US3026098A - Auger type mining machine - Google Patents

Description

March 20, 1962 A. G. WILCOX 3,026,098

AUGER TYPE MINING MACHINE Original Filed May 6, 1957 4. Sheets-Sheet 1 1/11/ j 7% INVENTOR.

Arnold amazon:

ATTORNEYS.

March 20, 1962 A. G. WlLCOX AUGER TYPE MINING MACHINE Original Filed May 6, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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March 20, 1962 A. G. WILCOX 3,026,098

A'UGER TYPE MINING MACHINE Original Filed May 6, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR:

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ATTORNEY 6'.

March 20, 1962 A. G. WILCOX 3,026,098

AUGER TYPE MINING MACHINE Original Filed May 6, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENT OR 2 Arnold G.V\Zlcox WQmMMw ATTORNEYS United States Patent 9 3,026,098 AUGER TYPE MmfNG MACHINE Arnold G. Wilcox, Shady Springs, W. Va., assignor to Wilcox Manufacturing Company, Raleigh, W. Va., a corporation of West Virginia Original application May 6, 1957, Ser. No. 657,160. Di-

vided and this application May 8, 1961, Ser. No.

19 Claims. (Cl. 262-27) This invention relates to mining machines and more particuiarly to mining machines of the continuous type having means for conveying the coal or other material being mined, away from the machine. This application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 657,160, filed May 6, 1957, which in turn constitutes a continuation-in-part of my earlier application Serial No. 449,851, filed August 16, 1954, now abandoned.

While the known mining machines are suitable for operation within mines having a relatively high mining face, more and more such mines are being worked out, and it is becoming necessary to work those mines which have a relatively low mine face, in the order of to 48 inches. It is frequently the case in such mines, that the face will have a vein of impure material therein and with the presently known machines, this foreign material must be removed along with the adjacent material. Since the impure vein of material is thus mixed with the relatively pure material, the expense involved in subsequently separating the materials makes the known machines impractical for working mines of the latter type.

The present invention is particularly adapted for use in mines having a relatively low face, of the type mentioned above, and is operable to remove the coal or other material being mined without mixing the impurities therewith.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mining machine of the continuous type which is capable of operating at diiferent vertical heights within the mine face so that the operator may separately remove the pure and impure veins in the mine face.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a continuous mining machine having improved cutting means which may operate to cut a mine face both longitudinally and transversely thereof.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved cutting motion for a continuous mining machine which permits the machine to out both longitudinally and transversely of the mine face in an improved manner.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a continuous mining machine which is easy to operate, simple in construction and economical to manufacture and maintain.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a continuous mining machine which is operable on the short-wall mining principle to remove material from relatively thin veins in the mining face.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a continuous mining machine having improved cutting means which may operate to cut a mine face both longitudinally and transversely thereof.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision ofan improved cutting motion for a continuous mining machine which permits the machine to out both longitudinally and transversely of the mine face in an improved mamner.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a continuous mining machine which is easy to operate, simple in construction and economical to manufacture and maintain.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the course of the following etailed description and appended claims.

The invention may best be understood with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein an illustrative embodiment is shown.

in the drawings:

IGURE 1 is a plan view of a mining machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention showing the same in digging relation to a mine face;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic, front elcvational view of the mining machine showing the manner in which the cutters are raised and lowered;

FEGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the mining machine;

FEGURE 4 is a front elevational view showing one of the cutters in raised position;

FIGURE 5 is a partial top plan view illustrating the details of the motion transmitting means;

FiGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURES 7 and 8 are schematic views showing various stages in the operation of the machine;

FlGURE 9 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly in section, illustrating the manner in which the angers are mounted on the subframe for vertical movement;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 1fi'1ti of FIGURE 11; and

FZGURE 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of FIGURE 10'.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 a mining machine, gen erally indicated at it constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention which is adapted for use in mining coal and other materials. The machine 10,

includes in general, a frame 12 for supporting the same for movement along a mine floor, a vertically adjustable driven cutting means '14 for digging the coal or other materials from the mine face, a power plant 16 for propelling he machine along the mine floor and for driving the cutting means 14, a motion transmitting mechanism 18 for drivingly connecting the cutter means with the power plant and a conveyor means 19 for moving the coal loosened by the cutter means 14 toward the rear end of the machine.

