GB2060740A

GB2060740A - Mining machine

Info

Publication number: GB2060740A
Application number: GB8032995A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Mining Supplies Minsup Pty Ltd; Mining Supplies Ltd
Current assignee: Mining Supplies Minsup Pty Ltd; Mining Supplies Ltd
Priority date: 1979-10-19
Filing date: 1980-10-13
Publication date: 1981-05-07
Also published as: GB2060740B

Abstract

A mining machine 1 of the shearer type comprises an elongate machine body 2 housing inter alia a power unit 11 for powering at least one rotary, mineral cutting head 10, and at least one haulage unit 12 mounted on the outside of the machine body 2 and comprising a variable speed motor 16 connected via speed reduction gearing 19 to a machine haulage sprocket 13 adapted to engage progressively rack bars 14 or a chain extending along the mineral face 5. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mining machine This invention relates to a mining machine of the shearer type adapted to be reciprocated along or adjacent an armoured scraper chain conveyor extending along a longwall mineral face.

Conventionally, such a shearer has been provided with a haulage unit incorporating a power output sprocket, around which sprocket was threaded a portion of a tensioned round link chain also extending along the mineral face, at the goaf side of the conveyor, and being staked at each end of the mineral face. However, in recent time such an arrangement has been superseded by the socalled "chainless" haulage technique by which the staked haulage chain is eliminated, the machine being hauled on the rack and pinion principle with the "pinion" constituted either by at least one haulage sprocket, or by a relatively short endless chain, the "pinion" of either arrangement engaging, or being engaged by abutments, pockets, or projections provided on, in, or by rack bars mounted on the individual pans that conventionally make up the conveyor.

According to the present invention, a mining machine of the shearer type comprises an elongate machine body housing inter alia a power unit for powering at least one rotary, mineral cutting head, and at least one haulage unit mounted on the outside of the machine body and comprising a variable speed motor connected via speed reduction gearing to a machine haulage sprocket adapted to engage progressively rack bars or a chain extending along the mineral face.

By locating the or each machine haulage unit outside the machine body, the haulage unit(s) may be fitted at the most appropriate location for particular operating conditions and hence is not "handed". Thus the haulage unit(s) may be located on either the goaf side or the face side of the machine.

It is usually desirable to provide two haulage units, each unit being spaced apart longitudinally of the machine body, thereby halving the loading on the individual teeth of the drive sprockets and furthermore, when the haulage sprockets and furthermore, when the haulage sprockets engage rack bars, it can be ensured that the haulage sprocket of one haulage unit is positively engaged with a rack bar when the haulage sprocket of the other haulage unit is traversing a joint between adjacent rack bars. Whilst the location of two haulage units both on the face side or both on the goaf side of the conveyor gives the advantage that rack bars are required only at the selected haulage side of the conveyor, it is possible to provide two haulage units at the same end of the machine body, one operating on the goaf side and one operating on the face side of the conveyor.In yet another embodiment when heavy duty mining machines are involved, four haulage units may be provided, located approximately at each corner of the machine body.

The brake unit, e.g. of a fail safe multi-disc type and operable either electrically or hydraulically may be interposed between the motor and the gearing of the or each haulage unit. Alternatieely, the brake unit may be located within a flameproof casing of the motor.

Although the motor of the or each haulage unit could be hydraulic, it is preferred to employ electric motors, in which case variable speed a.c.

motors are recommended. The motor of the or each unit may be rotatable about an axis extending laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the machine body or may be rotatable about an axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine body, in which latter case the speed reduction gearing transmits the drive through 900, e.g. by incorporating a pair of bevel gears, as the haulage sprocket is rotatable about an axis extending normally with respect to the electric motor axis of rotation. Although the drive sprocket could be rotatable about a generally vertical axis, it is preferably rotatable about a generally horizontal axis.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation, from the goaf side, of a shearer type mining machine in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through a haulage unit of Figures 1 and 2, and Figure 4 is a view in the direction of arrow A on Figure 3.

In the drawings is shown a shearer type mining machine 1 having an elongate machine body 2, the machine 1 being mounted on, and guided by, a scraper chain conveyor 3 seated on a mine floor 4 which extends along a mineral face 5.

