AU768757B2

AU768757B2 - Total seal ventilation control device

Info

Publication number: AU768757B2
Application number: AU18597/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Philip Lamond Smith
Original assignee: FLEITY Pty Ltd
Current assignee: FLEITY PTY Ltd
Priority date: 1999-03-05
Filing date: 1999-03-05
Publication date: 2004-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 2019-03-05
Also published as: AU2002100627B4; AU1859799A

Description

I

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 (Y)MPTFTF SPECIFICATI ON For SqTANDARD PATENT OR IGINALI ME OF APPLICANT ~A UAL INVENTOR 1~ B-DRESS~ FOR SER~VICES INVENTION TITLE rYq'L60ov: Polryt ilipEamond Smith flp 8 uw11ihi NSW-24g4- u To-tqi1 *Sc a! Ventilhninn T Vonrt Device ADDRESS FOh nERVCE.

~.ALTERED

la MINE STOPPING This invention relates to mine stopping and relates particularly, but not exclusively to a mine stopping for coal mines.

In extracting coal in coal mines it is necessary to drive a minimum of two spaced apart passages (headings) connected by cross passages (cut throughs). One heading is used to provide a forward ventilation path (intake) to the active mining face, while the other carries the air from the active face to a main return airway, and is itself referred to as a return heading. In order to facilitate the correct air flow, the cross passages are closed by a ventilation control device known in the arts as a ventilation stopping.

There is a need for improved safety standards in mining, particularly in ventilation which is the most important function in preventing the build-up of flammable mixtures of gases and coal dust. In addition, good ventilation enables the provision of a cool healthy environment for mine workers.

the past, stoppings have been provided by means of a rigid construction in the passage way. Such stoppings are 25 known as static stoppings and have been found to be unsatisfactory because a) they are expensive to install and, b) if there is movement of the strata such as floor heave or roof movement, the rigid stoppings crack. This, in turn, requires further costs to repair and reseal to maintain their integrity.

30 Leakage in the air flow due to cracking of rigid stoppings is one major cause of loss of ventilation air at the mining face and the lowering of overall ventilation efficiency.

In an attempt to provide improved stoppings, gee• 2 there has been previously proposed the use of flexible sheet material ventilation stoppings which are held across the passage way. One particular example is shown in our Australian patent No. 588418. That patent is concerned with providing a mesh which is covered on both faces, and through the openings of the mesh, with a fire resistant anti-static covering. That sheeting has been held in place across the passage way in a variety of ways, but not entirely complying with the pressure standards legislated by Queensland Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulations.

Accordingly, there is a need to provide improved mine stoppings.

According to a first broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a mine passage ventilation stopping having, a fire resistant substantially antistatic flexible sheet to span the mine passage, strapping for overlaying and securing perimeter edges of the flexible sheet to the walls, roof, and floor of the mine passage, a plurality of strata engaging fastening means to hold the strapping and flexible sheet in place, and a compressible flexible perimeter seal material to seal any spaces between the flexible sheeting and walls (ribs) roof, floor and variations of the mine passage that may occur or exist after the stopping is assembled across the mine passage.

According to a further broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a mine ventilation passage closed by a stopping, said stopping comprising a fire resistant substantially antistatic flexible sheeting spanning the mine passage, strapping, overlaying and securing perimeter edges of the flexible sheet to the walls, roof, and floor of the mine passage by means of a plurality of strata engaging means, and a compressible flexible perimeter seal material sealing spaces between the flexible sheeting and walls, roof, and floor of the passage.

o According to a further broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of providing a ventilation stopping for a mine passage, said method involving: i) spanning the mine passage with a fire resistant substantially antistatic flexible sheet, ii) overlaying the perimeter of the flexible sheet with strapping; iii) securing perimeter edges of the flexible sheet to the walls (ribs), roof and floor by a plurality of strata engaging means which hold the flexible sheet and strapping in place, and iv) sealing perimeter spaces between the flexible sheet and walls (ribs), roof, floor and variations of the mine passage with a compressible flexible seal.

It is particularly preferred that the strapping be steel mine roof strapping.

It is preferred that the strapping be steel mesh mine roof strapping.

It is further particularly preferred that there be a plurality of butterfly plates for fitting to the strata engaging fastening means so as to hold the strapping, which, in turn, then holds the flexible sheet in place.

