FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to fluid filled support containers and their construction.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Fluid filled supports have use in many environments, most notably in underground mines. These supports are typically constructed from liquid permeable geotextile material which is formed into a container, which is operatively filled with a fluid such as slurry. The liquid component drains through the permeable walls of the container while the solid component remains trapped inside. The trapped solid component sets into a hard mass, which creates a support in the place where the container is filled. When such a container is manufactured a single sheet of woven geotextile fabric is used and its ends are stitched together. The height of the sheet determines the height of the container and the length of the sheet its circumference. Stitching the ends of the container together in this manner thus creates a loop which forms the side walls of the container. To complete the container top and bottom are stitched into position, these typically being square, and a filler tube is installed, typically somewhere through a side wall. In this manner the intended parallepiped structure is created for the bag.

However, when the container is filled with slurry the pressure of the slurry acting on the sidewalls tend to equalise and this forces the sidewall into a circular shape, instead of a parallepiped structure. When the structure finally sets it is in this circular shape instead of the desired parallepiped shape.

In some instances a support will be created from non-permeable fabric and it will be filled with a fluid that is designed to set without weeping through the walls of the container. Such fluids include cements and binders of various types. The above problem is also present with these container and these fillers, since the same forces are present and containers experience the same deformation upon filling.

The problems of deformation upon filling of such containers are exacerbated when such supports are installed on a dip. Due to the angle at which the container is located on a dip in the mine working area, gravity pulls the contents to the down-dip side, which causes uneven shaping of the support. Once the liquid component has percolated through the walls of the container and the support solidified into a hard mass, it retains this uneven shape. This is not optimal in terms of load distribution of loads supported by the support.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an objective of the invention to provide a fluid filed support container that at least partly overcomes the abovementioned problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention there is provided an underground mine support comprising a fabric container having a top and a bottom, at least one sidewall and an inlet operatively for filler material to be pumped into the container, the container further includes at least one elongate tensile element arranged to extend through the container extending at each end through the sidewall.

There is further provided for the side wall of the container to have a predetermined height selected to be substantially similar to a stope design height in a mine stope where the support is to be installed, and for the container to include an upper panel extending between the operatively upper edge of the side wall and the top panel to allow for vertical expansion of the container upon filling with a filler material. There is further provided for the container to be parallelepiped shaped with four sidewalls, and for the tensile element to extend through opposing side walls, alternatively through adjacent side walls.

According to a further feature of the invention there is provided for the container to be right circular cylindrically shaped, and preferably for the tensile element to extend through the longitudinal axis of the container, more preferably for a plurality of tensile elements to extend through the container at different heights in relation to the bottom of the container, and at differing angular orientations with respect to each other.

There is further provided for the tensile element to comprise a metal rod, preferably a steel rod or any other type of reinforcement tendon.

The invention further provides for the tensile element to be located in position by means of a washer, preferably a disc or having any shape, including a square shape, located between each end of the tensile element and the operatively outer surface of its respective side wall, and further preferably for the end of the tensile element to be folded over or knotted onto the washer, alternatively to be crimped with lugs onto itself, further alternatively any suitable fastening means.

There is still further provided for each end of the tensile element to be provided with a ferrule.

According to a still further feature of the invention there is provided for the tensile element to be provided in a length that is longer, equal to or shorter than the width of the support container through which it extends, and provided with a suitable length for fastening outside the container as defined above, and preferably for the tensile element to have a length of about 80% of such width.

There is also provided for the support to include a plurality of such tensile elements extending through opposing sidewalls thereof, for the tensile elements to be arranged in layers with equidistantly spaced apart tensile elements, and for layers of tensile elements to also be equidistantly spaced apart through the height of the support, thus forming a network of layers of tensile elements.

There is still further provided for one or more tensile elements to be used in conjunction with layers of internal reinforcing comprising mesh material, alternatively without any internal reinforcing layers.

