GB1585113A - Conveyor systems - Google Patents

Description

(54) CONVEYOR SYSTEMS (71) We, GULLICK DOBSON LN1TED, a British Company of Ince, Wigan, Lancashire, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The invention relates to conveyor systems and has particular but not exclusive application to individually articulated parts or pans of a face conveyor used in mining operations.

A preferred type of face conveyor or conveyor section to which the invention is particularly, but not necessarily exclusively, applicable comprises a plurality of pans articulated together to allow snaking of the conveyor as it is selectively or progressively advanced towards a mineral face from which material is to be won, and is equipped with common drive means, such as a chain, associated with that plurality of articulated pans for reciprocatory motion relative thereto in order to drive flights hinged relative to the drive means to extend over the pans with a restricted arc of permitted movement so as to sweep material along the pans in one direction.

Relative location of adjacent pans, made both forwardly and rearwardly of the position of such a drive means by intercoupling parts of formations that allow limited movement of the pans at least towards and away from each other, will give a desired degree of articulation for the above-mentioned snaking but may lead to high stressing of the drive means, typically a chain.

It is an object of the invention to provide a conveyor and pan construction wherein such tendencies to stress the chain unduly are re duced.

It is therefore proposed to provide a con veyor pan having at its rear a location for a reciprocable flight drive which location is spaced from a forward edge of the pan by a substantially flat plate-like portion supported from below by narrow ground-engaging skid means with a downward inclination to said forward edge to promote self-loading on forced advance of the pan, the said portion being at said forward edge shorter than the width of the pan parallel thereto at the said drive location with the said portion tapering towards the forward edge, whereby articulation of such a pan to another similar pan at the side thereof will result in relative pivoting substantially at their adjacent drive positions.

Preferably, such a conveyor pan is oppositely tapered or inset rearwardly of the drive position so that, where the pans have forward and rearward lateral displacement limiting intercouplings, these may substantially correspond to, or be less than, the pivoting allowed by the tapered forward parts and tapered or inset rearward parts of adjacent pans, thereby allowing pivoting effectively about pan edge positions, say defined by abutments, on the axis of a reciprocable drive means, say a chain, without imposing excessive stretching forces thereon.

It is preferred for a mining machine guide rail to overlie the reciprocable drive means position rather than be wholly or mainly rearwardly thereof. This leads to a better balance of the conveyor pan as a whole and can afford a wider guide rail thereby allowing for better machine guidance particularly where the machine is self-propelling, say by cooperation with indents and/or teeth of the guide rail.

With such a construction, it is convenient for flights to be hingedly secured in individual chain links by pins that can be lifted out, say on removal of an interposed plate between the chain and the machine guide rail, which plate may also carry blade or stop means that cooper ates in locating the flights and guiding them closely on the material-receiving surfaces of the pans. Such blade or stop means is advantageously dimensioned and configured to substantially fill the height of the space between guide rail and the conveyor proper to guard against jam ming by material to be conveyed as a mining machine is moved along said guide rail.

Side-to-side intercoupling of adjacent pans is, at least forwardly of the drive means, preferably by way of a hook on the underside of one pan and a slot or cooperating hook on the underside of another pan so that each pan has a hook at one side and a slot or cooperating hook at its other side to allow ready removal and replacement of pans. Furthermore, it is preferred that plates for one or the other or both of such hooks or hook and slot should, in operation, underlie the edge of an adjacent pan sufficiently to inhibit through-fall of material received by the pan, chamfering of the overlying edge being advantageous in expressing material between the pan edges.

Where both such plates extend laterally, one to each side of a conveyor pan, substantial protection is achieved against any tendency for level variations between adjacent pans, particularly where the hook intercoupling action is spaced rearwardly of said one, i.e. forward, pan edge.

Additionally, or alternatively, other forms of positive interfitment between pan edge associated articulation permitting parts or formations may be employed to locate or limit against undesired relative movements of adja cent pans normal to the floor. Specifically, complementary male and female intercoupling parts are proposed and these may, in the pre ferred form of conveyor pan, be advantageously rearward of the drive position or close there to and will clearly also contribute to reducing drive stress due to relative undulation.

A preferred female part is a slot or opening to the side and rearwardly of the pan, and a cooperating male part is a tooth spaced from the rearward part of the pan or a ledge starting at such a position and extending forwardly of the pan. Such a preferred arrangement not only allows articulation and provides up-anddown location but also provides a slot-like spacing opening rearwardly of two intercoupled pans for which pivoting action of two such adjacent pans will assist in grinding down and expressing dirt and debris.

In an alternative arrangement, a rear wall of each conveyor pan may extend beyond one pan side and be short of the other pan side to provide positive male/female interfitting, say between an overlying machine guide rail and the pan proper just rearward of the drive position, particularly if the rear wall extension and/or shortfall "socket" are tapered or chamfered to allow the desired degree of pivoting.

