GB234557A - Improvements in or relating to mining apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

234,557. O'Toole, E. Feb. 29, 1924. Coal-cutting machines.-Relates to mining apparatus and more particularly to mining- machines of the long-wall type such as described in Specification 211,876, and comprises the combination with a mining machine and a plurality of movable roof supports located in rear thereof, of means on the machine adapted to be detachably secured to selected ones of said supports for the moving supports towards the machine, such means being power-operated and comprising a cable and cableoperating devices. The frame A carries a cutter chain 12 having the usual bits 14 and extending over sprockets 8, 10. The conveyer comprises T-shape members 25 secured to chains 26, 27 trained over idler sprockets 18, 19 and driving sprockets 21, 22, and is raised at the delivery end to deliver into cars B from the conveyer plate 17. A drive shaft 28 journaled on the base carries worms 30 meshing with worm wheels 31 freely movable on the threaded feed-in bars 32. These latter carry nuts 30<a> adapted to be locked to the wheels 31 by pins 31<a>, and are positioned against removable jacks 34 at the rear while their forward ,ends project through openings 35 in the frame. The bars 32 are arranged in pairs so that one bar of each pair may be put ready in forward position while the other is advancing the machine. The chain 12 is driven from a motor 39 through a shaft 40 and worm 41. The shaft 28 is rotated from a stub shaft 46 through a chain 50. and the conveyer chains are driven from the same stub shaft through chains 55, 60 and gears 54, 56. As the machine cuts under the coal and advances into the kerf formed by the chain 12, the coal falls on to the housing 7 and is pushed on to the conveyer plate 17 and delivered into cars. A plurality of roof supports 70 are arranged in two rows in rear of the machine in staggered relation and are mounted on base blocks 71, and posts and cap pieces 72, 73 are carried on extensions 74 thereof. All these parts are secured together to prevent separation when being bodily moved forward by power means on the frame consisting of a drum 75, cable 76 and motor 77, operating the drum 75 through speed reducing mechanism 79 and a clutch 80. The cable 76 is secured at its end to the frame at 82 and, intermediately, passes through openings 84 in U-shaped brackets 83, there being one bracket for each roof support. and engages sheaves 85 detachably mounted on pins 86 in brackets 87 on the base blocks 71. The motor 77 thus operates the drum 75 to take up the cable and move the desired support or supports forwardly toward the machine. In operation, the supports of the back row are loosened and moved forward of the front row and so on.