US1292543A - Mining-machine. - Google Patents

Description

F. E. VAN SLYKE.

MINING MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 28,1919.

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MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AP11.29.1911.

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FREDERICK E. VAN SLYKE, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE EFFREY MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MINING-MACHINE.

Application led April 29, 1911.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK E. VAN SLYKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mining- Machines, of which the following is a speciication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to mining machines and more particularly to machines of.the long wall or side cutting type. Among the more important objects' of the invention are ample strength of parts and ability to stand up to the work under the most trying conditions; compactness, that is, minimum over all dimensions; quietness of operation; improved means for eiitecting the entering cut; and adaptability and eliciency in handling and cutting under-a wide range of working A conditions. The manner in which the various objects are attained will be readily understood from the following description in connection with thev accompanying drawings in which I illustrate the preferred form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine with `a large part of the top of the framework or casing broken away to show the interior mechanism.

Fig. .2 is a side elevation of the same, the cutter chain being shown in section on a vertical plane through the aXis of the driving sprocket.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the front end of the machine.

Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical transverse sections on the lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6 6 of Fig. l;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a ring constituting part of the turn table structure which carries the cutter bar;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on the arcuate line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are diagrammatical views illustrating the manner in which the machine is handled and controlled in operation.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jal). 28, 1919. serial No. 624,058. l

Referring in detail to the construction illustrated, 1 designates a casting which constitutes the bed part of the main frame of the machine. At either side of this bed part are upstanding side plates 2 and 3 on which are secured top plates 4 and 5, the side' and top plates being secured to each other in the construction shown by angle plates 6, 6, to which the top and side plates are riveted. On the bottom of the bed part and at either side of the frame are longitudinally extending bottom plates or shoes 7, 8, which are secured to the other frame parts by rivets or other. suitable means. These shoes are turned upward -somewhat at their front ends to facilitate the movement of the machine over the floor of the mine.

At the rear end of the machine the main frame proper carries a bearing and casing bracket or extension 9. This bracket 9 is formed in two parts, 4the lower part 9a being bolted to the upper part 9", said parts being flanged to facilitate such bolted connection. The parts 9, 9* form a casing or housing 'for a worm wheel 10 which is fast on a ver-q tical shaft 11 carried in bearings 12 and 13 on, the parts 9, and 9b, respectively, of the bearing extension. The shaft 11 carries at its lower end a sprocket wheel 14, which drives a cutter chain 15 that is mounted and carried in the usual manner on a cutter arm 16.

This cutter arm is designed toswing about the a'xis of the vertical shaft 11 andxis mounted in a peculiar manner. At its inner` end the arm 16 is rigidly secured to a casting 17, which I term a turn table. This turn table, which is circular in general outline, is formed to receive an outward extending Harige 18 formed on the lower side of the bracket part 9. i 19 is an annular plate made in two parts which is bolted to the top of the turn table ,17 so as to overlie the flange 18 thus securing the turn table to the rigid bracket 9 in such a manner that it is free to swing about a vertical axis and is very firmly supported because of the extremely wide bearing support which is afforded it. The turn table is preferably formed at its lower outer edge with a flange 176L and the bearing plate 19 is arranged to extend beyond the body 0f the turn table 17 about as far as does the flange 17 1, and in this Inanner a peripheral groove is formed on the outer edge of the turn table which is adapted to receive a rope or cable' for the purpose of swinging the turn table and the cutter bar. Stud bolts 20 and 21 having eye heads are mounted in the periphery of the turn table,

as shown, and to one or another of these stud bolts the cable can easily be secured.

With the cutter bar mounted in the manner described, it is adapted to be swun 180 degrees or more about the axis of sha t 11, and, as said shaft is mounted on the longitudinal center line of' the machine, it is clear that the cutter arm' can be made to extend from either side of the machine, thus enabling it to eut in either direction along the face of the coal. To secure the cutter arm in working position, 1 provide a locking in 22 and form the bearing and casing brac et 9 with a series of holes 23, 23, 23b adapted to `receive this pin. The lannular plate 19 is also provided with a Series of holes 24, 24u and 24b which are spaced farther apart than the holes 23, 23a, and 23, but can be brought into register with the latter holes to receive the lower end of the locking pin 22 when it is inserted through one of the holes in the bracket. lhen the hole 23 registersy with the middle hole 24, the cutter arm 16 is at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the machine while the holes 23a and 24, or 23b and 24b are made to register with eachother by swinging the cutter arm somewhat to the left 'or to the right of the 90 degree position, and when so swung it can be rigidly secured by inserting the locking pin. The annular plate 19 is provided with a set of holes 25, 25a, 25h diametrically op-4 posite the holes 24, 24a, 24b so that the cutter arm can be similarly locked in any one of several angular positions in relation to the main frame when the machine is arranged to cut toward the leftinstead of the right.

