US1761670A - Mining machine - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1930. c. R. HUGHES MINING MACHINE Fil'edApril 4, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l C. R. HUGHES MINING MACHINE June 3, 1930.

Filed April 4, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 awe/whom,

elf/image June 3, 1930. c. R. HUGHESY a 0 MINING MACHINE elf/ 01440430.

Patented June 3, 1930 PATENT? OFFICE I c renLns ROBERT HUGHES, OF-ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA MINING MACHINE Application lfiled April 4,

. This invention relates to mining machines and is more particularly a machine designed for forming headings in mines by cutting straight into a wall, thereby to produce a heading from which passages can subsequently extend.

A further object is to provide a simple and very compact machine of this-typewhich can be lowered intact within the mine shaftand set up for use at any desired point, thereby avoiding the necessity. of assembling the parts after being lowered. V r

A still further object is to provide amachine which will feed forwardly automatically at a desired speed during the mining operation. 7

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the descriptionv proceeds, the invention resides in the com-- bination and arrangement of parts andin the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed 'may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention. 7

In the acompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings, V r V Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine, the guards being shown in section and one of the chains and its guide being broken away. Figure 2 is a side elevation, one ofv the guide being broken away to expose the rounded forward end of the adjoining guide.

Figure 3 is an elevation showing the opposite side of the machine, a portion of the guide being in section. i

Figure 1 is a section on line 4'4, Figure 1. Figure 5 is an enlarged section through one side portion of the machine taken on line 55,

F igure 2, the shaft being shown in plan.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the frame of the machine supported by a base 2. Extending laterally from this frame at one side and beyond the base 2 are frame extensions 3 to which is attached a longitudinally channelled guide member or track 4'consisting of upper and lower members 5 and 6 which diverge for- 1923. Serial No. 267,327. 1

wardly and merge into a front rounded portion 7 which is reinforced by a filling block 3. This block constitutes one part of a bearmg, the other member 9 thereof .beingbolted or otherwise attached to the block as shown in Figure 3. Fixed parallel guides 10 and 11 are fixedly connected to and supported beyond the other side of theframel, each of these guide members being formed with a chamiel extending throughout the length thereof. Each guide member includes an upper portion 12 and a lower portion 13, these portions diverging forwardlyand being connected at their forward ends by rounded or arcuate integral portions 14. One of these portions has a block 15 similarto the block 8 to which is attacheda bearing member 16 similar to the bearing member 9. A shaft 17 'is-journaled between the bearing members 15 and 16 and the bearing members 8 and 9 and is preferably provided with anti-friction means such as roller bearings 18, ballbearings, or the like, of any preferred construction'. Secured to the shaft 17 so as to rotate therewith is a drum 19 the ends of which are supported close to the guides 4 and 10 respectively. This drum, which constitutes the main mining ele-, ment of the machine isprovided with picks 20 arranged in any maner desired on the periphery thereof and preferably spirally dis posed so that, when the drum is rotated, each pick will travel in a path close to the paths of other picks thereby insuring a rapid breaking down of the wall against which the machine is thrust.

lllounted within the channel of the guide member 4 is an endless chain 21 having suitably arranged picks 22 extending from certain of the, links thereof. Another similar chain 23 provided with picks 24 is mounted to travel in the channel ofthe guide 10, while a'third chain 25 having picks 26 extending therefrom, is mounted to travel within the channel in the. guide 11. The parts are so proportioned that the advancing portions of the'chains 21, 23, and 25 travel in arcs which substantially aline with the front portion of the periphery of drum 19. Thus, as the 'machine advancesyall ofthe picks carried by the 169 front portions of the chains and the drum will operatively engage the wall in the path thereof and out a recess sufficiently large to permit the entry of the machine thereinto. The picks on the chains 21 and 25 will cut laterally to or beyond the sides of the machine and all of the picks will out upwardly and downwardly suflicient distances to allow the machine to enter the recess produced.

The rear portion of the chain 21 is mounted on a sprocket 27 carried by a transverse shaft 28 journalled in the bearings 29 which are connected to the rear portion of frame 1- The other end of this shaft 28 has separate sprockets 30 and 31 on which are mounted the rear'portions of the chains 23 and 25 respectively.

An electric motor 32 is mountedadjacent one end and the shaft 33 thereof is provided at one end with a gear 3 1 adapted to transmit motion through an intermediate gear 35 to a gear 36 secured to the shaft 28. Another gear 37 is secured to the other end portion of shaft 33 and transmits mot-ion through an intermediate gear 38 to a gear 39 journalled on one side of the frame 1 and having a sprocket 4O rotatable therewith. A chain 41 is mounted on this sprocket and is used for transmitting motions to a large sprocket 42 secured to shaft 17.

