GB2103559A - Mobile support for chain-type conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

The debris produced during headwork in underground mining and tunnelling is passed by hand or by machine on an intermediate conveyor which can be moved in accordance with the headwork and which transfers the debris to the conveyor belt that has been taken along or to another transport means. The intermediate conveyor can travel through curves and consists of conveyor pans, which can be angled relative to one another, and of an endless chain having spaced flight attachments and of a drive station and a return station and of a mobile train unit receiving the conveyor pans. The train unit, for its part, consists of individual supporting frames which have been coupled to one another. The conveyor pans are associated with the train unit so as to be movable to a limited extent laterally and in the longitudinal direction, the train unit having a track curve which corresponds to that of the chain conveyor formed by the conveyor pans. The train unit can be connected to a draw gear, more especially a road-heading machine, so that it is capable of following this machine directly and in a preset timed sequence. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Chain-type conveyor The invention relates to a chain-type conveyor for headwork, more especially for the removal of the debris produced during headwork in underground mining and tunnelling, the conveyor consisting of conveyor pans, which are connected together and are capable of being angled relative to each other, and of an endless chain provided with spaced flight attachments and of the drive and return stations.

Within the framework of progressive mechanisation, headwork in underground mining has been mechanised by the use of part-face heading machines. These part-face heading machines comprise a boom with a rotatable roller which sits thereon at the top and via which the required roadway cross section can be cut. The debris detached during this process is received by a conveyor forming part of the machine and is then transferred to an intermediate haulage conveyor which subsequently transfers the debris via a bridge belt, or possibly without this belt, to the gate conveying means, which is as a rule a belt conveyor.

Because of the operations occurring thereafter, the described part-face heading machines cannot be fully utilised. The reason for this is, among other things, that in order to limit the length of the road-heading machine proper, it is necessary to work with an intermediate conveyor which can be lengthened according to the rate of the face advance.

Such chain conveyors serving as intermediate conveyors are not sufficiently curve-going, more especially in roadway bifurcation zones, and over and above this render the operation difficult in that they have to be lengthened, shortened or pulled forward at regular intervals. The expenditure of work necessary therefor requires a stoppage of the road-heading machine itself. The expenditure concerning the operations occurring thereafter is very high during the placing of roadways, in particular, because the chain conveyor then has to be lengthened at intervals until it reaches its final length and because no ideal location is available for the other supply and disposal assemblies.The road-heading machine therefore has to be driven to and fro very frequently and over short distances until there is finally reached a drivage length which allows all the assemblies to be arranged one behind the other within the road to be headed.

There are known curve-going chain convey ors(DE PS 12 78 380, DE AS 10 48 223), but these are either short spillage conveyors, which have a low conveying capacity, or chain conveyors which are shiftable in curves.

Their curving ability is brought about by a plug connection with a pivot point in the central longitudinal plane of the conveyor or by connecting the conveyor pans by means of chains which are fastened to the outer surfaces of the side sections of each conveyor pan. Such a construction is very expensive and necessitates locating the chain conveyor in the respective position or curve. Such conveyors are thus unable to negotiate curves.

The present invention preferably provides a chain-type conveyor which can be used for supplies and simultaneously debris disposal and which is capable of negotiating curves and which enables a high machine utilisation during the heading of roadways.

According to the present invention the conveyor pans, which are designed so that they are capable of being angled, are associated with a mobile train unit, consisting of individual supporting frames which are coupled together, so as to be movable to a limited extent laterally and in the longitudinal direction, the train unit, which has a track curve that is adapted to the track curve of the chain conveyor, being connectable to a draw gear.

Such a chain conveyor can negotiate curves since the short conveyor pans give a radius of 4 m in a 90 curve and since this chain conveyor is movable to a limited extent on the train unit laterally and in the longitudinal direction when both of them travel through a corresponding 90 curve. The entire supply train is attached to the draw gear and is so pulled by this gear that the debris is loaded on the chain conveyor in an optimal manner.

Such a train unit can be readily constructed in such a way that the de-dusting assemblies, the ventilation equipment and the energy supply equipment can be simultaneously moved with the supply train. Already now the ventilation and energy supply equipment consists of such units which, combined in a train, can pass around such a curve. The de-dusting assemblies will be designed accordingly and combined in units, depending on the dedusting rate required during heading. It is particularly advantageous that conventional pan sections can be used for the chain conveyor, these being appropriately short in design so as to provide the pre-set total radius.

