blocks whichV can -be -constructed of wood, as for example wood timbers, or any other suitable material; "'IAheiloor members I6 of the jacks I3 and I4. are preferablywprovided on the bottom surface'v thereof with metal skid plates or shoes4r 20- tof'acilitatesliding movement ci the propunit ISI on the minefloor I1.

Each of the jacks I3 and IIIY also embodies a.-

wedgingf means for causing movement of the roofmember I Il into and out of engagement with the' mine roof I9;Y This `wedging means is here shovvnascomprising inclined wedging surfaces 2If and v22-provided on the adjacent faces of the floor Yand roof'mem-be'rs I6 and l'and which wedgingl-surfacesV are in sliding cooperation with eachfother. The Wedging surfaces 2l and 22 can be formedy by the inclined faces of the oor and' roof members I6` and I8, but preferably, are formedv by metal plates orV bearing strips 2i2l and 22k provided on such inclined faces to facilitate relative sliding therebetween.

'From the construction'` thus far described for the jacks I3 and I4, it will be seen that the roofY member I8'is' itself a Asubstantially wedgeshapedamember which Will be lifted vand will engage the mine roof` Illl with a powerful lifting Y y force inl'res'ponseY to'movement of this member Duringsuch uphill'movement of the member I8 Y* to engage-'the same withY the mine roof I9, the

inclined surface 22 slides on the inclined surface 2l of the oor member I6 in wedging cooperation therewith. Movement of the roof member I8 in a downhill direction relative to the floor member IB, that is, toward the right as seen in Fig. 1 disengages the roof member from the mine roof I9 and releases the lifting or supporting force being applied thereto.

For causing such uphill and kdownhill relative movements of the roof member I8 relative to the iloor member I6 of the jacks I3 and I4, each of these jacks is provided with a power device which is here shown as being in the form of a hydraulic cylinder 24. The adjacent surfaces of the noor and roof. members I6 and I8 of these jacks have channel-shaped recesses therein in substantially registering relation which define an operating chamber 25 for the hydraulic cylinder 24. One

end of this hydraulic cylinder is pivotally anohored on one of the jack members, in this instance the floor member I6, by means of a trans- Verse anchor pin 26. A piston 21 recipfrocably operable in the cylinder 24 is connected with the inner end of a piston rod 28 which projects from the cylinder. The outer end of the piston rod is pivotally connected with the roof member I8 by means of a transverse pivot pin 29.

The cylinder 24 is a double-acting cylinder to which hydraulic fluid under pressure is adapted to be supplied by conduits 30 and 3 I. The abovementioned uphill movement of the roof member I8 of the jacks I3 land I4 relative to the floor member I6 is produced by supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure to one end of the cylinder 24 through the conduit 3I and releasing hydraulic fluid from the opposite end of the cylinder through the conduit 38. The downhill movement of the roof member I8 relative to the floor member IB is produced by supplying hydraulic presssure iuid to the cylinder 24 through the conduit 33 and releasing pressure uid from the other end of the cylinder through the conduit 3|. During such uphill and downhill actuations of the roof member I8, the cylinder 24 will swing on the pivot pin 26 as is represented by the dotted line cylinder positions 24gand 24b shown in Fig. l.

The single jack constituting the prop unit I2 also comprises a pair of floor and

roof members

33 and 34, similar to the iioor and roof members I6 and I8 described above, and of which the member 33 is supported on the mine' floor I1 and has a skid plate 35 on the bottom thereof to facilitate sliding of this prop unit on the mine floor. The roof member 34 is movable into and out of engagement with the mine roof I9 inthe same manner as the member I8 of the jacks I3 and I4. That is to say, the floor and`

roof members

33 and 34 of the prop unit I2 have cooperating inclined Wedging

surfaces

36 and 31 on their adjacent faces and formed by metal bearing plates or strips 36a and 31a and which wedging surfaces are in sliding cooperation with each other.

The uphill and downhill movements of the roof member 34 of the prop unit I2 are produced by an actuating device embodied in this unitv and which is |here shown as being inthe form of a double-acting hydraulic cylinder :3 8 having a piston 39 reciprocablyV slidable therein. The cylinder 38 is located in a chamber 40 which is formed by registering recesses in the adjacent portions of the door and roof members 33 and nected with the floor member 33 bywmeans o f a` 4 Y transverse pivot pin 4I. A piston rod 42 connected with the piston 39 has its outer end connected with the roof member 34 by means of a transverse pivot pin 43. Uphll movement of the roof member 34 relative to the floor member 33 is produced by supplying hydraulic pressure fluid to the right end of the cylinder 38 through the conduit 44 and downhill movement of the roof member 34 is produced by supplying pressure fluid to the Opposite end of the cylinder through the conduit 45. During such uphill and downhill Y movements of the roof member 34 the cylinder 38 swings to its inclined dotted line positions 38a and 33b as shown in Fig., 6.

