Patent Application
20150345293
This disclosure relates in general to wall securement systems methods, and devices including tunnel wall and/or mine roof securement systems, methods, and devices.
In underground mining, excavation and tunneling operations, it is a typical practice to support the overhead and lateral rock strata by elongated structural members, such as metal roof mats and channels, that extend transversely across the mine roof and downwardly along the lateral sidewalls or ribs. The mats and channels are provided in various lengths with holes spaced a preselected distance apart through the members to conform to a conventional roof bolt plan. Roof bolts extend through the holes in the channels and into holes drilled in the rock strata and are anchored in the strata to maintain the channels compressed against the surface of the rock strata. The metal mats and channels are preferably used in place of wood timbers and are more efficiently installed in combination with a roof bolting system. In order to increase safety and better secure overhead and lateral rock strata, further improvement in the systems, methods, and devices for securing the overhead lateral rock strata are required.
Some embodiments disclosed herein relate to a channel support. The channel support can include: an elongate member having opposing first and second ends, a top and an opposing bottom, opposing first and second sides, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second ends. The elongate member can include a rigidity structure having a first rigidity member defined in part by a first width and a second rigidity member. In some embodiments, the first and second rigidity members extend in the same direction from the bottom of the elongate member, are separated by a distance that is less than three times the first width, and/or are located about the longitudinal axis of the elongate member. The elongate member can include a first angular protrusion extending from the bottom of the elongate member and in the same direction as the first and second rigidity members and a second angular protrusion extending from the bottom of the elongate member and in the same direction as the first and second rigidity members.
In some embodiments of the support channel, the first rigidity member can include a first half and a second half that extend from different points along the bottom of the elongate member and that join at an apex of the first rigidity member. In some embodiments, the second rigidity member can include a first half and a second half that extend from different points along the bottom of the elongate member and that join at an apex of the second rigidity member. In some embodiments, the first and second rigidity members are triangle-shaped.
In some embodiments, the first and second halves of the first rigidity member extend from the bottom of the elongate member at the same angle. In some embodiments, the second half of the first rigidity member and the first half of the second rigidity member extend from the bottom of the elongate member at the same angle, and in some embodiments, the first and second halves of the first rigidity member extend from the bottom of the elongate member at an angle between 40 and 60 degrees.
In some embodiments, the first half of the first rigidity member and the first half of the second rigidity member are parallel, and in some embodiments, the second half of the first rigidity member and the second half of the second rigidity member are parallel. In some embodiments, the distance between the top and the bottom of the elongate member defines a thickness of the elongate member, which thickness is between 0.05 and 0.135 inches.
Some embodiments disclosed herein relate to a support system. The support system can include a support channel including an elongate member. The elongate member can have opposing first and second ends, a top and an opposing bottom, opposing first and second sides, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second ends. In some embodiments, the elongate member can include a rigidity structure including a first rigidity member defined in part by a first width, and a second rigidity member. In some embodiments, the first and second rigidity members extend in the same direction from the bottom of the elongate member, are separated by a distance that is less than three times the first width, and are located about the longitudinal axis of the elongate member. The elongate member can include a first angular protrusion extending from the bottom of the elongate member and in the same direction as the first and second rigidity members, and a second angular protrusion extending from the bottom of the elongate member and in the same direction as the first and second rigidity members. The support system can include an affixation plate including first and second contact arms having first and second contact surfaces, and a rigidity structure channel extending between the first and second contact arms. In some embodiments, the rigidity structure channel is sized and shaped to receive the rigidity structure of the support channel.
In some embodiments of the support system, the affixation plate includes an aperture. In some embodiments, the support system includes a securement feature that can extend through the aperture of the affixation plate. In some embodiments, the rigidity structure channel is sized and shaped such that the first and second contact surfaces of the attachment plate contact the top bearing surfaces of the support channel when the rigidity structure channel receives the rigidity structure. In some embodiments of the support system, the support channel includes an opening sized and shaped to receive the securement feature.