The power plant 16 itself may be of a type well known in the art which is provided with a pair of winches 20 suitably connected with the source of power (not shown) and independently controlled in the conventional manner (not shown). Suitable cables 22 are carried by the winches 29 and through pulleys 24, the cables may be operated by the winches to propel the machine along the mine floor. As was stated above, the mechanism for propelling the machine may be conventional and the details of construction thereof form no part of the present invention. It is also to be understood that other means of propelling the machine may be employed.

The supporting frame 12 of the mining machine preferably comprises an elongated, box-shaped, longitudinally extending frame 26, which supports the power plant 16 in vertically spaced relation to the mine floor. The boxlike frame 26 is constructed to receive a portion of the conveyor means 19 as will be hereinafter described.

The motion transmit-ting mechanism 18 is preferably carried by a sub-frame 28 mounted on the frame 26 for longitudinal sliding movement. As shown in FIGURE 6, the sub-frame 28 may include opposite depending flanges 30 which embrace suitable frame rails 32 rigidly secured to the box-like frame 26. A pair of plates 34 are removably mounted on the free ends of the flanges 38 so as to maintain the sub-frame on the main frame against all Patented Mar. 20, 1962 I by the cam 62.

but longitudinal sliding movement. Carried on the subframe 28 is an abutting pair of transmission hpusings 36 and 38 which are rigidly secured thereto for longitudinal sliding movement therewith. The housing 36 is adapted to carry a suitable means 40 for transmitting the rotary motion of the power plant to the cutting means 14 so as to selectively reciprocate the latter longitudinally. While the means 49 may take many forms, a preferred embodiment is shown in detail in FIGURES and 6. As shown, a main shaft 42 is drivinglyponnected with the power plant 16, through a suitable clutch mechanism 44, and has its rear end splined, as at 46, o that it may reciprocate axially therein. Rigidly mounted on the main shaft 42, within the housing 36 is a bevel gear 48 which meshes with a cooperating bevel gear 50 mounted on an upright stub shaft 52 suitably journalled within the housing 36. The lower portion of the bevel gear 50 is provided with suitable clutch teeth 54 and cooperating teeth 56 are provided on a clutch member 58 carried by the shaft 52. A suitable actuating means, such as linkage 60, is provided for moving the teeth'of the clutch member 58 into and out of cooperating engagement with the teeth of the bevel gear 50. It will be seen that when the teeth 54 and 56 are in engagement, the stub shaft 52 will be rotated through the bevel gears 48 and 50 by the main shaft 42. Rigidly mounted on the lower end of the stub shaft 52 is a cam 62 engaged within a plate 64 rigidly secured with the main frame. The plate 64 includes an opening 66 constituting a cam follower which is engaged It will be seen that when the stub shaft 52 is rotated that the cam 62 and follower 66 will cause the transmission housings 36 and 38 to longitudinally reciprocate with respect to the main frame and power plant.

The main shaft 42 extends forwardly within the transmission housing 33 and suitable gear trains 68 are connected therewith to drive a pair of auxiliary shafts 70, suitably journalled within the housings 36 and 38.

The cutting means 14 preferably includes a pair of oppositely pitched rotary augers 72 and 74, each of which is mounted for independent vertical movement. To this end, a housing 76 is connected between the transmission housing 38 and each of the augers 72 and 74. Each 7 of the housings 76 may include a rearward cylindrical tube 73 which is journalled in the housing 38 concentric with the shaft 78 to embrace the latter. Extending substantially perpendicular from the cylindrical tube 78 is a rigid hollow member 80 through the outer end of which the associated auger may be journalled.

