Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A. TITLE
STACKABLE MINE ROCK SHIELDS
B. RELATED APPLICATION AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application
No. 61/148,591 filed January 30, 2009.
C.-E. NOT APPLICABLE
F. BACKGROUND
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to underground mine supports,
and
more particularly, to stackable mine rock shields.
[0003] Conventional mining operations typically utilize assemblies comprising
bolts,
bearing plates, and rock shields to maintain and reinforce the structural
integrity of
underground mines. The bolts generally extend through openings in the center
of and are
secured against the bearing plates and rock shields to provide support to mine
surfaces.
During drilling, blasting or digging, as additional rock surfaces are exposed,
additional rock
shields are used to reinforce exposed surfaces. The bolt, bearing plate, and
rock shield
assemblies may also act as points of attachment for support cables or other
mining
paraphernalia.
G. SUMMARY
[0004] Before the present methods are described, it is to be understood that
this
invention is not limited to the particular systems, methodologies or protocols
described, as
these may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein
is for the purpose
of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the
scope of the
present disclosure which will be limited only by the appended claims.
[0005] It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the
singular
forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural reference unless the context clearly
dictates
otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to a "coil" is a reference to one or
more coils and
equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth. Unless
defined otherwise,
all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as
commonly
understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. As used herein, the term
"comprising" means
"including, but not limited to."
[0006] Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a mine rock shield
including a body having a first surface and a second surface, an aperture
positioned at about
the center of the body for receiving a fastening mechanism, and a continuous
protuberance
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extending outwardly from the first surface of the periphery of the body and
defining a recess.
The continuous protuberance intersects the first surface of the body to form
an angle of
intersection. The mine rock shield further includes an edge portion at the
perimeter of the
body.
10007) in certain embodiments, the body- of the mine rock shield is generally
planar.
In other embodiments, the body is round In yet other embodiments, the body is
rectangular,
10008" In various embodiments of the invention, the diameter of the recess
defined
by the continuous protuberance of the mine rock shield increases, decreases or
remains
constant as the continuous protuberance extends outwardly from the first
surface of the
to periphery of the body, Aspects of the present invention include various
shapes of the cross-
sectional profile of the continuous protuberance including, for example, post,
-half-post, hook,
bulb, T-shape, arrow, half-arro-w, rectangle, square, round, triangle or a
combination thereof.
In some embodiments, the continuous protuberance may intersect the body to
form an obtuse
angle of intersection. In other embodiments, a right angle of intersection is
funned. In yet
other embodiments of the invention, art acute angle of intersection is formed.
[0009.] According to some embodiments of the invention, the edge portion is
unfinished while in other embodiments, the edge portion is rounded, rolled,
folded or looped.
In other embodiments, the edge portion is turned upward.. In further
embodiments, the edge
portion is stibstantially perpendicular to the plane of the body. In still
other embodiments, the
edge is immediately adjacent to the continuous protuberance.
WM] tn further embodiments of the present invention, the mine rock
Shield
includes an additional aperture. in yet other embodiments, the mine rock
shield includes a
second continuous protuberance disposed between the aperture and the first
continuous
protuberance extending outwardly front the first surface of the body and
defining a recess at
the .periphery of the body,
[0011.] The mine rock shield may further include a rigid notch. The rigid
notchõ in
some .aspects of the invention, -may be positioned at the angle of
intersection between the
continuous protuberance and the first surface of the body. In certain
embodiments, the rigid
notch is round. In other embodiments, the rig-id notch is square,
100121 -Further embodiments of the present invention are directed to a mine
rock
shield including a round commercial grade steel body having a first surface
and a second
surface, an aperture positioned at about the center of the round body for
receiving a fastening
mechanism, and a rib extending around the periphery of the body and defining a
recess. The
rib intersects the .first surface of the round body to form an angle of
intersection with .the first
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surface. The mine rock shield further includes a square rigid notch at the
periphery of the
body and a rounded edge portion immediately adjacent to the rib. The edge
portion is
substantially perpendicular .to .the plane of the body.
100.1.3) In another embodiment of the present invention, a mine support system
is
provided that includes a bearing Plate, mine rock shield, and a fastening
mechanism. The
bearing plate includes a first surface, a second surface, and an aperture. The
mine rock shield
is coupled to the bearing plate and includes a round commercial grade steel
body having a
first surface and a second surfaceõ an aperture positioned at about the center
of the body for
receiving a. fastening mechanism, and a single continuous protuberance
extending outwardly
1.0 from the first surface of the periphery of the 'body and defining a
recess. The continuous
protuberance intersects the first surface of the body to form an angle of
intersection with the
first surface. Also included in the mine rock shield is a stacking notch and
an edge portion
immediately adjacent to the continuous protuberance. The mine support system
further
includes a fastening mechanism, which couples the mine rock shield to the
bearing plate, as
well as a roof bolt configured to .mount the bearing plate to a mine wall,
roof, or other
surface.
