Mine roof and rib support

Abstract

A mine roof and rib support includes a support member comprising a roof support arm and a rib support arm, the roof support arm provided at an angle to the rib support arm, wherein the roof support arm defines an aperture for receiving a mine roof bolt; a bearing plate defining a through-hole, the bearing plate being positioned on the surface of the roof support arm, wherein the bearing plate through-hole is operatively aligned with the roof support arm aperture; and a mine roof bolt extending angularly through the through-hole of the bearing plate and the roof support arm aperture, the mine roof bolt being configured to compress the bearing plate against the support member. The bearing plate is positioned on the surface of the roof support arm away from the angled junction of the roof support arm and the rib support arm.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mine roof and rib support comprising:
 a support member comprising a roof support arm and a rib support arm, the roof support arm provided at an angle to the rib support arm, wherein the roof support arm defines an aperture for receiving a mine roof bolt;   a bearing plate defining a through-hole, the bearing plate being positioned on the surface of the roof support arm, wherein the bearing plate through-hole is operatively aligned with the roof support arm aperture; and   a mine roof bolt extending angularly through the through-hole of the bearing plate and the roof support arm aperture, the mine roof bolt being configured to compress the bearing plate against the support member.   
     
     
         2 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1  wherein the bearing plate is positioned on the surface of the roof support arm away from the angled junction of the roof support arm and the rib support arm. 
     
     
         3 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1  wherein the support member comprises a base portion, an elongated reinforcement portion extending from the base portion, and longitudinal edge portions extending angularly away from the base portion and terminating in edges. 
     
     
         4 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 3  wherein the elongated reinforcement portion is positioned centrally on the support member. 
     
     
         5 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 4  wherein the elongated reinforcement portion has a height approximately equal to the height of the longitudinal edge portions. 
     
     
         6 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 3  wherein the support member has a general “W” shape. 
     
     
         7 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 3  wherein the elongated reinforcement portion has a general “U” shape. 
     
     
         8 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 3  wherein the aperture is defined in the elongated reinforcement portion. 
     
     
         9 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1  wherein the support member has an opened side and front side surface opposite the opened side, the opened side having an opened side surface and the longitudinal edge portions extending angularly away from the opened side surface to contact the mine roof surface and the mine rib surface. 
     
     
         10 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1  wherein the support member has an opened side and front side surface opposite the opened side, the opened side having an opened side surface and the longitudinal edge portions extending angularly away from the opened side surface, the front side surface opposite the opened side contacting the mine roof surface and the mine rib surface. 
     
     
         11 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1  wherein the bearing plate comprises a flat bearing plate having a raised portion in which the through-hole is positioned on a surface of the raised portion such that the mine roof bolt extends angularly through the through-hole. 
     
     
         12 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1  wherein the bearing plate comprises a flat bearing plate having a raised portion surrounding the through-hole, wherein the through-hole is positioned on a surface of the raised portion such that the mine roof bolt extends angularly through the through-hole. 
     
     
         13 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1  wherein the roof support arm defines a second aperture for angularly receiving a second mine roof bolt. 
     
     
         14 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 13  further comprising two bearing plates, each defining a through-hole, the bearing plates being positioned on the surface of the roof support arm, wherein the bearing plate through-holes are operatively aligned with the roof support arm apertures, and each mine roof bolt extends angularly through a through-hole and a roof support arm aperture to compress the bearing plates against the support member. 
     
     
         15 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1  wherein compressing the bearing plate against the support member comprises torquing the mine roof bolt against the bearing plate. 
     
     
         16 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1  further comprising a cable interconnecting with other mine roof and rib supports. 
     
     
         17 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of flanges positioned on the bearing plate that, when the bearing plate is positioned on the surface of the roof support arm, extend to the roof support arm to prevent rotation of the bearing plate on the roof support arm. 
     
     
         18 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1  wherein the bearing plate has an elongated rear portion having an angular orientation, wherein the angular orientation is positioned to align with the support member. 
     
     
         19 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 1  wherein said support member comprises a metal channel having a C-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         20 . A method of supporting an arched rock formation comprising:
 positioning a support member against an arched rock formation, the support member comprising a roof support arm and rib support arm, the roof support arm provided at an angle to the rib support arm, the roof support arm defining an aperture therethrough, wherein the roof support arm is positioned against a mine roof surface and the rib support arm is positioned against a mine rib surface;   positioning a bearing plate, defining a through-hole, on the surface of the roof support arm, wherein the bearing plate through-hole is operatively aligned with the roof support arm aperture;   extending a mine roof bolt angularly 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.   
     
     
         21 . The mine roof and rib support of  claim 20  wherein the bearing plate is positioned on the surface of the roof support arm away from the angled junction of the roof support arm and the rib support arm. 
     
     
         22 . A mine roof and rib support comprising:
 a support member comprising a roof support arm, a rib support arm, the roof support arm provided at an angle to the rib support arm, wherein the roof support arm defines an aperture for angularly receiving a mine roof bolt;   wherein the support member comprises a base portion, an elongated reinforcement portion extending from the base portion, and longitudinal edge portions extending angularly away from the base portion and terminating in edges.