GB2167103A - Mining apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Mining apparatus for supporting and transporting auxiliary mining equipment includes a frame assembly (50, Fig 3) having at least two bridge units (48, Fig 3) provided with lifting jacks (60, Fig 3). The lifting jacks (60) are mounted in housings 62 each associated with pivotting slidebars 78 connected by trunnion plates 76 interconnected transversely of the frame assembly (50) by tie rods 90 which carry pressure plates 96. A central frame (98 Fig 2) on each unit (48) has mounted thereon on either side thereof a ram 102 engageable with the relevant pressure plate and capable of acting thereon to effect lateral slewing movement of the frame assembly (50) via the jack housings 62. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mining apparatus This invention relates to mining apparatus.

In particular, the present invention concerns an improvement in the mining apparatus disclosed in our British Patent No. 1 590 321, namely apparatus for the support and transportation of auxiliary mining equipment in an underground mine, e.g. a coal mine.

The operation of that mining apparatus has proved to be most successful and its use is becoming widespread within the U.K. coal mining industry.

However it has been found that in practice in certain circumstances the apparatus requires a steering facility in order to maintain the correct alignment of the apparatus orto effect a new alignment thereof.

An object of the invention is therefore to provide an improvedversion of the mining apparatus claimed in our British Patent No. 1590 321.

According to the invention mining apparatus includes a frame assembly for supporting auxiliary mining equipment, roller means on the assembly for engaging a conveyor structure and for enabling the assembly to be movable in relation to the structure when the structure is stationary, lifting means mounted on the assembly for lifting the assembly to a raised position, engagement means on the assemblyfor engaging the structure such as to enablethe structure to be moved in relation to the assembly when the assembly is stationary in the raised position, wherein the lifting means are slewable transversely of the frame assembly and slewing means are provided in association with the assembly and the lifting means.

The frame assembly conveniently includes at least two bridge units interconnected by support members which in use serve as a base support for auxiliary mining equipment, the bridge units in use bridging the conveyor structure and incorporating the lifting means which are advantageously in the form of double-acting fluid operable jacks. Each bridge unit is provided with at least two lifting jacks, one located on each side of the unit.

Each lifting jack is conveniently disposed within a housing having a trunnion at its lower end for connection to a floor-engaging skid. At each side of the housing there is provided a guideway within which is slidably located a bar having a pivot pin part way along its length, the pivot pin extending into a complementary bore formed in a downwardly extending side limb of the bridge unit. The bars are bridged by and secured to a trunnion plate at their upper ends, the piston rod of the lifting jack being pivotally connected to the trunnion plate.

The trunnion plates are located at the top of the bridge unit at either side thereof and are interconnected by tie rods pivotted thereto through the agency of adjustable devises. The tie rods, which may be two in number, carry abutment plates engageable by fluid operable rams conveniently of the single acting type. The rams are mounted on a carrier frame located centrally of the bridge unit, the rams being located on either side of the frame and between the tie rods and extending parallel thereto.

By way of example only, an embodiment of mining apparatus according to the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in diagrammatic for a typical mine roadway in section in which is located auxiliary equipment; Figure2 is an end view of the mining apparatus; Figure 3 is a side view of the mining apparatus; Figure 4 is a plan view of the mining apparatus shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a sectional view of the line V-V in Figure 3; Figure 6shows in end view a first operational position of the mining apparatus; Figure 7shows in end view a second operational position of the mining apparatus; Figure 8 shows in end view a third operational position of the mining apparatus; and Figure 9 shows in end view a fourth operational position of the mining apparatus.

Referring to Figure 1, a mine roadway 1 is shown in section and accommodates a stage loader 2, i.e. a conveyor usually of the scraper chain type, leading from a working face (not shown) outbye to a main conveyor 4, mineral, e.g. coal, in use being transported by the stage loader 2 and being discharged from the delivery end 6 onto the conveyor 4 for further transport out of the mine.

