Wedge Prop Pole With Confinement Ring For Controlled Crushing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mine props, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,339, often fail to effectively support roofs in high-stress mining environments due to inadequate performance in accepting ground movement and maintaining structural integrity.

Innovation Solution

A prop system comprising a vertically positioned pole with wedge cuts and a confinement ring wrapped around the pole, where the ring is welded in place to ensure that pole failure under roof load is determined by the weld strength, and a tensioner is used to pretension the pole relative to the roof.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional mine prop structure is used, then the prop can provide basic roof support, but it fails to effectively accept ground movement and maintain structural integrity in high-stress environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidability to accept ground movement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The prop incorporates a dynamic failure mechanism where the pole is designed to transition from elastic buckling to controlled plastic crushing as load increases. This allows the structure to adapt to ground movement by progressively yielding through the wedge cuts and confinement ring interaction, maintaining support function while accommodating deformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The confinement ring parameters (wire diameter, spacing, weld configuration) are specifically designed to control the pole's deformation characteristics. By adjusting these parameters, the prop can be tuned to accept specific amounts of ground movement while maintaining structural integrity under varying stress conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If the pole is designed for high strength to resist buckling, then buckling resistance improves, but the ability to accept ground movement through controlled deformation is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebuckling resistanceVSAvoiduncontrolled failure under load

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention converts the harmful effect of pole buckling into a beneficial controlled crushing mechanism. The confinement ring and wedge cuts are designed to guide the buckling deformation into a controlled plastic collapse mode, where the pole gradually crushes rather than suddenly failing, thereby accepting ground movement while maintaining support capacity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The confinement ring acts as a pre-designed constraint that cushions and controls the pole's deformation path. By providing this predetermined confinement structure, the system prevents uncontrolled buckling and guides the failure mode toward controlled crushing, ensuring predictable behavior under high stress.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Strength

If the confinement ring is strongly welded to the pole, then the ring provides effective confinement, but the weld becomes the weak point and determines failure instead of the pole

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfinement effectivenessVSAvoidfailure predictability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The confinement ring uses localized spot welds rather than continuous welding. This creates areas of different quality: the ring provides strong confinement where needed, while the spot welds serve as predetermined failure points. This local differentiation allows the system to maintain confinement effectiveness while ensuring failure occurs in a predictable, controlled manner.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The proposed solution enhances the prop's ability to withstand ground movement and maintain roof support by shifting the failure mechanism from buckling to controlled crushing, thereby improving the prop's performance and reliability in high-stress mining conditions.

Implementation Method 1

a tensioner positioned at a top of the pole in between the pole on the roof to pretension the pole with respect to the roof

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPretension: Tension

Implementation Method 2

a ring wrapped about the pole and welded together so failure of the pole under load from the roof is a function of the weld

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWelding: Welding

Data Source

PatentUS12234645B2Apparatus for controlling yield performance of props for roofs, and methods

Publication Date: 2025.02.25 STRATA PRODUCTS WORLDWIDE LLC

AI summary

The technology provides increased capability and control over the yield performance of the timber prop, a mine roof support. The new Wedge Prop design includes a cut pattern idealized for the specific wood species used in manufacturing and a set of confinement rings varying in strength due to different failure mechanisms. The cut pattern is based on the diameter of the yellow poplar pole, while the confinement rings consist of multiple types of welds to allow for either wire tensile failure or for weld detachment. The cut pattern can be combined in conjunction with various combinations of confinement rings to allow for precise control over the performance of the Wedge Prop in the Propsetter System.