The cutter chain of the machine is driven by an electric motor 27 which is disposed within the main frame of the machine with Vits armature shaft arranged at an oblique which with the lower part 9a of the 'bracket 9 forms a ycasing for the worm wheel 10. A worm 34 is fast on the shaft 31 which holds it in position to meshwith the worm wheel.

Ball thrust ,bearings 35, 36 are preferably arranged at the ends of the worm 34. 27 is a hingedy cover plate or door which closes an aperture in the top of the gear casing and permits ready access to the worm gearing. A suitable handlever 38 (Figs. 1 and 2) is provided to shift the clutch element 30 into and out of engagement with the element 29. v t

At the front end of the main frame is arranged a` rotary tensioning device in the form of a winding drum 39 which is mounted upon an upright shaft 40. This shaft is secured at its lower end in an aperture 41 in thebed part l of the frame, being preferably secured by a key against rotation. At its upper end the shaft 40 extends into an aperture formed in a yoke or bridge casting 42 which is rigidly secured to the main frame, `it having upright leg parts 42a and a transverse horizontal plate part 42b which forms in effect a continuation of the top plate 5 of the frame. f' The drum 39 is driven by a large spur gear 43, which turns'upon the shaft 40, through an intermediate clutch mechanism.

The clutch mechanism last referred to comprises a series of Hat disks 44, 44 which are secured attheir outer peripheries against rotation relative to thel drum shell, and a series of similar disks 45, 45 which alternate with theV disks 44, 44 and are secured against rotation relative to a hub or sleeve 46 which is arranged to turn upon the shaft 40. The hub 46 is formed with a series of apertures in itsupper face to receive a` corresponding number of pins 47 which are slidably mounted-in the web of the gear wheel' 43. These pins 47 are secured to a fianged ring48 which can be lifted to movethe pins ward pressure upon a series of pins 49 whichv are slidably mounted in the web of the gear wheel 43 and have their lower ends arrange topress against a ring .49iL resting upon the topmost clutch plate 45. These pins 49 are carried by a `disk or plate 50 uponl the upper side of the gear wheel 43. 51 is a hand wheel which has a screw thread engagement with a sleeve-likt extension 39 of the hub of the winding drum. The hand wheel carries a plurality of dependin fingers 51a,lwhich have their lower hooke I yends projecting beneath thev fiange of the ring` 48 so that the latter can be raised by screwing the hand wheel upward.` A ball thrust bearing 52 is interposed between the lower side of the hub of the hand Wheel 51 and the upper side of the plate 50. By lscrewing the hand wheel 51 downward it is clear that the clutch disks can be pressed together so that the rotation of the gear 43 will be transmitted to" the winding drum 39. At the same time by easing up on the pressure the two sets of clutch disks can be allowed to slip more or less in relation to each other, and by turning the-hand wheel to its ,uppermost position the ring, 48 and clutch pins 47 can be lifted so as to entirely disconnect the winding drum from the gear 43. The winding drum 39 is driven from the motor 27 by means of the following mechanism.

53 is a worm mounted on they front end of the motor shaft and 54 isaworm wheel with'which it meshes. This worm wheel is mounted on an upright shaft 55 which is supported-in the two `part casing 56 which incloses the worm and worm wheel. This inclosing casing is preferably bolted to the adjacent end of the motor frame. The shaft 55 carries a Vcrank arm 57 at its upper end which is connected by means of an adjustable connecting rod 58 `with a. pair of oscillating plates 59. These plates are mounted to swing about an upright shaft 60 which is fixed at its lower end in the bed plate of the main frame and at its upper end in a bracket 61 which eX- tends rearward from the bridge or yoke 42. 62 is a ratchetwheel rotatably mounted on the shaft 60 between the plates 59, and 63 is a pawl carried by the plates 59. A spring 65 which is connected at one end to a lug'on the pawl 63 and at its other end to a lug on the connecting rod 58 serves to hold the pawl in operative engagement with the ratchet wheel.

