Friction stabilizer with tabs

Abstract

A friction stabilizer having tabs comprising a tubular body comprising an exterior surface and having a first portion and having a second portion provided with a taper. The first portion has an impact end and the second portion has an insertion end. A tab is on the tubular body and extends outward from the exterior surface of the tubular body in a direction toward the impact end and away from the insertion end of the tubular body. The tabs can be rectangular shaped or triangular shaped or have other shapes which prevent the friction stabilizer from being removed from a drilled bore in a mine. When the friction stabilizer with tabs is inserted into a drilled bore in a mine, the tabs do not impede insertion. But, after insertion into the drilled bore the tabs resist removal of the tubular body, and thus allow the stabilizer to support the mine wall or ceiling. The friction stabilizer is made by taking a steel coil and punching the shape of the tabs in the metal, for example sheet metal, unrolled from the coil. A notch is also punched into the sheet at a predetermined location. Rolling die roll the tubular body, and a cutting machine cuts the tubular body at the notches, so tubular bodies of predetermined length are cut. The tabs extend from the exterior surface of the tubular body due to the natural spring constant of the steel or metal from which the tubular body is made. A weld ring is welded to the impact end and has a weld ring gap space.

1 . A method of making a friction stabilizer for installation in a structural body, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a coil of metal and unrolling the coil of metal into a strip,    pressing the shapes of a tab to be formed into the strip of metal,    moving the strip of metal through cold rolling dies and forming the strip of steel into a tubular body having an exterior surface and a first portion and a second portion having a taper.    
   
   
       2 . The method of making a friction stabilizer according to  claim 1  wherein the step of pressing the shape of the tab to be formed includes pressing a rectangular shape into the strip of metal.  
   
   
       3 . The method of making a friction stabilizer according to  claim 1  wherein the step of pressing the shape of the tab to be formed includes pressing a triangular shape into the strip of metal.  
   
   
       4 . The method of making a friction stabilizer according to  claim 1  wherein the step of pressing the shape of the tab to be formed includes pressing a polygonal shape into the strip of metal.  
   
   
       5 . The method of making a friction stabilizer according to  claim 1  wherein the step of pressing the shape of the tab to be formed includes the step of pressing a curved shaped tab into the sheet of metal.  
   
   
       6 . The method of making a friction stabilizer according to  claim 1  wherein the step of pressing the shape of the tab to be formed includes the step of pressing a plurality of shapes of tabs to be formed into the tubular body.  
   
   
       7 . The method of making a friction stabilizer according to  claim 1  comprising the further steps of forming the tubular body to have a tubular body gap space and providing the weld ring with a weld ring gap space and aligning the tubular body gap space and weld ring gap space before connecting the weld ring to the exterior surface of the first portion.  
   
   
       8 . The method of making a friction stabilizer according to  claim 1  comprising the further step of punching a notch in the strip of metal.  
   
   
       9 . The method of making a friction stabilizer according to  claim 8  comprising the further step of using the notch for cutting the tubular body at a predetermined length such that the tubular body has an insertion end having the notch and an impact end opposite the insertion end.  
   
   
       10 . The method of making a friction stabilizer according to  claim 9  comprising the further step of swaging the insertion end of the tubular body and to form the taper in the tubular body.  
   
   
       11 . The method of making a friction stabilizer according to  claim 1  comprising the further step of providing a weld ring and joining the weld ring to the exterior surface of first portion.