US3178229A

US3178229A - Coal plane assembly having shiftable upper cutters

Info

Publication number: US3178229A
Application number: US211908A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lobbe Armin
Original assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia GmbH
Current assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia GmbH
Priority date: 1961-07-22
Filing date: 1962-07-23
Publication date: 1965-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 1982-04-13
Also published as: DE1208267B; GB936067A

Description

A. LGBBE A ril 13, 1965 GOAL PLANE ASSEMBLY HAVING SHIFTABLE UPPER CUTTERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25, 1962 A. LCJBBE April 13, 1965 GOAL PLANE ASSEMBLY HAVING SHIFTABLE UPPER CUTTERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 23, 1962 United States Patent O 9 Claims. (31. 299-34 It is known to design a coal plane in such a way that it cuts the coal face adjacent the floor. It is also already known to provide additional means, which attack the seam over its full height and pass along the roof with a top blade, so that an overhang of the coal face is avoided, which could be dangerous for the miners working on the seam. A coal plane for the cited purpose has two separate plane bodies rigged to each other by a strong spring and disposed for doing the cutting adjacent the floor. To these two plane bodies are linked the free extremities of an upstanding shears-shaped device carrying on its apex the roof blades. The legs of this shears-shaped device are provided over their full length or a part of it with blades facing the coal face, which blades pass along the coal face, loosening layers of coal.

It is furthermore already known to construct coal planes in such a manner, that the leading blades with respect to the direction of movement of the plane, are pulled against the face and also against the floor, while'simultaneously the trailing blades, are retracted.

The invention proposes to link the free extremities of the shears-shaped device carrying the top blades to the blade carriers of the two planes, so that with the shifting of the two blade carriers, respectively, against the face and away from the face, also the shears-shaped device assumes an oblique position as compared with the coal face towards the one or the other side according to the working direction of the plane. Suitably the slides have an oblique surface directed towards the coal face on which guide pins protrude, on which the blade carriers are guided by oblique slots directed upward towards the extremity of the plane. With such a configuration and arrangement of the guide slots there is reached automatically the desired shifting of the blade carriers, when the operating direction 1 of the plane is changed. Because of the resistance which the blades find on the coal face, the leading blade carrier is held so that its cutter edges are pulled simultaneously into the coal face and the floor. The trailing blade carrier makes the opposite movement and is thus lifted away from the coal face as well as from the floor.

Instead of guiding the blade carriers by guide slots they could be guided also or in an additional manner by rails, on the slide, which are arranged parallel to the slots and overlap each other. These guide rails would be suitably arranged so that they prevent small coal particles from penetrating into the slot between the slide and the blade carrier.

The accompanying drawings show two embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a front elevation of one embodiment,

FIG. 2 is a plan-view on the embodiment according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a section along theline 33 of FIG. 2,

"ice

FIG. 4 shows the coupling of the coal plane with the planing chain, whereby the blade carriers and the shearsshaped device are not shown, at a considerably smaller scale,

FIG. 5 shows a front elevation of a second embodiment,

FIG. 6 shows the appertaining plan View,

FIG. 7 shows the guiding of the blade carrier on its slide, and

FIG. 8 shows a section along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

The coal plane according to FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawing consists of two separate lower cutting tools, each for one operating direction and, each of which slides by means of a slide 10, 11 on the floor and is guided on a long wall conveyer arranged behind it, which conveyor is not shown in the drawing. The slides 10 and 11 are connected under the conveyer by means of a brace, so that they cannot be lifted from the floor. The two slides 10 and 11 have in transverse section, about the shape of a right triangle.

The hypotenuse 13 which is on top is directed obliquely towards the coal face. On this surface 13 guide pins 14 are arranged, on which the blade carriers 15 are guided. The base plate of the blade carriers 15, which runsparallel to the surface 1'3 of the slides 10 and 11 is provided with obliquely running slots 16. The directions of the slots 16 of the two blade carriers 15 diverge with respect to each other from the front of the plane. The intersection point of the longitudinal axes of the slot is in front of the plane in the coal face. Thetwo blade carriers 15 are connected with each other by an articulated shears-shaped device consisting of two upper cutting tools or shear arms 17. These two arms 17 are connected with each other at their top end by means of a pivot pin 18. Besides they are connected at their bottom ends to the two blade carriers 15 by means of a pivot pin 19 on each carrier. The pivot pins 18 and 19 are thus parallel to each other. A roof cutting tool 26 is mounted at the apex of the shear-shaped device formed by the arms :17. The roof cutting tool includes the front blades 29a and 20b and top blade 20c, and is mounted at said apex on a vertical pin 18a so that the roof cutter can shift about a vertical axis, whereby in response to engagement with the coal face, whichever of the blades 20a or 26b is leading, is shifted into engagement with the coal face whereas the trailing blade 20a or 2011, is shifted back from the engagement with the coal face. Suitable means (not shown) are provided for limiting the pivot movement of the roof cutter about the pin 18. The two slides 10 and 11 are rigged with each other by means of a strong spring connector 21. The effective length of this spring connector 21 determines the height to which the shears-

shaped device

17, 20 stands up. The top blade 20 glides along in each case on the roof. If the thickness of the seam is temporarily smaller, the spring 21 is correspondingly released.

