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: Apparatus for remotely operating self-advancing supports or the like at a long-walled pit face of a coal mine comprises a receiver attached to every group of the supports which are arranged in front of and along the long-walled pit face, each of the receivers having a specific frequency, hydraulic cylinders attached to the support for causing the support to be operated, electromagnetic valves connected to the receiver to control the hydraulic cylinders, and a portable operating means including keys for specifying the groups of the supports, key switches for specifying the supports to be operated, and a transmitting circuit having operating switches, wherein operating signals are applied from the operating means via the radio system to the receivers.

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: An advancing support for providing a continuous propping, particularly for providing a continuous propping of mine galleries or like passageways, comprising at least two carriages for articulated tracks, each of said carriages including a beam having rounded ends and an articulated track closely surrounding the beam mounted for sliding friction on the beam, each of said beams being divided into spaced-apart longitudinal elements, a connecting element pivotally attached to each of said longitudinal elements for joining them together, said carriages being disposed one above the other to be applied respectively against the floor and roof of a gallery; at least one jack attached to the connecting element of the upper carriage and the connecting element of the lower carriage thereby joining said carriages together.

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.