Abstract: An extraction and retrieval apparatus for highwall mining equipment which includes a mining head engaged with and proceeded by a series of push beams The apparatus includes a retriever platform having wing braces for bracing the retriever platform against a mine highwall and a hydraulic assembly is mounted on the retriever platform and includes at least a spaced pair of stop blocks securable to the retriever platform at multiple different positions therealong. The hydraulic assembly further includes a pull beam slidable along the retriever platform and having a connection for connecting the pull beam to an outer most exposed push beam of the mining equipment. A spaced pair of hydraulic cylinders are disposed between the pair of stop blocks and the pull beam for pulling a connected mining push beam together with attached mining equipment from the mine shaft.

Abstract: A retainment wall for underground horizontally extending mine shafts wherein a spaced vertical series of horizontal support ribs are secured to one or more upright supports that are secured in the mine shaft between the side walls thereof. Porous material covers and is secured to the forward retaining face of the wall structure. If the retainment wall structure is to be used as a fill retainment barrier the porous material is spray coated with a settable sealant which covers the forward face of the wall structure and the perimeter thereof to seal off the mine shaft.

Abstract: A pumpable mine ventilation stopping wall structure comprised of a pumpable bag having spaced walls of generally parallel nonporous and flexible sheets with the sheets retained in spaced relationship with spaced flexible cross ties. The perimeter of the spaced walls are closed off with a permeable mesh having a mesh size which will permit restricted flow of cementitious grout therethrough for sealing the wall structure to surrounding rough mine faces. The bag is provided with at least one grout fill port for filling the bag by pumping cementitious grout into the bag.

Abstract: An inflatable ventilation curtain includes a curtain portion and an inflatable portion provided around a perimeter of the curtain portion. The inflatable portion includes an inner layer and an outer layer attached together, wherein the inner layer is provided immediately adjacent to the perimeter of the curtain portion and wherein the outer layer is provided around at least a part of an outer perimeter of the inner layer, thereby providing two distinct inflatable areas.

Abstract: A pumpable mine ventilation stopping wall structure comprised of a pumpable bag having spaced walls of generally parallel nonporous and flexible sheets with the sheets retained in spaced relationship with spaced flexible cross ties. The perimeter of the spaced walls are closed off with a permeable mesh having a mesh size which will permit restricted flow of cementitious grout therethrough for sealing the wall structure to surrounding rough mine faces. The bag is provided with at least one grout fill port for filling the bag by pumping cementitious grout into the bag.

Abstract: An inflatable ventilation curtain includes a curtain portion and an inflatable portion provided around a perimeter of the curtain portion. The inflatable portion includes an inner layer and an outer layer attached together, wherein the inner layer is provided immediately adjacent to the perimeter of the curtain portion and wherein the outer layer is provided around at least a part of an outer perimeter of the inner layer, thereby providing two distinct inflatable areas.

Abstract: A method for testing compressive strength of multiple molds filled with a liquid settable grout wherein samples of the liquid settable grout are taken at selected filling intervals and poured into a container, and the container is sealed and the time, date and location information regarding the mold then being filled is recorded on the container. The sample container is then left in the same environment as the mold being sampled. A curve is generated which projects a final compressive strength based on compressive strengths at various cure times. The sample is removed from its container after a selected cure time and subjected to a series of Schmidt hammer tests, and these compressive strength readings are used to determine the projected final compressive strengths of the sample based on the cure time from the established curve.

Abstract: A mine rib support for bracing a vertical mine rib disposed between a mine floor and a mine roof. The support includes an elongated upright and continuous telescopically expandable support having a preset curvature. The member is longitudinally expanded for engaging the mine floor and the mine roof under compression with the curvature facing towards the mine rib. A support plate is laterally extended from the support member into compression engagement with the mine rib, thereby prestressing the support for support of the mine rib.

Abstract: A pumpable inflatable crib bag assembly for supporting a mine roof which includes a generally cylindrical bag having top and bottom ends for retaining and confining a liquid settable grout to be pumped into the bag. The bag further includes an inner generally cylindrical mesh reinforcement disposed within and generally coextending with the bag. This generally cylindrical mesh reinforcement is spaced from an inner wall of the bag and is permeable to the liquid settable grout whereby the liquid settable grout may be pumped through a fill port into the bag to thereby fill the bag and encapsulate the mesh reinforcement. The liquid settable grout is pumped through a fill port which is adjacent the top end of the bag.

Abstract: A support for an air ventilation control curtain includes a foldable support rod comprising a plurality of rigid hollow rod sections that are movable with respect to each other, a coupling for joining an axial end of one of the rod sections to an axial end of another one of the rod sections, an attachment device slidably mounted on the support rod so as to be movable along a length of the support rod, the attachment device adapted for engaging with a roof plate of a mine roof, and a curtain hanger disposed on the support rod for hanging an air ventilation control curtain from the support rod.

Abstract: An inflatable ventilation curtain includes a curtain portion and an inflatable portion provided around a perimeter of the curtain portion. The inflatable portion includes an inner layer and an outer layer attached together, wherein the inner layer is provided immediately adjacent to the perimeter of the curtain portion and wherein the outer layer is provided around at least a part of an outer perimeter of the inner layer, thereby providing two distinct inflatable areas.