GB2048813A

GB2048813A - Improvements in or relating to a conveyor trough for use with a mining machine

Info

Publication number: GB2048813A
Application number: GB8014493A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Gebr Eickhoff Maschinenfabrik u Eisengiesserei GmbH
Current assignee: Gebr Eickhoff Maschinenfabrik u Eisengiesserei GmbH
Priority date: 1979-05-04
Filing date: 1980-05-01
Publication date: 1980-12-17
Also published as: GB2048813B; JPS55156114A; DE2918007A1

Abstract

A conveyor trough (1) for use with a mining machine comprises a pair of side members (2) and a web (3) interconnecting the side members intermediate their edges. Inwardly projecting flanges are formed at the edges of each side member. Each side member is also formed with an outwardly opening preferably V- shaped recess (4), which extends to near the level of the inward flanges and an outwardly projecting ground engaging flange, which merges with that portion of the side member which bounds the lower part of recess (4). The ground engaging flange on the working side of the trough (1) forms a machine track, whilst that on the goaf side supports the rack of the mining machine. Each ground engaging flange is formed to support the lower inward flanges above the ground. A series of troughs can be connected by connecting means engaging in recesses (4). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to a conveyor trough for use with a mining machine The invention relates to a conveyor trough for a chain scraper conveyor for use with a mining machine.

Some known conveyors with superposed strands or stringers are equipped with U-shaped lateral parts having webs bearing two superposed external flanges for securing guide rails, side attachments or the like.

Lateral section members of chain scraper conveyors are also known. The members have a substantially U-cross-section and their webs are formed with a centrally disposed receptive Vshaped recess. The lateral section members are also provided with one or two outer flanges. One of the two outer flanges, i.e. the lower one, forms a continuation of a central extension of the lateral section member which is welded to the bottom plate, and is used for attaching a guide rail. The other outer flange, which continues the horizontal top inner flange of the lateral section member carries and guides the producing machine moving along the conveyor, or has bores for receiving screws for securing a lateral attachment or guide rail.

Finally, it is known to provide for securing successive portions of troughs of a chain scraper conveyor with superposed strands or stringers. In the case of the last-mentioned conveyors, the individual trough portions are interconnected coupling elements disposed in the V recesses in the lateral section members. The trough portions are also equipped with additional section members of substantially the same length, releasably secured to the trough wall They cover the V recesses in the lateral members and thus also cover the trough portion connecting means disposed therein. In order, therefore, not to reduce the accessibility of the connecting means, the coupling elements at this side of the trough must be disposed at the ends of the portions of the additional section members and the trough portions must be held only by the inter-connected additional section members.As a result of this, the trough portions themselves are free from coupling elements at one or perhaps both ends, and the system facilitates the attachment of reinforced coupling elements, thus providing a more reliable connection between troughs. In all cases, however, the proposed device increases the width of the unit which comprises the chain scraper conveyor and guide rail and which serves as the machine track.

The object of the invention is to construct a conveyor trough for a chain scraper conveyor for use with a mining machine in which the connections between the troughs are more accessible and are not covered by the machine track.

According to the present invention there is provided a conveyor trough for a conveyor for use with a mining machine comprising a pair of side members and a web interconnecting the side members intermediate their upper and lower edges to form the base of the trough, each side member having respective inwardly projecting flanges at the upper and lower edges and an outwardly opening recess extending to near the level of the inwardly projecting flanges and at least one of the side members having an outwardly projecting ground engaging flange which merges with that part of the side member which bounds the lower part of the recess, the or each outwardly projecting flange projecting beneath the level of its adjacent inwardly projecting flange and the outwardly projecting flange forming a machine track in use.

In a conveyor trough of this kind, the two side members have high and deep recesses.

Accordingly, they are particularly suitable for holding large connecting means which are particularly adapted to bear high tensile forces and thus able to absorb additional forces exerted on the conveyor trough via the machine track. The conveyor-trough connection is freely accessible, at least at the working-face side, does not take up part of the width of the machine track, and thus does not increase the width of the machine track.

On the contrary, the machine track which is integral with the conveyor trough, is constructed so that there is a considerable reduction in the combined width of the trough and machine track compared with known devices of the same kind.

