Mine Support Having a Linearly Moveable and/or Pivoting End Plate

Abstract

A mine support yieldable prop includes a threaded shaft rotatably mounted in an end of the prop to move into and out of the prop end to move a bearing plate toward or away from a mine roof, and/or a bearing plate pivotally mounted to the end of the prop to level the prop with uneven mine roofs.

1 . A yieldable prop comprising:
 a) at least one conduit having a first end and an opposite second end, and   b) a moveable bearing plate assembly mounted on the first end of the at least one conduit, the moveable bearing plate comprising:
 1) a support member having a convex surface, a concave opposite surface and a center hole; 
 2) a plate member having a bowl-shaped center portion with the convex surface of the plate member supported on the concave surface of the support member, and with the bowl-shaped center portion having a center hole, and 
 3) a shaft having a retaining end, the shaft the receiving end passing through the center hole of the support member and the plate member with headed first end of the headed shaft engaging portions of the concave surface of the bowl-shaped center portion of the plate member and with the opposite second end of the shaft fixed to the first end of the at least one prop, wherein the center portion of the plate member is captured in the concave surface of the support member and is free to rotate in the X, Y and Z axis. 
   
     
     
         2 . The yieldable prop according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one conduit is a first conduit, and further comprising a hollow second conduit, the second conduit having a first end and an opposite second end with the first conduit slideably received in the first end of the second conduit, and a clamp assembly acting on the outer surface portions of the first and second conduits at the juncture of first and second conduits, wherein the clamp assembly in an engaging position provides resistance to the first conduit moving into the second conduit, and the clamp assembly in the non-engaging position eliminates the resistance to the first conduit moving into the second conduit. 
     
     
         3 . The yieldable prop according to  claim 1 , wherein the bearing plate assembly further comprises an end cap having a first end having a first opening sized to receive the second end of the headed shaft with the headed shaft fixedly mounted on the first end of the end cap; the convex surface of the support member fixedly secured to at least the headed shaft or the first end of the end cap, and opposite second end of the end cap mounted on and fixedly secured to the first end of the at least one conduit. 
     
     
         4 . The yieldable prop according to  claim 1 , wherein the bearing plate assembly further comprises:
 a) a threaded shaft having a first end and an opposite second end with the first end of the threaded shaft fixedly secured to the second end of the headed shaft, and   b) a body having a first side and an opposite second side with the first side of the body supported on the first end of the at least one conduit, the body having a threaded passageway to receive the threaded shaft with the second end of the threaded shaft facing the at least one hollow conduit, wherein rotating the body in a first direction moves the support member to increase spaced distance between the support member and the first side of the body, and rotating the body in a second opposite direction moves the support member to decrease the spaced distance between the support member and the first side of the body.   
     
     
         5 . The yieldable prop according to  claim 4 , wherein the first side of the body is seated over the first end of the at least one conduit and further comprising a pair of elongated members mounted in spaced relationship to one another on the outer surface of the body. 
     
     
         6 . The yieldable prop according to  claim 1 , wherein a flat surface portion surrounds the bowl-shaped center portion of the plate member and further comprises a member selected from the group of an enlarged plate and a beam support member. 
     
     
         7 . The yieldable prop according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one conduit is a first conduit, and further comprising a hollow second conduit, the second conduit having a first end and an opposite second end with the first conduit slideably received in the first end of the second conduit; a bearing plate secured to the second end of the second conduit, and a clamp assembly acting on outer surface portions of the first and second conduits at the juncture of the first and second conduits, wherein the clamp assembly in an engaging position provides resistance to the first conduit moving into the second conduit, and the clamp assembly in the non-engaging position eliminates the resistance to the first conduit moving into the second conduit. 
     
     
         8 . The yieldable prop according to  claim 7 , wherein the at least one conduit is a first conduit, and further comprising a hollow second conduit, the second conduit having a first end and an opposite second end with the first conduit slideably received in the first end of the second conduit; a bearing plate at the second end of the second conduit, a clamp assembly acting on at least the outer surface portions of the first conduit, and a collapsible insert at a location selected from between the clamp assembly and the first end of the second conduit, and the second end of the second conduit and the bearing plate, wherein the clamp assembly in an engaging position provides resistance to the first conduit moving into the second conduit, and the clamp assembly in the non-engaging position eliminates the resistance to the first conduit moving into the second conduit. 
     
     
         9 . The yieldable prop according to  claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises a sleeve extending from the second side of the body, with inner perimeter of the sleeve and outer perimeter of the first end of the at last one conduit sized relative to one another to rotatably mount the sleeve over the first end of the at least one conduit with the first end of the at least one conduit engaging the second side of the body. 
     
     
         10 . The yieldable prop according to  claim 9 , further comprising a stop member passing through a wall of the sleeve and engaging the at least one conduit to securely fix the body on the first end of the at least one conduit. 
     
     
         11 . The yieldable prop according to  claim 9  further comprising a pair of elongated members mounted in spaced relationship to one another on the outer surface of the body and a layer of a non-friction material between the outer surface portions of the at least one conduit and inner surfaces of the body.