Claims
- 1. Mining or underground quarrying method by downward slicing of ore under a roof, comprising the steps of:
- dividing said roof into a substantially horizontal plurality of roof areas;
- supporting said plurality of roof areas independently of one another by a plurality of independent roof slabs juxtaposed side by side respectively, said plurality of roof slabs providing together a deformable protecting roof for supporting caving material and protecting against same;
- mining ore under said deformable protecting roof by excavating neighboring floor areas successively under each roof slab while supporting each roof slab in said plurality of roof slabs; and
- as said excavating is conducted, successively and individually lowering by a predetermined level each of said roof slabs after ore has been excavated under same, whereby roof areas of said plurality of roof areas are successively caved, said lowering of each said roof slabs being controlled by slab temporarily supporting and lowering means of variable height carried by at least one movable frame successively brought under roof slabs of said plurality of roof slabs.
- 2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of mining ore while supporting each roof slab, and the step of lowering slabs, include:
- providing pillars of ore for supporting said roof slabs;
- mining ore from between said pillars of ore;
- supporting at least one of said roof slabs by said slab temporarily supporting and lowering means while keeping said means to a constant height;
- mining down to a given level a top portion of each pillar of ore supporting said at least one of said roof slabs; and
- reducing the height of said slab temporarily supporting and lowering means till said at least one of said roof slabs is supported again by said pillars of ore.
- 3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of mining ore while supporting each roof slab and the step of lowering slabs include:
- supporting at least one of said roof slabs by supporting posts suspended to said at least one of said roof slabs;
- mining ore from between said supporting posts;
- supporting said at least one of said roof slabs together with said supporting posts by said slab temporarily supporting and lowering means while keeping said means to a constant height;
- mining ore under said supporting posts; and
- reducing the height of said slab temporarily supporting and lowering means till said at least one of said roof slabs is supported again by said supporting posts.
- 4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of mining ore while supporting each roof slab and the step of lowering slabs include:
- supporting at least one of said roof slabs by supporting posts suspended to, and movable laterally with respect to, said at least one of said roof slabs;
- mining ore from between said supporting posts;
- supporting said at least one of said roof slabs together with said supporting posts, by said slab temporarily supporting and lowering means while keeping said means to a constant height;
- moving laterally said supporting posts to above floor areas already excavated; and
- reducing the height of said means till said at least one of said roof slabs is supported again by said supporting posts.
- 5. Method according to claim 1 wherein the ore is a narrow lode and wherein supporting said roof slabs consists in laterally supporting said roof slabs against walls of said lode.
- 6. Method according to claim 1, wherein said roof slabs in said plurality are disposed in lines and rows, the steps of mining and lowering being conducted line by line.
- 7. Method according to claim 1, wherein said roof slabs in said plurality are disposed in lines and rows, the steps of mining and lowering being conducted row by row.
- 8. Method according to claim 1, wherein said roof slabs are in concrete.
- 9. Timbering and walling installation for mining and underground quarrying by downward slicing under a roof comprising:
- a deformable protecting roof for supporting neighboring roof areas of said roof and for protection from overlying caving material, comprising a plurality of independent elementary roof slabs juxtaposed side by side;
- slab supporting means under each of said roof slabs; and
- slab temporarily supporting and lowering means of variable height, carried by at least one movable frame and adapted to be moved successively under adjacent ones of said roof slabs for successively lowering said adjacent ones of said roof slabs by a predetermined level.
- 10. Installation according to claim 1, wherein said roof slabs are of reinforced concrete.
- 11. Installation according to claim 1, wherein said slab supporting means consist of ore.
- 12. Installation according to claim 1, wherein said slab supporting means are fixed and attached to said roof slabs.
- 13. Installation according to claim 12, wherein said slab supporting means are of reinforced concrete.
- 14. Installation according to claim 9, wherein said slab supporting means under at least one of said roof slabs are movable laterally.
- 15. Installation according to claim 9, wherein said slab supporting means are lateral abutment means applied laterally against facing walls of a lode with said roof slabs extending from one of said wall to the other.
- 16. Installation according to claim 15, wherein said lateral abutment means include jacks.
- 17. Installation according to claim 15, wherein said roof slabs are of a unitary construction type having a central cavity bordered by transverse walls and a plurality of transverse channels on at least one side of said cavity, horizontal jacks being provided to bear against the walls of the lode through said channels at one end and against one of the walls of the cavity at the other end.
- 18. Installation according to claim 1, wherein said roof slabs comprise two articulated vault elements forming a variable angle vault supported flying buttress fashion by the facing lode walls with two end elements articulated to the vault elements and adapted to lie along the said lode walls.
- 19. Installation according to claim 18, wherein horizontal jacks are provided to apply said end elements against the lode walls.
- 20. Installation according to claim 18, wherein at least one jack is provided for reducing the angle between the vault elements.
- 21. Installation according to claim 1, wherein a flexible metal mesh is placed between the roof slabs and the overlying caving material.
- 22. Installation according to claim 1, wherein gaps existing between roof slabs are protected by shields supported by deformable triangles.
- 23. Installation according to claim 1, wherein one of said roof slabs is fitted with a shield supported by deformable triangles and an adjacent one of said roof slabs comprises a cusp adapted to press down the shield when said adjacent roof slab is lowered.
- 24. Installation according to claim 1, comprising at least one row of roof slabs said slab supporting means of which are sufficiently far apart to permit mining machines to pass between said means.
- 25. Installation according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said roof slabs which is adjacent a wall comprises forepoling irons adapted to be advanced and retracted to provide protection between said one of said roof slabs and said wall.
- 26. Installation according to claim 25, wherein said forepoling irons are supported by pit props.
- 27. Installation according to claim 1, wherein said slab support and lowering means comprise hydraulic jacks.
Parent Case Info
The present application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 205,127, June 10, 1988, now abandoned the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
1630589 |
Taber |
May 1927 |
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Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
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8704210 |
Feb 1988 |
ZAX |
675189 |
Jul 1979 |
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715798 |
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881323 |
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1370242 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
205127 |
Jun 1988 |
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