Such positive male and female location of the rearward parts of neighbouring pans reduces strain on the drive means and readily lends itself to a pan structure having only one ground-engaging skid or shoe, say located at one end thereof, and so leads to a much greater tolerance of floor irregularities.

The use of such a male/female jointing arrangement allows bolting through-holes to be discarded entirely in favour of the provision of upwardly opening slots to accept a double-flanged dumb-bell or dog-bone like element, preferably of high tensile steel. Pin location of such an element may also be provided for and there will be substantial relief from shear stresses.

The above mentioned flight guide plate and/or wear plates underlying the drive means, such as a chain, are preferably readily removable Loose wear plates have proved at least at times, to be susceptable to curling which can lead to fouling of the flights. It is therefore proposed that wear plates be positively but readily removably located, say by the plate having downwardly extending parts apertured to accept locking or locating rods, pins or bars extending between the underside of the pan portion or apron and locating slots or holes at or through rear pan parts or walls. Usually two spaced but registering series of apertures will be provided to cooperate with rods, pins or bars each for a different pair or registering apertures, say in depending lugs or flanges.

Pinning or bolting of a flight guide plate, say to a machine guide rail, is generally undesirable so it is proposed that such a plate be resilient and preformed to resiliently engage the guide rail when tongues are located in slots or holes at or through a rear-pan part or wall.

Also, at least some of the pans of an articulated series require mounts for attachment to conveyor advancing means, normally pressure-fluid operated rams, and such mounts are generally required not only to allow pushing of the conveyor over towards the mineral face being worked but also to allow drawing up to the conveyor of the advancing means. It is desirable that the pans should be of standard construction and yet, hitherto, bolting on of attachment mounts is unsatisfactory as mining conditions, often involving dirt and/or corrosion, may not lend themselves readily to servicing such mounts. It is therefore proposed to provide a conveyor pan attachment mounting arrangement wherein the attachment mounting has an upper and lower slotting cooperation with parts of the conveyor pan.

Such an arrangement is conveniently readily secured by locking pins, wedges or the like.

Conveniently an upper edge portion of a nominally vertical plate of the attachment may engage a downwardly opening slot along the rear of the pan and be, itself, slotted at its lower edge portion to accommodate rearwardly extending lugs of the pan which may include a hole for a locking pin or wedge by which the attachment is secured against movement away from the pan proper. The attachment mounting may comprise a clevis box attached the above-mentioned plate and affording a choice of advancing ram mounting positions. Such a mounting is readily detachable and the structure of the pan lends itself readily to additional or alternative attachment in the same way of members formed so as to provide hose guides, say for mounting to those conveyor pans to which no conveyor advancing means is required to be coupled.

In order to satisfy low height requirements in working thin seams, particularly in hard rock, it is further proposed herein in connection with a general provision for propulsion or translation of a mining machine along a cooperating rail or other guide, particularly where the latter is towards the rear on the con veyor and above drive means therefore, that a rail or guide engaging translatable, preferably self-propelling, mechanism be associated with the guide with forward connections to a mining machine proper, which is preferably stakable floor-to-roof in mineral winning and slidable along or in front of the conveyor during translation.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of intercoupled conveyor pans partly broken away to show details of one form of intercoupling at the underside thereof and omitting mining machine guide means; Figure 2 is a sectional view of a conveyor pan of Figure 1 and includes mining machine guide means; Figure 3 is a view from below a conveyor pan adapted for positive interlocation with adjacent pans; Figure 4 is a part sectional view of the conveyor or pan of Figure 3, but further showing modifications regarding wear and location plates and rear coupling elements.

Figures 5A and 5B are real and plan views of conveyor pan detail parts interlocated by a dog-bone like element; Figure 6 is a rear view of a coupling element of Figure 4; Figure 7 shows a link usable with the coupling element of Figure 6; Figure 8 is a section through a flight location plate of Figure 4; Figures 9, 10 and 11 are aligned and generally fragmentary views of the rear of the pan, a wear plate and the rear part of a flight location plate; Figures 12 and 13 are plan and part sectional side views of another conveyor pan with positive interlocation provisions; Figures 14A, 14B and 14C are detail views showing aperitive relationships of intercoupling hooks; and Figure 15 indicates, diagrammatically, a conveyor associated with a mining machine.

In Figures 1 and 2, each conveyor pan 10 comprises a material receiving portion in the form of an apron plate 11 that is shown as being downwardly inclined towards its chamfered forward-most free edge 12 and has a similarly chamfered underlying edge plate 13 welded thereto and in ground-engagement so as to present a low front edge profile to a mineral face 14 towards which the conveyor as a whole, but usually sequentially singly or in groups of pairs, is to be advanced from time to time.At its higher and relatively rearward part, the plate-like apron 11 is welded at or near each of its sides to skids or shoes 15 of fabricated beam and plate construction having a forwardly directed upwardly sloping part 16 extending from its weld position to the plate 11 down to a ground-engaging knee or angle 17 from which a rearward part extends substantially parallel with the plane of the apron plate 11. Only one such skid or shoe 15 is, of course shown in Figure 2 but upper parts of both are shown for each pan in Figure 1.

