US2666630A - Mining machine - Google Patents

Description

J. c; sPRo'UL MINING MACHINE Jan. 19, 1954 2 Sheets--SheerI l Filed Feb. 25, 1950 Jan. 19, 1954 1 C, SPRQUL I 2,666,630

MINING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1 950 2 sheets-sheet 2 3 g H64 ,[37 45 /p v1.1, v

A ttorn e ys Patented Jan. 19, 1954 MINING MACHINE John Connel Sproul, Glasgow, Scotland, asi signor to Mavo:l & Coulson, Limited, Glasgow,

Scotland Application February 25, 195o, serial No. 146,183

(ci. 2oz-s) 5 Claims. y 1

This invention relates to machines for mining coal or other mineral and belonging to a previously proposed type `having a cutter head adapted to strip off vthe mineral in the advance ofthe machine by wedging 'or splitting the mineral along a more or less vertical plane. Where, as is usually desirable, the machine is double-endedthat is to say, is designed to work in each of its two directions of travelthere are two such cutter heads.

In machines of the type stated, a cutter head has one or more wedge-like face cutters which perform the main Vertical-plane cutting operation on the seam, and a floor cutter in the form of a horizontal-edge wedge for removing the mineral from the floor. Such a floor vcutter is usually formed or associated with a sloping ramp for lifting and deiiecting sidewise the mineral shovelled from the'i-loorr A cutter head may also include a horizontal-edged roof cutter, which would be arranged directly Vabovethe oor cutter.

Machines of the type stated are subjected to serious diiculties due to the seriously varying nature of coal and other mineral seams, the extremely restricted nature of the space in which the machine must work and the irregularities of the oor and roof surfaces of mines.

In accordance with the present invention, a mining machine of the type stated has a cutter head which is connected to the frame of the machine so as to be tiltable sidewise in relation to its normal working position under heavy reactionary forces and which is associated with means acting to maintain it in said position.

The means of connection may be such that the cutter head is turnable about a longitudinal axis.

The means acting to maintainthe cutter head in its normal Working position may be powerful centralising springs. ,p

Where the machine is double-endedreach cutter head may have locking means for holding it rigid when it is the trailing head-that is, the

, cutter head out of use for the Atime being.

A machine of the before-mentioned type, designed for mining coal,.is shown by Vway of example in the accompanying drawings'to illustrate the invention. In the drawings, Figs.v1

and 2 are a diagrammatic side elevation anda to a larger scale,--

p The general arrangement of the mining machine to which the invention is shown applied is drsawn in simple outline in Figs. 1 and 2, the construction and operation of the machine in general not being material to the present invention. In order that the relationship of the invention to the machine can be adequately understood, the following brief description of the machine is given.

The machine shown is double-ended, comprising mainly a frame like body 1, 8, 9 and I9, a carriage II and two cutter heads I2 and I3. The body consists of two transverse end walls 'I and 8, to which the heads are connected, and Vtwo longitudinal guide bars 9 and I0, on which the carriage is slidably mounted. As will be obvious from Fig. 1 the structures forming the heads I 2 and I3 rest upon the mine oor and bear the weight of the entire machine. The framelike body I-I is located between the two heads and is supported by them clear of the mine floor.

The carriage incorporates hydraulic propulsion apparatus. This apparatus includes a vertical hydraulic jack consisting of a cylinder I4 with a foot I 5, the cylinder being vertically movable in a holder I6 incorporated in the carriage. and a piston-operated head I'I which normally rests upon the holder. The propulsion apparatus also includes a hydraulic ram unit consisting of a horizontal cylinder I8 and a ram I9 extending from both ends of the cylinder and engageable at its ends with the walls 'I and 8.

In order that the machine shall be propelled say from left to right (as viewed in Figs, 1 and 2) the jack is operated firstly to depress its foot I5 against the oor of the mine and secondly to lift its head I1 against the mine roof. Y The jack thus extended provides a securely anchored abutment. Next the ram unit is operated so that the ram I9 is forced to the right, the ram thus engaging the wall 8 and pushing the framelike body 'l-I0, with the head I3 leading, upon the mine floor towards the right, the guide bars 9, I0 sliding through the now stationary carriage II and the heads I2 and I3 sliding over the mine floor. Thus, the head I3 performs its cutting stroke. Thereafter, the jack is operated so that its head' is lowered and its foot raised, thus contracting'the jack and freeing it from the roof and floor. Finally, the ram unit is operated so that to the right hand end of the guide bars 9, I0 to take up a new position of anchorage for the next Each of the main cutters 20, 2|, 22 and 23 is an edged plate that is attached to an .approximately wedge-like body, the bodies being indicated by 25, 26, 21 and 28 respectively. The cutrter head includes a heavy casing 29 in which the bodies 25-28 are all pivotally mounted.

The casing 29 is attached by a joint 30 to the adjacent end Wall 8 of the framelike body 1 !0 of the machine. The joint 30 is a circular ange with a concentric circular protruding spigot 3|. the flange being secured `by screws 32 Ato the casing 29 of the adjacent cutter head and fitting into a recess 33 in the adjacent end Wall l8. The spigot engages in a bearing 34 in the casing 2:9. The axis X-X (Fig. 3) of the .circular joint formations, namely the male formations 3,0, 3| and the female formations 33, 34, is horizontal and extends longitudinally of the machine, being parallel to the axis of the guides 8, le.