In order to transmit the rotary motion of each shaft 70 to the respective auger, a sprocket wheel 82 is provided on the forward end of each shaft 70 and a cooperating sprocket wheel 84 is mounted on a reduced rearward end 86 of the auger. A suitable sprocket chain 88 may be entrained around the sprocket wheels 82 and 84 so as to connect the same in driving relation. It is to be understood that the gear train 68 mounted within the housing 38 is arranged to reduce the speed between the auger shafts 86 and the main shaft 82 and to rotate the oppositely pitched augers in opposite directions.

Suitable means, such as hydraulic rams 90 are preferably provided between the sub-frame 28 and each of the housing members 80 so as to move the augers into different positions of vertical adjustment. Any suitable means, such as lugs 92, may be utilized to connect the rams between the frame and the housing member. It is also to be understood that suitable control means for the hydraulic rams may be provided on the main frame for actuation under the control of the operator.

While the augers 72 and 74 are preferably oppositely pitched, exceptfor this difference the augers are identical and a description of one will sufiEice for both. Thus, each of the augers includes a main shaft 94 having a pair of co-extensive helical blades 96 displaced 180 from each other, and having their inner edges rigidly secured to the shaft 94. The outer edge of eachof the helical blades 96 is spaced from the axis of rotation of the auger a constant distance throughout its extent and its forward edge is inclined forwardly toward the shaft. Mounted on the forward end of the shaft in facing relation to the inclined forward edges of the helical blades 96, is a tooth holding member 98 which has its forward edge likewise inclined and its rearward edge rigidly secured, as by welding or the like, to the forward edge of the helical blades. The tooth holding member 98 includes a plurality of spaced socket elements 160 within which are removably carried a plurality of cutting teeth 102. As shown in FIGURE 4, suitable pins 104 may be employed to removably secure the teeth 102 within socket members 100. Spaced along the outer edge of the helical blades 96 are a plurality of additional tooth holding elements 106 which carry additional teeth 108. The teeth 108 preferably extend substantially radially outwardly from the shaft 94 and are likewise removably mounted within the holders 196. As shown in FIGURE 4, each auger cutter in all of its positions has a portion of the periphery thereof disposed ou-twardly of the front elevational outline of the machine rearwardly of the cutter.

The conveyor means 19 of the mining machine preferably includes a pair of laterally extending mold boards 110 which rotatably carry a pair of oppositely pitched screw conveyors 112. Mounted within the box-like main frame 26 and extending from the conveyor 112 to the rear of the machine is a suitable endless conveyor 114 which is adapted to carry the coal moved inwardly by the screw conveyors 112 rearwardly through the box-like frame 26 to the rear of the machine where other means may be provided to carry the material removed out of the mine. The conveyors 112 and 114 may be driven by suitable connections with the power plant 16 or by separate motor means not shown.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURES l, 7 and 8, the operation of the machine will now be described. In order to sump the machine into longitudinal cutting relation with the mine face, the winch and cable mechanisms 2t} and 22 are actuated in the conventional manner by the operator. To this end, a jack 116 may be wedged between the mine floor and ceiling, as shown in FIGURE 1, and the cable connected thereto. The winch 20 may then be actuated by the operator so as to wind the cable thereon. In this manner, the machine is advanced longitudinally into the mine face. During this sumping operation, the clutch linkage 60 is actuated to disengage the clutch teeth 54 and 56 so that the cutting augers will not be reciprocated longitudinally. However, the main drive clutch is actuated so as to transmit the rotary motion of the power plant to the cutting augers through the main shaft 42, gear trains 68, shaft 70 and sprocket and chain 82, 84 and 88. -As the operator actuates the winches to advance the machine, the teeth 102 will dig into the mine face during their rotary motion and loosen the coal so that the same will be carried rearwardly by the helical blades 96, from Where the coal will be conveyed laterally by the screw conveyors 102 toward the endless conveyor 114 which, in turn, will pick up the removed coal and convey it to the rear of the machine. 7