It is further particularly preferred that there be a plurality of butterfly plates for fitting to the strata engaging fastening means so as to hold the strapping, which, in turn, then 30 holds the flexible sheet in place.

o **It is further particularly preferred that the length of each of the butterfly plates is chosen to influence the rigidity of the strapping.

It is also particularly preferred that an access door be provided in the flexible sheeting to permit an access path through the flexible sheet for inspectors, rescue teams, safety personnel and workmen.

It is also particularly preferred that the flexible sheet has a tensile strength ranging from 160N per 50mm to 8,000N per It is also particularly preferred that the flexible perimeter seal is incorporated into the perimeter of the flexible sheeting.

In order that the invention can be more clearly ascertained, an example of the preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a transverse cross sectional view showing the stopping fitted in a mine passage way heading of a mine, and Figure 2 is a close-up detail of a stopping fitted in a mine in a direction transverse to that shown in Figure 1.

25 Referring to both Figures 1 and 2 it can be seen that the stopping referred to generally by numeral 1 spans the passage way 2 of a mine being, for example, a heading. It is clear that the stopping 1 can span other types of passages in a mine and is not limited to headings only. The stopping 1 has a 30 flexible fire resistant substantially antistatic sheet 3.

Typically, this sheeting has a tensile strength of 160N per .50mm to 8,000N per 50mm. It is also desirable that the :o sheeting can withstand 900 0 C for one hour. The stopping sheeting in our aforementioned Australian patent No. 588418 is also suitable, as are other types of sheeting 3. The passage way has been shown within the strata and indicated by numeral 2. Typically therefore, the passage way 2 has walls (ribs) being side walls 4 and a roof 5 and a floor 6. The flexible sheeting 3 is secured by its perimeter edges to the walls 4, roof 5 and floor 6 of the mine passage 2. Strapping 7 is used for this purpose. Typically the strapping 7 is steel mine roof strapping. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the strapping is mine mesh roof strapping. Mesh mine roof strapping 7 is shown in this particular example.

A plurality of strata engaging fastening means 8, such as rock bolts hold the strapping 7 and the flexible sheeting 3 in place. It can be seen that this strapping extends completely around the perimeter along the floor 6, side walls 4 and roof 5 of the passage way 2.

A compressible flexible perimeter seal material 9 is used to seal spaces between the flexible sheeting 3 and the walls 4, and the roof 5 and the floor 6 of the mine passage way 2. This is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Desirably, butterfly plates 10 are provided for fitting to the strata engaging fastening means 8, so as to hold the strapping 7 which, in turn, then holds the flexible sheeting 3 in place. Typically, the butterfly plates 10 have openings therein which enable the shafts of the rock bolts 8 to pass therethrough. Nuts 11 and washers can then be used to tighten against the butterfly plates to hold the assembly in position in the passage way 1. In order to prevent collapsing of the butterfly plates, spacer washers 12 can be utilised.

S

e The length of the butterfly plates 10 along the S direction of the strapping 7 can be chosen to influence the rigidity of the strapping 7. In this way, the length of the butterfly plates 10 influences the rigidity of the strapping 7 .5 and also permits the capacity of the installation to be controlled. In this way, the stopping 1 can be used as a seal across the passage way 2 by increasing the capacity or as a stopping by increasing or decreasing the capacity. In this context, in the case of a ventilation seal, the stopping 1 is required to withstand the pressures legislated by the Queensland Coal Mining Safety and Health Regulations. As a ventilation stopping the pressure and forces required to the stopping are much lower. Accordingly, the appropriate width of the strapping 7 and length of the butterfly plates 10 can be chosen depending on the requirement of the stopping or seal.

Desirably, an access door is provided in the sheeting 3 to provide an access path through the flexible sheeting 3 for inspectors, rescue teams, safety personnel and workmen.

The flexible perimeter seal material 11 is typically a rubberised seal that is fire resistant and which can be readily compressed in any space between the flexible sheeting 3 and the floor, side walls (ribs) and/or roof of the passage way 1. This compressive nature will assist in holding the seal effective. It is also particularly preferred that the flexible perimeter seal is incorporated into the perimeter of the flexible sheeting 3 itself.

The stopping can be recovered after it is no longer required at a particular site and it can also be fitted with an S access door to provide a path for inspectors, rescue teams, safety personnel and workmen.