A plate part 18 of the skid 15 is also welded to a rear wall 19 carrying a mining machine guide rail 20 integral therewith and extending generally parallel with the plane of the plate-like apron 11. This rear wall 19 may be further located relative to the plate-like apron at inter-mediate positions, say by utilising at least one - structure resembling the skid 15 but preferably being of substantially less depth so as not to engage the floor of the working.

It is, of course, not essential for the front edge of the apron to be chamfered as shown, as rounded or other profiles may be preferred.

Also, the part 17 of the shoe or skid need not be parallel with the apron, nor, indeed, need the mining machine guide rail. The illustrated structure does, however, offer a satisfactorily low overall height which is particularly valuable in working thin seams.

The pan aprons 11 are shown as overlaid by flights 22 each having a pan apron sweeping blade portion 23 and a mounting part 24 that extends above and beyond the rear part of the blade portion and is hinged at pins 25 within individual links of a reciprocable conveyor drive chain 26. These flights 22 have their mounting parts 24 forined with chain link abutting cams or extensions 27 serving to define a restricted arc of movement so that, on reciprocation of the chain 26, the blade portions 23 of the flights 22 will be rotated by material on the pan aprons between the positions shown in full lines and that shown dashed for the right-most flight in Figure 1. In this way the flights will sweep over the pan aprons 11 in transferring material won from the face in one direction over an interlinked plurality of said pans and from right to left of Figure 1.The flights can, but need not necessarily, be mounted to the chain links at a pitch that allows at least marginal overlapping of the flights when rotated during the non material transferring direction of chain movement.

Underneath the hinged parts 24 of the flights and the chain 26, between the apron 11 proper and the rear wall 19 and extending above the plate-like parts 18 of the skids or shoes 15, is a wear plate 29. Above the chain and the flights at substantially the same position is a further plate 30 carrying a flight locating or retaining strip or blade 31 which will be configured to guide the flights close to the upper surfaces of the pan aprons.

The general shape of each pan in plan ex habits a greatest width at the position of the centre line of the chain 26, thereby minimising any tendency for the chain to be stretched during relative pivoting of an articulated series of pans forming'a face conveyor or conveyor section for snaking thereof as that face conveyor is advanced into the mineral face selectively and generally progressively along its length. Parts of the pan outboard of the skids or shoes 15 may include fabrications welded directly to the plate 18 thereof and/or to the edges of the platelike aprons 11.

The pans 10 are adapted for ready intercoupling to allow a limited degree of pivoting movement about the centre line of the chain fore-andaft of the face and, advantageously, up and down relative to the floor of the working to cope with irregularities therein. For this purpose, one side of each of the pans is formed with a weldedon plate structure 33 at its underside that has a hook-like part 34 extending sidewise therefrom and, at its end forwardly thereof, having a tooth or locating tip 35. This locating tip 35 is adapted to interengage with a slot 36 in another plate structure 37 welded to the mating side of the next pan in an intercoupled series. Such a structure 37 will, of course, be provided at the opposite forward edge of each pan on Figure 1 on the underside thereof.The tooth or locating tip 35 is shown to be spaced from the underside of the pan apron and the plate structure 37 is thick enough to allow a limited amount of relative inclination of adjacent intercoupled pans to cope with floor irregularities without losing engagement between the tooth 35 and the slot 36.

At their rearward portions the sides of the conveyor pans 10 are shown formed by way of holes 138 in the plate-like parts 18 of the skids or shoes, for intercoupling of adjacent pans to allow limited relative pivotal displacement of adjacent pans b6fh laterally about the chain position and up and down relative to the floor. .Bolts/39 or other suitable detachable double-headed members located in the holes 38 are shown for achieving this. The positions of these holes and intercoupling bolts or other members are at or above the height of the drive chain so that tension therein does not accentuate, and preferably is corrective of, tipping of adjacent pans relative to the floor of the working.

The pans 10 are readily intercoupled sideby-side by pushing the hooked side under the adjacent pan and into contact with its forward cooperating structure 37 andthen fitting the .)-ear intercoupling bolt or other member.

Preferably, the part 33 should underlie the side edge portion of the adjacent pan throughout the permitted range of angular movement in pivoting about the centre line of the chain, so as to stop debris from passing through to the under side of the conveyor.

The machine guide rail 20 is shown in dotted lines as being associated with coopera ting parts 45, 46 of a mining machine adapted for self-propulsion along the rail 20. Typically by way of indents 47 of regular pitch engaged by pawl, toothed wheel, worm or other suit able drive means of the mining machine.