As stated above, the machine of the present invention is particularly adapted to remove material from a relatively low mine face which may include a vein of impure material. The operation of the present machine whereby a mine face of this type may be dug without mixing the impurities with the pure material is as follows. Before the sumping operation as described above, the augers are selectively advanced vertically by means of hydraulic rams so that the uppermost portion thereof will engage the bottom of the vein of impure material. The sumping operation of the machine is then carried out as set forth above until the machine assumes the position shown in the right hand portion of FIGURE 7. The cables 22 are then attached so that actuation of the winches will move the machine laterally across the mine face as shown in FiGURE 1. The clutch linkage 16 is then actuated by the operator to bring the clutch teeth 54 and 56 into engagement so that the augers will be longitudinally reciprocated through the main shaft 42, bevel gears 48 and 53, shaft 52, cam 62 and plate cam followers 64 and 66. In this regard, it is to be understood that since the plate 64 is rigid with the power plant and main frame, the sub-frame 28 and all of the structural elements carried thereby, including housings 36, 38, and 76, will be caused to longitudinally reciprocate. The operator may then actuate the winches Zil to cause the machine to move across the mine face and during this movement the combined rotary and reciprocating motion of the cutter will cause the teeth 168 and 162 to loosen the coal which will then be conveyed rearwardly by the elical blades 96 from where it is conveyed to the rear of the machine by the screw conveyor 1'12 and endless conveyor 114. This movement of the machine is shown in the left hand portion of FIGURE 7 and illustrates how the pur vein of coal or other material disposed below the impure vein is removed without mixing the impurities therewith.

After the pure coal has been removed and collected as described above, the operator may then selectively raise the augers by actuation of the associated hydraulic ram 99. It is to be noted that during this raising motion the anger is both rotated and reciprocatcd. When the upper level of the augers has been adjusted to the height of the upper level of the vein of impurities, the operator may then actuate the winches 26 to propel the machine across the mine face to thereby remove the vein of impure material and convey the same rearwardly where it may be separately collected. By adjusting the vertical height of the augers still higher, the relatively pure vein of material above the vein of impurities may then be removed by a similar procedure, as shown in FIGURE 8.

it will be understood that where it is desired to dig out a seam of a height higher than the vertical height of the augers themselves, one of the augers may be raised relatively to the other so that during the movement of the machine across the mine face, the augers will remove a seam of a height equal to the upper level of the raised auger. At the lateral ends of the seam, the adjacent auger may be either raised or lowered in operation to complete the seam.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided a continuous mining machine having cutter means which may be both rotated and reciproca-ted longitudinally so as to render the same operable both longitudinally and transversely to the coal face. The mining machine includes an improved auger construction which provides an optimum digging efiiciency in both directions and which is constructed so as to be economical to manufacture and simple to maintain in working order. The machine further provides improved means for vertically adjusting the operating height of the cutting means so that seams of varying heights may be cut and so that different horizontal veins in the mine face may be cut separately.

it is also to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same and that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A continuous mining machine comprising:

(a) a frame;

(1)) power driven cutting and conveying means disposed forwardly of said frame for cutting a room section in a mine vein inwardly of a face thereof while continuously conveying the cut vmterial outwardly of the face,

(0) said cutting and conveying means including a plurality of forwardly extending cutters operable to cut and convey outwardly of the face the entire height of the material in a room section to be formed irrespective of the particular local height thereof,

(d) said plurality of cutters including a pair of rotary auger cutters;

(e) means mounting said pair of auger cutters on said frame with their aXes spaced horizontally for vertical movement each with respect to the other;

(f) means for effecting said relative vertical move rneut so as to move one of said auger cutters into a floor forming position wherein the lower periphery thereof is disposed at the level of the floor of said room section and to vary the vertical location of the lower periphery of said one auger cutter when disposed in said floor forming position so as to accommodate variations in the level of the floor of the room section being formed and to move the other of said auger cutters into a roof forming position wherein the upper periphery thereof is disposed at the level of the roof of said room section and to vary the vertical location of the upper periphery of said other auger cutter when disposed in said roof forming position so as to accommodate variations in the vertical distance between the floor and the roof of the room section being formed, which distance is greater than the maximum height of the machine rearwardly of said cutting and conveying means,

