AU611545B2 - Mine stopping - Google Patents

Description

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALT t. tcents Act 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (original) FOR OFFICE USE Application Number: P17531 Class Lodged: 29/3/88 Class Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority.- 0a 4 Related Art: TO BF) COMPLETED BY APPL1CANT Name Of Applicant; ACME CANVAq PTY TID a Compary incorporated according to the State of Western Australia, Address of Applicant: 164 Beecbboro Road, Bayswater, J n the State of Western Australia, Commonwealth of Auxstralia.

Actual Inventor: Anthony Cecil F-agleon Add"rss for r5ervice:a Wray Associates primary Industry House 2,39 A\delaide Terrace Perth Western Autralia 6000.

Complete Specigication for tho invention entitled,: "MIN STOPPIN" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:- -1- ;;i 2 THIS INVENTION relates to a stopping for ventilation control in underground shafts.

In underground shafts such as mine shafts, tunnels and like shafts, it is often desirable to channel the flow of air through a particular series of interconnected shafts and not others. In addition, in the event of a problem such as an underground fire or the liberation of poisonous gasses such as methane, it is often necessary to redirect an air flow or block off on air flow in a shaft.

Ventilation controls (or mine stoppings) are known in the do art and prior art mine stops include those of US 1478303 0900 S00 (Snyder) which discloses rigid frame having a textile covering thereon, US 2947239 (Burgess) which discloses a o 00 flexible sheet supported from the roof timbers and held 0 0og down by weights, 3118363 (Burgess) which discloses a sheet o oo supported by telescoping poles and 3,863,554 (Boyd) which discloses a sheet supported on a frame.

0000 0 00 oa 0 A disadvantage of the above mentioned mine stoppings is 0 00 00o o that they either do not provide a good seal around the 20 inner periphery of the tunnel and/or they are cumbersome 00 00 0 0 0 o 0 and slow to erect and/or place into position. The present invention has been devised with the general 0000 0 0 0 Oo0 0 object of overcoming these disadvantages by using a mine 0o0 0 stopping which can be relatively easily and quickly positioned and erected to seal the mine shaft.

In one form, the invention resides in a stopping for ~i 1..1U- 1IUI-Li--- X~- 3 controlling ventilation comprising a canopy, formed of a flexible artificial sheet material having a perimeter corresponding generally to the profile of the shaft but of greater lateral dimensions, a plurality of shrouds extending from the periphery of the canopy to a common fixture point, the shrouds being fixed at substantially equal spacings around the perimeter of the canopy said canopy having an aperture the dimensions of which can be varied.

It is preferred that the size of the canopy is substantially larger than the size of the mine shaft or tunnel to allow for a good sealing relationship between the two when in use. This can be further enhanced by CCt provision of an axially extending skirt on the outer periphery of the canopy.

c< The aperture is provided by a tubular member one end of o which is open and fixed to the canopy around an opening therein and the other end being open and supporting a chord around its perimeter said chord extending towards the fixture point and being capable of varying the degree of opening of the other end.

a 0 0 00 0 The invention will be better understood by reference to oo0 00 o the following description of one specific embodiment thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:o 00 0o Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a mine stopping in use; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mine stopping of Fig. 1.

The embodiment is directed to a parachute type mine stopping which can be attached to a general purpose mine vehicle or to a fixed structure in the shaft.

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ST Ai1 .A ft A.r 0 t 1 f .L 4 The mine stopping comprises a semihemispherical canopy which is of sufficient size to provide a good sealing engagement with the walls, ceiling and floor of the shaft.

The diameter of the canopy should by about 1 1/2 times the diameter of the shaft to ensure a good sealing relationship between the periphery of the canopy and the shaft. A plurality of shrouds 11 are attached to the peripheral edge of the canopy in a conventional manner at spaced intervals around the edge and the shrouds are made to converge to a common point 16 which may be fixed to a general purpose mine vehicle or a fixed structure in the 00 a shaft, such as a roof truss or the lika structure. A flow 00oo Soo regulator 12 is provided at the apex of the canopy, which 00 is integral with the canopy. The flow regulator has a 0* 0 00 tapered hollow tubular configuration with the larger 00 0 o1 aperture in open communication with the interior of the 0 00o canopy and the smaller aperture 13 in open communication o o rwith the mine shaft to the other side of the canopy. A plurality of spaced eyelets 14 are provided around the 00*0 oB 0 20 periphery of the smaller aperture 13 and the eyelets are 0 0* 0oo0 threaded with a cord or other line means (not shown) in a manner such that by pulling the cord, the eyelets are 0o0 0 0 o forced toc--ther, resulting in the closing of the aperture 13. Conversely, by relaxing the cord means, the aperture can adopt the fully open position. The operation of the 0000 oi flow regulator 12 is controlled by a line 15 fixed to the i o cord means and extending through the interior of the flow

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regulator and through the interior of the canopy to the Sf£xing point 16.

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5 To position the mine stopping it is unfolded, and opened up. As a result of the air flow in the shaft the canopy will expand into a sealing engagement with the periphery of the shaft. The precise amount of regulation of the air flowing past the stopping can be regulated by manipulation of the line 15 to open or close the flow regulator aperture 13.

Various other changes and modifications can be made to the embodiment described without departing from the scope of the present invention.

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Claims (1)

1. 4. A stopping as claimed at claim I or 2 or 3 wherein the transverse dimensions of the canopy are approximately 1 1/2 times the transverse dimensions of the shaft. A stopping substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this SIXTH day of MARCH 1991. ACME CANVAS PTY LTD V Applicant ,WRAY ASSOCIATES Perth, Western Australia, Patent Attorneys for the Applicant. o 1