The flight location strips or stops 31 areshown as extending below the machine guide parts 45, 46 (typically edge parts of a rail en gaging shoe) and substantially filling the space between those parts and the flights so as to limit the possibility of material being conveyed causing jamming of the machine guide parts 45, 46 during machine translation.

As shown in Figure 3 each side of the conveyor pan 10 is formed for male/female intercoupling of adjacent pans to limit relative dis placement of adjacent rams up and down from the floor, though some tipping is to be allowed. This also allows ground engaging support of the pan at only one side, say as shown, the pan side remote from the shoe or skid 15. To this end, one side is shown as having a tooth 38 spaced from the rearward edge thereof with the other side having a slot 39 into which a tooth of an adjacent pan will interfit and relatively locate such pans against substantial movement perpendicular to the general plane of the pan aprons 11. This tooth and slot arrangement preferably always has a clearance from the rear edge of the pan to the tooth 38 so that dirt or ground-down debris can be expressed therefrom during operation of the-conveyor system.If desired, the tooth 38 may have the same or nearly the same thickness as the pan apron and the slot 39 be formed from plates welded above and below a member of similar though normally greater thickness. Obviously, the tooth 38 and slot 39 could be formed at a desired height by fabrication to the structures 15 and 21.

As shown in Figure 3, the slot 39 is on the same edge as the tooth 34, but this is not essential and it may be preferred to have the tooth 38 on that edge. In either case the pans 10 are readily intercoupled side-by-side by pushing the hooked side under the adjacent pan and into contact with its forward cooperating structure 37, at the same time ensuring intercoupling of the rearward male/female interconnection.

Preferably, the part 33 should underlie the side edge portion of the adjacent pan throughout the permitted range of angular movement in pivoting about the centre line of the chain so as to stop debris from passing through the underside of the conveyor.

The positive male/female intercoupling by tooth 38 and slot 39 of adjacent pans allows separation limitation by an elongated double headed element such as of dog-bone like shape as shown at 25 of Figure 5 dropped into a downwardly directed slot in two upstanding plates, attachments or extensions at or near the rear side edges of the pans or the structures 15 and 21 to take separation forces in shear.

In general, it is preferred for the conveyor pan asillustrated to be equipped with two further skid like interconnections of its apron and rear wall as indicated in chain dashed lines at 41 and 42 of Figure 3 both tò give rigidity to the structure and also to cooperate in pro vidin'g an advancing ram pusher coupling or a hydraulic hose-trqugh mounting to be des cribed. In practice, of course, the ground engaging shoe or skid for single position support made possible by the inalelfemale intercoupling could be at any position along the length of a pan, for example at one of the positions 41 and 42, with a structure such as 21 at or hear both sides of the pan.

The intermediate structures 41 and 42, which may resemble the skid 15 except for being of substantially less depth, extend to a less exte'bt"rearwardly 'o'f tlie wall 19 and serve in locating a rearwardly extending coupling element 55.The structures 41,42 where they extend rearwardly of the rear wall 19 also have only a limited height relative to the-lower edge thereaf.'! A downwardly extending flange 50 is shown as extending between the two side structures 15 and 21 immediately below the machine guide rail 20 and spaced from the rear face of the wall 19 tb form a slot 5 1 into which the upper edge part of a coupling moun ting plate 52 can be insertedso that slots exten ding from the opposite edge thereof will clear the structures 41, 42. The upper edges of these structures 41, 42 are preferably slotted at 54 to accept the ends of the slots 53 and yet have the mounting plate 52 still retained in the slot 51.Clearly, the structures 41, 42 could be of greater height with flange 50 extending only between them.

The mounting plate 52 has a clevis box 55 secured thereto, preferably by welding. The clevis box 55 has two rearwardly extending 'arms to.de'vis pin mounting holes 56 in end parts thereof that may extend upwardly rela tive to their substantially horizontal connec ting portions extending from the plate 52.

Such a clevis box is easily inserted and lo located on a conveyor pan 'and is preferably securely locked iri place by wedges 57 driven through apertures formed in the structures 41, 42. All that is therefore needed to locate such structures and to remove them when necessary is a hammer or other blunt instrument.

Figure 7 shows a link 58 having three'aper- tures 59 at least two of which are spaced in correspondence with'the spacing of the aper tures 56. Two of these plates 58 can be used to afford a further mounting point for con veyor pushing means above the level-of the normal clevis bdx 55, but are easily removable to erisure the above ready insertion of the .mounting plates 52 and avoid any risk of fouling the''machine guide rail 20 or a machine - on that rail.

The basic slot cooperation at 51 and 54re- native to mounting plate 52 can be utilised for the attachment of other structures, for example a pressure-fluid hose-locating trough whereby flexible hoses for servicing a mining machine and/or other hydraulic means can be secured to such a plate in place of the clevis box 55.