(g) said plurality of cutters with said auger cutters in any of said roof and floor forming positions being disposed in vertically overlapping relation with respect to each other to thereby insure cutting engagement of the vein throughout the entire height thereof between the roof and floor;

(11) means connected with said frame for advancing said cutting and conveying means into the mine face forwardly with respect thereto and for subsequently moving said cutting and conveying means horizontally across the mine face with said pair of auger cutters in said floor and roof positions respectively; and

(i) conveyor means operatively associated with said frame for continuously moving the mine material rearwardly away from the mine face which is cut and conveyed outwardly of the mine face during the formation of said room section by said cutting and conveying means.

2. A continuous mining machine as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said auger cutters includes a pair of longitudinally spaced helical blades having cutting means disposed adjacent the forward end thereof and cutting teeth extending outwardly of the longitudinal periphery of said blades in longitudinally spaced relation.

3. A continuous mining machine as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said auger cutters is of uniform di ameter throughout the longitudinal extent of said helical blades.

4. A continuous mining machine as defined in claim 3 wherein said auger cutters are of equal diameter, the combined diameters of both auger cutters being greater than the maximum height of the machine rearwardly of said cutting and conveying means 5. A continuous mining machine as defined in claim 4 wherein the helical blades of one of said auger cutters are oppositely pitched with respect to the helical blades of the other auger cutter.

6. A continuous mining machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for advancing and moving said cutting and conveying means across the mine face comprises a pair of power operated drums mounted on opposite sides of said frame and operable to wind up lengths of cable thereon.

7. A continuous mining machine as defined in claim 6 wherein said one auger cutter is movable vertically from said floor forming position to a roof forming position and said other auger cutter is movable vertically from said roof forming position to a floor forming position,

machine rearwardly of said cutting and conveying means at all times during vertical movement between said floor and roof forming positions.

8. A continuous mining machine comprising:

(a) a frame;

(b) means carried by said frame for progressively cutting material in a mine vein of variable height longitudinally inwardly from a face thereof to form an opening of substantial horizontal depth while simultaneously conveying the longitudinally cut material longitudinally outwardly of the mine face and subsequently progressively cutting the material between the nnne face and the inner end of the opening transversely to progressively enlarge the opening while simultaneously conveying the transversely cut material longitudinally outwardly of the mine face until a room section isformed having a floor, a roof spaced above said floor a distance which is greater than the maximum height of the machine rearwardly of the Vein cutting portions thereof an amount depending upon the local height of the variable height vein, sides spaced horizontally apart a distance substantially greater than the largest horizontal transverse dimension of the opening and greater than the width of the machine rearwardly of the vein cutting portions thereof, and an end defining a new mine face spaced a substantial horizontal distance from the first mentioned mine face,

() said means comprising a pair of longitudinally extending auger cutters disposed forwardly of said frame with their axes in horizontally spaced relation,

(d) each of said cutters including a pair of substantially coextensive helical blades mounted in longitudinally spaced concentric relation with respect to each other,

(e) cutting means adjacent the forward end of said blades, and

(f) a plurality of spaced teeth extending outwardly from the peripheral edge of each of said blades,

(g) means connected with said frame for effecting longitudinal and transverse movement of said cutters with respect to the mine face,

(it) means on said frame operatively connected with said cutters for rotating the same about their axes, (i) means on said frame operable at all times for moving each of said cutters vertically with respect to the other between an upper roof forming position and a lower floor forming position,

i (j) the maximum height of the machine rearwardly of said auger cutters being less than the height of the upper periphery of either cutter when disposed in its roof forming position,

(k) the combined diameters of said auger cutters being greater than the vertical distance between the upper periphery of the cutter disposed in said roof forming position and the lower periphery of the cutter disposed in said floor forming position when said cutters are in operation; and

(l) conveyor means carried by said frame for moving rearwardly of the same the mine material broken up and moved rearwardly of the mine face by said auger cutters.