It is essential that in the described design of the plane both carriers 15 assume automatically a different position in comparison to their appertaining slide and above all to the face of the coal depending on the operating direction of the plane. The plane can be moved alternatively in direction 22 or in the opposite direction, in the direction of the arrow 23 along the coal face. In operation of the device, in response to engagement of the plane with the coal face, the blade carrier 15 of the leading lower cutting tool in the movement of the plane across the face of the deposit being worked, shifts forward toward engagement with the coal or other material being mined. Further, the blade carrier 15 of the trailing lower cutter tool shifts back away from engagement with the coal. Thus, upon movement of the plane in the direction indicated by arrow 22, the blade carrier 15 on the right hand side as seen in FIG. 2, shifts forward toward engagement with the coal, whereas the other blade carrier shifts back from such engagement. Since the upper cutting tools 17 are connected to the blade carriers, they perform a corresponding shifting action, so that the leading upper cutting tool 17 is shifted forward toward engagement with the coal face, while the trailing upper cutting tool 17 shifts back from engagement. Further, due to the pivot mounting of the roof cutter 20 on pin 18, as is described above, the roof cutter shifts in a corresponding manner to direct the leading blades 20a or 2012 into engagement with the coal while the other of the blades 20a or 20b is shifted back away from such engagement. The lower cutting tools have blades 15a, the upper cutting tools have blades 17a, and the roof cutting tool has

blades

20a, 20b and 200, and these various blades perform cutting action in correspondence with operation of the device as described above. The position of the various plane parts for movement in the direction 'of arrow 23 is indicated in phantom in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 of the drawing shows in which way a plane according to the invention is suitably connected to the planing chain 24. The planing chain 24 is in this case closed in itself in'an endless manner. The two slides 10 and 11 are connected each for itself with the planing chain 24 by a short connection chain 25. In each case only that connection chain is tightened, which is in front in the direction of movement. In this type of connection between the plane and the chain the spring 21 between the two single lower cutting tools 10 and 11 remains free of the pretension of the plane chain 24. This pretension can reach very considerable values and is, above all, subject to very considerable variations. In the described novel coupling between the chain 24 and the plane 10, 11 the roof blade 20 is pressed continuously against the roof with an essentially constant force. The embodiment according to FIGS. 5 to 8 of the drawings shows the same reference numbers as the described embodiment. It is diiferent from this latter by the type of connection between the slide 10 or 11 and the bladecarrier 15. Particularly FIGS. 7 and 8 show that the blade carrier 15 is guided again with an oblique longitudinal slot 16 on the pin 14 of slide 11. The slide 11 has, however, additionally, a tongue and groove connection with the corresponding blade carrier 15. Thus, a guide rail 26, which is directed obliquely downward against the floor, serves as a tongue and is received in groove 27 of the blade carrier. The tongue and groove connections run parallel to the slot 16 and are disposed betweenthe slot 16 and the face of the deposit being worked so that the tongue and groove connections prevent small parti cles of coal from working their way from the Working face to the slot 16, between the slide 11 and blade 15. In this embodiment shifting occurs as described above with reference to the embodiments of FIGS. 1-3.

Furthermore the second embodiment according to FIGS. 5 to 8 is different from the first embodiment by the fact that the upper cutting tools 17 of the shearsshaped device are not connected directly with the blade carriers 15 by means of the horizontal articulation bolts, such as bolts 19 shown in FIG. 1, but rather by means of a rotating disk 28, guided in a corresponding recess of the blade carrier 15. The articulation bolt 19 on the one hand and the rotating disk 28 on the other hand form in common one universal joint each. As can be seen clearly from the plan view according to FIG. 6 there is the possibility in this type of connection that the assume a corresponding oblique position towards the coal face. In the final result it is only the leading parts of the tool which are in engagement with the coal face, while the trailing parts are lifted from the coal face, so that friction resistance is not unnecessarily increased by reason of the trailing parts being in engagement with the coal.

I claim:

1. A plane adapted to be passed back and forth across a face of a body of mineral material to be extracted, which comprises:

(a) two lower cutting tools for working the lower portion of the face, said lower cutting tools being spaced from each other and connected by resilient connecting means,

(b) each lower cutting tool including a slide, a blade carrier and means for mounting the blade carrier on said slide for shifting forward toward engagement with the mineral material when the lower cutting tool is the leading lower cutting tool in the movement of the plane across face of the mineral material and for shifting back away from engagement with the mineral material when the lower cutting tool is the trailing lower cutting tool in the movementof the plane across said face, and a blade mounted on the blade carrier for engagement with said face when its blade carrier is shifted forward,

(0) said resilient connecting means directly interconnecting the slides of the two cutter tools,