By choosing shorter or longer conveyor pans the attainable radius can be varied. Expediently, the length of the conveyor pans and their ability to be angled are so adapted that track curves with a minimum radius of down to 3 m can be negotiated. In order to ensure the curve radius of a 90 curve of 4 m, which has been described and is usual, in particular for drivage with road-heading machines, the invention provides for the conveyor pans to be approximately 285 mm long and capable of being angled relative to each other through approximately 4 .

According to the invention, any fduling of the roadway by dropping debris is prevented, even in the event of conveyor shocks, in that there are associated with the conveyor pans unilaterally angled slick sheets which, in the zone of their angling, overlap by somewhat in excess of the maximum value of the opening between two conveyor pans. In such a design, adjacent slick sheets also overlap in the curves to such an extent that the openings existing between adjacent pan elements are covered.

Curve conveying is not impaired thereby.

It is known from face conveying that high friction losses arise if the conveyor pans do not extend rectilinearly or approximately rectilinearly. Such tube wear is considerably reduced, considered as a whole, in that the effect thereof is evident only in the zone of a few pans when a curve is negotiated. In addition, the necessary length compensation can be favourably realised in that adjustable telescopic pans are arranged upstream of the drive and return stations. This ensures a uniform chain tension.

In order to keep the chain tension constant in an advantageous manner, the telescopic pans are automatically adjustable by hydraulic cylinders which are acted on during the operation in accordance with the chain pre-tension.

The working pressure of these cylinder can be set and regulated in order thus to adapt the chain tension to the respective requirements.

It has turned out that for the conventional lengths of such a supply train or chain conveyor the overlap of the telescopic pans is expediently approximately 260 mm. By this means, it is possible to ensure that the chain tension will be constant.

According to an expedient development of the invention, provision is made for the return station to be designed as a telescopic pan. By this means, the construction of the chain conveyor is facilitated.

In order to control the wear of the flight attachments, particularly when abrasive debris matter is conveyed, the chain speed should be reduced during curve conveying. For this purpose, provision has been made according to the invention for hydraulically controllable drives to be associated with the drive station and/or the return station. This type of drive allows the optimum chain speed to be set in a particularly expedient manner.

For the reduction of wear, particularly in curve conveying, the flight attachments on the chain have at their ends guide noses which are identically designed on either side. Such a flight attachment is particularly suitable for curve conveying but can be equally advantageously used for a normal run of the chain conveyor. The fastening itself of the flights to the chain can advantageously remain unchanged, that is to say can be chosen in accordance with the prior art.

In underground mining, there are used roadway trolley trains, more especially for the supplies transport. A rail structure consisting of trolley tracks, which can be easily fitted, is laid on the floor, this structure being distinguished, inter alia, by easy handling. Such roadway trolley trains can readily travel through 90 curves. According to the invention, provision is made for the train unit to be composed of the cars of a roadway trolley train whose coupling rods are pivotally attached close to the respective car axle. Such hinging of the coupling rods to the individual cars of the roadway trolley train makes possible to adapt the track curve thereof in an optimum manner to that of the chain conveyor. The two units can thus be utilised in a particularly advantageous manner for curve travelling.

Any unintentional slipping of the chain conveyor from the platforms of the trolley train is prevented, and the laterally limited association is simultaneously rendered possible, in that the cars have as the lateral limitation spaced stanchions. These stanchions may be rotatably mounted so that the chain conveyor, which is bent in the curve, is optimally guided by these stanchions.

Since the trolley track units have to be extended between the draw gear and the roadway trolley train, a sufficient spacing must be respectively maintained between them. According to the invention this is brought about in that there is hinged to the cars associated with the draw gear a pallet which is rotatably connected on either side.

The pallet may be mounted on the draw gear, for example via a ball, in a corresponding seat. This reliably ensures a satisfactory transfer of the material from the conveyor of, for example, a road-heading machine to the chain conveyor, since the point of support of the pallet/road-heading machine is always above the transfer point of the material. The chain conveyor itself is advantageously guided in an obiong hole in the pallet, so as to allow any arising length changes to be compensated for in this way.