Certain of the picks on the chains 23 and 25 are preferably inclined toward each other so that during the mining operation uncut or unbroken material will not become wedged between the guides 10 and 11.

Various means can be employed for feeding the machine forwardly during the mining operation. For example a worm 43 may be carried by shaft 28, this worm meshing with a gear 44 provided with an angular socket 4L7. This socket receives the angular end 48 of a shaft 45. This shaft may be provided at 46 with a universal joint connecting it to a feed screw 49 mounted for rotation within a post '50. A screw 51 engages the upper portion ofthe post and has a tapered head 52. Projecting spurs 53 or the like may be extended downwardly from the post. Thus, after the machine has been set up with its advancing end in close proximity to a wall to be acted on, the screw 51 is adjusted upwardly so as to force the head 52 into the roof. At the same time the spurs or projections 53 will be forced downwardly into the bottom.

After the machine has been placed at the point where the heading is to be out, the post is secured. in place as already explained and the motor 32 is set in operation. This will cause motion to be transmitted through the gears 34, 35, and 36 to shaft 28 and the chains 21, 23, and 25 will thus be operated simultaneously.

During the operation described motion will also be transmitted through the gears 37, 38,

and 39 to the sprocket 40, chain 41, and sprocket 42. Thus the drum 19 will also be operated, this drum being driven by shaft 17 while the chains will slide along the channelled guides. The speed of the drum and of the chains can be the same or can be different. In the structure illustrated the surfacespeed of the drum 19 is somewhat greater than that of the chains. As the picks on the chains and drums move forwardly and downwardly they will break up the surface of the wall in the path thereof and at the same time the revolving shaft 28 and worm 43 will cause the feed screw 49 to rotate within the post 50, thus thrusting the machine forward slowly into the recess produced by the action of the picks.

It is to be understood of course that suitable guards such as indicated at 53 can be provided for covering the gears and the rear portions of the chains as well as the sprockets on which they are mounted.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine of the class described including a frame, a transverse shaft, bearings for the shaft fixed relative to the frame, a drum rotatable with the shaft between the bearings, cutting elements carried by the periphery of the drum, fixed arcuate guides adjacent the ends of the drum a cutting chain slidably mounted on the guides and extending backwardly therefrom a drive shaft means actuated thereby and surrounded by the cutting chain for rotating the drum and means actuated by the drive shaft and engaging those portions of the chain remote from the drum for actuating the chains to slide them along the arcuate guides.

2. A mining machine including a frame,

a shaft journaled therein, a drum mounted for rotation with the shaft, cutting elements extending from the periphery of the drum, bearings for the shaft adjacent the ends of the drum, arcuate guides concentric with the shaft adjacent the bearings, cutting chains slidably mounted on the guides, and means remote from the drum for actuating the chains to slide along the guides, said means being located to travel in the path cut by the drum and chains.

3. A mining machine including a frame mounted for forward movement, a shaft journaled therein, arcuate channeled guides concentric with the shaft at the forward end of the frame and fixed relative to the frame, cutting chains mounted to slide along the guides, and means remote from the guides for driving the chains, said means being located for movement within the path cut by the chains.

4:. A mining machine including a frame mounted for forward movement, a shaft j ournaled in the front end portion of the frame, arcuate guides concentric with the shaft and extending in front thereof, said guides being i arranged to form a pair, a drum rotatable with the shaft and having peripheral cutting elements, bearings for the shaft at the ends of the drum and in the spaces back of the guides, cutting chains slidably mounted on s the guides, means for rotating the drum, and

means remote from the drum for actuating the chains, all of said means being positioned to travel in the path cut by the drum and chains. A V j a 5. A mining machine including a frame mounted for forward movement, a transverse shaft supported by the front portion thereof, arcuate guides in front of and concentric with the shaft, endless cutting chains slidably mounted on the guides, said guides and chains being proportioned to cut a path the height of which is greater than the extreme height of the machine, a drum interposed between the guides, cutting elements thereon, and operating mechanism locatedentirely back of the drum and guides for movement into the out produced by the drum and chains for actuating said drum and chains.

6. A mining machine including a frame mounted for forward movement, channeled guides fixed relative to the frame and disposed in pairs, the guides of each pair being joined by an integral arcuate portion channeled to constitute a guide,bearings supported by the said arcuate portionsof the guides, a shaft journaled therein, a drum interposed between the arcuate portions of the guides,

chains mounted within the channeled guides i and adapted to drag therea-long, cutting ele-.

ments on the chains and drum, said elements cooperating to cut a cavity in a wall to receive the machine as 1t advances, and means for actuating the drum and chains simulta' neously.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as v my own, I have hereto aifixed my signature.

CHARLES ROBERT HUGHES.

Images