Some embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method of supporting a wall. The method can include creating a hole in a wall and positioning a channel support on the wall. In some embodiments, the channel support includes an elongate member having an opening, opposing first and second ends, a top and an opposing bottom, opposing first and second sides, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second ends. In some embodiments, the elongate member includes a rigidity structure having a first rigidity member defined in part by a first width, and a second rigidity member. In some embodiments, the first and second rigidity members extend in the same direction from the bottom of the elongate member, are separated by a distance that is less than three times the first width, and are located about the longitudinal axis of the elongate member. The elongate member can include a first angular protrusion extending from the bottom of the elongate member and in the same direction as the first and second rigidity members, and a second angular protrusion extending from the bottom of the elongate member and in the same direction as the first and second rigidity members. The method of supporting a wall can include aligning the opening of the channel support with the hole, and inserting a securement feature through the opening in the channel support and into the hole in the wall.
In some embodiments, the method can include positioning an affixation plate over the channel support. In some embodiments, the affixation plate can include an aperture and a rigidity structure channel sized and shaped to receive the rigidity structure. In some embodiments, the method of supporting a wall can include aligning the aperture of the affixation plate with the opening of the elongate member.
In some embodiments, the method of supporting a wall can include inserting the securement feature through the aperture of the affixation plate. In some embodiments of the method of supporting a wall, the channel support can include a bearing surface. In some embodiments, the channel support can be positioned such that the bearing surface contacts the wall. In some embodiments, the channel support can include a bearing top surface. In some embodiments, the affixation plate contacts the bearing surface when the securement feature is inserted into the hole in the wall.
Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating various embodiments, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to necessarily limit the scope of the disclosure.
The present disclosure is described in conjunction with the appended figures:
In the appended figures, similar components and/or features may have the same reference label. Where the reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a dash and a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label.
The ensuing description provides preferred exemplary embodiment(s) only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the disclosure. Rather, the ensuing description of the preferred exemplary embodiment(s) will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing a preferred exemplary embodiment. It is understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope as set forth in the appended claims.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to devices, systems, and methods for securing overhead and/or lateral walls. These walls can be made of any material including, for example, rock strata, dirt, sand, concrete, or the like. The walls can be located above ground and/or underground and can be either naturally occurring or man-made, and can include, for example, one or several walls, including roofs, in one or several mines and/or tunnels. These walls can be secured with a channel support and/or a support system that can include a channel support.
The channel support can be sized and shaped and include features that increase the load that the channel support can carry before reaching and/or exceeding one or several specified deflection levels. In one embodiment, the channel support is an elongate member that includes first and second angular protrusions that extend along the length of the elongate member and an M-portion, also referred to herein as a rigidity structure, that likewise extends along the length of the elongate member. The M-portion can be formed from first and second rigidity members that can be positioned in proximity to each other. When a cross-section of the channel support is viewed, the first and second rigidity members together create an “M” or “W” shape. The size, shape, and spacing of the first and second rigidity members can determine and/or affect the load that can be carried by the channel support.
The support system can include the channel support and an affixation plate. The affixation plate can include a rigidity structure channel that can receive the rigidity structure when the affixation plate is positioned on the channel support. The affixation plate can be positioned on the channel support such that the affixation plate contacts the channel support and the channel support is between the affixation plate and the wall. The affixation plate can be secured with respect to the support channel and the wall via one or several securement features that can extend through apertures in one or both of the affixation plate and the channel support.
Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of using a channel support and/or support system to secure the walls. These methods can include drilling one or several holes into one or several walls and positioning one or several channel supports on the one or several walls. The methods can further include positioning one or several affixation plates such that the one or several affixation plates contact the channel support and the one or several affixation plates are separated from the one or walls by the one or several channel supports, and affixing the one or several affixation plates to the one or several walls via one or several securement features.
With reference now to
As seen in
As seen in
In some embodiments, the channel support 100 can include a rigidity structure 118, also referred to herein as an M-portion. The rigidity structure 118 can be sized, shaped, and located on the elongate member 102 to increase the rigidity of the elongate member 102, especially with respect to loads applied to the elongate member 102 and having a component perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 116 of the elongate member 102. In some embodiments, the rigidity structure 118 can be located at the midpoint between the first side 112 and the second side 114 and can extend along all or portions of the length of the channel support 100. The details of the rigidity structure 118 will be further discussed below.