This is particularly valuable in that it is normally not necessary to have conveyor pushing means associated with each and every one of a series of intercoupled conveyor pans of a face conveyor thereof and thus allows intervening pans to have hose-troughs attached thereto and so make full use of a standard pan construction as described.

The wear plate 29 of Figure 4 has depending flanges 62 relatively forwardly thereof, and 63 relatively rearwardly thereof. These two sets of flanges are substantially aligned and parallel with edges of the plate 29 and could be continuous but for the provision of the further interlinking structures 41, 42.

These flanges 62 and 63 extend below the extension of the undersurfaces of the apron 11 and are apertured at aligned positions 64, 65, respectively. Corresponding aligned pairs of these apertures 64, 65 serve to accommodate a locating rod or bar 66 inserted through a hole 67 in the lower part of the rear wall 19.

As shown in Figure 1, these rods or bars 66 will engage the undersides of the pan aprons near the rear edges thereof, and this engagement, combined with the location afforded by the holes 67, serves to hold the wear plate 29 against upward curling of its edges. It may be preferable for the forward edges of the rods or bars 66 to be wedge shaped, stepped, or otherwise adapted for engagement with the underside of the pan apron.

If desired, a further series of flanges may be disposed centrally of the wear plate 29 in order to prevent any tendency for buckling of the wear plate due to downward curling of its edges.

The flight locating plate 30 is shown in Figure 8 as being preformed with its forward, flight guide bearing part 68 inclined upwardly relative to the remainder of the plate that will overlie the chain. The plate 30, preferably of sheet steel, has inherent resilience.and is provided with rearwardly extending lugs 69 and 70 at positions between respective ones of the structures 41 , 42 and the outboard structures 15 and 21. These lugs 69 and 70 are apertured at 141 and 142 respectively, and are arranged to pass through apertures or slots in the upper part of.the rear wall 19 underlying the guide rail 20 with those apertures clear of the wall 19 for fixing by wedges or bolts that can, if desired, be inserted from below the guide rail, or through the guide rail. The plate 30 is also shown as having a shorter central lug 143 that will not extend beyond the rear face of the wall 19, and so will not foul the coupling attachment 55.

The thickness of the rear wall and coopera tion between its slot or aperture and the lugs 69, and 73 will ensure that the plate 30 is posifively located by its own resilient in its engajgement with the underside of the machine guide rail 20.

The particular disclosed positive location of the plates 29 and 30 does not significantly complicate their introduction into the preferred conveyor pan and yet protects against both buckling thereof and also slopping and consequent noise in operation.

In Figures 12 and 13, a preferred practical pan is illustrated with its machine drive rail 20 shown dashed rearwardly of the drive chain centre line shown at 80. Chain dash lines indicate parts below others. Pan apron interlocation is much more centrally thereof via forward and rearward cooperating hooks 81 and 82 welded to the undersides of the pans, with the. rearward hook 82 extending from a ground support shoe or skid. The rear wall 19 is offset longitudinally of the pan and chamfered at its front top and bottom edges near each end to give desired freedom of rotational movement of interlinked pans with their rear walls intercoupling spigot-and-socket style between a drive-underlying rearward plate or casting 83 and the drive rail.The plate or casting 83 has a projections 84 with its end bevelled to each side of the chain centre line and serving to define pivoting atthat position by bearing against an adjacent pan side support or a casting or plate associated with the hook 82.

Figure 12 is effectively broken into two end and two intermediate parts along the length of the pan. End parts of the front edges of wear plates 29 are tapered to ease insertion and removal, and the ends of the machine guide rail section 20 are bevelled or tapered to each side of the chain centre line 80 also to assist articulation of the pans centred on that line 80.

Figures 14A, 14B and 14C shown how angling and profiling of the hooks 81 and 82 is related to permitted articulation of adjacent pans. Specifically, Figure 14A shows the hooks clear of the floor and the pan fronts closed with upper surfaces of each hook proper flush with respective pan undersurfaces for a maximum lowering of one pan relative to the other. Figures 14B and 14C show different ones of the pans at maximum raising thereof relative to the other and at maximum spacing of the pan front. As can be seen, the hook inner edges then bear against each other.

The relative dimensiqns of the pans are subject to considerable variation, for example in the depth and/or width of the material-supporting pan aprons, the slope of those aprons, the length of the flights which could, if desired, be longer than the depth of the pan aprons so as to extend beyond their front edges in the materiaL moving stroke of the chain, and the angles at which the flights reach their limits of rotation. Ideally, the pins 27 to which the flights are hinged are readily removable by lifting from their upper heads once the plate 30 has been removed.

In general, the illustrated type of structure allows achievement of a conveyor pan structure of low height and with a broad machine guide rail overlying the ground engaging position of the rear part of the pan with consequent advantages in relation to operation and maintenance particularly with the above-mentioned removal of the flight hinge pins, say using a hooked tool operable through a hole or edge recess in the general pan structure.