65 is a pawl mounted on the bracket 61 and is held in positive engagement with the ratchet wheel 62 by a spring 66. Thepawl 65 serves to prevent retrograde movement of the ratchet wheel.Y

` 67, 67 are a. pair of arms mounted to swing around the shaft 60, being separated from each other by a cross-bar 68 carried by one of the'arms. 69 is an arcuate plate secured at oneend to the cross connecting bar 68 and disposed adjacent the periphery of the ratchet wheel 62.y This arcuate plate serves to disengage the pawl from the ratchet wheel when said pawl is retracted and prevents its rengagement with the ratchet wheel on its forward or working movement until it passes off the end of the arcuate plate. 70 is a shaft rotatably mounted on the main frame and having its rearward end threaded through a tru'nni'on nut 71 carried by the arms 67, 67. The front end of this shaft is provided with a handle 72 by which it can readily be turned to adjust the arcuate pawl lifting plate to vary theeffective stroke of the pawl.

The ratchet wheel 62 carries a downwardly extending hub or sleeve to which is secured a spur pinion 73 which meshes with the Vlarge spur gear 43 so that the rotation of the ratchet wheel is transmitted to said spur gear and thence through the clutch mechanism to the winding drum 39.

74 is a cable one end of which is made fast to the winding drum 39. 75 and 76 are guide sheaves mounted at the two front corners respectively of the bed frame, and the cable 74 can be passed over either of these sheaves as it leaves the machine, as may be desired.

To feed the machine along the face of the ,.coal, I prefer in practice to carry the cable around the sheave 75, ('when the machine is to cut toward the right) thence around a pulley carried by an anchor in advance of the machine, and thence back to a. clevis 77 or other suitable connecting device on the end of the machine frame. Such an arrangement as this is shown in Fig. 10. The arrangement of the cable may be varied, however. That is, Ithe clevis 77 may be connected to the frame at 78 or 79, rather than at a point in the middle of the machine. Furthermore. the cable, if desired, can be taken off directly from the winding drum without passing over the guide sheave 75, or it can be taken off and carried around the outside of the guide sheave 76. By taking the cable ofl' in these three different ways and by making the returning end of the cable fast to the frame in any one of tln'ee positions, it will be seen that the forward draft upon the machine can be varied to a great'extent. I find, in fact, that by selecting a suitable arrangement of the cable and a suitableangular position for the cutter arm in relation to the main frame. the machine can be held up to the face and to its work without the use lVhen the machine is thus used without fixed guides it is desirable in most cases to set the cutter arm at an angle of less than 90 degrees to Ithe main frame, and to pass the draft cable from the winding drum over the guide sheave next to the coal face and Secure the clevis 77 in its position nearest the said sheave. In Fig. 12 I show one of the several possiblel arrangements of the cable; the various other arrangements which can be employed will be. readily understood without special illustration. `It should be noted that this great varietv of ways in which the cable can be taken off from the machine so as to vary the line of draft is made possible practically by mounting the winding drum upon a vertical shaft.

A starting box 80 for the motor is secured tothe side plate' 2 of the frame and it is preferably provided with connections by which the motor can be reversed, so that the cutter chain can be driven n`either direction to enable the machine to cut along the face either toward the right or toward the left. The swinging arm 81 of the start. ing box is connected to a rod 82 which extends forward to the forward end of the machine where it is provided with a handle 83. This brings both the motor control and the feed control at the front end of the machine where they can be conveniently reached by the machine runner.