Elongate member 102 can further include one or several openings 120. In some embodiments, the openings 120 can be sized and shaped to allow affixation of the elongate member 102 to a wall such as, for example, a mine or cave wall and/or a mine or cave roof. In the embodiment depicted in
With reference now to
As seen in
The channel support 100 includes the top bearing surface 203. As depicted in
Channel support 100 can further include a first terminus 204 located at and/or proximate to the first side 112 and a second terminus 206 located at and/or proximate the second side 114. In some embodiments, the first terminus 204 and the second terminus 206 can be the edges of the elongate member 102 extending between the top 108 and the bottom 110 and located at the first side 112 and the second side 114 respectively.
In some embodiments, the channel support 100 can include a first angular protrusion 208 extending from the bearing surface 202 and the top bearing surface 203, and specifically from the first portions of the bearing surface 202 and the top bearing surface 203. In some embodiments, the first angular protrusion can extend from the bearing surface 202 and the top bearing surface 203 in the first protrusion angle 210. The first protrusion angle 210 can be any desired angle and can be, for example, between 60 and 170 degrees, between 90 and 160 degrees, between 110 and 150 degrees, between 125 and 135 degrees, approximately 130 degrees, and/or any other or intermediate measure. In some embodiments, the first angular protrusion 208 can have an angular protrusion height comprising the shortest distance between the plane defined by the bearing surface 202 and the line of intersection between the first terminus 204 of the top 108 of the first angular protrusion 208. In some embodiments, the height of the first angular protrusion can be, for example, between 0.3 and 1.4 inches, between 0.4 and 1.3 inches, between 0.5 and 1.2 inches, between 0.6 and 1.1 inches, between 0.7 inches and 1 inch, between 0.8 and 0.9 inches, approximately 0.85 inches, or any other or intermediate value.
The channel support 100 can include a second angular protrusion 212 extending from the bearing surface 202 and the top bearing surface 203 and specifically from the second portions of the bearing surface 202 and the top bearing surface 203. In some embodiments, the second angular protrusion 212 can extend from the bearing surface 202 and the top bearing surface 203 at the same angle as the first protrusion angle 210, but in a direction as mirrored about the midline, between the first and second sides 112, 114, of the elongate member 102. In some embodiments, the second angular protrusion 212 can have an angular protrusion height comprising the shortest distance between the plane defined by the bearing surface 202 and the line of intersection between the second terminus 206 and the top 108 of the second angular protrusion 212. In some embodiments, the height of the second angular protrusion 212 can be the same as the height of the first angular protrusion 208 and can be, for example, between 0.3 and 1.4 inches, between 0.4 and 1.3 inches, between 0.5 and 1.2 inches, between 0.6 and 1.1 inches, between 0.7 inches and 1 inch, between 0.8 and 0.9 inches, approximately 0.85 inches, or any other or intermediate value.
Channel support 100 can include a rigidity structure 118 that can include a first rigidity member 214 having a first apex 216 and a first central axis 218, a second rigidity member 220 having a second apex (not identified in
In some embodiments, the rigidity structure 118 can be defined by a height and/or width. In one embodiment, the height is the minimum distance measured between the plane defined by the bearing surface 202 and the point of intersection between either of first and second central axes 218, 222. In some embodiments, the height of the rigidity structure 118 can be between 0.1 inches and 1 inch, between 0.1 and 0.9 inches, between 0.1 and 0.5 inches, between 0.2 and 0.4 inches, approximately 0.3 inches, and/or any other or intermediate value. In some embodiments, the rigidity structure 118 can be defined by a width that can be, for example, between 0.2 and 3 inches, between 0.4 and 2.8 inches, between 0.6 and 2.6 inches, between 0.8 and 2.4 inches, between 1 inch 2.2 inches between 1.2 and 2 inches, between 1.4 and 1.8 inches, approximately 1.6 inches, and/or any other value. In some embodiments, the width of the rigidity structure 108 can be a percent of the distance between the first and second sides 112, 114 of the channel support 100 which percent can be, for example, between 10 and 90 percent, between 20 and 80 percent, between 20 and 30 percent, approximately 28 percent, and/or any other or intermediate percent.
