GB2200935A - A device for interconnecting two sections of a machine track - Google Patents

Abstract

An armoured face conveyor for use in underground mining comprises aligned line pans each of which is mounted on a side supporting structure having a vertical side plate (18) providing an inwardly open channel closed by end plates (22) which have through openings (24). The side plate (18) mounts an inwardly extending drive rack (30, 32) each end of which has a projecting pin (34) to pass through an opening (36) in a side plate (18). A unitary component (38) has lugs (42) with through openings (44) formed with annular bosses (46). The component also provides rack members (48) and has connectors (54) below the lugs (42). The connectors (54) engage with the channels so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the component (38) and the bosses (46) locate in apertures (36) in the side plates (18) with play, the pins (34) locating with play in the apertures (44). Articulation between adjacent conveyor sections is thereby restricted within desired tolerances. <IMAGE>

Description

Coal Handling Apparatus This invention relates to apparatus for handling coal or other material to be mined (hereinafter referred to as "coa-l"), and is particularly concerned with apparatus for providing an operative relationship between coal cutting equipment and coal conveying equipment at a coal face.

In underground mining, armoured face conveyors are formed of interconnected line pans which are subject to relative movement. When armoured face conveyors are associated with coal cutting machinery of the chainless haulage type, such relative movement is unacceptable to the coal cutting machinery which is supported on the conveyors. It has thus been necessary to restrict the relative movement of the line pans.To provide a continuous drive rack arrangement for the cutting machinery of the chainless haulage type it is also necessary to locate links between adjacent drive rack sections According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for use with coal handling equipment, the latter comprising a conveyor formed of interconnected sections, and drive rack sections for coal cutting means supported on the conveyor, the apparatus comprising drive rack means, means for mounting the drive rack means between adjacent sections of the conveyor to substantially align with respective drive racks thereon and present a substantially continuous drive rack along the conveyor, and means for interconnecting the adjacent conveyor sections whereby to limit relative movement therebetween, the drive rack means, the mounting means therefor, and the interconnecting means being formed as a unitary component.

Preferably the interconnecting means is adapted to engage in respective inwardly opening channel parts of spacers on the sections of the conveyor, and the interconnecting means may be profiled so as to be retained substantially against longitudinal movement in the channel parts.

f Preferably also the mounting means comprises a flange having spaced through apertures each with a boss on an outer face thereof, the- bosses being adapted to locate with play in respective openings in aligned side plates on the conveyor, the apertures being adapted to receive, with play, respective projections on the adjacent drive racks of the conveyor.

Alternatively the interconnecting means is adapted to engage in respective outwardly opening hollow parts of spacers on the sections of the conveyor, the interconnecting means being profiled so as to be retained substantially against longitudinal movement in the hollow parts.

The mounting means may then comprise a flange having spaced through apertures, the flange being engageable through respective aligned side plates on the conveyor, and the apertures being adapted to receive with play respective projections on the adjacent drive rack sections of the conveyor.

Desirably the interconnecting means comprises a profiled part extending to each side of the drive rack means, each profiled part preferably having a T-shape with the leg of the T extending laterally outwardly.

The drive rack means may comprise a pair of rack members extending inwardly from the flange and laterally spaced apart, terminating in a plate member which extends substantially parallel to the flange.

The present invention also provides apparatus for handling coal, the apparatus comprising a conveyor formed of interconnected sections, a drive rack arrangement on the conveyor for use with coal cutting means, and an apparatus as described in any of the seven preceding paragraphs.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Fig. 1 is an end perspective view of part of an armoured face conveyor with a drive rack for a coal cutting machine; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an apparatus according to the invention showing the intended use with a conveyor and drive rack; Fig. 3 is a top perspective view showing part of the junction between adjacent drive rack sections incorporating the apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 4 is a part perspective view of an outer side of a junction between drive rack supports; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified apparatus according to the invention illustrating the intended use thereof.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, an armoured face conveyor 10 for use in underground mining comprises a plurality of end to end aligned sections or line pans 12, each having a known upwardly open channel configuration with inwardly turned edge flanges 14, and an intermediate floor 15 spaced above a base 16 but below the flanges 14. Conventional chain driven flight bars move in an upper pass over the upper face of the floor 15, to move material along the conveyor, but are maintained captive thereon by means of the edge flanges 14, and in a lower return pass between the floor 15 and the base 16 in a conventional manner.

Each line pan 12 is mounted on a side supporting structure 17 which includes a vertical side plate 18 formed with a spacer defined by inwardly extending and vertically spaced, parallel and horizontally extending plates presenting an inwardly open channel 20 at the level of the line pan 12. The channel is closed at each end by an end plate 22 having a through opening 24 open to the inner edge of the plate 22 for a purpose hereinafter described. The side plate 18 extends above the channel 20 and has connected on its inner face a mounting plate 26 for an inwardly extending drive rack 28, the latter being used for movement of cutting equipment across the workface above the conveyor.

The rack 28 is formed with a plurality of rack members 30 extending between parallel rack plates 32. The latter extend longitudinally beyond each end of the mounting plate 26, and on the outer face of the outer rack plate 32 there is provided an outwardly projecting pin 34 arranged to pass through an opening 36 in the side plate 18 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A unitary component 38 (see Fig. 2) comprises an upstanding flange 40 having, at its upper end, laterally extending integral lugs 42, each formed with a through opening 44, the latter on the outer face of the respective lug 42 being formed with an annular boss 46. Towards the upper end the flange 40 has a pair of rack members 48 of the same configuration as the rack members 30, projecting inwardly in a parallel spaced apart relation and terminating in a rack plate 50 of similar configuration to the rack plates 32.