Another expedient possibility of connecting the chain conveyor and the draw gear is brought about in that, according to the invention, the pallet and the last car are connected via hydraulic cylinders to a fork which is rigidly fastened to the draw gear. The spacing between the draw gear and the chain conveyor and the train unit respectively can be set in accordance with the requirements by extending or retracting the respective cylinder.

To this end, it is particularly advantageous to connect the piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder and .he fork ends via a sliding shoe, which is displaceably arranged beneath the pallet. By this means, it is ensured that if two hydraulic cylinders are hinged on both sides, the movements of the two piston rods occur in a synchronised manner.

According to another development of the invention, provision is made for the train unit to be movable along the runway rails of an overhead monorail system, whose individual supporting frames are movably fitted via balance beams to the crab centres and are designed as supports which are doubly pivotally hinged, U-shaped and engage under the conveyor pans. This allows the entire supplies train to be moved in an advantageous manner along a rail located in the roof zone. The roadway floor zone can be kept free. Here, too, the rail system used for the supplies train can subsequently be used for main-line haulage and can thus stay in the roadway.In order to provide the suspension system itself and simultaneously the conveyor pans and the chain conveyor with the necessary movability, provision is made according to the invention for there to rest on the supports connecting plates which carry the conveyor pans and which are connected to one another between the supports via rotary joints. For a further optimisation, there is provided respectively between the balance beam and the U-shaped supports, on either side of the runway rails, a beam which movably connects two supports and extends parallel to the transport longitudinal axis. A chain conveyor designed in such a way and serving as a supply train can be guided in an advantageous manner around curves and simultaneously so as to ascend or descend, so that the operation of, for example, a road-heading machine is not obstructed or limited by the work that follows thereafter.

The combination of removal, de-dusting, ventilating and energy supply equipment in a single supply train can be brought about in a particularly simple manner in that the stanchions or the supports are connected together by cross braces extending above the slick sheets. The respective equipment is then movably or rotatably arranged on these cross braces so that it can follow the movements of the train unit and the chain conveyor without causing a mutual obstruction.

The invention is particularly distinguished in that all the equipment required for the subsequent operations of road headwork is continuously moved, for example together with the road-heading machine itself, at a once pre-set distance therefrom so that an optimum operation of the road-heading machine is ensured.

Such a curve-going supply train allows a continuous drivage, particularly in the bifurcation zone, and this without the need of any extensive preparatory work. On the contrary, it is even possible, in the case of road-heading machines, to begin with the continuous operation after having prepared a short starting road and after the installation of the roadheading machine. This is bound up with a considerable technical advance, since the economy of the heading equipment with part-face heading machines is improved, on the one hand, and, on account of the unnecessary conversion work, the driving periods are considerably reduced, on the other hand.Over and above this, on account of the uniform chain tension and the special design of the conveyor itself, the maintenance and repair work is minimised and the safety conditions are optimised in that optimum air and climatic conditions are attainable already in the starting road.

Futher details and advantages of the subject matter of the invention will emerge from the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which preferred exemplified embodiments are shown, together with the details and components necessary therefor.

In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a schematised total representation in a top view, Figure 2 shows a telescopic pan, Figure 3 shows a return station, Figure 4 shows a top view of two connected conveyor pans, Figure 5 shows a partial view of a flight attachment, Figure 6 shows two connected conveyor pans in a perspective representation, Figure 7 shows a section through a supply train, Figure 8 shows a representation of the transfer zone between the road-heading machine and the supply train, Figure 9 shows a car of the trolley train in a partial view, Figure 10 shows a partial view of a supply train which is movable along an overhead monorail system, Figure ii shows a top view of a supply train which is movable along an overhead monorail system, and Figure 12 shows the sub-structure of such a supply train which is movable along an overhead monorail system.

Fig. 1 shows a part-face heading machine in the zone of a roadway bifurcation. The chain conveyor 1, which is arranged so as to be displaceable on the train unit 2, has already moved around the 90 curve. The train unit 2 consists of individual supporting frames 3, these being in the example shown the cars 4, 5 of a roadway trolley train.

