Patent ID: 8851804

Claim:
A support for use in mines and other underground workings comprising: at least two stacked cylindrical drums, each of said at least two stacked cylindrical drums including a top portion, a bottom portion, a cylindrical sidewall extending between the top portion and the bottom portion, and a load-bearing material therein; each of the top portion and the bottom portion of each stacked cylindrical drum comprising a reinforcing chime; an opening extending through the top portion of each stacked cylindrical drum for receiving the load-bearing material therethrough; and at least one securing member comprising a ring portion including a cross portion and an extending portion disposed around the circumference of the at least two cylindrical drums for securing the bottom portion of a first cylindrical drum to at least the top portion of a second cylindrical drum of the at least two stacked cylindrical drums, such that the reinforcing chime of the bottom portion of the first cylindrical drum is adjacent the reinforcing chime of the top portion of the second cylindrical drum with the extending portion of the at least one securing member positioned therebetween.