Larry W Rowland

US Patent:

20030039514, Feb 27, 2003

Filed:

Mar 25, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/106872

Inventors:

Stephen Tadolini - St. Clairsville OH, US
Bruce Cassidy - Scio OH, US
Larry Rowland - Bolivar OH, US

Assignee:

Excel Mining Systems, Inc.

International Classification:

E02D003/02
E02D005/00
E02D017/00
E02D029/00

US Classification:

405/288000

Abstract:

A surface plate for supporting generally planar loads, specifically mine roofs. The present invention generally relates to a surface plate that is capable of supporting a mine roof. Surface plates in accord with the preferred embodiments of the present invention comprise a plurality of embossments. The embossments provide the surface plates with increased strength when compared against the prior art. In the preferred embodiments, one of the plurality of embossments is a continuous perimeter embossment that generally parallels the outer perimeter of the surface plate. Another of the plurality of embossments is a circular embossment located at the center of the surface plate wherein a central opening through which a mine roof bolt is received is located. The preferred embodiments may further comprise a plurality of radial embossments that extend from the central embossment to the perimeter embossment. These radial embossments may be arranged in a regular pattern around the central embossment. In one preferred embodiment that is generally rectangular in shape, four radial embossments intersect and extend from the central embossment towards the perimeter embossment and intersect with the perimeter embossment in proximity to the corners of the surface plate.