The casing 29, at opposite upper corners, has

two small laterally spaced housings 35 in which are tted plungers 3b, the feet of which are pressed downwards by powerful springs 31 against the top face 38 of the adjacent end wall 8. The pressure of the springs is adjustable by screw stops 39 against which they react. These springs, by pressing in opposition to one another with reference to the axis X-X, `strivevto maintain the cutter head in its central position, in

which the bottom of the head occupies a plane parallel to the foot l of the jack Ill-ffl] and which is its normal working position. Under excessive turning force applied to the head, one of the springs is heavily compressed and yields,

thus permitting the head to tilt sidewise in `relation to its normal working position. In the example, the sidewise tilting consists in turning of the head about the longitudinal axis X-X of the joint Bil-34 the extent of such turning is limited to the small extent permitted by the associated screw stop 38.

The cutter head also is provided with a bolt 40 for locking it rigidly in central position to the adjacent end wall 8 of the frame. As shown in Fig. 3, the bolt 4I) is mounted in a small housf i ing 4| secured to the top of the wall 8, the bolt being in register with a hole 42 in the casing 29 whenever the cutter head is in its central position. The bolt is forn'led with a worm 4 3 and a square head 44 for turning it. A pin4 5 screwed through the housing 4| engages the worm. The arrangement is such that, by turning the head ,44, the operator can move the locking bolt vinto or out of locking engagement `with the hole 42.

In use of the machine, assuming that it has to work from left to right as viewed in Figs. 1 yand 2, the trailing cutter head |2 le looked by itsA lockine bolt 40 (not Shown the drawings) and the leading (or working) cutter head |3 is left -unlocked in its central position (as shown in Figs.

5 and 4). In the advance of the. machine, any of various variations from normal conditions may .be met. For instance, as the cutter head cuts-.a

4 the cutters 2| to 24 tends to cut deeper into the seam; and this tendency would impose a torque on the cutter head about the longitudinal axis X--X of the joint 30--34. Alternatively, the floor of the mine might be inclined locally upwards to the right or the left, thus pressing upwards on one or other side of the oor cutter 123 and imposing a torque on 4the 7cutter head. By virtue of the joint 30-34, the head can turn against the yielding opposition due to the combined action of the spring plungers 36; and the machine frame 1-I0 itself is saved from tilting and other effects of excessive torsional stresses.

I claim:

l. A double-.ended mining machine of the type stated having Aa longitudinal frame, a pair of cutter-.carrying heads to bear upon a mine floor in order to support the weight of the machine, one vof said heads being at the leading end of said frame and one at the trailing end thereof, that .cutter head which for the time being is at the leading end being arranged when occupying its normal working position to `cut mineralfrom a `seam ,in an approximately vertical plane at one side of the machine, a lconnection between each of said heads and said frame, both connections having a longitudinal axis and each head, when free todo so, being tiltable sidewise out of its normal working position by turning about said axis, yieldable pressure means mounted on each cutter head and pressing against an adjacent `end of said frame, the pressure being directed to maintain the head `concerned in its normal work ing position, and locking means between the frame and each cutter head for holding against sidewise tilting that cutter head which for the time being is `at .the trailing end.

2. A mining machine vof the type stated having a longitudinal frame component, a cutter-carrying head component to bear upon a mine floor in order to support the weight of the machine at the leading end of said frame component, said head component being arranged when occupying' its normal working position to cut mineral fromv a seam in an approximately vertical plane at one side of the machine, a connection between said head and frame components such that the head component vis tiltable sidewise in relation to its rnormal working position by heavy forces reactionary to the work of the cutter head component and the weight of the machine, and yieldable pressure means mounted Vyon one of said components and pressing against the other of said components to maintain the head component in its normal working position but yielding .due to sidewise tilting of the head component when subjeoted to .excessive reactionary force.

3. A mining machine according to claim 2 in which the yieldable pressure means consists of compression spring means.

4. A mining vmachine of .the type stated having a longitudinal frame component, a cutter-carrying head component to bear upon a mine oor in order to Support the weight .of the machine at the leading end of .said frame component, said head component being arranged when occupying its normal Working position toy cut mineral from .a seam in ,an .approximately vertical plane at .one side .of .the machine, a connection consisting `O f circular maleandffemale formations between said heed and :frame-components, said formaaxis, under heavy forces reactionary to. thework 5 oi' .the cutter head componentl and the weight of the machine, and a pair of yieldabie pressure devices mounted on one of said components and pressing in opposition to one another upon the other of said components to maintain the head component in its normal working position but either of them yieidingdue to turning of the head component about saidraxis when subjected to excessive reactionary force.

5. A mining machine according to claim 4 in which the yieldable pressure devices comprise powerful centralising compression springs spaced apart on one of said components to exert opposed turning forces on the other of said components,

JOHN CONNEL 'SPROUL 5" References cited in the me of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,704,918 Morgan Mar. 12, 1929 10 1,761,060 n Van Slyke June 3, 1930

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