Below the level of the lugs 42, the flange 40 is formed on its inner face with a block 52 from either side of which extends a connector 54 generally of T-shape, the leg 56 of the T being integrally formed with the block 52.

Prior to the mounting of the drive racks 28 on the side structure 17 of each conveyor section, one of the interconnecting components 38 is located at the junction between the adjacent conveyor sections. Each connector 54 is engaged with the respective channels 20 of the conveyor sections, with the respective leg 56 engaging in the recess 24 of the end plate 22 of the respective channel 20, thereby preventing longitudinal movement of the connectors 54 within-the respective channel 20 and thus preventing longitudinal movement of the interconnecting component 38.

When fitting the connectors 54 in position, the bosses 46 locate in respective ones of the apertures 36 in the side plates 18. As shown in Fig. 4, each boss 46 is so dimensioned as to locate with play in the respective aperture 36. When the drive racks 28 are mounted on the respective side plates 18, the pins 34 locate through the apertures 44 in the component 48 and thus through the respective apertures 36 in the side plates 18. Again as shown in Fig. 4, the apertures 4-4 are non-circular such that the circular pins 34 locate with play therein.

When the component 38 is located in position the drive rack section comprising the rack members 48 and the rack plate 50 is aligned with the drive racks 28 of the adjacent conveyor sections to form a continuous rack drive arrangement for the conveyor. The location of the connectors 54 in the channels 20 restricts articulation between the adjacent conveyor sections to within desired tolerances and these tolerances are accommodated by the play provided between each of the drive racks 28 and the component 38 and between the latter and each of the side -plates 18. There is th-us provided a simple to install but very effective apparatus for, in an operative relationship, linking adjacent drive racks- and restricting articulation of adjacent conveyor sections.

In a modified arrangement as shown in Fig. 5, components similar to those of the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 4 have similar reference numbers with the addition of 100. The spacer structure does not provide an inwardly opening channel but rather outwardly opening hollow spaces 120. The component 138 has substantially the configuration of the component 38 except that the apertures 144 are of increased dimension and are not provided with external bosses. The pin 134 on each of the ,conveyor section drive racks 128 is also of increased diameter to fit with play within the respective aperture 144 of the component 138.

In use the component 138 is fitted at each junction between adjacent conveyor sections with each connector 154 locating in a respective hollow part 120, an end closure plate 122 having an opening 124 together with a profiled wall part 160 to prevent longitudinal movement of the component 138. The side plate 118 has a profiled end recess 162 enabling a respective one of the lugs 142 to pass therethrough, whereby the pins 134 can engage through the apertures 144 in the component 138.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example the configuration of the various components may alter from that described and shown, provided the components function as required by the invention.

Claims (15)

Claims :

1. Apparatus for use with coal handling equipment, the latter comprising a conveyor formed of interconnected sections, and drive rack sections for coal cutting means supported on the conveyor, the apparatus comprising drive rack means, means for mounting the drive rack means between adjacent sections of the conveyor to substantially align with respective drive racks thereon and present a substantially continuous drive rack along the conveyor, and means for interconnecting the adjacent conveyor sections whereby to limit relative movement therebetween, the drive rack means, the mounting means therefor, and the interconnecting means being formed as a unitary component.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the interconnecting means is adapted to engage in respective inwardly opening channel parts of spacers on the sections of the conveyor.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the interconnecting means is profiled so as to be retained substantially against longitudinal movement in the channel parts.

4. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the mounting means comprises a flange having spaced bosses on an outer face thereof, the bosses being adapted to locate with play in respective openings in aligned side plates on the conveyor.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the flange has apertures extending there through and through the bosses, the apertures being adapted to receive, with play, respective projections on the adjacent drive racks of the conveyor.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the interconnecting means is adapted to engage in respective outwardly opening hollow parts of spacers on the sections of the conveyor.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the interconnecting means is profiled so as to be retained substantially against longitudinal movement in the hollow parts.

8. Apparatus according to any of Claims 1, 6 and 7, wherein the mounting means comprises a flange having spaced through apertures, the flange being engageable through respective aligned side plates on the conveyor, and the apertures being adapted to receive with play respective projections on the adjacent drive rack sections of the conveyor.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 3 or 7, or any of Claims 4, 5 and 8 when dependent on Claim 3 or 7, wherein the interconnecting means comprises a profiled part extending to each side of the drive rack means.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein each profiled part has a T-shape with the leg of the T extending laterally outwardly.

11. Apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the drive rack means comprises a pair of rack members extending inwardly from the flange and laterally spaced apart, terminating in a plate member which extends substantially parallel to the flange.

12. Apparatus for handling coal, the apparatus comprising a conveyor formed of interconnected sections, a drive rack arrangement on the conveyor for use with coal cutting means, and apparatus according to any of the preceding Claims.

13. Apparatus for use with coal handling equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. Apparatus for handling coal substantially as hereinbfore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed in the foregoing Specification or Claims and/or shown in the drawings, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.