I AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 WIRTGEN GMBH COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Mining machine, as well as a method for the tensioning of a transport belt of a transport device in a mining machine The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:- 2 Mining machine, as well as method for the tensioning of a transport belt of a transport device in a mining machine 5 The invention relates to a mining machine, in particular a surface miner as well as a method for the tensioning of a transport belt of a transport device in a mining machine. Such mining machines are employed in opencast mining, earthwork and rock 3 operations, where such a mining machine cuts, crushes and loads rock, for instance, in a single operational step without requiring blasting operations. Such milling machines are known e.g. from EP 2 037 042 A used as road scarifier. A cutting drum is used as the mining tool, which can transfer the 5 mining material to a transport device that may be arranged inside the machine frame in a permanent yet replaceable fashion. The mining material is transported diagonally upwards on the transport device to a point of discharge, where the mining material may be discharged onto a truck as an example. In case of two transport devices the discharge occurs on the second transport device, the lower 3 end of which is located below the upper end of the first transport device. The second transport device transports the mining material from a point of acceptance at the lower end of the second transport device also upwards to a point of discharge, where the mining material can be discharged either onto a transport vehicle or else to the side of the mining machine. To this effect, the 5 second transport device may be slewable laterally about + 90* to either side by means of a conveyor suspension device for the second transport device, which is slewable about a vertical axis that passes through the point of acceptance in a virtual fashion. 0 In addition, the second transport device may be pivotable about a horizontal pivoting axis in order to bring the upper end of the second transport device to a desired discharge height. The parameters vertical and horizontal are to be understood to mean that the mining machine is standing on horizontal ground.
3 In such mining machines in particular with sharp-edged mining material, it is necessary to replace the transport belt of a transport device in the event of the same being damaged. 5 After exchange of the transport belt but also during operation, it may be required to tension or re-tension the transport belt. From the state of the art, it is known to shift the axis of the drive roller with the aid of threaded shafts. For this purpose, an operating person has to climb to the ) upper end of the transport device whose top can be at a considerable height. It is evident that this will require a substantial amount of time. It would be advantageous if the present invention would create a mining machine of the type first mentioned above, as well as a method for the 5 tensioning of a transport belt of a transport device in a mining machine, which enable the tensioning of the transport belt of the transport device with little expenditure of time. In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a ) mining machine for the processing of a ground, comprising: a machine frame; a cutting drum mounted in the machine frame; first and second transport devices, at least one of the first and second transport devices comprising an endlessly revolving transport belt which on the 5 upper end of the transport device is supported via a drive roller and at the lower end is supported via a guide roller, the first transport device being arranged to accept mined material from the cutting drum and the second transport device component being arranged to accept the mined material from the first transport device, the second transport device being further arranged to transport the 0 mined material upwards to a point of discharge; a belt tensioning device is operative to shift the drive roller for tensioning the transport belt; wherein said belt tensioning device can be remote-controlled at the lower end of the at least one transport device or on the machine frame. 5 4 Preferably, the belt tensioning device consists of a grease tensioner. At least one of the drive rollers is preferably arranged to be shifted toward the outside with the aid of a belt tensioning device for tensioning. 5 For instance, a grease feeding device can be provided for the grease tensioner, said grease feeding device extending over the entire length of the transport device and, at the lower end of the transport device or on the machine frame, comprising a grease feeding connection arranged to be accessible to a person D standing on the ground. A grease feeding device for the grease tensioner may be provided, for example, which extends across the entire length of the transport device and which is provided, at the lower end of the transport device or at the machine frame, with 5 a grease feeding connection in such a fashion that the grease feeding connection is accessible to a person standing on the ground. In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for tensioning a transport belt of a transport device in 0 a mining machine for the processing of a ground, wherein mining material milled by a cutting drum is dropped onto a transport device comprising an endlessly revolving transport belt; said revolving transport belt is adapted to be tensioned by a belt tensioning device acting on an upper drive roller of the transport belt, wherein 25 said belt tensioning device can be remote-controlled at a lower end of the transport device or on a machine frame;; wherein a grease tensioner is used as a belt tensioning device and grease is fed to said grease tensioner, said grease being fed at the lower end of the transport device or on the machine frame. 30 In the following, one embodiment of the invention is explained in greater detail with reference to the drawings. The following is shown: 35 5 Fig. 1 a mining machine, in particular a surface miner, with a first and second transport device in locked working position, and Fig. 2 the conveyor suspension device in locked pivoting position. 5 Fig. 1 shows a mining machine 1, namely a surface miner for the processing of mining material, such as rock, limestone or coal and similar. The mining machine 1 comprises a machine frame 2 in which a cutting drum 4 is 0 supported that is used to mill off the mining material from the ground 3. To this effect, the cutting drum 4 shown in Fig. 1 is lowered to the ground 3 and brought to a pre-selected milling depth. Owing to its rotating movement, the cutting drum 4 throws the mining material onto a first transport device 6 supported in the machine frame 2 in a permanent yet removable fashion, said first transport 5 device 6 extending, starting from the cutting drum 4, diagonally upwards in the machine frame 2. The first transport device 6 has a continuously revolving transport belt 7, which discharges the mining material at the upper rear end 22 of the first transport device 6 onto a point of acceptance 18 of a second transport device 12. The first transport device 6 is suspended in a conveyor shoe 9 at its O lower front end, and is fastened to the machine frame in a detachable fashion at its upper end 22. The second transport device 12 is also provided with a continuously revolving transport belt 50, which transports the mining material from the point of .5 acceptance 18 in the lower area of the second transport device 12 to a point of discharge 20 where the mining material can be loaded on a vehicle or can also be discharged to the side on the ground 3. The transport belt 50 of the second transport device 12 can be kept tensioned 30 with the aid of a belt tensioning device consisting of a grease tensioner 58, with the grease tensioner 58 acting onto the linearly movable axis 60 of the upper drive roller 52 for transport belt 50. The endlessly revolving transport belt 50 is driven via the upper drive roller 52 35 and is deflected by the lower guide roller 54. The grease tensioner 58 comprises 6 a grease feeding device 62 extending downward along the second transport device 12 and entering a grease feeding connection 64 which is accessible to an operating person from the ground 3.