100141 The above summary of the present invention is not, intended to describe
each
illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the present invention.
ft BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
100151 The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of the
following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention in
connection with
the accompanying drawings, in which;
100161 FIG. IA illustrates a top view of a mine rock shield of the prior art;
100171 'FIG. LB illustrates a sectional view taken along .1-.1 of the mine
rock shield
shown in FIG. IA;
100181 FIG. 1C illustrates an enlarged partial sectional view of the perimeter
of the
mine rock shield of FIG. 1.A;
100111 FIG: 2A illustrates a top view of an exemplary mine rock shield
according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
100.201 -FIG. 213 illustrates a sectional view taken along 2-2 of the
exemplary mine
rock shield shown in FIG. 2A;
100211 FIG. 2C illustrates an enlarned partial sectional view of the perimeter
of the
exemplary mine rock shield of FIG. 2A:
100221 FIG. 3A illustrates a top view of a mine rock shield of the prior art;
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100231 FIG. 38 illustrates a sectional view taken along 3-3 of the mine rock
shield.
shown in FIG. 3.k.
100241 FIG. 3C illustrates an enlarged partial sectional view of the perimeter
of the
mine rock shield of FIG. 3A;
100251 FIG. 4A illustrates a top view of an exemplary mine rock shield
according to
an additional embodiment of the present invention;
100261 FIG. 48 illustrates a sectional view taken atom/ 4-4 of the exemplary
mine
rock shield shown in FIG. 4A;
100271 FIG. 4C illustrates an enlarged. _partial sectional view of the
perimeter of the
exemplary mine rock shield of .FIG. 4A;
100281 FIG. 5A illustrates a top view of an exemplaty mine rock shield
according to
an additional erribodiment of the present invention;
100291 FIG. 5B illustrates a. sectional view taken along 5-5 of the exemplary
mine
rock shield shown in FIG, 5A
100301 FIG. 5C .illustrates an enlarged .partial sectional view of the
perimeter of the
exemplary mine rock shield. of FIG. 5A;
100311 HG. 6A illustrates a top view of an exemplary mine rock shield
according to
an additional embodiment of the present invention;
100321 FIG. 68 illustrates a sectional view taken along 6-6 of the exemplary
.mine
rock shield shown in FIG. 6A;
100331 .FIG. 6C illustrates an enlarged partial sectional view of the
perimeter of the
exemplary mine rock .shield of FIG. 6A;
100341 FIG. 7A illustrates a top view of an exemplaty mine rock shield
according to
an additional embodiment of the present invention;
100351 FIG. 7B illustrates a section.al view taken along 7-7 of the exemplary
mine
rock shield shown in FIG. 7A; and
[0036] FIG. 7C illustrates an enlarged partial sectional view of the perimeter
of the
exemplary mine rock shield of FIG. 7A,
100371 While the invention is amenable to various modifications and
alternative
forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and
will be
described. in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is
not to limit the
invention to particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention
is to cover all
modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the .spirit and
scope of the invention
as defined by the appended claims.
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I. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
100381 FIGS. 1A, 18, and IC illustrate a mine rock shield :100 of the prior
art As
illustrated, the mine rock shield 100 includes a round body portion110
positioned in a plane
Itaving a first major surthce 120 and an opposite second major surface 130.
The mine rock
shield 100 further includes a hole 140 in a center portion of the round body
portion110 that
extends through, the first major surface 120 and the second major surface 130.
As
additionally shown in FIGS. IA, 1B, and 1C. a plurality alstacking, lugs 150
are present on
the mine rock shield 100 that elevate the perimeter 160 of the round body
portion .1.10.
100391 An exemplary mine sax_ 7111) rock l
.. according to one embodiment of the
present invention is shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C. In this embodiment of the
invention,
the mine rock shield 200 may include a body 210 having a first surface 220 and
a second
surface 230. As shown in FIG. 2A, body 210 may be round. However, M other
embodiments, the mine rock shield may be other various geometric shapes such
as
rectangular or triangular. The mine rock shield 200 may preferably be
comprised of
commercial grade steel, but may include other metals, woods, polymers or
composite
materials. The mine rock shield 200 may be constructed from a single sheet of
commercial
iHatle steel, for example, stamped into an appropriate shape by a pneumatic
press.