Figure 15 shows details of a mining machine body 90 and associated mineral winning head 91 mounted thereto by a compact manupulable mount 92. The mount 92 is a two-arm linkage with parallel pivots between the arms and at its mounting to an extendable and rotatable boom 93 located along the face side of body 90 which is stakable roof;to-floor fashion for mineral winning operations. The particular illustrated machine has its body 90 spaced face-wards of a guide and drive mechanism 94 comprising a pair of rail-engaging shoes 95, one at each end of the mechanism. The shoes 95 are slidable relative to the rail and may, if desired, include pawl or plunger type means for preventing movement in the undesired direction, say downhill on a sloping face working with the mining machine operative for up-hill indexing.

A preferred indexing mechanism is indicated as including a pressure-fluid-operated ram 96 associated with a ratchet type rail gripper 97 that is, apart from the ram 96, free of the mining machine and the mechanism 94, so that retraction of the ram 96 will move the gripper 97 to another, as shown in the next or next but one, indent or recess 98 and subsequent contraction will move the shoes 95 and the machine as a wholly bodily along the track. A pivotal connection 99 is shown between the piston rod of the ram 96 and the rail gripper mechanism 97 and this will serve to cope with floor irregularities which may result in tilting of guide rail sections relative to each other, especially where such sections are associated with individual ones of an articulated series of conveyor pans making up a face conveyor.

Clearly, in Figure 15, the ram 96 could be oppositely connected in relation to the two shoes 95 and/or in relation to its cylinder and piston rod connections to a shoe and the rail gripper.

When using an indexing system such as that just described it is not, of course, essential that the indents or recesses 98 be of constant pitch and this assists in coping with any variable spacing that exist from one rail section to another, and/or in relation to any special means provided for transferring a mining machine over strike gulleys or positioning it above such a strike gulley to- serve in excavating extensions to the gulley itself.

Variations of pitch at guide rail transitions could also be coped with by an inherently continuous type of drive such as a toothed wheel or worm type, say in place of the gripper- 97, so long as the rail engaging worm or wheel part thereof was displaceable by a ram or other means relative td the mining machine itself as'described above. Aìleans other than a hydraulic ram could, of'course be used for moving thè gripper 97 or other rail drive engaging mechanism, say a wholly mechanical system or even an electrical system if safety regulations permit.

The specifically shown guide rail has its indents or recesses 98 on the side of the rail furthest frdm the face, but this is not essential, as they could be above, below or even at the front edge Thereof, with corresponding repositioning of the cooperating part or parts ofthe mining machine drive in a slider on the rail.

Neither, of course, need indents or recesses be used. For example, proud 'abutment members lugs or teeth may be provided individually secured integrally or as a track on the rail at any convenient edge or face, and it would even be possible to use holes through the guide rail with appropriate engaging plunger means of the mining machine. A trolley or sledge type rail engaging means could also be used with selectively operable wedging or locking relative to a double track or channel, or even a monorail type drive system, perhaps even using linear induction or magnetic levitation motor drives where safety requirements permit.

Such an arrangement is particularly economical in head room requirements both by virtue of the separation of mining machine frame proper and translation mechanism with interconnection thereof across and over the conveyor pan, and by virtue of the low profile conveyor and its reciprocatory drive mechanism that obviates the need for a return drive run.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: A conveyor pan having at its rear a location for a reciprocable flight drive which location is spaced from a forward edge of the pan by a substantially flat plate-like portion supported-from below by narrow ground-engaging skid means with a downward inclination to said forward edge to promote selfloading on forced advance of the pan, the said portion being at said forward edge shorter than the width of the pan parallel thereto at the said drive location with the said portion tapering towards the forward edge, whereby articulation of such a pan to another similar pan at the side thereof will result in relative pivoting substantially at their adjacent drive positions.

2. A conveyor pan according to Claim I having at sides of the said portion, articulation permitting and limiting intercoupling means in the form of plate-like extensions from the underside of said portion that have complementary formations to provide, between them, outward extensions amounting to at least most of the lengths of those sides.

3. A conveyor comprising a plurality of pans coupled together side-by-side to allow relative articulation thereof, wherein each pan has at its rear a location for a reciprocable flight drive which location is spaced from a forward edge of the pan by a substantially flat plate-like portion supported from below by narrow ground engaging skid means with a downward inclination to said forward edge to promote self-loading on forced advance of the conveyor, the said portion being at said forward edge shorter than the width of the pan parallel thereto at the said drive location with the said portion tapering towards the forward edge, so that articulation between adjacent pans results in pivoting substantially at their adjacent drive locations.

