Support column installation assembly

Abstract

A support column cylinder assembly is provided for use with a support column assembly having upper and lower support tubes and a slidable clamp component for frictionally clamping the upper support tube relative to the lower support tube. Some embodiments of support column cylinder assembly comprise a first bearing member, a second bearing member, and at least two hydraulic cylinders operatively connected between the first and second bearing members, the at least two hydraulic cylinders being operative to apply a force to the second bearing member relative to the first bearing member. The second bearing member is adapted to be positioned against a clamp component of a support column for applying a force to the support column clamp component relative to the first bearing member.

1 . A hydraulic cylinder assembly for installing a roof support of the type in which relative axial movement of clamp member secures first and second telescoping tubular supports, the hydraulic cylinder assembly comprising: 
 a first bearing member adapted to engage one of the tubular supports;    a second bearing member adapted to engage the clamp member; and    at least one hydraulic cylinder operatively connected between the first and second bearing members, the at least one hydraulic cylinder being operative to apply a force to the second bearing member relative to the first bearing member, wherein the second bearing member is adapted to be positioned against a clamp member of a support column for applying a force to the support column clamp component to axially move the clamp member to engage the first and second telescoping tubular supports.    
   
   
       2 . The hydraulic cylinder assembly of  claim 1 , wherein there are at least two cylinders.  
   
   
       3 . The hydraulic cylinder assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the second bearing member comprises first and second spaced apart plates that are adapted to be removably assembled around a support column tube such that the first and second plates are centered around the support column tube to apply a force to the clamp member that is substantially in line with the support column tube.  
   
   
       4 . The hydraulic cylinder assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the support column component is a collet for a support column assembly.  
   
   
       5 . The hydraulic cylinder assembly of  claim 3  wherein the hydraulic cylinder assembly is adapted for use with a support column in which at least one of the tubes includes a bearing plate, the first bearing member being adapted to be positioned between a support column base plate and the support column clamp member for applying a force to the clamp member relative to the support column base plate.  
   
   
       6 . The hydraulic cylinder assembly of  claim 5 , wherein each end of the at least two hydraulic cylinders comprises a pivotal connection means selected from the group consisting of a rod eye and a rod end clevis.  
   
   
       7 . The hydraulic cylinder assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second bearing members are operatively connected to the ends of the at least two hydraulic cylinders by a pivot pin and a pivotal connection means selected from the group consisting of an eye bracket or a clevis bracket.  
   
   
       8 . The hydraulic cylinder assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the first bearing member comprises first and second spaced apart plates that are adapted to be removably assembled around a support column tube, such that the first and second plates are centered around the support cylinder tube to apply a force to the support column base plate that is substantially aligned with the support column tube.  
   
   
       9 . A support column hydraulic cylinder assembly for use with a support column having upper and lower support tubes and a slidable clamp component for frictionally clamping the upper support tube relative to the lower support tube, the support column cylinder assembly comprising: 
 an upper bearing assembly for distributing an applied force to a clamp component of a support column assembly;    a lower bearing assembly for distributing an applied force to a support column base plate;    a hydraulic pump for supplying hydraulic fluid pressure; and    at least two hydraulic cylinder s operatively connected to the upper and lower bearing assemblies and configured to apply an effective amount of force between the upper and lower bearing assemblies for movably pressing the clamp component in place on a support column assembly when a hydraulic fluid pressure is supplied to the at least two hydraulic cylinders.    
   
   
       10 . The support column hydraulic cylinder assembly of  claim 9  wherein the upper bearing assembly comprises first and second plates are adapted to be removably assembled around a support column tube such that the first and second plates are centered around the support cylinder tube to apply a force to a support column base plate that is substantially aligned with the support column tube.  
   
   
       11 . The support column hydraulic cylinder assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the lower bearing assembly is adapted to be positioned against a support column base plate and the upper bearing assembly is adapted to be positioned against a cylindrical clamp component, for applying a force against the cylindrical clamp component relative to the support column base plate.  
   
   
       12 . The support column hydraulic cylinder assembly of  claim 11  wherein the support column assembly is positioned between two opposing spaced apart surfaces to be supported by the support column assembly.  
   
   
       13 . The support column hydraulic cylinder assembly of  claim 12  wherein the force applied by the at least two hydraulic cylinders to the clamp component produces an opposing frictional force resulting from the compression of the clamp component against the upper and lower support tubes, such that the force transferred to the surfaces to be supported is minimized.  
   
   
       14 . The support column hydraulic cylinder assembly of  claim 13  wherein the effective amount of force for movably pressing the clamp component in place on a support column assembly is between about 40,000 and about 75,000 pounds.  
   
   
       15 . The support column hydraulic cylinder assembly of  claim 10  wherein each end of the at least two hydraulic cylinders comprise a pivotal connection means selected from the group consisting of a rod eye and a rod end clevis.  
   
   
       16 . The support column cylinder assembly of  claim 15  wherein the upper and lower bearing assemblies are operatively connected to the ends of the at least two hydraulic cylinders by a pivot pin and a pivotal connection means selected from the group consisting of an eye bracket or a clevis bracket.  
   
   
       17 . A method of using a hydraulic cylinder assembly having first and second bearing members and at least two hydraulic cylinders pivotally connected between the first and second bearing members, for pressing a support column clamp component in place on a support column, the method comprising: 
 positioning the first bearing assembly against a support column base plate;    positioning the second bearing assembly against a clamp component on the support column; and    supplying a sufficient hydraulic pressure to the at least two hydraulic cylinders to apply an effective amount of force to the clamp component to press the clamp component in place on the support column.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of assembling a first and second plate of the second bearing assembly around a support column tube to center the second bearing assembly around the support tube in position against the clamp component.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the clamp component is a collet.  
   
   
       20 . A method of setting a telescoping support column comprising first and second telescoping support tubes that are secured by the axial movement of at least one clamp member, the method comprising engaging one end of a hydraulically actuated device to one of the first and second support columns, engaging the other end of the hydraulically actuated device to the clamp member, and operating the hydraulically actuated device to axially move the clamp member to secure the first and second support tubes.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein there is a bearing plate on at least one of the support tubes, and wherein the hydraulically actuated device engages the bearing plate.