Permanent stopping form and method of installing same

Abstract

A form installed in a mine for making a permanent mine stopping or seal of pourable and hardenable material includes first and second form walls in spaced, generally parallel relation to one another. Each of the first and second form walls includes a portable wall section including a plurality of elongate upright panels secured together in general parallel, side-by-side relation. Each panel includes a lower panel member having a lower end and an upper panel member extending from the lower panel member and having an upper end in substantial engagement with a roof of the mine passage.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A form installed in a mine for making a permanent mine stopping or seal of pourable and hardenable material comprising: 
 first and second form walls in spaced, generally parallel relation to one another,    each of said first and second form walls comprising a portable wall section,    each wall section comprising a plurality of elongate upright panels secured together for transport as a portable assembly in which the panels extend in generally parallel, side-by-side relation, each panel including a lower panel member having a lower end and an upper panel member extending from the lower panel member and having an upper end in substantial engagement with a roof of the mine passage.    
     
     
         2 . A form as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said upright panels are secured in substantially co-planar relation.  
     
     
         3 . A form as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said wall section further comprises a base to which the lower end of each lower panel member is affixed for securing the upright panels in adjacent side-by-side relation.  
     
     
         4 . A form as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said first form wall comprises a plurality of said wall sections disposed generally end-to-end and means for quick-connecting said wall sections to form at least part of said first form wall.  
     
     
         5 . A form as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising means for retaining said first and second form walls in spaced, generally parallel relation prior to, during and immediately after filling of the space between the wall sections with said pourable and hardenable material.  
     
     
         6 . A form installed in a mine for making a permanent mine stopping or seal of pourable and hardenable material comprising: 
 first and second form walls in spaced, generally parallel relation to one another,    at least one of said first and second form walls comprising a plurality of portable wall sections,    each of said wall sections comprising a plurality of elongate upright panels secured together for transport as a portable assembly in which the panels extend in generally parallel, side-by-side relation, each panel including a lower panel member having a lower end and an upper panel member extending from the lower panel member and having an upper end in substantial engagement with a roof of the mine passage.    
     
     
         7 . A form as set forth in  claim 6  wherein said upright panels are secured in substantially co-planar, side-by-side relation.  
     
     
         8 . A form as set forth in  claim 7  wherein each wall section further comprises a base to which the lower end of each lower panel member is affixed for securing the upright panels in side-by-side relation.  
     
     
         9 . A form as set forth in  claim 8  wherein said first form wall comprises a plurality of said wall sections disposed generally end-to-end and means for quick-connecting said wall sections to form at least part of said first form wall.  
     
     
         10 . A form as set forth in  claim 6  further comprising means for retaining said first and second form walls in spaced, generally parallel relation prior to, during and immediately after filling of the space between the wall sections with said pourable and hardenable material.  
     
     
         11 . A method of installing a form for a mine stopping at a site in a mine passage defined by a floor, roof and opposing side ribs, said form being of the type comprising first and second form walls, each of said first and second form walls comprising a portable wall section including a plurality of upright panels secured in adjacent side-by-side relation, each panel including a lower panel member having a lower end and an upper panel member extending upward from the lower panel member, said method comprising 
 a) positioning the wall section of the first form wall transversely with respect to said passageway,    b) positioning the wall section of the second form wall generally parallel to and spaced from the wall section of the first form wall to define a cavity for receiving pourable and hardenable material,    c) extending the upper panel members relative to the lower panel members to bring the upper panel members into pressure engagement with the roof of the mine passage, and    d) securing the upper panel members relative to the lower panel members in extended position.    
     
     
         12 . A method as set forth in  claim 11  further comprising providing means for connecting said first and second form walls.  
     
     
         13 . A method as set forth in  claim 11  wherein each of said first and second form walls comprises a plurality of said portable wall sections, said method further comprising positioning said plurality of wall sections in end-to-end relation to form respective first and second form walls.  
     
     
         14 . A method as set forth in  claim 11  further comprising pouring said pourable and hardenable material into said cavity.  
     
     
         15 . A method as set forth in  claim 14  further comprising allowing said pourable and hardenable material to cure and then removing at least one of said first and second form walls so that the wall section may be re-used.