GB2074216A - Mineral winning machine - Google Patents

Abstract

An "in-web" mineral mining machine 1 has an elongate body member 11 comprising a plurality of discrete elements 12, 13 articulated together about an axis or axes 15 extending laterally of the body member 11. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mineral winning machine This invention relates to an "in-web" mineral winning machine of the type adapted to be reciprocated along a mineral face, e.g. a coal face.

Conventionally, an armoured, scraper chain conveyor, comprising a plurality of individual line pans articulated together end-to-end, extends along the face and an "in-web" machine is merely guided from the conveyor and located beyond the face side sidewall of the conveyor and within the mineral seam. This contrasts with conveyor mounted machines where only the cutting head(s) thereof is within the mineral seam.

Conventionally, "in-web" machines incorporate an elongate body member, e.g. 20 ft. in length dependent on a number of factors, and made up of a plurality of different functional units bolted together. Furthermore, mine floors tend to be irregular, incorporating humps and swillies, which are followed by the individual line pans resulting in an undulating conveyor which frequently leads to an "in web" machine becoming jammed, in a generally vertical plane, within the mineral seam, with the result that production has to be halted, while the machine is freed, which operation is not without its hazards for the personnel involved, for the machine is located in an unsupported roof area. Jamming can also occur though less often in a generally horizontal plane between the mineral face and the conveyor or conveyor furnishings.

According to the present invention, an "inweb" mineral mining machine has an elongate body member comprising a plurality of discrete elements articulated together about an axis or axes extending laterally of the body member.

The result is that the machine body member no longer constitutes a single, rigid member, but is divided into a plurality of individual elements of relatively short length articulated one to the other, so that the body member can, within limits (if the articulation is in a vertical plane) follow the undulations of the conveyor with a much diminished tendency to jam when the undulations exceed what can be accommodated, so that a 35ft. long machine for instance may have no element longer than say 1 2 ft. Alternatively, but preferably in addition, articulation is permitted in a horizontal plane. The references herein to "vertical" and "horizontal" assume that the mineral seam lies in a horizontal plane.

Basically, the body member may comprise two discrete elements pivotally attached to one another at adjacent ends. The or each discrete element comprises, remote from the pivot point, a gear head carrying a ranging arm on which a rotary cutter is mounted. Furthermore, at least one of the elements incorporating a traction unit, and at least one of the elements incorporating a drive motor. It is preferred however for each element to incorporate a traction unit to drive an endless chain, or a pinion, engaging a rack carried by, and extending along, the conveyor, the rack preferably extending along the face side of the conveyor.If the machine is of a kind incorporating a single drive motor, e.g. a 400-h.p. electric motor from which all power requirements are taken, then one element of a two element machine may incorporate the motor while the other element may incorporate a pump box for hydraulic functions.

The discrete elements of the body member may be mounted directly on the mine floor in the case of a thin seam, e.g. up to 36", with guidance from the conveyor, or alternatively if a medium height seam is involved resulting in a greater availability of height, the discrete elements may be mounted on an underframe seated on the conveyor.

This last mentioned construction enables the machine to be further developed, for additional employment for roadway ripping operations -- a roadway conventionally being located at each end of a longwall mineral face. Thus, by providing the machine with power means e.g. one or more hydraulic rams preferably of the double-acting kind operable between the underframe and one or each discrete element, the latter may be elevated from the underframe. Hence, in practice, the element in proximity to the roadway to be advanced may be elevated by the power means, so as to enable the rotary cutting head to rip out the roadway to the desired height and to the desired cross-sectional shape. Also, an "in web" machine is conventionally provided at or towards each end of the body member with a steering jack terminating in a slide shoe seating on the mine floor.It is preferred therefore to employ these steering jacks, and an associated inboard jack to effect elevation. During elevation for roadway ripping operations the underframe remains in contact with the conveyor and hence the conventionally provided face side and goaf side trapping remains unaffected.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a first embodiment of "in-web" mineral winning machine in accordance with the present invention installed in a mineral seam, looking from face to goaf; Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine of Figure 1; Figure 3 corresponds to Figure 1 but looking from goaf to face; Figure 4 is a view on the left hand end of Figure 3; Figure 5 shows, to a larger scale, details of the articulated connecticn of the machine of Figures 1 to 4; Figure 6 is a view in the direction of arrow A of Figure 5; Figure 7 shows a second embodiment of machine in accordance with the invention in a roadway ripping mode; and Figure 8 is an end view of Figure 7.

For both embodiments of machine, like reference numerals are employed for like components.