There is still further provided for the container to be manufactured from a flexible material, more preferably a liquid permeable fabric. These and other features of the invention are described in more detail below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment and a second embodiment of the invention are described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an underground mine support according to the invention with tensile elements extending through it;

Figure 2 shows detail of two such tensile elements proximate a corner of the support of

Figure 1 ; and

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of an underground mine support according to the invention with tensile elements extending through it.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A support (1 ) according to a preferred embodiment of the invention and detail thereof are shown in Figures 1 and 2. The support (1 ) comprises a parallelepiped shaped container (2) manufactured from a liquid permeable geotextile material. The container (2) includes a top (3), bottom (4), and four sidewalls (5). The support (1 ) is installed between a hanging wall and foot wall of an underground mine.

The sidewall (5) has a predetermined height selected to be substantially similar to a stope design height in a mine stope where the support (1 ) is to be installed. The container (2) includes an upper panel (14) extending between the operatively upper edge (15) of the sidewall (5) and the top (3) to allow for vertical expansion of the container (2) upon filling with filler material.

The support (1 ) also includes through each set of opposing side walls three rows (6) of elongate tensile elements (7) that are located substantially parallel in respect of the top (3) and bottom panels (4). This means that if the support (1 ) were to be placed on a level surface the rows of tensile elements (6) would be arranged horizontally with respect to such level surface.

Each row of tensile elements comprises in this embodiment three tensile elements (7). This configuration thus provides nine tensile elements that extend through each set of opposing sidewalls (5), and eighteen tensile elements that extend through the support (1 ) in total. The tensile elements (7) comprise lengths of steel wire. The lengths of the tensile elements are selected to be shorter than the distance between the sidewalls (5) through which they extend. Typically, each tensile element (7) has a length that is about 80% of the distance between the sidewalls where it extends through it.

The effect of this is that when the container is filled with filler material the sidewalls are restrained against expansion by the tensile elements (7). Where the tensile elements extend through the sidewalls (5) their ends (9) are tied onto discs (8). Each end (9) ties onto at least one disc (8).

The ends may also be provided each with a ferrule (not shown) to locate in position onto its disc (8).

The ends of the tensile elements thus bear onto the discs (8), and restrain the opposing sidewalls (5) from expanding away from each other. When the container (2) is filled with filler material and starts to take load of the weight of the filler material and of the hanging wall bearing down onto it the normal expansion of the sidewalls (5) of the container (2) places the tensile elements (7) under tension and they undergo elongation, and this elongation may include elastic and/or plastic deformation. The result is that the tensile elements reinforces the container (2) and provides for the containment thereof, preserving its shape to a much greater degree than is presently the case.

This provides for safer and stronger supports. The second embodiment shown in Figure 3 comprises container (10) that has a right circular cylindrical shape. This container (10) also includes a top (1 1 ) and a bottom (12) but of course only has one continuous sidewall (12). Similar to the first embodiment, the sidewall (12) of this container (10) also has a predetermined height selected to be substantially similar to a stope design height in a mine stope where the container (10) will be installed as a support.. The container (10) also includes an upper panel (16) extending between the operatively upper edge (17) of the sidewall (12) and the top (1 1 ) to allow for vertical expansion of the container (10) upon filling with filler material.

It is also provided with a series of spaced apart tensile elements (13) that extend through the container (10), and through its sidewall (12). The tensile elements (13) pass through the longitudinal axis of the container (10), in this embodiment at right angles to it. The tensile elements (13) pass through the container (10) equidistantly spaced apart at different heights. At each specific height there are two tensile elements (13A, 13B) that extend through the container (10), at right angles to each other. The series of spaced-apart tensile elements combine to form a network of reinforcement that confine the sidewall from expanding under filling with filler material.

It will be appreciated that it is possible to pass more than two tensile elements at each height, for example three, in which case they will be arranged with a 60° angular spacing between them.

It is also possible to pass the tensile elements through the container without passing it through its longitudinal axis. The length of the tensile element will thus be shortened since it passes through a shorter length than the full diameter of the container. It is also possible to pass arrange the tensile element to pass through the container at an angular orientation other than a right angle to the longitudinal axis, in which case the tensile element will be arranged at an angle to a level support, if the container were to be located on it, and not parallel to it. It will be appreciated that the embodiments described above are given by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It is possible to alter aspects thereof without departing from the essence of the invention.