The machine 1 is a double-ended ranging drum shearer comprising, at each end of the machine body 2, a gearhead 6 which pivotally carries a ranging arm 7 under the control of a doubleacting, hydraulic, piston and cylinder unit 8, the ranging arm 7 carrying a secondary ranging arm 9 on which is mounted a rotary, pick-carrying cutting head 10 to remove mineral from the face 5. The machine body 2 further comprises a motor unit 11 housing an electric motor to power the two cutting heads 10.At the face side of the machine body 2 are located a pair of spaced apart haulage units 1 2 each comprising a drive sprocket 13 in engagement with a rack element 1 4 secured to the conveyor 3, the sprockets 13 each being rotatable about an axis 1 5 extending laterally of the longitudinal axis of the machine body 2. Each haulage unit 12 further comprises anelectric motor 16, rotatable about an axis 1 7 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine body 2, a brake unit 18 and a speed reduction gearbox 19, the haulage units 12 being located outside the machine body 2 and under the control of a unit 20 forming part of the machine body 2 and located between the motor unit 11 and one of the gearheads 6. To transmit drive from the motor axis 1 7 to the drive sprocket axis 15, the gearboxes 19 each drive through 900 by incorporating bevel gears 21, 22. At the goaf side of the machine body 2, the latter is supported in a conventional manner on slide shoes or rollers (not shown) engaging the conveyor 3. The electric motor 1 6 is preferably of the variable speed a.c.

type, while the brake unit 1 8 is of an electrically or hydraulically operated, fail-safe, multi-disc type.

Thus, the brake units 1 8 are each spring loaded into the braking condition and electrically or hydraulically released from the braking condition.

Claims

1. A mining machine of the shearer type comprising an elongate machine body housing inter alia a power unit for powering at least one rotary, mineral cutting head, and at least one haulage unit mounted on the outside of the machine body and comprising a variable speed motor connected via speed reduction gearing to a machine haulage sprocket adapted to engage progressively rack bars or a chain extending along the mineral face.

2. A mining machine as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the haulage unit(s) is located on the goaf side of the machine.

3. A mining machine as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the haulage unit(s) is located on the face side of the machine.

4. A mining machine as claimed in Claim 1, wherein at least one haulage unit is located on the goaf side of the machine and at least one haulage unit is located on the face side of the machine.

5. A mining machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein at least two haulage units are provided, each unit being spaced apart longitudinally of the machine body.

6. A mining machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the brake unit is hydraulically operable.

7. A mining machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the brake unit is electrically operated.

8. A mining machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein a brake unit is interposed between the motor and the gearing of the or each haulage unit.

9. A mining machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the brake unit is located within a flameproof casing of the motor.

10. A mining machine as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the brake unit is of the fail-safe multi-disc type.

11. A mining machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the motor of the or each haulage unit is hydraulic.

12. A mining machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the motor of the or each haulage unit is electric.

1 3. A mining machine as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the or each electric motor is a variable speed a.c. motor.

14. A mining machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the motor of the or each unit is rotatable about an axis extending laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the machine body.

1 5. A mining machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 13, wherein the motor of the or each unit is rotatable about an axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine body.

16. A mining machine as claimed in Claim 15, wherein the speed reduction gearing transmits the drive through 900 by incorporating a pair of bevel gears.

17. A mining machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the drive sprocket of the or each haulage unit is rotatable about a generally vertical axis.

18. A mining machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 13, wherein the drive sprocket is rotatable about a generally horizontal axis.

1 9. A mining machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 27th February 1981.

Superseded claims 1, 11 and 12.

New or amended claims: Original claims 13 to 19 renumbered as 11 to 1 7 respectively and appendancies corrected.

1. A mining machine of the shearer type comprising an elongate machine body housing inter alia a power unit for powering at least one rotary, mineral cutting head; and at least one haulage unit mounted on the outside of the machine body and comprising a variable speed electric motor connected via speed reduction gearing to a machine haulage sprocket adapted to engage progressively rack bars or a chain extending along the mineral face.