Curved Mine Roof and Rib Support

Abstract

A mine roof and rib support includes a curved support member comprising a roof support arm and a rib support arm with a curved junction portion between the roof support arm and the rib support arm and an aperture defined through the support member for receiving a mine roof bolt. A bearing plate having an upper edge and a lower edge, and a through-hole provided therebetween can be provided wherein the upper and lower edges are positioned in abutment with the roof and rib support arms, respectively. Also, a mine roof and rib support may include a curved support member comprising a roof support arm and a rib support arm and a curved junction portion between the roof and rib support arms, wherein the roof support arm defines the aperture for receiving a mine roof bolt that may extend substantially vertically through the through-hole and the roof support arm aperture.

1 . A mine roof and rib support comprising:
 a curved support member comprising a roof support arm and a rib support arm, and a curved junction portion between the roof support arm and the rib support arm; and   an aperture defined through the support member for receiving a mine roof bolt.   
     
     
         2 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture located at the curved junction portion between the roof support arm and the rib support arm. 
     
     
         3 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1 , wherein the aperture is defined in one of the roof support arm and the rib support arm. 
     
     
         4 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1 , wherein the curved support member comprises a base portion and an elongated reinforcement portion extending from the base portion. 
     
     
         5 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 4 , wherein the curved support member comprises longitudinal edge portions extending angularly away from the base portion and terminating in edges. 
     
     
         6 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 4 , wherein the aperture is defined in the elongated reinforcement portion. 
     
     
         7 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1 , further comprising a flange provided on at least one of the roof support arm and the rib support arm, the flange projecting toward the mine roof or rib. 
     
     
         8 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1 , further comprising a bearing plate, the bearing plate comprising an upper edge and a lower edge, and defining a through-hole positioned between the upper and lower plate edges, wherein the upper and lower plate edges are positioned in abutment with the roof support arm and rib support arm, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 8 , further comprising a mine roof bolt, wherein the bearing plate through-hole is operatively aligned with the aperture of the support member, and the mine roof bolt extends through the bearing plate through-hole and the aperture. 
     
     
         10 . A method of supporting an arched rock formation comprising:
 positioning a curved support member against an arched rock formation, the curved support member comprising a roof support arm and rib support arm and a curved junction portion between the roof support arm and the rib support arm, the curved support member defining an aperture therethrough, wherein the roof support arm is positioned against a mine roof surface, the rib support arm is positioned against a mine rib surface, and the curved junction portion is positioned to align with the natural curvature of the arched rock formation;   positioning a bearing plate having an upper edge and a lower edge and defining a through-hole between the upper and lower plate edges against the support member such that the curved junction aperture of the support arm is operatively aligned with the plate through-hole;   extending a mine roof bolt through the bearing plate through-hole and the support member aperture into engagement with the arched rock formation; and   compressing the bearing plate against the support member to maintain the support member in contact with the arched rock formation, such that the upper edge of the bearing plate is positioned in abutment with the roof support arm and the lower edge of the bearing plate is positioned in abutment with the rib support arm.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of compressing the bearing plate against the support member comprises torquing the mine roof bolt against the bearing plate. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the support member aperture is defined through one of the roof support arm and the rib support arm. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the support member aperture is defined through the curved junction portion between the roof support arm and the rib support arm. 
     
     
         14 . A mine roof and rib support comprising:
 a curved support member comprising a roof support arm and a rib support arm and a curved junction portion between the roof support arm and the rib support arm, wherein the roof support arm defines a first aperture for receiving a mine roof bolt;   a bearing plate comprising an upper edge and a lower edge, the bearing plate defining a through-hole provided between the upper and lower edges, wherein the upper and lower plate edges are positioned in abutment with the roof and rib support arms, respectively, the through-hole being operatively aligned with the first roof support arm aperture; and   a mine roof bolt extending through the through-hole of the bearing plate and the first roof support arm aperture, the mine roof bolt being configured to compress the bearing plate against the curved support member, wherein the upper edge exerts a force against the roof support arm and the lower edge exerts a force against the rib support arm.   
     
     
         15 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 14 , wherein the mine roof bolt extends substantially vertically through the through-hole and the roof support arm aperture. 
     
     
         16 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 14 , wherein the curved support member comprises a second aperture on the roof support arm for receiving a second mine roof bolt. 
     
     
         17 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a second support member comprising a front surface and a back surface and defining an aperture for receiving a mine roof bolt, the curved support member receiving the second support member, wherein the second support member aperture is aligned with the second roof support arm aperture; and 
 a second mine roof bolt extending through the second support member aperture and the second roof support arm aperture. 
 
     
     
         18 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 17 , wherein the first mine roof bolt extends substantially vertically through the through-hole and the first roof support arm aperture, and the second mine roof bolt extends substantially vertically through the second support member aperture and the second roof support arm aperture. 
     
     
         19 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 17 , further comprising a mine rib bolt, and wherein the rib support arm defines an aperture for receiving a mine rib bolt, the mine rib bolt extending through the rib support arm aperture. 
     
     
         20 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 19 , wherein the first mine roof bolt extends substantially vertically through the through-hole and the first roof support arm aperture, and the second mine roof bolt extends substantially vertically through the second support member aperture and the second roof support arm aperture.