The drive station 6 of the chain conveyor 1 is provided within the base roadway 9, namely in the zone where the transfer to the belt conveyor 8 is effected. The endless chain of the chain conveyor 1 is driven from the drive 12, which is herein associated with the drive station 6, and is pulled through the individual conveyor pans, which are extremely short. The draw gear 11 is already arranged in the heading 10 and draws the entire supply train, which is herein formed by the chain conveyor 1 and the train unit 2, as it moves forward in the heading 1 0. The return station 1 7 is arranged on the car 5, which is associated with the draw gear 11, or on a corresponding pallet.The individual conveyor pans 15, 1 6 of the chain conveyor 11 are separated from the drive station 6 and the return station 1 7 respectively by a respective telescopic pan 1 8. The telescopic pans 1 8 are so designed that the two parts 20, 21 can be displaced relative to each other via a hydraulic cylinder 19.

Figs. 2 and 3 show details in this connection, Fig. 2 showing a telescopic pan 1 8 with the hydraulic cylinder 1 9 and Fig. 3 showing a return station 1 7 designed as a telescopic trough. Both consist of two parts 20, 21 which can be displaced relative to each other via the hydraulic cylinders 1 9 and 23 respectively. The sprocket wheel is deignated 24 and the guard is designated 25. A corresponding circuit ensures that the hydraulic cylinders 1 9 and 23 operate in synchronism on the two sides.

Figs. 4 and 6 show two conveyor pans 15, 1 6 which have been connected together or placed against each other and which have been so hinged to the slick sheets 27, 28 that they overlap in the zone of the bend 29. This overlap zone 31 is so designed that the conveyor pans 15, 1 6 can be displaced relative to each other to the left or right in the transport direction 30 without any openings being formed.

Fig. 5 shows a flight attachment 33, into which the chain 34 consisting of identical links has been placed. At the ends 37, these flight attachments have guide noses 35, 36 which are identically shaped in both directions. As can be seen in Fig. 7, such a chain conveyor 1 rests on the platform 45 of a trolley 4. The slick sheets 27, 28 are fastened to the conveyor pans 15, 1 6 via the brackets 39, as can also be seen in Fig. 6. The lateral movement of the chain conveyor on the car 4 is restricted by the rotatably arranged stanchions 40, which is incidentally also very clearly shown in Fig. 1. The car 4 is movable on the trolley track 42 via the idler 43 and the guide roller 44.

In the zone of the transfer between the draw gear 11 and the chain conveyor 1 or the train unit 2, it has to be ensured that the point of support pallet/draw gear is always below the transfer point of the debris. In the example shown, a pallet 48 is connected to the first or last car 5 via the linking point 49.

A fork 55 is fixedly connected via the linking point 50 to the draw gear 11, which fork is connected, at the fork end 57, via the sliding shoe 53 to the piston rod 52 of a hydraulic cylinder 51. Via this device, it is possible, by extending or retracting the piston rod, to set the distance so that the transfer station 56 lies exactly above the desired point of the chain conveyor 1. The hydraulic cylinder 51, with its piston housing, is arranged in an additional housing so as to ensure a sufficient stability here. Due to the fork and its combination with the hydraulic cylinder 51, it is ensured that a reliable transfer will occur even if the chain conveyor 1 or the train unit 2 and the draw gear 11 are in inclined positions.

The laying of the tracks 42 can thus be easily effected and be so co-ordinated with the conveying operation that a stoppage of the draw gear 11 is not necessary.

Fig. 8 illustrates the special design of the cars 4, 5 which is necessary in order to adapt the track curve of the roadway trolley train to that of the chain conveyor and thus to ensure that joint movability thereof through curves.

The coupling point 61 lies respectively in the zone of the car axle 59, there being ensured an adequate movability of the coupling rod since the platform 45 has an appropriately large and a led cut-out 60. Figs. 10 to 1 2 show a different constructional form, where the chain conveyor 1 is movable via the runway rail 63 of a monorail overhead system. The balance beams 64 are rotatably or pivotally fastened to the crabs 65, 66. The crabs 65, 66, for their part, are connected together via coupling rods 67. To the ends of the balance beam there are fitted beams 69, 70, to which U-shaped supports 68, 71 are in turn movably adjacent. These U-shaped supports 68, 71 engage beneath the conveyor pans 15, 1 6 of the chain conveyor and carry it in this manner. It is expedient to place connecting plates 72, 73 on the U-shaped supports 68, 71 an to connect them via rotary joints 74. In this way, it is possible to run the chain conveyor 1 and the train unit 2 together through 90 curves with a 4 m radius.

