Abstract: A versatile hanging system for use with a roof support system, which includes an attachment mechanism configured to secure within the eye hole of a roof plate. The attachment mechanism has a horizontal support and a vertical support, with an engaging structure at a first end of the vertical support. In one embodiment the horizontal support includes a multi-curved, multi-segmented design to secure within the eye hole of a roof plate; in another embodiment the horizontal support has a tapered depth. The system of the present invention may further include a hanging mechanism having an upper elbow and a vertical bar, with an aperture along an upper portion of the upper elbow. The lower portion of this aperture is sized and shaped to receive the engaging structure of the attachment mechanism, and the upper portion of the aperture is sized and shaped to rotate about the vertical support of the attachment mechanism. In some embodiments the hanging mechanism is in the form of a j-hook, having a lower elbow.

Abstract: The present invention regards a nut assembly including a novel breakaway nut, as part of a roof bolt assembly, for use in underground mines to support mine roofs. The present invention further regards a nut assembly for use in threaded bar installation in I-beam structure configurations in the construction industry. The nut assembly includes a breakaway nut affixed to a traditional nut used in roof bolt assemblies by means of a breakaway collar. Each of the breakaway nut, the collar and the traditional nut have an internal central aperture to receive a bolt, bar or cable. The breakaway nut has threading along the interior surface of its central aperture, wherein the diameter of at least the internal most portion of the threading is slightly smaller than the diameter of the threading of the bar or cable; the threading along the central aperture of the traditional nut is sized and configured to accommodate the threading of the bolt, bar or cable.

Abstract: A bolt anchor is comprised of a camming element and sleeve. The camming element is generally cylindrical, but with a larger midsection and reduced diameters at each end. The camming element includes a threaded bore along its axis and at least one stop near one end. The sleeve has a round collar with leaves extending from the collar parallel to the axis of the collar and each other. The stop maintains the assembly of the camming element and sleeve. Prongs on the sleeve prevent the retraction or turning of the bolt anchor when a bolt is installed in a hole. Reduced material thickness associated with the leaves produces hinges which allow the leaves to be more easily deformed outwardly. Inserting a bolt and anchor assembly into the hole and turning the bolt pulls the camming element into the sleeve and creates a wedging effect in the hole.

Abstract: A bolt anchor is comprised of a body and sleeve. The body is generally wedge shaped with a threaded bore along its axis and at least one stop near its smaller end. The sleeve has a round collar with leaves extending from the collar parallel to the axis of the collar and each other. The at least one stop maintains the assembly of the body and sleeve. Prongs on the sleeve prevent the retraction or turning of the bolt anchor when a bolt is installed in a hole using the bolt anchor. Reduced material thickness associated with the leaves on the sleeve produces hinges which allow the leaves to be more easily deformed outwardly to engage the sides of a hole. Inserting a bolt and bolt anchor assembly into the hole and then turning the bolt pulls the body into the sleeve and creates a wedging effect in the hole.

Abstract: A mine roof monitoring apparatus has at least two contact members. At least one contact member maintains contact with the roof of a mine shaft. At least one contact member maintains contact with a floor of the same mine shaft. A motion monitoring apparatus monitors the relative motion between the two contact members, and a flag on the motion monitoring apparatus changes position, when a predetermined amount of motion occurs between the two contact members. This indicates that the roof of the mine shaft has subsided enough to move the respective contact member.

Abstract: A bolt anchor is comprised of a camming element and sleeve. The camming element is generally cylindrical, but with a larger midsection and reduced diameters at each end. The camming element includes a threaded bore along its axis and at least one stop near one end. The sleeve has a round collar with leaves extending from the collar parallel to the axis of the collar and each other. The stop maintains the assembly of the camming element and sleeve. Prongs on the sleeve prevent the retraction or turning of the bolt anchor when a bolt is installed in a hole. Reduced material thickness associated with the leaves produces hinges which allow the leaves to be more easily deformed outwardly. Inserting a bolt and anchor assembly into the hole and turning the bolt pulls the camming element into the sleeve and creates a wedging effect in the hole.