4. A conveyor according to Claim 3, wherein each pan further has, at its sides of its said portion, articulation permitting and limiting intercoupling means in the form of plate-like extensions from the underside of said portion that have complementary formations amounting to at least most of the lengths of the sides of adjacent pans to resist fall through of material on the pans.

5. A conveyor or pan according to any preceding claim, wherein said plate-like extensions have hook or slot-like formations to interengage for adjacent pans.

6. A conveyor or pan according to any preceding claim wherein the or each conveyor pan is oppositely tapered, or recessed, rearwardly of said drive position to further assist said pivoting.

7. A conveyor according to Claim 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein the pan edges overlying the plates are chamfered to assist in expressing material between the pan edges.

8. A conveyor or pan according to any preceding claim, wherein said drive positions comprise accommodation for a reciprocable chain.

9. A conveyor according to Claim 8, where in said chain has flights pivoted thereto at or near one of their ends with a limited arc of permitted movement between relatively outward material moving positions and relatively inward positions.

10. A conveyor or pan according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each pan incorporates a mining machine guide rail section overlying its said drive position.

11. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 10, wherein the or each guide rail section is adapted for positive engagement, at spaced positions therealong, with miming machine drive or locating means.

12. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 11, wherein the or each guide rail section is notched at intervals.

13. A conveyor or pan according to anyone of Claims 10 to 12 with Claim 8, wherein a

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

Claims (41)

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

   strike gulley to- serve in excavating extensions to the gulley itself.

   Variations of pitch at guide rail transitions could also be coped with by an inherently continuous type of drive such as a toothed wheel or worm type, say in place of the gripper- 97, so long as the rail engaging worm or wheel part thereof was displaceable by a ram or other means relative td the mining machine itself as'described above. Aìleans other than a hydraulic ram could, of'course be used for moving thè gripper 97 or other rail drive engaging mechanism, say a wholly mechanical system or even an electrical system if safety regulations permit.

   The specifically shown guide rail has its indents or recesses 98 on the side of the rail furthest frdm the face, but this is not essential, as they could be above, below or even at the front edge Thereof, with corresponding repositioning of the cooperating part or parts ofthe mining machine drive in a slider on the rail.

   Neither, of course, need indents or recesses be used. For example, proud 'abutment members lugs or teeth may be provided individually secured integrally or as a track on the rail at any convenient edge or face, and it would even be possible to use holes through the guide rail with appropriate engaging plunger means of the mining machine. A trolley or sledge type rail engaging means could also be used with selectively operable wedging or locking relative to a double track or channel, or even a monorail type drive system, perhaps even using linear induction or magnetic levitation motor drives where safety requirements permit.

   Such an arrangement is particularly economical in head room requirements both by virtue of the separation of mining machine frame proper and translation mechanism with interconnection thereof across and over the conveyor pan, and by virtue of the low profile conveyor and its reciprocatory drive mechanism that obviates the need for a return drive run.

   WHAT WE CLAIM IS: A conveyor pan having at its rear a location for a reciprocable flight drive which location is spaced from a forward edge of the pan by a substantially flat plate-like portion supported-from below by narrow ground-engaging skid means with a downward inclination to said forward edge to promote selfloading on forced advance of the pan, the said portion being at said forward edge shorter than the width of the pan parallel thereto at the said drive location with the said portion tapering towards the forward edge, whereby articulation of such a pan to another similar pan at the side thereof will result in relative pivoting substantially at their adjacent drive positions.
2. 2. A conveyor pan according to Claim I having at sides of the said portion, articulation permitting and limiting intercoupling means in the form of plate-like extensions from the underside of said portion that have complementary formations to provide, between them, outward extensions amounting to at least most of the lengths of those sides.
3. 3. A conveyor comprising a plurality of pans coupled together side-by-side to allow relative articulation thereof, wherein each pan has at its rear a location for a reciprocable flight drive which location is spaced from a forward edge of the pan by a substantially flat plate-like portion supported from below by narrow ground engaging skid means with a downward inclination to said forward edge to promote self-loading on forced advance of the conveyor, the said portion being at said forward edge shorter than the width of the pan parallel thereto at the said drive location with the said portion tapering towards the forward edge, so that articulation between adjacent pans results in pivoting substantially at their adjacent drive locations.
4. 4. A conveyor according to Claim 3, wherein each pan further has, at its sides of its said portion, articulation permitting and limiting intercoupling means in the form of plate-like extensions from the underside of said portion that have complementary formations amounting to at least most of the lengths of the sides of adjacent pans to resist fall through of material on the pans.
5. 5. A conveyor or pan according to any preceding claim, wherein said plate-like extensions have hook or slot-like formations to interengage for adjacent pans.
6. 6. A conveyor or pan according to any preceding claim wherein the or each conveyor pan is oppositely tapered, or recessed, rearwardly of said drive position to further assist said pivoting.
7. 7. A conveyor according to Claim 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein the pan edges overlying the plates are chamfered to assist in expressing material between the pan edges.
8. 8. A conveyor or pan according to any preceding claim, wherein said drive positions comprise accommodation for a reciprocable chain.
9. 9. A conveyor according to Claim 8, where in said chain has flights pivoted thereto at or near one of their ends with a limited arc of permitted movement between relatively outward material moving positions and relatively inward positions.
10. 10. A conveyor or pan according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each pan incorporates a mining machine guide rail section overlying its said drive position.
11. 11. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 10, wherein the or each guide rail section is adapted for positive engagement, at spaced positions therealong, with miming machine drive or locating means.
12. 12. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 11, wherein the or each guide rail section is notched at intervals.
13. 13. A conveyor or pan according to anyone of Claims 10 to 12 with Claim 8, wherein a