When the ribs in the coal seam are friable it is advisable to build a small stub wall let into the coal ribs to S provide an even surface to enhance the total seal. This will also give a standard opening width enabling the stopping to be reused at any site in the mine, and the *o *o

Claims

2. A mine passage ventilation stopping as claimed in claim 1 wherein the strapping is steel mine roof strapping.
3. A mine passage ventilation stopping as claimed in claim 2 wherein the strapping is a steel mesh mine roof ~strapping.
4. A mine passage ventilation stopping as claimed in any S one of the preceding claims including a plurality of butterfly plates, said butterfly plates being for fitting to the strata engaging fastening means so as to hold the strapping, which, in turn, then holds the flexible sheeting in place. A mine passage ventilation stopping as claimed in claim 4 wherein the length of the butterfly plate is variable and is chosen to influence the rigidity of the strapping. oooo
6. A mine passage ventilation stopping as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the flexible sheet has an access door therein for, in use, permitting an access path through the flexible sheet for inspectors, rescue teams, safety personnel and workmen.
7. A mine passage ventilation stopping as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the flexible sheet has a tensile strength ranging from 160N per 50mm to 8,000N per
8. A mine passage ventilation stopping as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said flexible perimeter seal is incorporated into the perimeter of the flexible sheeting.
9. A mine ventilation passage closed by a stopping, said stopping comprising a fire resistant substantially antistatic flexible sheet spanning the mine passage, strapping overlaying and securing perimeter edges of the flexible sheet to the walls (ribs), roof, and floor of the mine passage by means of a plurality of strata engaging means, and a compressible flexible perimeter seal material sealing spaces between the flexible sheet and the walls (ribs), roof, and floor of the passage. A mine ventilation passage as claimed in claim 9 wherein the strapping is steel mine roof strapping.
11. A mine ventilation passage as claimed in claim wherein the strapping is steel mesh mine roof strapping. S 12. A mine ventilation passage as claimed in any one of claim 9 to 11, wherein a butterfly plate is provided fitted at the strata engaging means so as to hold the strapping, which then, in turn, holds the flexible sheet in place.
13. A mine ventilation passage as claimed in claim 12 wherein the length of the butterfly plate is chosen to influence the rigidity of the strapping.
14. A mine ventilation passage as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 13 wherein the flexible sheet has an access door for Spermitting an access path through the flexible S sheet for inspectors, rescue teams, safety personnel and workmen. A mine ventilation passage as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 14 wherein the flexible sheet has a tensile strength ranging from 160N per 50mm to 8,000N per
16. A mine ventilation passage as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 15 wherein said compressible flexible perimeter seal is incorporated into the perimeter of the flexible sheet.
17. A method of providing a ventilation stopping for a mine passage, said method involving: i) spanning the mine passage with a fire resistant substantially antistatic flexible sheet, ii) overlaying the perimeter of the flexible sheet with strapping, iii) securing perimeter edges of the flexible sheet to the walls (ribs), roof and floor by a plurality of strata engaging means which hold the flexible sheet and strapping in place, and iv) sealing perimeter spaces between the flexible sheet and the walls (ribs), roof and floor of the mine passage with a compressible flexible seal. S 18. A method as claimed in claim 17 and using steel mine roof strapping as said strapping.
19. A method as claimed in claim 18 and using steel mesh mine roof strapping as said strapping. A method as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 19 including the further step of using a butterfly plate at a strata engaging fastening means to hold the strapping, which then, in turn, holds the flexible sheet in place. S 21. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the length of the butterfly plate is chosen to influence the rigidity of the strapping. 11
22. A method as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 21 including the further step of providing an access door in said flexible sheet to permit an access path through the flexible sheet for inspectors, rescue teams, safety personnel and workmen.
23. A method as claimed in any one of claims 17 to wherein the flexible sheet has a tensile strength of 160N per to 8,000N per
24. A method as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 21 including the further step of providing the compressible flexible perimeter seal incorporated into the flexible sheet. A mine passage ventilation stopping as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
26. A mine ventilation passage as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 16 and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
27. A method as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 22 and substantially as herein described with reference to the ""accompanying drawings. o o Dated this 30th day of September 2003 FLEITY PTY LIMITED HODGKINSON AND McINNES o•Patent Attorneys for the Applicant :e eao