Patent ID: 8251617
Filing Date: 2012-08-28
Classification: E21D

Abstract:
1. A rock anchor which includes an elongate, flexible element with first and second ends, an anchor expansion mechanism at the first end, a tubular barrel into which the second end extends, and a locking arrangement inside the barrel which permits movement of the element in a first direction in the barrel and which locks the element to the barrel when the element moves in a second direction, opposing the first direction, in the barrel, characterized in that the tubular barrel in use, is located in a borehole in a rock, and has a first, inner mouth, a second, outer mouth and a passage between the mouths, a load-distributing face plate, with an inner side and an outer side, is engaged with the mouth of the tubular barrel, the locking arrangement includes a wedge device, inside the passage, which is engageable with a surface of the passage, at the inner mouth, of complementary taper to the wedge device, and through which the elongate element extends, and in that a biasing member acts between the element and the wedge device and urges the wedge device towards the surface of complementary taper.