    removable plate or plates is or are interposed between the reciprocable chain drive position and the or each guide rail section.
14. 14. A conveyor according to Claim 13 with Claim 9, wherein the or each said plate has flight locating and guiding blade or stop means forwardly Thereof.
15. 15. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 13 or 14, wherein the or each said removable plate is resilient and preformed to resiliently engage a said guide rail section when tongues of the plate are located in slots or holes through a rear pan part or wall.
16. 16. A conveyor or pan according to any one of Claims 8 to 15, wherein a detachable wear plate or plates is or are disposed to underlie the or each said drive position:
17. 17. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 16, wherein the or each said detachable wear plate has downwardly extending parts aperturned to accept locating rods, pins or bars extending between the underside of the pan portion or portions and locating slots or holes at or thro-ugh rear pan parts or walls.
18. 18. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 17, wherein said downwardly extending parts are in two or more aligned series with aligned apertures one from each series cooperating with a different said locating rod, pin or bar.
19. 19. A conveyor or pan according to any preceding claim, wherein the or each pan is adapted for slotting reception of attachment means for couplings to conveyor advancing means and/or other means such as pressurefluid hose guides.
20. 20. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 19, wherein the or each attachment means includes a mounting have upper and lower slotting provisions for cooperation with rearward conveyor pan parts.
21. 21. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 20, wherein said mounting comprises a nomin ally vertical plate to engage its upper edge portion in a downwardly opening slot along the rear of the pan.
22. 22. A conveyor or pan according to Claiin 21, wherein said plate is slotted at its lower edge portion to accommodate lugs extending rearwardly of the pan.
23. 23. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 22, wherein said lugs comprise ends of flanges running essentially below the pan portion proper to a rear pan wall and beyond that wall.
24. 24. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 22 or 23, wherein said lugs are apertured to cooperate with locking pins or wedges.
25. 25. A conveyor or pan according to any one of Claims 19 to 24, wherein the attachment means includes a clevis box.
26. 26. A conveyor or pan according to any one of Claims 19 to 24, wherein said other means includes a hose guide trough.
27. 27. A conveyor or pan according to any preceding claim, having end or edge parts formations adapted to provide for articulated intercoupling with adjacent pans, such parts or formations including complementary positively interfitting parts to restrict level variations relative to an adjacent pan.
28. 28. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 27, wherein the interfitting parts are complementary male and female engagement parts.
29. 29. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 28, wherein the male and female engagement parts are rearward of the drive system position.
30. 30. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 28 or 29, wherein the or each female part is a slot open to the side and rear of its pan and the or each male part is a tooth for grinding down and expressing dirt and debris from the slot during adjacent pan articulation.
31. 31. A conveyor or pan according to any one of Claims 28 to 30, wherein the or each pan has but one ground-engaging support.
32. 32. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 31 ,wherein said support is at or near one end of its pan.
33. 33. A conveyor according to any one of Claims 27 to 32, wherein rearward limitation of articulation is by drop-in elements cooperating with edges of upwardly opening slots in sides of adjacent pans.
34. 34. A conveyor according to Claim 33, wherein said elements are of double-headed dog-bone or dumb-bell form.
35. 35. A conveyor according to Claim 34, wherein the said elements are of high tensile steel.
36. 36. A conveyor according to Claim 33, 34 or 35, wherein said slots have removable pins across them and above said elements.
37. 37. A conveyor or pan according to Claim 13, or any one of Claims 14 to 36 as appendant thereto, wherein the flight locating means substantially fills the height between a said flight and a rail engaging part of a mining machine.
38. 38. A conveyor according to Claim 10, or any one of Claims 11 to 36 as appendant thereto, in combination with a mining machine traversable along said guide.
39. 39. A conveyor according to Claim 38, wherein a main-frame of the mining machine is forward of the drive position and is coupled to a traversing mechanism on and operative relative to said rail.
40. 40. A conveyor or conveyor pan arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, of Figures 3 to 11, or Figures 12 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.
41. 41. Mine-face working apparatus including a conveyor according to Claim 40 and arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 15 of the accompanying drawings.