Both the first and second rigidity members 214, 220 can include an apex, which apex is the point and/or portion of each of the first and second rigidity members 214, 220 that has the greatest vertical displacement from the plane defined by the bearing surface 202 of the elongate member. As further seen in
As seen in
In some embodiments, and as seen with respect to the second rigidity member 220, the first and second rigidity members 214, 220 can each be made of first and second halves. Specifically, as seen in
In some embodiments, and as seen in
In some embodiments, the first half 221-A of the second rigidity member 220 can extend from the plane defined by the bearing surface 202 at an angle having the same value as the first rigidity angle 228 but in the mirrored direction about the second central axis 222. Similarly, in some embodiments, the extension of the first half 221-A of the second rigidity member 220 can be defined by the angle between the first half 221-A of the second rigidity member 220 and the first rigidity member 214, which angle is referred to herein as the interior rigidity angle 230. In some embodiments, the interior rigidity angle 230 can be, for example, between 30 and 130 degrees, between 40 and 120 degrees, between 50 and 110 degrees, between 60 and 100 degrees, between 70 and 90 degrees, approximately 80 degrees, and/or any other or intermediate value.
With reference now to
The affixation plate can include a pair of contact arms 302 that can each include a contact surface 304. The contact surface 304 can be configured to interact with the top bearing surface 203 of the elongate member 102 so as to apply a force to the elongate member 102 to thereby secure the elongate member 102 with respect to the wall. In some embodiments, the contact surface 304 of each of the contact arms 302 can be sized and shaped so as to maximize contact area between the contact surface 304 and the top bearing surface 203. In some embodiments, the contact surface 304 is sized to extend approximately from the intersection of each of the first and second angular protrusions 208, 212 and the top bearing surface 203 to the closest intersection of the closest of the first and second rigidity members 214, 220 and the top bearing surface 203.
The affixation plate 300 can further include a rigidity structure channel 306. In some embodiments, the rigidity structure channel 306 can be sized and shaped to receive the rigidity structure 118. In some embodiments, the rigidity structure channel 306 can be sized and shaped to receive the rigidity structure 118 and to allow the contact surface of each of the contact arms 302 to contact the top bearing surface 203 when the rigidity structure 118 is received within the rigidity structure channel 306.
In some embodiments, the affixation plate 300 can include an aperture 308. The aperture 308 can be sized and shaped to receive the securement feature to thereby allow the affixation plate 300 and the channel support 100 to be secured and affixed with respect to the wall. In some embodiments, the aperture 308 can be threaded, and in some embodiments, the aperture 308 can be unthreaded.
With reference now to
In some embodiments, the support system 400 can be used to support a wall 401. In one such embodiment, a hole, and in one embodiment, a pair of holes, can be made in the wall 401. The channel support 100 can be positioned with respect to the wall 401 and the holes such that the bearing surface 202 of the channel support contacts the wall 401 and the openings 120 of the channel support 100 are aligned with the holes in the wall 401. In some embodiments, the securement feature 402 can be inserted through the aperture 308 in the affixation plate 300 and inserted through the opening 120 in the elongate member 102 of the channel support 100. The securement feature 402 can then be inserted into the hole in the wall 401, and can be secured within the hole in the wall 401 via, for example, one or several mechanical and/or chemical affixation features including, for example, an adhesive, a resin, threads, or the like. In some embodiments, the securement feature 402 can be secured within the hole in the wall 401 such that a desired compressive force is applied by the securement feature 402 to the affixation plate 300, by the affixation plate 300 to the channel support 100, and by the channel support 100 to the wall 401. In some embodiments, this force can secure and affix the channel support 100 with respect to the wall 401. In some embodiments, additional securement features 402 can be affixed to the wall 401, to the channel support 100, and to the affixation plate 300 until a desired level of affixation of the channel support 100 with respect to the wall 401 is achieved.
With reference now to
The above description of embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form described, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teaching above. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Thus, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.