The prop .unit I'I .also includes a connecting means for the spaced jacks I3 and I4 which holds these jacks in the spaced relation shown in the drawings such that they will move together during actuation of this prop unit along the mine floor I1. This connecting means is here shown as comprising a transverse bar 41 located at one end of the prop device IIl and formed by a pair of upper and lower bar members or channels 41a and 41h. The forward ends of the floor members I6 of the jacks I3 and I4 are connected with the transverse bar 41 by means of the yokes 48. These yokes are here shown as being in the form of strap members having an eye portion 4Ila at the rear end thereof and a flat portion 48b at the front end thereof which is clamped between the upper and lower members 41a and 41b of the transverse bar 41 by a clamping bolt 49. The rear ends of the yokes 48 are connected with the floor members I6 of the jacks I3 and I4 by transverse anchor pins 50.

The prop device IIl also includes an actuating means for causing relative reciprocating movements between the prop units II and I2 which produces a, self-propelled step-by-step advance movement of the prop device along the mine floor I1 as will be more fully explained hereinafter. This actuating means also constitutes a connecting means between the prop units I I and I2 and is here shown` as comprising a Vhydraulic power cylinder 52.. In this instance the actuating means is located in the prop unit I2, although if desired, it could be embodied in one or both of the jacks of the prop unit II. To accommodate the hydraulic cylinder 52, the floor member 33 is provided with a longitudinal passage or recess defining a chamber 53 in which this cylinder is disposed.

One end of the hydraulic cylinder 52 is connected with the ocr member 33 by means ofy a transverse anchor pin 54. A piston 55 is reciprocable in the cylinder and is connected with the inner end of a piston rod 56. The outer end of the piston rod 56 is connected with the transverse bar 41 at an intermediate point thereof by means of the clamping bolt 51. Condui-ts 58 and 59 are connected with the cylinder 52 adjacent the opposite ends thereof for supplying hydraulic pressure uid to this'cylinder and exhausting such iluid therefrom.

When the prop device lil has been placed in a desired location in a, mine room or tunnel passage, it can be expanded into supporting engagement with the mine roof -by causing the above explained uphill movements of th-e roof members I8 and 34 of the prop units YIlfand I2 relative to the floor members Iand 33 of these prop units. When it is desirable to advance the .prop device to a different position, it is caused to propel itself along the mine floor VI1 in the manner'v .which Will-ww be described .es a, preparatory step i to such advance :movement Vthe' roof -memberf-or members vfof one :of tli'e'z'pro'p uriits, for. example, the roofmembers llf'ofithe -ijacksrl and Ill,v are disengaged from. the-'fmineiroof I9 while `the-roof member'34 cftheprop-unit .I2 remains in its roof-engagedpositiom i By supplying pres-sureV fluidtorthehydrauliccylinder 152 through vthe 'conduit .58, SthisicylinderL-is now actuated to applyapushingfforc'eitothe transverse bar 41 Which,nin.turn,` liap'plya pullingforce to the jacks I-Bfandi Mia df-Will'ai- Vance the same toY the position7 sho-Wnf-l-inFigs. L13 and 4' by sliding 'the 'floor .members 'IB thereof along the mine viloor. When thepropunitllfI--has been thus advanced relativetothezprop unit IIZ, the hydraulicv cylinders '24 'iof-the-ljacksl and'SId are thenfactuated ina'directiontocausean uphill movement of theroofmembers LI--fto engagathe same with the mineA roof I9. 13 Next, the hydrauliccylinderi38eofthe1prop unit I2 vris Aactuated to rnove athe roof member @452m a downhill direction to vdise'nga'ge-the samefrom the mine roof I9; Thisreleases' the prop unit'f-iIZ for contracting movement-in-a''forward fdir'ecti'on into the working space I5. By supplying-pressure fluidto the forward-end of the hydraulic cylinder 52 through the conduit 59, the cylinder member will be advancedA relative to the piston 55 to thereby iladvancetheprop "unit I'Zlin "the working-space I by slidingo'f the 'floor `member'.-331-.5along the minejfloor I'I.

Byrepeating the series ofy operating steps i explained, .the prop devi-cefffoanbe moved-for any desired distance in either. va .forwardor backward direction and when it arrives-at thel "desired location, both of the prop units `I I'and l2 can be actuated to engagevthe-roof 'members IB and 34 in supporting engagement with;- the mine roof IB.

From thefforegoing detailed description and the ac-companying drawings, it Will now be readily understood that this invention provides a mine roof prop device which is of a relatively simple construction embodying a comparatively small number of' parts, but which is nevertheless very rugged and durable and can be readily actuated to its roof supporting condition or to disengage the same from the mine roof. It will now also be understood that the novel roof prop provided by this invention is a self-propelledV prop which is movable with a step-by-step movement in either a forward or backward direction to locate the device in a desired position atwhich the mine roof is to be supported. Additionally, it will be seen that the jacks comprising the prop units embody an actuating means Whi-ch includes inclined wedging surfaces in sliding engagement with eachother and power means for causing such relative sliding.

It will now also be recognized that by reason of the ease and rapidity with which the prop units can be engaged or disengaged with respect to the mine roof and the facility with which this prop device can be shifted into or out of a desired position, the device will permit the more rapid carrying out of desired mining operations and will permit roof props to be rapidly advanced with the progress of the mining operation.