Also located in the roadway 1 is a train of auxiliary equipment and supplies necessary for the operation of main face equipment such as the mineral mining machine and the face conveyor. The auxiliary equipment comprises, by way of example a transformer 10, conrol panels 12, pumps 14, a hydraulic fluid tank 16, transducers 18, cable baskets 20 and a supplies cradle 22. As mineral is won from the face (not shown), the face machinery is advanced in its wake and in like manner all the auxiliary equipment is required to keep pace with such advance. It is therefore desirable to provide a means of affording a mobile support for the auxiliary equipment to facilitate the required movement. In addition, however, it is desirable in some installations to maintain the correct alignment of the train of auxiliary equipment within the roadway or to bring that train onto a new line.

Referring to Figure 2, the stage loader 2 is shown in outline section and includes a deck plate 30 extending between sigma-shaped side numbers 32, a base plate 34 being provided to enclose the lower race 36 of the loader. A top plate 38 extends horizontally over the conveying part of the loader 2 and is carried by two side plates 40 extending along each side thereof. The top plate 38 is provided with two rails 42 which are engaged by wheels 44 rotatably mounted on the legs 46 of a bridge unit 48 forming part of the mining apparatus of the invention, the unit straddling the loader 2. The bridge unit 48 is a part of a frame assembly 50 which includes two I - section support beams 52 on which in use the auxiliary equipment, as exemplified with reference to Figure 1, is mounted, the beams 52 being flanged at their ends and secured to the legs 46 by means of screws 54.The legs 46 also carry rollers 55 which are so positioned as tq be able to engage beneath flanges 56 provided at the upper margin of the side plates 40, the top plate 38 being supported by the flanges 56.

Each leg 46 is in the form of a framework 47 having side limbs 49 and incorporates a lifting jack 60 located within a housing 62 which is disposed between the limbs 49. The housing 62 has at its relatively lower end a trunnion 64 pivotally connected by a pin 66 to a floor engaging skid 68 extending longitudinally of the frame assembly 50.

The piston rod 70 of the jac 60 is provided with a top trunnion 72 pivotally connected at 74to a trunnionplate 76 which extends over and is spaced from the housing 62. Thetrunnion-plate 76 has affixed at each end thereof a downwardly extending slidebar 78 which is slidable within a guideway 80 formed at each side of the housing 62, the slidebar 78 having secured therein towards the lower end thereof a pivot pin 82. Each side limb 49 of the framework 47 has a bore 84 for receiving the pin 82.

The trunnion-plate 76 has hinge like pivot connections 86 which accommodate adjustable devises 88 of two tie rods 90 interconnecting the two trunnionplates 76 of the legs 46. The adjustment of the devices 88 is effected by varying the positions of units 92 provided on threaded portions 94 on the tie rods 90 which carry pressure plates 96.

A central bridging meber 98 interconnects the legs 46 and has two upright plates 100 through which the tie rods 90 are freely movable. A single-acting fluid operable, e.g. hydraulic, ram 102 is mounted on each plate 100, the piston rod 104 being outwardly extensible from the centre line of the member 98 and being capable of abutment with the pressure plate 96.

It will be appreciated the combination of the following elements give a parallel motion linkage system forthe bridge unit 48: the slidebars 78, pivot pins 82, housings 62, trunnion-plates 76 and tie rods 90. The operation of the mining apparatus will now be described with reference to Figures 6 to 9, it being understood that at least two bridge units are provided.

Referring to Figure 6, the mining apparatus is shown in a first position in which it straddles the stage loader 2 which is seated firmly on the ground 150, the apparatus resting through wheels 44 (not shown in Figures 6 to 9) on the rails 42 and the floor-engaging skids 68 being clear of the ground.