9.'A continuous mining machine comprising:

(a) a frame;

(b) means carried by said frame for progressively cutting material in a mine vein of variable height longitudinally inwardly from a face thereof to form an opening of substantial horizontal depth while simultaneously conveying the longitudinally cut material longitudinally outwardly of the mine face and subsequently progressively cutting the material between the mine face and the inner end of the opening transversely to progressively enlarge the opening While simultaneously conveying the transversely cut material longitudinally outwardly of the mine face until a room section is formed having a floor, a substantially horizontally extending roof spaced above said floor a distance which is greater than the maximum height of the machine rearwardly of the vein cutting portions thereof an amount depending upon the local height of the variable height vein, sides spaced horizontally apart a distance substantially greater than the largest horizontal transverse dimension of the opening and greater than the width of the machine rearwardly of the vein cutting portions thereof, and an end defining a new mine face spaced a substantial horizontal distance from the first mentioned mine face;

(c) said means comprising a pair of longitudinally extending auger cutters disposed forwardly of said frame with their axes in horizontally spaced relation,

(a') said pair of auger cutters being oppositely pitched and rotated in a direction to convey the material being cut in a direction outwardly of the mine face centrally of said cutters,

(e) each of said cutters comprising a helical blade,

(f) cutting means adjacent the forward end of said blade, and

(g) a plurality of spaced teeth arranged helically and having their ends disposed outwardly of the axis of the associated cutter a distance greater than the radius of said helical blade,

(h) means connected with said frame for effecting longitudinal and transverse movement of said cutters with respect to the mine face,

(1') means on said frame operatively connected with said cutters for oppositely rotating the same about their axes,

(j) means on said frame operable at all times for moving each of said cutters vertically with respect to the other between an upper roof forming position and a lower floor forming position,

(k) the maximum height of the machine rearwardly of said auger cutters being less than the height of the upper periphery of either cutter when disposed in its roof forming position,

(I) the combined diameters of said auger cutters being greater than the vertical distance between the upper periphery of the cutter disposed in said roof forming position and the lower periphery of the cutter disposed in said floor forming position when said cutters are in operation; and

(m) conveyor means carried by said frame in a position centrally of said cutters for moving rearwardly of said frame the mine material broken up and moved rearwardly of the mine face by said auger V cutters.

10. A continuous short wall mining machine as defined in claim 9 wherein each of said helical blades is of substantially uniform diameter throughout its longitudinal extent, each of said cutting means comprises a plurality of forwardly extending teeth fixed with respect to the associated helical blade, and each plurality of helically arranged teeth are fixedly mounted on the associated helical blade adjacent the periphery thereof.

11. A continuous mining machine as defined in claim 10 wherein each of said cutters also includes a second helical blade of a size and longitudinal extent similar to said first-mentioned helical blades and having a plurality of spaced teeth fixedly mounted thereon adjacent the periphery thereof, said second helical blade being pitched in the same direction as the first-mentioned helical blade of the associated cutter and being disposed approximately out of phase with respect to the latter.

12. A continuous mining machine as defined in claim 9 wherein said means for effecting longitudinal and transverse movement of said cutters comprises power driven winch means for winding up and paying out cable means arranged to be anchored at different positions adjacent the. mine face being mined.

13. A continuous mining machine as defined in claim 9 wherein said cutter vertical moving means comprises a housing member rotatably receiving the rearward end of each cutter, each of said housing members being pivotally mounted on said frame about an axis parallel with the axis of the associated cutter, and a fluid pressure operated ram between each of said housing members and said frame.

14. A continuous mining machine as defined in claim 9 wherein said conveyor means comprises an endless scraper conveyor extending longitudinally of said frame and a pair of driven gathering scrolls extending laterally from opposite sides of the forward end of said scraper conveyor.

