GB1574967A

GB1574967A - Machine for cutting short working faces in mine galleries

Info

Publication number: GB1574967A
Application number: GB925777A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-03-17
Filing date: 1977-03-04
Publication date: 1980-09-17
Also published as: DE2709367A1; BE839635A; DE2709367C2

Description

(54) IMPROVED MACHINE FOR CUTTING SHORT WORKING FACES MINE GALLERIES (71) I, MARIE GHISLAIN JOSEPH LEGRAND, of Belgian nationality, of Koolmijnlaan, 49, 3540 Zolder (Belgium), do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the process by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates to a mining machine for cutting short working faces in underground winning by means of a single drum or cutter, the axis of rotation of which is perpendicular to the working face to be cut, and whereby the cutter and its driving means, which are skid mounted, are moved back and forth along a base structure associated with a conveyor.

The short face machine of this type known so far are subdivided into two groups: a first group in which the machine, when moving in a straight line along the face, can cut itself free at both ends and whereby the cutting height is not variable, and a second group in which the machine when moving in straight line can only cut itself free on one side, but whereby the height of the drum is adjustable.

The machine particularly disclosed and illustrated herein offers, compared to these known machines, various advantages among which the main ones are: - the machine can always cut itself free at bothe ends, when its movement is in a straight line; - the cutting drum or cutter is adjustable in height; - the application of an evacuation and dust shield around the cutting drum or cutter is now possible.

According to the invention, there is provided a mining machine for working short faces in underground mineral mining including a rotatable cutter drum which is carried by an arm or frame member pivotably attached to a frame of the machine the arrangement being such that the member pivots around a generally hori- zontal axis perpendicular to the mineral face and the drum rotates about an axis perpendicular to the mineral face, whereby the machine can be located completely within a space defined in a vertical plane by a perimeter resulting from the movement of the cutter drum to its limits of movement in course of rotation of the arm or frame member.

For showing the characteristics of the invention more clearly, embodiments of machines are now described hereinafter, merely as examples and without the slightest intent of limitation. Such machines include cutting drums or cutters and are assembled according to the invention. This description refers to the appended drawings in which:: Figure 1 shows a schematic top view of one example of an improved machine according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a front view of the machine according to Figure 1; Figure 3 illustrates, to a larger scale, that part of Figure 1 which is indicated by F3 in Figure 1; Figure 4 shows, to a larger scale, that part of Figure 2 indicated by F4 in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a view which is similar to that of Figure 4, but for a second position of the cutting drum or cutter; Figure 6 is a similar view to that of Figure 3, but of a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 is a similar view to that of Figure 4, but of a further embodiment similar to Figure 6;and Figure 8 is a similar view to that of Figure 7, but for a second position of the cutting drum or cutter.

In Figures 1 and 2 an improved short face machine according to the invention is illustrated schematically.

This machine is made up of a base structure I which is provided with guides 2 for a cutter unit including a cutting drum or cutter 3. This cutting drum is driven, for instance, by means of a motor 4. The motor and drum are sup ported by a skid 15. In use, the skid 15 moves back and forth along the guides 2 with respect to the working face 5; it may be pulled by a chain which is not shown. Such a machine is completed in the well known manner by means, for instance rams 6-7 which, at specified moments of time, press the entire base structure towards the working face 5; a winch or dragging device 8 for acting on the chain; and a conveyor 9, such as for instance a so-called endless chain scraper conveyor, driven by a con veyor drive unit 10.

The working drum, cutting drum or cutter 3 is attached to an arm 11 which rotates around an axis of rotation 12, located in such a manner that when the arm rotates around this axis 12, the machine is located entirely within the perimeter 13 of the surface described by the drum in the course of the rotation of the arm.

Hereby the arm 11 may be rotated around axis 12 in any appropriate way such as for instance by a rack and pinion, a pair of gears, or as shown in figures 1 and 2, by a pressure fluid actuated piston - cylinder unit 14, which is fitted between arm 11 and skid 15.

Due to the fact that all the constituent parts of the machine such as the motor, reduction gear associated with the motor, the drag winch, the arm 11 with its shaft as well as the drive for the rotation of this shaft are located within the perimeter 13 of the surface described by the cutter due to the rotation of the arm, one obtains that the working face can be entirely freed by a straight line movement of the skid, as, due to the presence of the arm 11, the work ing drum or cutter 3 can be moved vertically as well as horizontally in such a manner that the seam of coal can be entirely worked by means of a single working drum.

With this construction a so-called evacuation and loading shield 16 can be fitted to the machine. Such a shield 16 is shown in Figure 2 and is made up of a screen located around part of the working drum and which is fitted hingedly around a shaft 18 by which the cutter 3 is supported from the arm 11, by means of an arm 17. Such a loading shield may be rotated manually, mechanically, hydraulically or in any other manner.

The lower position of cutting drum 3 is shown in Figure 4, whereas the upper position thereof is illustrated in Figure 5. In both figures the perimeter 13 of the surface described by the cutter in the course of the rotation or arm 11 around the axis 12 is shown a dotted line.

In Figures 6 to 8 an alternative form of embodiment is illustrated, in which case the cut ting drum 3 is fitted, together with motor 4, on a machine frame 19, which takes over the func tions of aforesaid arm 11, whereby this machine frame is linked by means of a pivot 20 to aforesaid skid 15, and whereby means are provided between skid 15, on the one hand, and machine frame 19, on the other hand, for bringing these parts together, as shown in Figure 7, or for driving them away from each other, as shown in Figure 8. In these illustrations, these means consist of a pressure fluid actuated piston-cylinder unit 21.

