GB594750A - Improved mining apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

594,750. Mining-machines. MAVOR & COULSON, Ltd., and MAVOR, J. B. July 2, 1945, No. 16721. [Class 68 (i)] Mining apparatus comprises an open frame vehicle adapted to be hauled along the mine floor, said frame including a top longitudinal member to co-operate with the mine roof and a bottom longitudinal member to run on the floor, and at least one wedge-shaped cutter mounted on said frame for stripping coal from a coal face and forcing the stripped coal laterally between said longitudinal members and through the frame. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the vehicle comprises lower and upper longitudinals 10, 11 and front and rear verticals 12, 14, a haulage rope 13 being attached to the vertical 12. A wedge cutter 15 is slidable in vertical guides 17 in the vehicle and is adjusted by a screw 18. A guide shoe 20 is adapted to engage the bottom of the cut and may be moved to an idle position. A conveyer 21 for the coal extends along the lower longitudinal and has a coal-retaining plate 23 ; a similar plate 26 depends from the upper longitudinal. The upper longitudinal also carries a guide rail 25 co-operating with pit props 24 and provided with spring mountings 25A. In another form, the wedge cutter 15 is replaced by three cutters fixed to the upper or lower longitudinals and working at, different heights, the central cutter being near the front of the vehicle and the upper and lower cutters being placed at different distances to the rear, the lower longitudinal also having a scoop to remove bottom coal and force it on to the conveyer. In Fig. 6, the lower longitudinal 10 and arms 37 depending from the upper longitudinal 11 are carried on wheels 38 running on rails 35 fixed to the base-plate of the conveyer on opposite sides of the latter ; a fixed cutter 44 and guide shoe 45 are provided, and the haulage cable 13 passes round sheaves 42, 43 to a bracket 39 slidable in guides 40 and carrying a roller 41 adapted to engage the mine roof, whereby the tension in the cable 13 tends to hold the machine down. In each form, the wedge cutters may be provided in duplicate and facing in opposite directions for right- and left-handed cutting, the inoperative cutter and adjacent guide shoe being movable to a position clear of the coal face ; the haulage arrangements are then also provided in duplicate. The Provisional Specification refers to Specification 565,342.