15. A continuous mining machine comprising:

(a) a frame;

(b) means carried by said frame for progressively cutting material in a mine vein of variable height longitudinally inwardly from a face thereof to form an opening of substantial horizontal depth while simultaneously conveying the longitudinally cut material longitudinally outwardly of the mine face and subsequently progressively cutting the material between the mine face and the inner end of the opening transversely to progressively enlarge the opening while simultaneously conveying the transversely cut material longitudinally outwardly of the mine face until a room section is formed having a substantially horizontally extending floor, a substantially horizontally extending roof spaced above said floor a distance which is greater than the maximum height of the machine rearwardly of the vein cutting portions thereof an amount depending upon the local height of the variable height vein, sides spaced horizontally apart a distance substantially greater than the largest horizontal transverse dimension of the opening and greater than the width of the machine rearwardly of the vein cutting portions thereof, and an end defining a new mine face spaced a substantial horizontal distance from the first-mentioned mine face.

() said means comprising a pair of longitudinally extending auger cutters disposed forwardly of said frame with their axes in horizontally spaced relation,

(d) said pair of auger cutters being oppositely pitched and rotated in a direction to convey the material being cut in a direction outwardly of the mine face centrally of the cutters,

(e) each of said cutters comprising a shaft,

(f) a pair of coextensive spaced helical blades of uniform diameter fixed to said shaft,

(g) spaced forward cutting teeth fixedly mounted adjacent the forward end of said blades,

(h) spaced peripheral cutting teeth fixedly mounted on said blades adjacent the outer periphery thereof and extending outwardly therefrom,

(i) a housing member rotatably receiving each of said cutters,

(j) each of said housing members being pivotally mounted on said frame for movement about a horizontal longitudinal axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the associated cutter,

(k) a fluid pressure operated ram between said frame and each of said housing members operable at all times for eifecting arcuate vertical movement of said cutters between an upper roof forming position and a lower floor forming position,

(I) the maximum height of the machine rearwardly of said cutters being less than the height of the upper 1Q periphery of either of said cutters When disposed in its roof forming position,

(m) the combined diameter of said cutters being greater than the vertical distance between the upper periphery of the cutter disposed in said roof forming position and the lower periphery of the cutter disposed in said floor forming position when said cutters are in operation,

(n) power operated winch means carried by said frame for winding up and paying out cable means arranged to be anchored adjacent the mine face to be mined to advance the frame and hence the cutters longitudinally into the mine face and move the frame and hence the cutters horizontally transversely across the mine face;

(0) an endless scraper conveyor mounted in the central portion of said frame and extending from the forward end thereof to the rearward end thereof to convey the material cut and conveyed rearwardly by said cutters rearwardly of said frame; and

(p) a pair of transversely extending gathering scrolls carried by said frame on opposite sides of the forward end of said scraper conveyor for moving the material into said scraper conveyor.

16. A continuous mining machine comprising:

(a) a frame;

(In) power driven cutting and conveying means disposed forwardly of said frame for cutting a room section in a mine vein inwardly of a face thereof while continuously conveying the cut material outwardly of the face;

(c) means connected with said frame for advancing said cutting and conveying means into the mine face between side walls defining the ends of the mine face and for moving said cutting and conveying means horizontally across the mine face in either direction,

(d) said cutting and conveying means comprising a plurality of rotary auger cutters mounted on said frame with their axes of rotation extending forwardly therefrom,

(e) said plurality of rotary auger cutters providing an auger cutter movable into an upper leading operative position and an auger cutter movable into a lower trailing operative position in each direction of horizontal movement across the mine face,

(1) the upper periphery of the upper leading auger cutter and the lower periphery of the lower trailing auger cutter when disposed in their operative positions forming the roof and floor of the room section being cut in response to the horizontal movementacross the mine face in one direction;

(g) means for effecting vertical movement of said upper leading auger cutter and said lower trailing auger cutter into different vertical operative positions depending upon the height of the room section being cut and local changes in the level of the roof and floor formed thereby,

(h) the vertical distance between the upper periphery of the upper leading auger cutter and the lower periphery of the lower trailing auger cutter in any of their operative positions being less than the combined diameter dimensions of said plurality of rotary auger cutters,