(d) two upper cutting tools for working an upper portion of the face, each upper cutting tool having a bottom end and a top end, the bottom ends of the upper cutter tools being connected one to the blade carrier of one one of the lower cutter tools and the other to the blade carrier of the other lower cutter tool, said connections of the bottom ends of the upper cutter tools being pivot connections for pivoting about a horizontal axis, and the top ends of the upper cutter tools being connected together for pivoting about a horizontal axis, said upper cutter tools each having a blade mounted thereon for engagement with said face,

whereby each upper cutting tool is shifted forward toward engagement with said face and back away from engagement with said face in correspondence with the shifting of the lower cutter tool to which it is connected.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resilient connection between the lower cutter tools is between the blade carrier of each of the lower cutting tools.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, and including a roof cutting tool mounted on said upper cutting tool for cutting material from above said face.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, the lower cutter tool mounting of each blade carrier on its slide comprising a pin and slot connection, the slot directions of the two two blade carriers 15 can swing in the necessary position lower cutter tools diverging with respect to each other from the front of the plane.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, the slides of the lower cutter tools each having an oblique surface inclined toward the coal face, the blade carrier being slidingly mounted on said oblique surfaces.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, the lower cutter tool mounting of each blade carrier on its slide comprising a tongue and groove connection in which the tongue is relatively slidable in the groove, the groove directions of the two lower cutter tools diverging with respect to each other from the front of the plane.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, the lower cutter tool mounting of each blade carrier on its slide comprising a pin and slot connection, the slot directions of the two lower cutter tools diverging with respect to each other from the front of the plane, said grooves being formed in the blade carriers, a portion of the slides being disposed in the, grooves as the tongues, the, tongue and groove connection of. each slide being disposed between 5 6 said face and said pin and slot connection of the slide, References Cited by the Examiner whereby penetration of coal particles to between the slide UNITED STATES PATENTS and blade carrier is prevented.

8. Plane according to claim 1, the connection between ggfg the lower cutter tools and the upper cutter tools being 5 3 073 581 1/63 Lobbe.

universal connections.

9. Plane assembly including a plane according to claim FOREIGN PATENTS 1, and mover means connected to said slides of the lower 914,7 7/54 ycutter tools for moving the plane back and forth across 10 571,062 9/58 Belgiumsaid face. BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 3,178, 229 April 13, 1965 Armin Lobbe It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 58, for "blade 15" read blade carrier 15 column 4, line 34, strike out "one", first occurrence.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of March 1966.

I L) kttest:

EDWARD -J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents ERNEST W. SW'IDER lttesting Officer

Claims

1. A PLANE ADAPTED TO BE PASSED BACK AND FORTH ACROSS A FACE OF A BODY OF MINERAL MATERIAL TO BE EXTRACTED, WHICH COMPRISES: (A) TWO LOWER CUTTING TOOLS FOR WORKING THE LOWER PORTION OF THE FACE, SAID LOWER CUTTING TOOLS BEING SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND CONNECTED BY RESILIENT CONNECTING MEANS, (B) EACH LOWER CUTTING TOOL INCLUDING A SLIDE, A BLADE CARRIER AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE BLADE CARRIER ON SAID SLIDE FOR SHIFTING FORWARD TOWARD ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MINERAL MATERIAL WHEN THE LOWER CUTTING TOOL IS THE LEADING LOWER CUTTING TOOL IN THE MOVEMENT OF THE PLANE ACROSS FACE OF THE MINERAL MATERIAL AND FOR SHIFTING BACK AWAY FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MINERAL MATERIAL WHEN THE LOWER CUTTING TOOL IS THE TRAILING LOWER CUTTING TOOL IN THE MOVEMENT OF THE PLANE ACROSS SAID FACE, AND A BLADE MOUNTED ON THE BLADE CARRIER FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FACE WHEN ITS BLADE CARRIER IS SHIFTED FORWARD, (C) SAID RESILIENT CONNECTING MEANS DIRECTLY INTERCONNECTING THE SLIDES OF THE TWO CUTTER TOOLS, (D) TWO UPPER CUTTING TOOLS FOR WORKING AN UPPER PORTION OF THE FACE, EACH UPPER CUTTING TOOL HAVING A BOTTOM END AND A TOP END, THE BOTTOM ENDS OF THE UPPER CUTTER TOOLS BEING CONNECTED ONE TO THE BLADE CARRIER OF ONE OF THE LOWER CUTTER TOOLS AND THE OTHER TO THE BLADE CARRIER OF THE OTHER LOWER CUTTER TOOL, SAID CONNECTIONS OF THE BOTTOM ENDS OF THE UPPER CUTTER TOOLS BEING PIVOT CONNECTIONS FOR PIVOTING ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, AND THE TOP ENDS OF THE UPPER CUTTER TOOLS BEING CONNECTED TOGETHER FOR PIVOTING ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, SAID UPPER CUTTER TOOLS EACH HAVING A BLADE MOUNTED THEREON FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FACE, WHEREBY EACH UPPER CUTTING TOOL IS SHIFTED FORWARD TOWARD ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FACE AND BACK AWAY FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FACE IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE SHIFTING OF THE LOWER CUTTER TOOL TO WHICH IT IS CONNECTED.