Patent ID: 7490440

Claim:
A system comprising (a) a support device for use between a floor, a rib and a roof when the rib is disposed between the floor and roof and is substantially perpendicular to each of the floor and roof, said support device comprising: an expander; and a pair of resilient members each having a proximal end adapted for connection to the expander and a distal end curved away from the expander; wherein said expander is linearly expandable to drive the distal ends of said pair of resilient members away from each other in opposed directions such that, upon linear expansion of the expander with the support device disposed between the floor, rib and roof, the expander can drive the distal ends of said pair of resilient members into engagement with the floor and the roof so that the resilient members bow and cause a portion of said support device to be driven into abutment against the rib in a direction that is substantially transverse to the opposed directions; and (b) a rib, a floor and a roof of a mining roadway, the rib being disposed between the floor and roof and being substantially perpendicular to the floor and roof, the support device being disposed between the floor, the rib and the roof.