Alternatively, depending on the material used to construct the mine rock
shield 200, the mine
rock shield may be constructed via an injection molding process, a f0t0-
11101ding process, or
other similar construction method.
100401 An aperture 240 may be positioned at about the center of the body 210,
The
aperture 240 mat is adapted to receive a fastening mechanism, such as, for
example, a bolt,
when the mine rock shield 200 is coupled to a bearing plate.
100411 As further illustrated in FIGS. 2Aõ 211, and 2C, a curvilinear rib or
continuous protuberance 250 may circumscribe the aperture 240. The continuous
protuberance 250 may extend outwardly from the first surface 220 of the
periphery of the
body 210 thereby defining a recess 260. The continuous protuberance 250 may
intersect the
first surface 220 of the body 210 to form an angle of intersection with the
.first surflice 220.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention depicted in FIGS. 28 and 2C, the
continuous
protuberance 250 may intersect the body 210 to form a right angle of
intersection with the
first surface 220 of the body 210. However, in other embodiments of the
present invention,
such as, for example, the mine rock shield 500 pictured in FIGS. 5A., 58, and
C. the
continuous protuberance 550 may intersect the Mille, rock shield body to form
an obtuse angle
of intersection
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100421 The shape of the cross-section of the continuous protuberance 250 as
shown
in FIGS. 2B and 2C may be, for example, a post. In other embodiments, the
shape of the
continuous protuberance cross-section profile may be a half-post, hook, bulb,
T-shape., arrow,
half-arrow, rectangle, square, round, triangular or a combination thereof. The
diameter of the
recess 260 shown in FIGS. 28 and 2C may remain constant as the continuous
protuberance
250 extends outwardly from the first surface 220 of the periphery of the body
2:10. In other
embodiments, the diameter of the recess as defined by the continuous
protuberance may
increase or decrease as the continuous 'protuberance extends outwardly from
the first surface
of the periphery of the body.
100431 The mine rock shield 200 illustrated in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and. 2C may
include
an edge 'portion 270 at the perimeter of the body 210. As shown in FIGS. 28
and 2C, the
edge portion 270 may be immediately adjacent to the continuous protuberance
250. In other
embodiments, an area of the body 210 may be present between the continuous
protuberance
250 and the edge portion 270, The edge portion 270 as illustrated. in 'FIGS.
28 and 2C may
be rounded.. The rounded edge portion 270 may provide a smooth perimeter edge
to the mine
rock. shield .200, thereby eliminating various hazards associated with sharp
corners of
conventional mine shields and bearing plates such as, for example, physical
injury caused by
inadvertent contact with a sharp corner. As such, rounded edge portion 270 may
be termed a
"safety edge." In other embodiments of the invention, the edge portion is
'unfinished and
may, as such, be sharp. In some embodiments, the edge portion may be turned
upward or
downward. The edge portion 270 as shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C may also be
substantially
'perpendicular to the plane of the body 210 and may terminate outside of the
plane of the body
21Ø it should be noted 'that the edge portion 270 is rolled for exemplary
purposes only. In
additional embodiments', the edge portion may be rolled, folded., looped, or
otherwise
modified as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,2.84,933, which is incorporated
herein by reference
in its entirety.
[0044] The mine rock shield 200 illustrated in. FIGS. 2A, 28, and 2C may
further
include a plurality of rigid notches 280 positioned at the angle of
intersection between the
continuous protuberance 250 and the first surface of the body 210. Depending
on the
application of the mine rock shield 200, the rigid notches 280 may be round,
square,
triangular, or nay other geometric, shape The rigid notches 280, the shape of
the continuous
protuberance 250, as well as the rounded edge portion 270 may permit mine rock
shields 200
of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2A, 28, and 2C to :be reversibly stackable
on top .of One
another such that the mine rock shields 200 are easily separable, particularly
after
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transportation to the installation site, thereby permitting quick installation
of the mine rock
shields
100451 A mine rock Shield 300 of the prior art is shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, and
3C.
As illustrated, the mine rock shield 300 includes a round body portion 310
having a first
major surface 320 and an opposite second major surface 330. The mine rock
shield 300
further includes a hole 340 in a center portion of the round body portion 310
that extends
through the first 320 and second major surfaces 330. As shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B,
and 3C, a
rib .member area 350 circumscribing the hole 340 is disposed between the hole
340 and the
perimeter 360 of the round body portion 310. The configuration shown in FIGS.
