Abstract: Apparatus for use in supporting the roof of an underground mine working over a zone exposed by the passage of a mining machine along an upwardly extending face of the working and by which a flexible mat is applied to the roof which has been newly exposed, such apparatus comprising an applicator means for applying a strip of flexible roof mat drawn off from a store in a position such that it extends with its length running longitudinally of the newly exposed zone, means for releasably mounting said applicator means in an operative position of use on said mining machine and transfer means for moving said applicator means out of said position of use at such times as are required to a further position.

Abstract: A roof support for a mine gallery which extends at a relatively large angle to the horizontal comprises an upper, a middle and a lower roof support unit arranged adjacent each other and having each a pair of elongated transversely spaced skids rigidly connected by bridges to each other and engaging the sole of the inclined mine gallery. An abutment beam likewise engaging the sole is arranged inclined to the elongation of the skids adjacent to the face of the gallery to be mined and connected to the skids of the middle roof support unit by a pair of flat sole plates rigid with the beam and tiltable about horizontal axes with respect to the skids, whereas the upper and the lower roof support unit are connected to the beam by flat elongated sole engaging end members connected to the beam pivotable about vertical pivot axes. In this way ample space is provided beneath the roof of the mine gallery between the beam and the roof support units to permit mining of coal seams of small height.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a hydraulic shield-type support for supporting roofs in mines comprising a pair of base slides between which is located a channel-section guide beam supporting an hydraulic ram. At the rear end of the hydraulic ram a yoke is pivotally connected at a central part thereof to the rear end of the guide beam, the two outer portions of the yoke being pivotally connected to the rear end portions of the base slides. The front extendable end of the ram is connected to an elongate flat tongue which is longitudinally slidable in the guide beam underneath the hydraulic ram.

Abstract: This invention relates to a face sprag for mining equipment, to a mine roof beam incorporating such a sprag and to a mine roof support provided with such a beam. The face sprag comprises a sprag plate, a piston and cylinder unit pivotally attached at one end about a first pivot axis to the sprag plate and at the other end about a second pivot axis to a portion of a support member, a link means pivotally attached at one end about a third pivot axis to the piston and cylinder unit and at the other end about a fourth pivot axis to the support member at a location spaced from the second pivot axis, all the pivot axes being parallel, and activation of the piston and cylinder unit urging the sprag plate, in use, into an operative position in engagement with the mineral face.

Abstract: The mine roof supporting structure comprises hydraulic props (3) which are pressing a swivelling cap (8) against the mine roof. A link lever (5) is pivotally linked to the floor frame (1) and a shield (4) is pivotally linked to the link lever (5) and to the cap (8). The shield (4) is pulled in direction to the floor frame (1) by means of a hydraulic tension strut (14). The working chamber (24) of the tension strut (16), which working chamber includes the piston rod and is facing the pivotal point (12) of the tension strut (16) to the shield (4), can be brought in connection with the supply conduit (19) for feeding pressurized fluid to the props (3) via a spring loaded check valve (22, 23), noting that the opening pressure of the spring (22) is smaller than the final supporting pressure exerted by the props (3). The piston surface of the working chamber (24) is smaller than the piston surface (4) delimiting the working chamber of the props (3).

Abstract: A mine roof support has a roof-engaging frame structure supported by hydraulic props on a floor frame and pivotably linked to a goaf shield. The roof frame and goaf shield have L-shaped seal plates at their sides. The seal plates are subjected to a lateral-outwardly-biasing spring force by means of springs and push rods accommodated in guide bores in both the roof frame and goaf shield. To adjust the distance between the plates, there are piston and cylinder units and coupling rods likewise accommodated in guide bores in both the roof frame and goaf shield. The seal plates of the roof frame overlap with those of the goaf shield. The plates are reduced in thickness at their overlapping regions and are pivotably interconnected thereat to correspond to the pivotal connection between the roof frame and the goaf shield. To facilitate assembly in situ, detachable push-in pins are located in bores in the coupling rods and push rods and in lower transverse walls of both the roof frame and goaf-shield.

Abstract: The invention relates to mine working apparatus including a sprag plate 21. The sprag plate 21 is included in a sprag unit 20 that can be reciprocated in the fore-and-aft direction of the canopy and the sprag unit 20 includes a sprag slide 22 and a link system 43 and 61 that can be reciprocated in the fore-and-aft sense relatively to each other. There is a range of lost motion between the slide 22 and the link system and the means 48 for moving the sprag unit between the position in which the sprag plate 21 is operative and the position in which the sprag plate 21 is inoperative also moves the sprag slide and the link system relatively to each other through their range of lost motion and this relative movement swings the sprag plate 21 between a generally upright, operative, position and a generally horizontal, retracted, position.