Although the mine roof prop of this invention ``has been illustrated and described herein to a somewhat detailed extent it will be understood, of

course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope but includes all changes and modifications coming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. In a mine roof prop of the character described, a pair :of ffadjacent .propl units movable relative to Leachlother alongzthe mine :floorfand each having-.a substantially wedge-shaped `'Inovable; member engageable rwith 1 the "mine roof and an actuating'means'for saidmovable member. for A f eachof said ljacks :having -a .substantially wedge- I shaped1 movable member engageablewith the mine roof and l an'f actuating means for movingsaid movablelmember intoand out of engagement with said roof, 'and-connecting means'connectingfsaid prop units and effective to'itransmitpushin'g and pullingiforces therebetween for causingy ther-relative'movement'between the propunits and-includingpower:meansioperableto producesaidpushing and-pullingforces. #f v Y $3. .In La mine .roof :prop :of the character Jdescribed, a pair of adjacent prop units-:movable relative to each :other .along fthe .mine ifloor; connectingmeans connectingsaid prop. units and-ef'- fective to Ltransmitpushin'g and .pulling forces therebetweenfor "causingsu'ch, relative movement between .the .prop unitseach :of sai'd' `prop units comprising a floor engaging rmember'zan'd .a roof engageable member, an `actuating meansffor fthe roof engageable member vof teach.. prop unit. lcomprising cooperating inclined'wedgingsurfacesfand means for producing relative movement between said wedging surfaces, and power means embodied in said prop and effective through said connecting means and being operable to produce said pushing and pulling forces.

4. In a mine roof prop of the character described, a pair of adjacent prop units movable relative toveach other along the mine loor,vconnecting means connecting said prop units and effective to transmit pushing and pulling forces therebetween for causing such relative movement between the prop units, power means operable to produce said pushing and pulling forces, each of said prop units comprisinga floor engaging member and afroof engageable member pairedtherewith Vand's'uch paired oorand roof members having cooperating inclined wedging surfaces on their adjacent faces, and means associated with each of said prop units for producing relative movement between its Wedging surfaces for moving the roof member thereof into and out of engagement with the mine roof, the last-mentioned means for each prop unit comprising relatively movable parts connected respectively with the paired members of such prop unit.

5. In a self-propelled mine roof prop device, a pair of adjacent prop units each comprising a generallyV wedge-shapedl mine floor engaging member and a generally Wedge-shaped mine roof engageable member with said roof engageable member being supported by and movable relative to said floor engaging member, and actuating means for the roof engageable member of each of said prop units, said prop units being reciprocably movable relative to each other and along said mine door as a step-by-step advance movement of the prop device in response to alternate pushing and pulling forces transmitted between said prop units, and connecting means connecting said prop units for said relative movement and including power means for producing said pushing and pulling forces.

6. In a self-propelled mine roof prop device, a prop unit comprisingr a pair of spa-cedjacks, a second prop unit comprising a, single j ack disposed between said spaced jacks, each of said jacks comprising a substantially wedge-shaped mine floor engaging member and a substantially wedgeshaped mine roof engageable member with said roof engageable member being supported by and movable relative to said floor engaging member, an actuating means for the rooiengageable member of each of -said jacks, said prop units being reciprocably movable relative to each other and along said mine oor as a step-by-step advance move,- ment of the prop device in response `to alternate pushing and pulling forces transmitted between said prop units, transverse `bar means adjacent one end of the prop device, means connecting the floor engaging members of said spaced jacks with the end portions of said bar means, and a reciprocably operable power cylinder device connecting the oor engaging member of said single jack with the intermediate portion of said bar means and being eiective to produce said pushing and pulling forces.

7. In a self-propelled mine roof prop device, a prop unit comprising a pairA of spaced jacks, a second prop unit comprising asingle jack disposed between said spacedjacks, each of said jackscomprising a mine iioor engaging member and a mine roof engageable member and a reciprocably operable power cylinder device having its ends connected with such floor and roof members and adapted to cause relative movement therebetween,

said iioor and roof members having cooperating inclined wedging surfaces on their adjacent faces, said prop units being reciprocably movable relative to each other and along said mine iloor as a step-by-step advance movement of the prop device in response to alternate pushing and pulling forces transmitted Ibetween said prop units, transverse ,'bar means adjacent one end of the prop device, means connecting the oor engaging members vof said spaced jacks with the end portions of said bar means, and a reciprocably operable power cylinder device connecting the oor engaging member of said single jack with the intermediate portion of said bar means and being effective to produce said pushing and pulling forces.

8. A mine roof prop as dened in claim 3 in which said floor engaging member and said roof engageable member are in the form of wood timbers.

9.' A mine roof prop as deiined in claim 3 in which saidv floor engaging lmember and said roof engageable member are in the form of wood timbers, and in which said cooperating inclined wedgingV surfaces are formed by adjacent surfaces of said timbers.

PAUL J. MALLOY.

Country Date Germany Dec. 3, 1942 Number Number