3A, 3B, and
3C is insufficient to provide ease in separation after stacking, especially
after, for example,
transportation to the installation site. 'During transportation of
conventional mine rock
shields, such mine rock shields often become compressed and become nestled
together.
'Unstacking the mine rock shields is labor intensive and installation of
multiple stacked
shields can be costly,
100461 An exemplary Mille rock shield 400 according to another embodiment of
the
present.. invention is shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and. 4C. As illustrated, the
mine rock shield 400
may include a round body 410 having a. first surface 420 and a second surface
430. An
aperture 440 adapted to receive a fastening mechanism, such as a bolt, may be
positioned at
about .the center of the body 410. As further illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and
4C, a
continuous protuberance 450 may circumscribe the aperture 440 and extend
outwardly from
the first surface 420 of the periphery of the body 410 thereby defining a
recess 460. The
continuous protuberance 450 may intersect the first surface 420 of the body
410 to form a
right angle of intersection with .the first surface 420. The shape of the
cros.s-section of the
continuous protuberance 450 as shown in FIGS. 413 and 4C may be a post. The
diameter of
the recess 460 shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C may remain constant as the continuous
protuberance 450 extends outwardly from the first surface 420 of the
.periphery of the body
410..
100471 The mine rock shield 400 of FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C may include an edge
portion 470 at the .perimeter of the body. 410. As shown in FIGS. 413 and 4C,
the edge
portion 470 may be immediately adjacent to the continuous protuberance 450.
The edge
portion 470 shown in FIGS. 413 and 4C may be turned upward and is
substantially
perpendicular to the plane of the body 410, thereby eliminating hazards
associated with sharp
corners of conventional mine shields and bearing plates.
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10048" As illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C, the mine rock shield 400 may
include a. plurality of rigid notches 480 positioned at the angle of
intersection between the
continuous protuberance 450 and the first surface of the body 410. The rigid
notches 480
allow mine rock shields 400 to be reversibly stackable on top of one another
such that the
mine rock shields 400 are easily separable after being stacked.
100491 An exemplary mine rock shield 500 according to another embodiment of
the
present invention is shown in FIGS. 5A, 511, and 5C. As illustrated, the mine
rock shield 500
may include a round body 510 having a first surface 520 and a second surface
530 and an
aperture 540 positioned at about the center of the body 510. A continuous
protuberance 550
,ay circumscribe the aperture 540 and may extend. outwardly from the first
surface 520 of the
periphery of the body 510, thereby defining a recess 560. The continuous
protuberance 550
may intersect the first surface 520 of the body 510 to form an obtuse angle of
intersection
with the first surface 520. The shape of the cross-sectional profile of the
continuous
protuberance 550 as shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C may ben bulb. As such, the
diameter of the
recess 560 defined by the continuous protuberance 550 may increase as the
continuous
protuberance 550 extends outwardly from the -first surface 520 of the
periphery of the body
510. The mine rock shield 500 of FIGS. 51, 5B, and 5C may further include an
edge portion
570 at the perimeter of the body 510. As shown in FIGS. 58 and 5C, the edge
portion 570
may be immediately adjacent .to the continuous protuberance 550. The edge
portion 570
shown in FIGS. 58 and 5C may be folded, thereby eliminating hazards associated
with sharp
corners of conventional mine Shields and bearing plates. The bulbous shape of
the
continuous protuberance 550 and folded edge portion 570 may allow mine -rock
shields 500
.to be reversibly stackable on top of one another such that the mine rock
shields 500 are easily
separable.
100501 An exemplary mine rack shield 600 according to another embodiment of
the
present invention is shown in FIGS. 61, 6B, and SC. The mine rock shield 600
shown in
FIGS. 6A, 68, and 6C may include a round body 610 having a first surface 620
and a second.
surface 630 and an aperture 640 positioned at about the center of the 'body
610. A continuous
protuberance 650 may circumscribe the aperture 640 and may extend outwardly
from the first
surface 620 of the periphery of the body 610, thereby defining a recess 660.
The continuous
protuberance 650 may intersect the first surface 620 of the body 610 to form a
right angle of
intersection with the first surface 620. The shape of the cross-sectional
profile of the
continuous protuberance 650 as shown in FIGS. 68 and SC .may be a post. 'The
diameter of
the recess 660 shown in FIGS. 68 and 6C may remain constant as the continuous
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protuberance 650 extends outwardly from the -first surface 620 of the
periphery of the body
610. The mine rock shield 600 of FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C may further include an
edge portion
670 at the perimeter of .the body 610. As shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C, the edge
portion 670
may be immediately adiacent to the continuous protuberance 650. The edge
portion 670 may
be folded, thereby eliminating hazards associated with sharp corners of
conventional .mine
shields and bearing plates.