Abstract: A mine roof support comprises a plurality of hydraulically extensible chock legs 5,6, articulated at upper ends thereof to one or more roof beams 3 and at lower ends thereof to one or more base members 1, a shield 9 pivotally connected to a rearward part of the base member 1 and also pivotally connected to a rearward part of the roof beam 3, with permanently pressurized rams 12 both located between a pair of laterally spaced chock legs 6 and one located to each side of the center line 19 of the support, the rams being mutually inclined with respect to the center line 19 and reacting via the shield 9 on the roof beam 3, and a pair of tie bars 11 located one at or towards each side of the support and both connected between the roof beam 3 and the shield 9.

Abstract: A mine roof support has a base and a roof shield pivoted to the base and carrying at its upper end a pivoted cap which is urged upwardly against the mine roof by a hydraulic pit prop reacting between the cap and the base. The lower end of the roof shield is connected to the base by two links each having a pivot cooperating with a pivot on the roof shield, and a pivot cooperating with a pivot on the base. In addition, the base and/or the lower end of the roof shield has an auxiliary for each link and each link has an auxiliary pivot which can be connected with one of the auxiliary pivots of the base or lower end.

Abstract: A roof support unit for use in a mineral mining working has a roof shield supported on a floor sill by means of at least two hydraulic props. A goaf shield is pivotally linked to both the roof shield and the floor sill. At least one of the hydraulic props is inclined towards the face-side of the unit and engages the roof shield. At least one of the hydraulic props is inclined towards the goaf-side of the unit and engages the roof shield.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mine roof support assembly for use in winning mineral material from a mineral mining working having a mineral face. The assembly comprises three roof support units positioned side-by-side along the face, and a goaf shield common to the three units. Each of the roof support units has a roof shield supported on a floor sill. The goaf shield is adjustable in height so as to extend from the floor to the roof of the working. Advance means are provided for advancing the roof support units towards the face, and further advance means are provided for advancing the goaf shield to follow up the advance of the roof support units. The further advance means acts between the goaf shield and the roof support units, and is such as to advance the goaf shield by a distance greater than the distance through which the advance means advances the roof support units.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide an improved shield-carrying roof support unit which has a linkage for adjusting the elevation of the cap while the pivotal connection between the cap and the shield is constrained to move substantially at right angles to the base frame. The provision of auxiliary links having pivotal connections at properly selected points results in a linkage which has a precisely defined configuration and avoids an overloading of the pivotal connections such as could occur in known shield-carrying roof support units of the same kind.

Abstract: A roof support unit for a walking frame roof support assembly is provided with a two part goaf shield. One the goaf shield parts is connected, by means of a link, to the roof cap of the unit; the other goaf shield part being connected, by means of a link, to the floor sill of the unit; and the two parts being hinged to one another. At least one of the links is such as to permit the roof cap to be retracted by an amount sufficient to permit the advance of the unit while preventing the hinged connection between the two goaf shield parts moving towards the goaf side of the mine working.

Abstract: The generation of dust in a longwall mining operation is suppressed by covering the hanging wall of the mine with a plastic sheeting, the sheeting being pinned against the hanging wall by the support units used in the mine and being held in association the support units in the form of a flat package formed by folding the sheeting in a zigzag fashion along its entire length.

Abstract: A sheltering apparatus for use in the long wall face of mine wherein a plurality of plates are arranged in overlapping manner between a self-advancing support and an adjacent plate, and hung from wires whose ends are fixed to the supports through springs, and an air curtain is fixed at the front open portion of the support, whereby floating dust and falling dusty materials can be repelled from entering the inner space of the supports.

Abstract: A canopy and shield structure for supporting a shield adjacent a working face in a seam-like mine deposit, comprises a floor skid which is connected through an extensible and contractable prop at the working face end to the working face end of a canopy adapted to be positioned in parallel relation to the roof strata. The working space is covered at the waste removal end by a shield which includes a lower two-arm lever portion which is pivotally mounted on the skid and an upper portion which is pivotally connected to the longer arm of the two-arm lever adjacent the upper end thereof and is also pivotally connected to the canopy. The two-arm lever is driven by a hydraulic drive motor and a parallel linkage is connected between the upper shield part and the canopy in order to provide a guidance of the canopy in a direction substantially perpendicular to the strata.

Abstract: A mine roof support comprising a floor-engageable member, a roof-engageable member such as a canopy extending forwardly of the floor-engaging member, a first extensible leg secured between the floor-engaging member and the canopy, a linkage, which may include a shield, mounted on the floor-engaging member and pivotally connected to the roof-engageable member at its rear end and a second extensible leg secured between the floor-engaging member and the linkage. The linkage is preferably operative to constrain its pivotal connection to the canopy to move upward and downward in a fixed path relative to the floor-engaging member.

Abstract: A mine roof support comprising a floor-engaging member, one or more shielding members above the floor-engaging member, a flap pivotally mounted on the or on a shielding member and a sealing member pivotally mounted on the flap.

Abstract: A mine roof support unit comprises a floor sill, a roof cap, a goaf shield and hydraulic props supporting the roof cap above the floor sill. The goaf shield is pivotably connected to both the floor sill and the roof cap. The floor sill is provided with at least one auxiliary prop which is arranged to contact and support the roof cap only when the hydraulic props have been retracted by a predetermined amount.