An "In-web" mineral mining machine 1 is shown located in a mineral seam having a longwall mineral face 2 defined between a mine roof 3 and a mine floor 4, a roadway 5 being provided at each end of the face 2. The machine 1 is located between an armoured face conveyor 6 and the mineral face 2, the conveyor 6 being made up of a plurality of line pans 7 secured together end-to-end and each comprising a face side sidewall 8 separated from a goaf side sidewall 9 by a deck plate 10 which also separates the upper, conveying run of the conveyor 6 from the lower, return run. For clarity the chain(s) and flight bars of the conveyor have been omitted, as have the mine roof supports located beyond the goaf side sidewall 9 and connected to the individual pans 7 for advancing the conveyor 6, and hence the machine 1, by the well-known "snaking" technique.

The machine 1 has an elongate body 11 extending e.g. 24-ft., the body being divided into two discrete elements 12, 13, adjacent ends of which are articulated together at a hinge 14 about a common, horizontal axis 1 5 extending laterally of the body member 11, each discrete element 12, 13 being supported from the mine floor 4 by a slide shoe 1 6 connected to a steering jack 1 7. The element 12 incorporates a first compartment 1 8 housing an electric motor, a second compartment 19 housing a traction unit comprising an endless chain 1 9A and third compartment 20 housing gearing for a cutting head comprising a ranging arm 21 carrying a rotary cutter 22.The element 13 comprises a compartment 23 constituting a pump box for hydraulic functions of the machine 1, a compartment 24 housing a second traction unit comprising a second endless chain 24A, and a compartment 25 containing gearing for a cutting head comprising a ranging arm 26 carrying a rotary cutter 27. To the face side sidewall 8 is attached a toe plate 28 engageable by at least two slide shoes 29 of the machine, which shoes are trapped, by an upper plate 30, to preclude disengagement from the toe plate 28, both the toe plate and upper plate being attached to a rack bar 31 bolted to the face side sidewall 8 and having teeth 32 engageable by the two traction units.

Also, to the goaf side sidewall 9 is bolted a support plate 33 carrying a trapping tube 34 engaged by complementary profiled trapping shoes 35 extending from a bridge 36 of each element 12, 13, again with a hydraulic ram 37 between the shoes 35 and bridge 36. It will be appreciated that appropriate operation of the rams 17 and 37 is capable of individual pivoting of each element 12, 13 about the axis 1 5 so that undulations of the conveyor 6, as a result of undulations in the mine floor 4 can be accurately followed with a reduced tendency for the machine to jam between the mine roof 3 and the mine floor 4.

Detailed in Figures 5 and 6 is the hinge 14. A pair of inner arms 38 each having a circular aperture 39, extend inwardly from the electric motor compartment 18, while a pair of outer arms 40, also extend inwardly and have circular apertures 41 , the arms 40 extending from the pump box compartment 23. The apertures 39 and 41 are co-axial and each pair of arms receives a common pivot pin 42 with suitably interposed bearings 43. Power from the electric motor within the housing 1 8 is transmitted via a Hardy-Spicer type drive shaft 44 including a splined element 45 slidably supported in complementary splined connecting pieces 46. The compartments 18-20 and 23-25 may be connected by upper and lower common support straps 47 secured by wedges 48.

In the embodiment of Figures 7 and 8, the discrete elements 12, 13, are mounted on an underframe 49 with an inboard jack 50 operable between the underframe and on each end of the elements 12, 13 at a location remote from the axis 1 5. The element 12 is illustrated as having been elevated by extension of the steering jack 1 7 and the jack 50, so that its cutting head 27 can perform a ripping action to advance the roadway 5 in circumstances where an advancing longwall face 2 is involved. In this circumstance the traction unit 24 would be elevated while the trapping means 28-30 and 33-35 would remain in engagement.

Claims (14)

1. An "in-web" mineral mining machine having an elongate body member comprising a plurality of discrete elements articulated together about an axis or axes extending laterally of the body member.

2. A machine as claimed in Claim 1, wherein articulation is in a vertical plane.

3. A machine as claimed in Claim 1, wherein articulation is in a horizontal plane.

4. A machine as claimed in Claim 1, wherein articulation is in both vertical and horizontal planes.

5. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the body member comprises two discrete elements pivotally attached to one another at adjacent ends.

6. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the or each discrete element comprises, remote from the pivot point, a gear head carrying a ranging arm on which a rotary cutter is mounted.

7. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein at least one of the elements incorporates a traction unit, and at least one of the elements incorporating a drive motor.

8. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein each element incorporates a traction unit to drive an endless chain, or a pinion, engaging a rack carried by, and extending along, the conveyor.

9. A machine as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the rack extends along the face side of the conveyor.

10. A machine as claimed in any one of Claims 5 to 9, wherein one element incorporates a drive motor and the other element incorporates a pump box.

11. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the machine is mounted directly on the mine floor.

12. A machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the discrete elements are mounted on an underframe seated on the conveyor.

13. A machine as claimed in Claim 12, wherein power means is operable between the underframe and one or each discrete element.

14. A machine as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the power means is a hydraulic jack.

1 5. An "in-web" mineral mining machine, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

1 6. An "in-web" mineral mining machine, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.