In the operation of my improved machine l it is first brought to a position adjacent the face of the coal, as shown in Fig. 9, with the cutter'bar swung around in line with the longitudinal axis of the machine. The machine frame is then secured b jacks or other means against movement, an the propelling cable is passed around the front side of the guide sheave and thence back along the inner side of the machine around the grooved periphery lof the turn table 17 and made fast to the stud bolt 20. The clutch 29, 30 is then thrown in and the motor started. The draft of the cable swings the cutter arm against the face of the coal and the machine runner, by varying the pressure on the kdisk clutch which drives the winding drum, can vary and control the rate at which the cutter arm is swung through a considerable range. When the cutter arm has been swung through 90 degrees, or les's, or more, to the desired angular position in relation to the longitudinal aXis of the machine,` the motor is stopped, and the locking pin 22 is inserted in the alining holes and 24. or 23a and 21a, or 23" and 24J. The propelling cable is then disengaged from the stud bolt 20, is carried around the rear side of the guide sheave 7 5, thence forward and around the pulley 85 secured to anr anchor 86, and thence back to the machine frame to be made fast to the clevis 77.

The motor is now started again and the machine advances along the face of the coal. If there is any tendency for the machine to work away from the face, the arrangement of the feed cable can be varied to secure a different line of draft and this, with the angular adjustment of the cutter arm in most,

`if not all, cases will serve to secure a satisfactory guiding of the machine. without the use of posts or the like. The rate offeed can at any time be varied by turning the handle 7 2 to adjust ythe pawl and ratchet device, and this means of control is supplemented by the adjustable friction clutch through which' the winding drum vis driven.

lVhen the machine is cut toward the left,

it will be understood that the cutter bits are eversed and that in making the entering cut the cutterarm is swung-1n the opposite direction, the propelling cable being carried ofi' the winding drum, around the guide sheave 7 6, and thence rearward to the turn vtable where it is made fast tothe stud bolt 21 (Fig. 11) and when the entering cut has been made the cable is rearranged in relation to the sheave 76 and stretched along the face of the coal in a manner analogous to that above described in connection with the of my machine lthe only rapidly moving gears are the worms 34 and 53, the spur gear 43 and the pinion 73 which meshes with it moving slowly. By reason of this feature, the machine is extremely quiet in operation. This is an important result, because in prior machines with which I am familiar spur and bevel gears have been employed` some of which move at relatively high speeds and make so loud a noise that the machine runner is unable to hear the cracking of the roof and so failsto receive warning of the cave-ins which occur from time to time. I have accomplished the elimination of spur and bevel gears in this machine by driving from both ends of the machine. At the same time, by disposing the motor obliquely in relation to the length of the machine compactness is secured in the highest possible degree both as to the height and width of the i machine.

The provision of the friction clutch through which the winding drum is driven and of means whereby the draft cable can be used to swing the cutter -arm in making the entering cut,` enables the machine runner to readily vary through a wide range the rate at which the cutter arm is swung in, and, as the maximum rate of swing is relatively great, full advantage can be taken of easy cutting conditions.

The provision and arrangement of the winding drum and the cable guide and holding devices I consider highly important. These features make it possible to use the feed cable to swing the cutterarm in either direction to cut either toward the right or toward the left; to suitably apply and vary the lines of the cable stresses on the machine so as to guide it as it advances along the coal; and to accomplish such guiding of the machine when cut-tingeither toward the right or toward the left.

What I claim is f 1. Ina mining machine of the class described, the combination ofI a mainframe adapted to be moved bodily along a coal face while resting upon the mine floor, a feed mechanism at one end of said frame for bodily moving it, said mechanism comprising a winding drum and a cable thereon adapted to be engaged with an outside stationary abutment and to adjustably apply draft at a point in either of several different longitudinal lines of the frame, a cutting mechanism at the other end of the frame comprising a horizontally moving chain and an arm supporting Said chain and arranged to swing around an axis positioned in the central longitudinal vertical planes of the frame and adapted to ,project therefrom laterally on either side and to be adjustably positioned at either of several angles to the longitudinal lines of the frame, means for securing said arm rigidly to the frame after adjustment, a motor on the frame between the cutting apparatus and the feed mechanism, an armature shaft extending, on one side of the motor, toward the cutting appa-v ratu`s and on the other side of the motor toward .the feed mechanism, power transmittingdevices connecting one end of the armature shaft to the cutting apparatus, and power transmitting devices connecting the other end of the shaft to the feed mechanism.