Abstract: A bolt anchor is comprised of a body and sleeve. The body is generally wedge shaped with a threaded bore along its axis and at least one stop near its smaller end. The sleeve has a round collar with leaves extending from the collar parallel to the axis of the collar and each other. The at least one stop maintains the assembly of the body and sleeve. Prongs on the sleeve prevent the retraction or turning of the bolt anchor when a bolt is installed in a hole using the bolt anchor. Reduced material thickness associated with the leaves on the sleeve produces hinges which allow the leaves to be more easily deformed outwardly to engage the sides of a hole. Inserting a bolt and bolt anchor assembly into the hole and then turning the bolt pulls the body into the sleeve and creates a wedging effect in the hole.

Abstract: A bolt anchor is comprised of a body and sleeve. The body is generally wedge shaped with a threaded bore along its axis and at least one stop near its smaller end. The sleeve has a round collar with leaves extending from the collar parallel to the axis of the collar and each other. The at least one stop maintains the assembly of the body and sleeve. Prongs on the sleeve prevent the retraction or turning of the bolt anchor when a bolt is installed in a hole using the bolt anchor. Reduced material thickness associated with the leaves on the sleeve produces hinges which allow the leaves to be more easily deformed outwardly to engage the sides of a hole. Inserting a bolt and bolt anchor assembly into the hole and then turning the bolt pulls the body into the sleeve and creates a wedging effect in the hole.

Abstract: A mine roof cable bolt head has a drive head, a reinforcing collar and a crimp tube. The drive head is located at one end of the cable bolt head while the crimp tube is at the other end. The reinforcing collar is located between the two ends of the cable bolt head, adjoining the drive head. A hollow shaft passes through the length of the cable bolt head from end to end. A cable can be joined to the cable bolt head by using wedges. Once the cable is joined to the cable bolt head, the crimp tube is crimped down onto the cable to provide resistance to twist and to share some of the tensile load with the wedge joint. The reinforcing collar provides additional strength in the area of the wedge joint. The cable bolt head may be made of more than one pieces.

Abstract: A bolt anchor is comprised of a body and sleeve. The body is generally wedge shaped with a threaded bore along its axis and at least one stop near its smaller end. The sleeve has a round collar with leaves extending from the collar parallel to the axis of the collar and each other. The at least one stop maintains the assembly of the body and sleeve. Prongs on the sleeve prevent the retraction or turning of the bolt anchor when a bolt is installed in a hole using the bolt anchor. Reduced material thickness associated with the leaves on the sleeve produces hinges which allow the leaves to be more easily deformed outwardly to engage the sides of a hole. Inserting a bolt and bolt anchor assembly into the hole and then turning the bolt pulls the body into the sleeve and creates a wedging effect in the hole.

Abstract: A mine roof monitoring apparatus has at least two contact members. At least one contact member maintains contact with the roof of a mine shaft. At least one contact member maintains contact with a floor of the same mine shaft. A motion monitoring apparatus monitors the relative motion between the two contact members, and a flag on the motion monitoring apparatus changes position, when a predetermined amount of motion occurs between the two contact members. This indicates that the roof of the mine shaft has subsided enough to move the respective contact member.

Abstract: An improved mine roof bolt is disclosed. The mine roof bolt comprises a bolt portion having a threaded end, a slidable camming nut, a stop, and an expansion shell having a central threaded nut with wedge fingers extending from it. The camming nut is fitted into the expansion shell which is threaded onto the threaded section of the bolt. Turning the bolt while it is in a hole causes the expansion shell to move along the bolt and carry the camming nut to the stop located on the bolt, and this causes the wedge fingers to engage with the camming nut, spreading the wedge fingers into contact with the hole sides. As the turning of the bolt continues, the relative movement of the camming nut and wedge fingers increases the wedging effect within the hole until the bolt is anchored in the hole. While turning of the bolt may serve to mix a catalytic adhesive, the adhesive is not needed to activate the mechanical anchoring mechanism of the mine roof bolt.