100511 As illustrated in FIGS. 6A, 6Bõ and 6C, the mine rock shield 600 may
include a plurality of rigid notches 680 positioned at the angle of
intersection between the
continuous protuberance 650 and the first surface of the body 610. The rigid
notches 680 as
well as the folded edge portion 670 may allow mine rock Shields 600 to be
reversibly
staCkable on top of one another such that the mine rock shields 600 are easily
separable,
100521 A mine rock shield 700 according to another embodiment: of the present
invention is shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C. As illustrated, the mine rock
shield 700 may
include a round body 710 having a first surface 720 and a second surface 730,
An aperture
740 adapted to receive a fastening mechanism, such as a bolt, may be
positioned at about the
center of the body 71Ø According to further embodiments of the present
invention, the mine
rock shield may include an additional aperture. In some embodiments, the
additional
apertures may be disposed at the periphery of the body and may be used -for
hanging cables,
support cables, wires, hooks or other mining paraphernalia.. Similarly,
additional hooks or
attachment points may be included On a mine rock shield for performing similar
functions,
such as hanging cables, supporting pipes for fresh or waste water, or other
related mining
equipment. The additional hooks or attachment points may be welded or
similarly attached
.to .the mine rock. shield. The additional hooks or attachment points may also
he integrated
into the mine rock shield when the Mine rock shield is produced, e.g., either
pressed or
molded to the mine rock shield depending on the production process and
material used for the
mine rock shield.
[0053] As further illustrated in FIGS. 7A, 713, and 7C, a continuous
protuberance
750 may circumscribe the aperture 740 and may extend outwardly from the first
surface 720
of the periphery of the body 710, thereby defining a recess 760. The
continuous protuberance
750 may intersect the first surface 720 of the body 710 to form a right angle
of intersection
with the first surface 720. In other embodiments of the invention, the mine
rock shield may
include a second continuous protuberance disposed between the aperture and the
-first
continuous protuberance that extends outwardly from the first surface or
second surface of
the body and defines a recess at the periphery of the body.
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100541 The mine rock shield 700 of FIGS. 7Aõ 7B, and 7C nray include an edge.
portion 770 at the perimeter of the body 710. As shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C, the
edge
portion 770 may be immediately adjacent to the continuous protuberance 750.
The edge
portion 770 shown in FIGS. 78 and 7C may be rolled under, thereby eliminating
hazards
associated with sharp corners of conventional mine shields and bearing plates.
As illustrated
in FIGS. 7A, 713, and 7C, the mine rock shield 700 may further include a
plurality of rigid
notches 780 positioned at the angle of intersection between the continuous
protuberance 750
and .the first surface of the body 710. The rigid notches 780 as well as the
rolled under edge
portion 770 may allow mine rock shields 700 to be reversibly stackable an top
of one another.
such that the mine rock shields 700 are easily separable.
100551 In another embodiment of the present invention, the mine rock shields
described above (i.e., mine rock shields 200, 400, 500, 600 and 700) may be
incorporated
into a mine support system. The mine support system may include at least one
bearing plate,
a roof bolt configured to attach a bearing plate to a wall, roof, or other
surface of a mine, at
least one mine rock shield, and a fastening mechanism. The bearing plate may
include a first
surface, a second surface, and an aperture. The mine rock shield, such as, for
example, the
mine rock shield 600 shown in 'FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C, may include a body 610
comprising a
first surface 620 and a. second surface 630, an aperture 640 positioned at
about the center of
the body far receiving a. fastening mechanism, and a continuous protuberance
650 extending
outwardly .from the first surface 620 of the periphery of the body 610 and
defining a recess
660. The continuous protuberance 650 may intersect the first surface 620 of
the body 610 to
form an angle of intersection with the first surface 620. Also included in the
mine rock shield
600 is an edge portion 670 at the perimeter of the body. The mine support:
system may
further include a fastening mechanism, which couples the mine rock shield to
the bearing
plate
100561 When installed, embodiments of the mine rock shield of the present
invention stabilize and provide support. to mine surfaces, thereby preventing
such surfaces
from crumbling and collapsing. The mine rock shield of embodiments of the
present
invention also compress cracks in mine surfaces surrounding the fastening
mechanism and
prevent air from entering the cracks and deteriorating the mine surfaces.
100571 The invention has been described with reference to preferred
embodiments.
Obvious modifications and alterations will be apparent to others upon reading
and
understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the
invention be
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construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they
fall within the.
scope of the appended claims or equivalents thereof.
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