2. In a mining machine of the class described, the combination of a main frame adapted to move valong a coal face while resting on the minefloor, a feed mechanism at one endof said frame comprising a winding drum and a cable secured thereto and adapted to be engaged with an outside stationary abutment, said frame being adapted to have the cable connected thereto at either'of several points along transverse lines, a cutting mechanism at the other end of the frame comprising a horizontally moving chain and an arm supporting said chain and arranged to vswing around an'axis" positioned in the central longitudinal vertical planes of the frame and adapted to project therefrom laterally on either side and to be adjustably positioned at either vof several angles to the longitudinal lines of the frame, means for securing said army to thelframe after adjustment, cutter drivingdevices connected to the lmotor at points on one side thereof, and

driving devices for thezfeeding mechanism connected to .the motor on the other side thereof.'

3. In a mining machine of the class described, the combination of a main frame adapted to be moved along a coal face while resting' bodily lon the mine Hoor, acutting mechanism at oneend ofthe frame comprising a horizontally moving chain and an arm supporting said chain and arranged to swing around f n axis in the central longi- -tudinal vertic ll planes of the frame and adapted to project laterally therefromon either side and to be adjustably positioned at either of several angles to the longitudinal lines, means for securing the arm rigidly tothe frame after adjustment, feed mechanism at the other endof the frame comprising a drum and a cable secured thereto and adapted to be engaged with an outside stationary abutment, and cable engaging means on the frame` adapted to permit the direction of the line of draft to be varied to correspond to the angle of adjustment of the cutting apparatus.

4, In a mining machine, the combination of an elongated substantially rectangular main frame adapted to travel with its side parallel and close to al coal face, a motor on `ltre axis andv engaging -of a main frame, a Swingin the frame on-an axis alined'v'vith the armawith said worm Wheel, the cutter arm being adapted to move across the vertical lines of the worm, a feed mechanism mounted on the opposite end of the frame for Amoving the frame and the cutter, asecond worm alined with the arma- -ture shaft on the other side 'of the motor, a

worm wheel meshing with said worm, a

l drum, a cable o n the drum, and power transmitting devices interposed between the worm wheel and the drum for'rotat'ing it and" tensioning the cable. v

5. In a mining machine, the combination cutter arm carried by the frame and a apted to be swung into a position approximately at right angles tothe longitudinal axis of the main frame to effect an entering'cut, a rotary tensioning device mounted on the main frame, a flexible draft member engaging the said .tensioning device, and guiding means for the flexible draft member comprising a sheave mounted on themain frame adjacentone side thereof, the aforesaid parts being so related that the flexible draft member is adapted to be extended from the rotary tensioning device around the said guideA sheave and thence `rearward along the side of the main frame to connect with the cutterarm and-effect the swinging thereof, or to be e'xtended from the rotary tensioning device around, the 'said guide sheave and thence forward 'along the face of thecoal to exert a forward propelling draft on the machine.

6. In amining machine, the combination of a main frame,- a swingingcutter arm carried by the frame and adapted to' be swung from a position parallel to the longitudinal axis of tne frame either toward ,the'right or toward the left4 into a position at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the frame,

a rotary tensioning device mounted'on the main frame, a iexlble draft member engaging the said tensioning device, and guiding means for the flexible draft member comprising a sheave mounted on the main frame adjacent the right side thereof and a sheave mounted on the main frame adjacent the leftside thereof, the aforesaid parts being so related that the flexible draft member is adapted to be extended from the rotary tensioning device around either of the said guide sheaves and thence rearward along the adj acentA side of the main frame to connect with the cutter arm and effect the swinging thereof in either direction, or to be extended lao from` the rotary 'tensioning device around either of said guide sheaves and thence for- Ward" along the face of the coal to exert a 'forward propelling draft on the machine.

from the main frame and mounted thereon-` to swing about a vertical axisdisposed in the central vertical .longitudinal plane of the main frame, a vertical sprocket shaft for driving the cutter chain mounted on the main frame to turn one-the aforesaid memes axis of the cutting mechanism, a Worm Wheel on the' sprocket shaft, an electric 'motor having its lrotary driving shaft'di'slconnected with the said. motor shaft and meshing' with the worm Wheel.' y

In testimony :whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses. FREDERICK E. AN SLYKE. Witnesses:

S. H. MARSHALL, Trios. W. CUNNINGHAM.

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