The provision of an integral machine track reduces assembly work.

The side members of the conveyor trough may be constructed in one piece by rolling or extrusion.

Side members of the proposed guide can be manufactured very economically and cheaply and welded to the trough bottom.

Alternatively, the side members may be made of a number of wleded sectional parts, e.g. a top part and a bottom part. Likewise, in the case of side members constructed in the aforementioned manner, the flange serving as the machine track can be a separate component, welded to the side member or to a part thereof.

In all cases the flange on the working-face side is provided to bear and guide the mining machine on the chain scraper conveyor, whereas the flange on the back-filling side can be used for securing the side attachment thereof, or a guide rail or rack.

The invention may be performed in a number of ways, specific embodiments of which will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a conveyor trough and shows a roller of a mining machine bearing on a flange at the working-face side, and a drive shaft on the back-filling side; and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the conveyor trough corresponding to Figure 1, in which the trough cross-section is made up of a number of interwelded sectional parts.

Figure 1 shows a conveyor trough 1 comprising two similar one-piece rolled or extruded side members 2 and a channel bottom 3 disposed between and welded to side members 2. Each member 2 has a V recess 4 extending to near two flange surfaces which vertically bound the respective side member. The portion of member 2 which extends from channel bottom 3, descends towards the floor, and bounds the V recess 4, merges into a flange 5 extending substantially parallel with the floor and projecting from member 2. The bottom outer edge 6 of flange 5 is lower than the lower vertically bounding flange surface 7 of member 2. The width and thickness of flange 5 are chosen to correspond to the dimensions of a track for mining.Adequately dimensioned coupling elements, which connect the individual conveyor portions so that they can move to a limited extent relative to one another, are disposed inside the V recess 4 of the two members 2. In a conveyor trough constructed in the aforementioned manner, the flange 5 which extends, in use, towards the working face and bearing on the floor serves as a track for the rollers 8 of the mining machine.

At the back-filling side, on the other hand, the flange 5 on the floor may support, by means of releasably secured holders 9, a rack (not shown) required for the advancing of the mining machine.

At the back-filling side, metal plates 10 distributed along a portion of conveyor trough are firmly welded into the V recess 4 of member 2. They additionally secure holders 9 and are releasably connected thereto.

The embodiment in Figure 2 likewise shows the conveyor trough of a chain scraper conveyor of use together with a producing machine for underground working. In Figure 2, however, the two side members 2 are made up of a number of sectional parts 11, 12, 13, which are welded together. The interwelded parts may comprise top part 11 and a bottom 12, or alternatively, a flange 13 serving as a machine track may be welded to member 2 or a part thereof. As before, the two side members 2, made up of portions, are welded to a trough bottom 3 disposed between them, to form a conveyor trough 1.

Claims

1. A conveyor trough for a conveyor for use with a mining machine comprising a pair of side members and a web interconnecting the side members intermediate their upper and lower edges to form the base of the trough, each side member having respective inwardly projecting flanges at the upper and lower edges and an outwardly opening recess extending to near the level of the inwardly projecting flanges and at least one of the side members having an outwardly projecting ground engaging flange which merges with that part of the side member which bounds the lower part of the recess, the or each outwardly projecting flange projecting beneath the level of its adjacent inwardly projecting flange and the outwardly projecting flange forming a machine track in use.

2. A conveyor trough as claimed in claim 1, wherein each side member is formed with an outwardly projecting flange and wherein the other outwardly projecting flange supports a rack for the mining machine.

3. A conveyor trough as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the side members are produced in one piece by rolling or extrusion.

4. A conveyor trough as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the side members comprise a number of interwelded parts.

5. A conveyor trough as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the or each outwardly projecting flange is a separate component welded to its respective side member.

6. A conveyor trough as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the recess is Vshaped.

7. A conveyor trough substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A conveyor for a mining machine including a plurality of linked conveyor troughs as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

9. A conveyor as claimed in claim 7, wherein the troughs are linked by connecting member engaged in the trough recesses.

1 0. A mining apparatus comprising a mining machine and a conveyor as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9.