Roof pressure monitoring system
First Claim
1. A roof pressure monitoring system for use in a mine to anticipate and prevent roof-fall accidents and increase the safety of miners comprising a plurality of sensors located in intimate contact with the mine roof and support roof bolts securing the sensors to the mine roof, said sensors having a predetermined pressure applied thereto, a module located adjacent to at least certain of said sensors, means electrically connecting said sensors to said module, said module having means for measuring the positive and negative pressure characteristics of said sensors as compared to said predetermined pressure and converting the same characteristics into digital information of pounds and pressure, said module having a memory for storing the information and comparing the same information with previously received information and further including a small dedicated computer having a processor with a program stored in Read Only Memory and Random Access Memory, a host computer electrically connected to at least one module and being located in a position remote therefrom, said host computer receiving information from said module including an On-line clear signal on a regular basis and a signal presence indicative of changes in said pressure characteristics at the sensors, if such be the case, with reference to location, time and magnitude of change, said dedicated computer having information storage means, a printer connected to said host computer, and said printer printing a complete record of change of a sensor when the change from said predetermined pressure is greater than a predetermiend value, whereby, significant changes in pressure on said sensors are recorded indicative that a roof-fall accident may occur.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mine safety system and method of measuring and monitoring the mine roof support stress levels. The information which is continuously gathered is recorded and stored so that a substantially complete history of each selected roof bolt is available to mine management personnel so that a determination may be made as to what action should be taken to protect the safety of the people working in the mine.
39 Citations
1 Claim
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1. A roof pressure monitoring system for use in a mine to anticipate and prevent roof-fall accidents and increase the safety of miners comprising a plurality of sensors located in intimate contact with the mine roof and support roof bolts securing the sensors to the mine roof, said sensors having a predetermined pressure applied thereto, a module located adjacent to at least certain of said sensors, means electrically connecting said sensors to said module, said module having means for measuring the positive and negative pressure characteristics of said sensors as compared to said predetermined pressure and converting the same characteristics into digital information of pounds and pressure, said module having a memory for storing the information and comparing the same information with previously received information and further including a small dedicated computer having a processor with a program stored in Read Only Memory and Random Access Memory, a host computer electrically connected to at least one module and being located in a position remote therefrom, said host computer receiving information from said module including an On-line clear signal on a regular basis and a signal presence indicative of changes in said pressure characteristics at the sensors, if such be the case, with reference to location, time and magnitude of change, said dedicated computer having information storage means, a printer connected to said host computer, and said printer printing a complete record of change of a sensor when the change from said predetermined pressure is greater than a predetermiend value, whereby, significant changes in pressure on said sensors are recorded indicative that a roof-fall accident may occur.
Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeBilly R. Bruce, Huey J. Perry
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Original AssigneeBilly R. Bruce, Huey J. Perry
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InventorsBruce, Billy R., Perry, Huey J.
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Primary Examiner(s)Krass, Errol A.
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Application NumberUS06/440,574Time in Patent Office1,245 DaysField of Search364/181, 364/420, 364/558, 364/505, 299/1, 405/302, 405/291, 340/690, 340/666, 340/686, 340/825.06, 73/784US Class Current702/138CPC Class CodesE21F 17/185 Rock-pressure control devic...G01L 5/243 using washers