When it is desired to move the position of the stage loader 2, the lifting jacks 60 are actuated, a suitable pressure fluid supply (not shown) being provided, and extend to enable the skids 68 to contact the ground 150 as shown in Figure 7, the housings 62 sliding down the slidebars 78 embraced by the guideways 80. Upon further extension, the rollers 54 engage the flanges 56 thereby causing the stage loader 2 to be raised clear of the ground. By means of a suitable advancing mechanism (not shown) between the apparatus and the stage loader 2, the stage loader 2 can be advanced longitudinally of the apparatus on the rollers 54 provided thereon.In the event that lateral movement of the stage loader 2 is required to effect realignment or a new alignment within the roadway 1, one or other of the rams 102 is pressurised from a suitable supply (now shown). As shown in Figure 8, the right hand ram 102 is actuated such that its piston rod 104 abuts and acts upon the pressure plate 96, the left-hand ram exhausting to tank. In so doing and by virtue of the parallel motion linkage system, the slidebars 78 are caused to pivot through the agency of the trunnion plates 76 about the pivot pins 82, the jack housings 62 also pivotting in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 8. The lifting jacks are thus slewed laterally. The stage loader 2 is carried by the rollers 54 of the mining apparatus thus slewed laterally, and is thereby orientated to the extent desired incrementally by the stroke of the ram 102. Once in the new orientation, the lifting jacks 60 are retracted, thus allowing the stage loader 2 to descend for re-engagement with the ground as shown in Figure 9. It further lateral movement is required in the same direction, the left-hand ram 102 is pressurised to abut the plate 96 and push over the trunnion plates 76 and tie rods 90 in an anti-clockwise direction as viewed in the figures, thus yielding the position of the jack housings 62 as shown in Figure 6. The operation is then repeated as described above in relation to Figures 7 to 9 thus giving a stepwise or incremental lateral slewing movement to the apparatus and the stage loader 2.

The invention thus provides mining apparatus for supporting auxiliary equipment enabling advance and lateral movement.

Claims (14)

1. Mining apparatus including a frame assembly for supporting auxiliary mining equipment, roller means on the assembly for engaging a conveyor strucutre and for enabling the assembly to be movable in relation to the structure when the structure is stationary, lifting means mounted on the assembly for lifting the assembly to a raised position, engagement means on the assemblyfor engaging the structure such as to enable the structure to be moved in relation to the assembly when the assembly is stationary in the raised position, wherein the lifting means are slewable transversely of the frame assembly and slewing means are provided in association with the assembly and the lifting means.

2. Mining apparatus according to claim 1 in which the frame assembly includes at least two bridge units interconnected by support members for supporting auxiliary mining equipment.

3. Mining apparatus according to claim 2 in which the bridge units in use bridge the conveyor structure and incorporate the lifting means.

4. Mining apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the lifting means are double-acting fluid operable jacks.

5. Mining apparatus according to claim 4 as dependent upon claim 2 or 3 in which each bridge unit is provided with at least two lifting jacks, one located on each side of the unit.

6. Mining apparatus according to clai 4 or 5 in which each lifting jack is disposed within a housing having a trunnion at its lower end for connection to a floor-engaging skid.

7. Mining apparatus according to claim 6 in which at each side of the housing there is provided a guideway within which is slidably located a slidebar.

8. Mining apparatus according to claim 7 in which the slidebar has a pivot pin part way along its length, the pivot pin extending into a complementary bore formed in a downwardly extending side limb of the bridge unit.

9. Mining apparatus according to claim 8 or 9 in which the slidebars of the jack housings are bridged by and secured to trunnion plates at their upper ends, the piston rods of the lifting jacks being pivotally connected to the trunnion plates.

10. Mining apparatus according to claim 9 in which the trunnion plates are located at the top of each bridge unit and are laterally interconnected by tie rods pivotted thereto through the agency of adjustable devises.

11. Mining apparatus according to claim 10 in which the tie rods carry abutment plates engageable by fluid operable rams.

12. Mining apparatus according to claim 11 in which the rams are single acting.

13. Mining apparatus according to claim 11 or 12 in which the rams are mounted on a carrier frame located centrally of the bridge unit, the rams being located on either side of the frame and located parallely between the tie rods.

14. Mining apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.