Abstract: An improved mine roof bolt is disclosed. The mine roof bolt comprises a bolt portion having a camming nut rigidly fixed to it and a threaded end and an expansion shell having a central threaded nut with wedge fingers extending from it. The expansion shell is threaded onto the threaded section of the bolt. Turning the bolt while it is in a hole causes the expansion shell to move along the bolt and brings the wedge fingers into contact with the camming nut, spreading the wedge fingers into contact with the hole sides. As the turning of the bolt continues, the relative movement of the camming nut and wedge fingers increases the wedging effect within the hole until the bolt is anchored in the hole. While turning of the bolt may serve to mix a catalytic adhesive, the adhesive is not needed to activate the mechanical anchoring mechanism of the mine roof bolt.

Abstract: An improved method and system for providing secondary roof support in a mine is disclosed. The system provides support and containment of rocks that may become loose from the mine roof and comprises a mine roof bolt anchored in a mine roof, a base plate, and a generally flat plate. The base plate and the flat plate each have a hole slightly larger than the standard mine roof bolt diameters to accommodate a mine roof bolt which passes through the base plate, then the flat plate, before continuing on into the mine roof, and which pulls the plates up against the mine roof. The generally flat plate extends laterally out from the bolt in all directions and provides support for the mine roof at locations laterally removed from the roof bolt. The secondary roof support member may also feature one or more stiffening ridges and may exert an upward force on the mine roof at locations laterally removed from the roof bolt.

Abstract: A method for providing secondary roof support in an underground mine such as to reduce the hazard of localized crumbling or deterioration of a mine roof. The apparatus generally comprises a slightly convex steel plate, crafted to cradle a roof bolt and which is supported by the base plate of the primary roof control system. The apparatus is utilized with standard primary roof bolt systems. By applying an upward pressure on the roof and effecting a larger coverage area for each roof bolt, the opportunity for drawrock separation to begin is reduced, and the exposure of the elements to drawrock strata in the vicinity of the bolt is eliminated. The method includes the step of utilizing the apparatus, with convex portion of the lateral plate facing upwards, before the placement of the base plate and roof bolt.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of re-tightening or retensioning a roof bolt in an underground mine serves the purpose of enabling the operator to place tension between the head of a permanent, epoxy-secured, roof bolt and the roof plate of a standard roof bolt system used to effect primary roof support in an underground mine. The method and apparatus have particular utility in mines in which drawrock or localized crumbling of shale of soft rock material is encountered as the first layer of material in the mine roof. The apparatus consists of a slotted screw member and slotted nut combination. A second embodiment of the apparatus is comprised of a slotted nut, slotted screw member, and one or more slotted spacers to be oriented between the roof bolt head and base plate. The members are turned with the appropriate tightening tool such as to apply pressure between the base plate and roof bolt head, thereby re-tensioning the roof bolt.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a method of re-tightening or re-tensioning a roof bolt in an underground mine. Specifically, the method and apparatus claimed herein serves the purpose of enabling the operator to place tension between the head of a permanent, epoxy-secured, roof bolt and the base plate of a standard roof bolt system used to effect primary roof support in an underground mine. The method and apparatus have particular utility in mines in which drawrock or localized crumbling of shale of soft rock material is encountered as the first layer of material in the mine roof. The apparatus consists of a slotted screw member and slotted nut combination. A second embodiment of the apparatus is comprised of a slotted nut, slotted screw member and one or more slotted spacers to be oriented between the roof bolt head and base plate. The members are turned with the appropriate tightening tool such as to apply pressure between the base plate and roof bolt head, thereby re-tensioning the roof bolt.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an improved method and apparatus for providing secondary roof support in an underground mine such as to reduce the hazard of localized crumbling or deterioration of a mine roof. The apparatus of this invention generally comprises a slightly convex steel plate, crafted to cradle a roof bolt and which is supported by the base plate of the primary roof control system. The invention is made to be utilized with standard primary roof bolt systems. By applying an upward pressure on the roof and effecting a larger coverage area for each roof bolt, the opportunity for drawrock separation to begin is reduced, and the exposure of the elements to drawrock strata in the vicinity of the bolt is eliminated. The method of the present invention includes the step of utilizing the apparatus of the present invention, with convex portion of the lateral plate facing upwards, before the placement of the base plate and roof bolt.