Claims (21)

1. A chain-type conveyor for headwork, more especially for the removal of the debris produced during headwork in underground mining and tunnelling, the conveyor consisting of conveyor pans, which are connected together and are capable of being angled relative to each other, and of an endless chain provided with spaced flight attachments and of the drive and return stations, characterised in that the conveyor pans (15, 16), which are designed so that they are capable of being angled, are associated with a mobile train unit (2), consisting of individual supporting frames (3) which are coupled together, so as to be movable to a limited extent laterally and in the longitudinal direction, the train unit, which has a track curve that is adapted to the track curve of the chain conveyor (1), being connectable to a draw gear (11).

2. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 1, chara > .terised in that the length of the conveyor pans (15, 1 6) and the capability thereof of being angled are so co-ordinated that it is possible to negotiate track curves with a minimum radius of as low as 3 m.

3. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised in that for a narrowest track curve of 4 m radius the conveyor pans (15, 1 6) are approximately 285 mm long and can be angled relative to each other through approximately 4 .

4. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that there are associated with the conveyor pans (1 5, 1 6) unilaterally angled slick sheets (27, 28) which, in the zone of the angling (29), overlap by somewhat in excess of the maximum degree of opening between two conveyor pans.

5. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that adjustable telescopic pans (18) are arranged upstream of the drive and return stations (6, 1 7).

6. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 5,. characterised in that the telescopic pans (18) are adjustable via hydraulic cylinders (19) which are acted on during the operation in accordance with the chain pre-tension.

7. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 6, characterised in that the overlap of the telescopic pans (18) amount to approximately 260 mm.

8. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the return station (17) is designed as a telescopic pan (18).

9. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that hydraulically controllable drives (12) are associated with the drive station and/or the return station (6, 1 7).

10. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the first flight attachments (33), which are attached to the chain (34), have at the ends (37) guide noses (35, 36) which are uniformly designed on either side.

11. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the train unit (2) is composed of the cars (4, 5) of a roadway trolley train, whose coupling rods are pivotally attached close to the respective car axle (59).

1 2. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 11, characterised in that the cars (4, 5) have, as a lateral limitation, spaced stanchions (40).

1 3. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim and Claim 11, characterised in that there is hinged to the cars (4, 5) associated with the draw gear (11) a pallet (48) which is rotatably connected at both ends.

14. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 11, characterised in that the return station or the drive station (6, 1 7) is guided in the pallet (48) in an oblong hole.

1 5. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 1 and Claim 11, characterised in that the pallet (48) or the last car (5) is connected via hydraulic cylinders (51) to a fork (55) which is rigidly fastened to the draw gear (11).

1 6. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 15, characterised in that the piston rod (52) of the hydraulic cylinder (51) and the fork ends (57) are connected together via a sliding shoe (53) which is displaceably arranged beneath the pallet (48).

1 7. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the train unit (2) is movable along the runway rails (63) of an overhead monorail system, the individual supporting frames (3) of which are movably fitted via balance beams (64) to the centres of the crabs (65, 66) and are designed as supports (68, 71) which are doubly pivotally hinged, U-shaped and engage beneath the conveyor pans (15, 16).

1 8. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 17, characterised in that there rest on the supports (68, 71) connecting plates (72, 73) which carry the conveyor pans (15, 16) and are connected together between the supports via rotary joints (74).

1 9. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 17, characterised in that between the balance beam (64) and the U-shaped supports (68, 71) there is respectively provided a beam (70) on either side of the runway rails (63), which movably connects two supports (68, 71) together and which extends parallel to the transport longitudinal axis.

20. A chain conveyor as claimed in Claim 1 and Claim 12, characterised in that the stanchions (40) or the supports (68, 71) are connected together by cross braces extending above the slick sheets (27, 28).

21. A chain conveyor substantialiy as described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.