(i) said plurality of rotary auger cutters with the upper leading auger cutter and the lower trailing auger cutter in any of their operative positions being disposed with their axes of rotation spaced apart horizontally and with their peripheries in vertically overlapping relation with respect to each other to thereby insure cutting engagement of the vein throughout the entire height thereof between the roof and the floor,

(j) the vertical distance between the upper periphery of the upper leading auger cutter and the lower periphery of the lower trailing auger cutter in any r 11 of their operative positions being greater than the greatest vertical dimension of the machine rearwardly of said auger cutters so that the room section being cut will be of a size to receive the machine rearwardly of said auger cutters; and

(k) conveyor means operatively associated with said frame for continuously moving the mine material rearwardly away from the mine face which is cut and conveyed outwardly of the mine face during the formation of said room section by said cutting and conveying means.

17. A continuous mining machine as defined in claim 16 wherein said plurality of auger cutters comprises a pair of oppositely pitched and oppositely rotated auger cutters, each auger cutter of said pair of auger cutters being movable vertically into said upper leading operative position during the horizontal movement across the mine face in one direction and being vertically movable into said lower trailing operative position during the horizontal movement across the mine face in the opposite direction.

18. A continuous mining machine as defined in claim 17 wherein each auger cutter of said pair of anger cutters includes a pair of longitudinally spaced helical blades of uniform radial extent throughoutsubstantially the entire length thereof, cutting means disposed adjacent the forward end of said blades, and cutting teeth extending outwardly of the longitudinal periphery of said blades in longitudinally spaced relation.

19. A continuous mining machine comprising:

(a) a frame; 7

(b) power driven cutting and conveying means disposed forwardly of said frame for cutting a room section in amine vein inwardly of a face thereof while continuously conveying the cut material outwardly of the face,

\ (c) means connected with said frame for advancing said cutting and conveying means into the mine face between side walls defining the ends of the face and for moving said cutting and conveying means horizontally across the mine face in either direction,

(d) said cutting and conveying means comprising a plurality of cutters mounted on said frame and extending forwardly therefrom, V

(e) said plurality of cutters including a plurality of rotary auger cutters providing an anger cutter movable into an upper leading operative position and an auger cutter movable into a lower trailing operative position in each direction of horizontal movement across the mine face,

(f) the upper periphery of the upper leading auger cutter and the lower periphery of the lower trailing auger cutter when disposed in their operative positions forming the roof and floor of the room section being cut in response to the horizontal movement across the mine face in one direction;

(g) means for effecting vertical movement of said upper leading auger cutter and said lower trailing auger cutter into ditferent vertical operative positions depending upon the height of the room section being cut and local changes in the level of the roof and floor formed thereby,

(h) the vertical distance between the upper periphery of the upper leading auger cutter and the lower periphery of the lower trailing auger cutter in any of their operative positions being less than the combined vertical dimensions of each of said cutters,

(i) said plurality of cutters with the .upper leading auger cutter and the lower trailing auger cutter in any of their operative positions being disposed in vertically overlapping relation relative to each other to thereby insure cutting engagement of the vein throughout the entire height thereof between the roof and floor,

(j) the vertical distance between the upper periphery of the upper leading auger cutter and the lower periphery of the lower trailing auger cutter in any of their operative positions being greater than the greatest vertical dimension of the machine rearwardly of said cutters so that the room section being cut will be of a size to receive the machine rearwardly of said cutters; and

(k) conveyor means operatively associated with said frame for continuously moving the mine material rearwardly away from the mine face which is cut and conveyed outwardly of the mine face during the formation of said room section by said cutting and conveying means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,040,679 Hoadley Oct. 8, 1912 1,143,897 Flexner et a1 June 22, 1915 1,160,660 Secrist Nov. 16, 1915 1,300,620 Joy Apr. 15, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS 601,416 Great Britain May 5, 1948 1,065,513 France Jan. 13, 1954

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