It is obvious that the present invention is by no means limited to the forms of embodiment described above merely as examples and illustrated in the appended drawings, but that such a short face machine can be built in all manners of shape and dimensions, without going beyond the scope of the invention.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A mining machine for working short faces in underground mineral mining including a rotatable cutter drum which is carried by an arm or frame member pivotably attached to a frame of the machine the arrangement being such that the member pivots around a generally horizontal axis perpendicular to the mineral face and the drum rotates about an axis perpendicular to the mineral face, whereby the machine can be located completely within a space defined in a vertical plane by a perimeter resulting from the movement of the cutter drum to its limits of movement in the course of rotation of the arm or frame member.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said arm or machine frame is located entirely within the perimeter of the cutter drum.

3. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the cutter drum is driven by a motor mounted on a skid with respect to which said working drum can be rotated.

4. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the cutter drum is driven by a motor mounted on said machine frame.

5. A machine according to claim 3, wherein said skid carries a winch.

6. A machine according to claim 3 which includes a drive unit for rotating the arm with reference to the skid.

7. A machine according to claim 6 in which the drive unit is a piston-cylinder unit.

8. A machine according to claim 1 in which the frame member is rotatable relative to the remainder of the machine by means of a pistoncylinder unit.

9. A machine for working short faces in underground coal mining, substantially as described above and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

ported by a skid 15. In use, the skid 15 moves back and forth along the guides 2 with respect to the working face 5; it may be pulled by a chain which is not shown. Such a machine is completed in the well known manner by means, for instance rams 6-7 which, at specified moments of time, press the entire base structure towards the working face 5; a winch or dragging device 8 for acting on the chain; and a conveyor 9, such as for instance a so-called endless chain scraper conveyor, driven by a con veyor drive unit 10.

The working drum, cutting drum or cutter 3 is attached to an arm 11 which rotates around an axis of rotation 12, located in such a manner that when the arm rotates around this axis 12, the machine is located entirely within the perimeter 13 of the surface described by the drum in the course of the rotation of the arm.

Hereby the arm 11 may be rotated around axis

12 in any appropriate way such as for instance by a rack and pinion, a pair of gears, or as shown in figures 1 and 2, by a pressure fluid actuated piston - cylinder unit 14, which is fitted between arm 11 and skid 15.

Due to the fact that all the constituent parts of the machine such as the motor, reduction gear associated with the motor, the drag winch, the arm 11 with its shaft as well as the drive for the rotation of this shaft are located within the perimeter 13 of the surface described by the cutter due to the rotation of the arm, one obtains that the working face can be entirely freed by a straight line movement of the skid, as, due to the presence of the arm 11, the work ing drum or cutter 3 can be moved vertically as well as horizontally in such a manner that the seam of coal can be entirely worked by means of a single working drum.

With this construction a so-called evacuation and loading shield 16 can be fitted to the machine. Such a shield 16 is shown in Figure 2 and is made up of a screen located around part of the working drum and which is fitted hingedly around a shaft 18 by which the cutter 3 is supported from the arm 11, by means of an arm 17. Such a loading shield may be rotated manually, mechanically, hydraulically or in any other manner.

The lower position of cutting drum 3 is shown in Figure 4, whereas the upper position thereof is illustrated in Figure 5. In both figures the perimeter 13 of the surface described by the cutter in the course of the rotation or arm 11 around the axis 12 is shown a dotted line.

In Figures 6 to 8 an alternative form of embodiment is illustrated, in which case the cut ting drum 3 is fitted, together with motor 4, on a machine frame 19, which takes over the func tions of aforesaid arm 11, whereby this machine frame is linked by means of a pivot 20 to aforesaid skid 15, and whereby means are provided between skid 15, on the one hand, and machine frame 19, on the other hand, for bringing these parts together, as shown in Figure 7, or for driving them away from each other, as shown in Figure 8. In these illustrations, these means consist of a pressure fluid actuated piston-cylinder unit 21.

It is obvious that the present invention is by no means limited to the forms of embodiment described above merely as examples and illustrated in the appended drawings, but that such a short face machine can be built in all manners of shape and dimensions, without going beyond the scope of the invention.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A mining machine for working short faces in underground mineral mining including a rotatable cutter drum which is carried by an arm or frame member pivotably attached to a frame of the machine the arrangement being such that the member pivots around a generally horizontal axis perpendicular to the mineral face and the drum rotates about an axis perpendicular to the mineral face, whereby the machine can be located completely within a space defined in a vertical plane by a perimeter resulting from the movement of the cutter drum to its limits of movement in the course of rotation of the arm or frame member.
2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said arm or machine frame is located entirely within the perimeter of the cutter drum.
3. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the cutter drum is driven by a motor mounted on a skid with respect to which said working drum can be rotated.
4. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the cutter drum is driven by a motor mounted on said machine frame.
5. A machine according to claim 3, wherein said skid carries a winch.
6. A machine according to claim 3 which includes a drive unit for rotating the arm with reference to the skid.
7. A machine according to claim 6 in which the drive unit is a piston-cylinder unit.
8. A machine according to claim 1 in which the frame member is rotatable relative to the remainder of the machine by means of a pistoncylinder unit.
9. A machine for working short faces in underground coal mining, substantially as described above and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.