US1378830A - levin - Google Patents

Description

N. n. LEVIN.

APPARATUS FOR MINING COAL. v APPLICATION Fl LED AUG-23, I919- RENEWED MAR. 3.1921.

1,378,830. Patented May 17, 1921;

5 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ATTORNEY N.-D. LEVIN.

APPARATUS FOR MINING COAL. APPLICATIDN.F|LED AUG-23, l919- RENEWED MAR- 3; 1921. 1,378,830. Patented May 17, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LVVENTOR A TTORNE Y N. D. LEVIN.

APPARATUS FOR MINING COAL.

APPLICATSON FILED Aue.23. 1919. RENEWED MAR. 3, I921.

1,378,830. tented May 17,1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET mannuuzMI/III/IIIIII 4111/11/11 I,

3 6.9 MAM [N V E N TO A N. D. LEVIN.

APPARATUS FOR MINING COAL. APPLICATlON FILED AUG-231 I919. RENEWED MAR. 3, i921- j Patented May '17, 1921.

. 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

IUNITEDSVQTFATES PATENT OFFICE.

NILs 1'). LEVIN, or COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE JEFFREY MANUFACTURING 1 comPA Y, F conmvinus, OHIO, A CORPORATION or OHIO.

nmates Eon MINING coAL.

Specification of Letters riatent. ,Patented lflay 1' 7, 1921.

Original application filed April -7, 1915, Serial'No. 19,746. Divided and this application filed August 23,

To all whom it concern Be it known that I, NILs D. LEVIN, Mai V Goal, of which-the following is a 'specifica This invention relatesto apparatus for mining coal, and particularly to apparatusof the class by which coal is dislodged from its native bedand loaded into conveniently provide apparatus of-"the class described having improved conveying mechanisms whereby the'coal' is received asit isgdis lodged from its native bed and deposited tion from the mine; v 1 In my co-pendingv application, Serial -No. 19,746,1iled in suitablygpositioned fears for transportaa an apparatus of the class described comprising mechanism. adapted-to be moved while operating eith'erinward te make the sumping cut or in either directionalong straight lines parallel-with. the face oftheQcoal to dislodge the material from its= n ative-"bed and load it into cars convenientlypositioned' upon the mine tracks fol-transportation from the mine 'l ncluded in. said mechamechanism and the pit car during the'various phases ofoperation'oi the machine. 1

following specification'reference being had to the accompanylng drawingsfof which-e. j Figure 1 1s' a plan view -ofthefcuttlng,

These devices are fully set forth 'ingthe a g down and loading parts" of the mechanism.

1 Fig. 2is a side view on a smallerisicale,

looking tbwardii'thle left f themes shown Fig. 1,1" Y.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary; plan view with some of the partsin" section, showing the cutting'chain and associated parts. I

Fig. 4 is a combined elevation'al and sectional view; taken along the line 4-ei of Fig. 1.

.1919," Seria1 No. 319,449. Renewed March 3,: 1921.

Y Flg. 5.

. taken along the. line. 8-8

April 7th, 1915, of which this, present application is a division, is disclosed coal body. a

. iary face 'conveyer and a loadin Serial No. 449,502. 1

Fig.5 is a sectional view taken along the l1ne 5+5 of Fig..1.:' V

' Flg. '6 is a side view of the parts shown in Fi .'7 is a sectional "View taken along the line 7 of Fig. 'l,'the' cutter chain being removedfor the sake of simplicity. tion, reference-being had "therein to the ac-. companying drawing.

Fig.8 isv a fragmentary sectional view ofFig; 1, 'the cutter chain being removed for the sake of simplicity. f i '1 Fig. 9 is a detailed view iof the support for the breaking down device. positioned cars for transportation from the Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view p I v 7 taken along the line 10 l'O of Fig. 3. The especial object of this invention is to F ig; ll'is'a fragmentary sectional'view Fig. 12 is a detailed view oi the stop block. 7 f

Fig. 13 is a perspective viewof the intermediate'conveyer. T f

Fig. "leis a longitudinal sectional view through the driving end of the intermediate conveyer. r

Fig. 15 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the final or delivering jconveyer.

Figs. 16 to 23 are diagrammatic views illustrating one manner of using the mecha- IllSIIl. Q

The apparatus comprises a main base frame'ada'pted to slide over the floor of the mine in any direction, a cutting mechanism projectlng from the inner end of the base frame, propelling and guiding devices mounted upon the base frame, a conveyer attached to the cutting mechanism to be .carried thereby into the kerf produced in" the motor mounted upon the base frame, suit-able driving connections between the motor and thecutting 'mechanism,.the conveyer, the propelling and guiding mechanisms respectively, i i

adapted to break the focal down 'upon the conveyer. Ther is also includedan auxil- V gconveyer both mounted independently of the main frame but adapted tocooperate with the parts above described to transfer the dislodged coal to a car suitably positioned upon the m ne tracks for its transportation from themine. i i

taken along the line 11- 11 of Fig.3, the cutter chainbeing removed in this view for the sake of simplicity. i

I and a'breaking'down device mounted uponthe base frame and mounted in suitable bearings 24; and

machine.-

flanges 2 of the bed frame casting 3 upon,

which are mounted the other parts of the Supported by the depending brackets 3 from the under side of the bed frame casting, and adapted to limited longitudinal movement thereon, is a cutter frame 1. The cutter frame comprises a bottom plate 5 on which are placed a chain guide bar '6 and stifiening bars 7 and 8. Upon these bars are placed the top plates 9 and'10,aud all of the parts are securely riveted together, as shown. Guide strips 11 are secured along the edges of the plates to engage the links of the chain 12 to prevent their accidental removal from the guide ways thus formed. The chain 12 can be of standard construction and it need not be described in detail. It is provided with cutters 12. T he outer surface of the guide bar 6 is protected by a renewable wearing strip 13 over which the chain slides. The top plate 9 is cut away at 1 to form a slot the edges of which engage the aforesaid bracket 3, which carries an adjusting screw 15 in threaded engagement with the nut casting 16 attached to the bottom plate 5. By means of the crew 15 it is possibleto move the cutter frame for the adjustment of the tension of the'cutter chain 12 the manner common to chain cutter mining machines. The cutter frame is or:- tended laterally and rearwardly along the right rand side of the machine for a purpose which will presently appear, and on account of the unbalanced strains due tothis extension, there is preferably provided a second adjusting screw 17, carried by a casting 18 secured to the bottom plate 1 and engaging the rear edge of the cutter frame to maintain the frame inproper alinement with the base frame 3. Clamping bolts 19 and 20 extending through slots in the cutter frame enter threaded apertures in supporting blocks 21, secured to the bottom plate 1 to assist in holding the parts in their proper working relation.

Mounted upon the base frame casting 3 is an electric motor 22 having an armatureq23 KJO' cured to the shaft of this armature is a spur pinion 26 engaging with a spur 27 mounted upon a shaft 28 journaled in bear lugs on the base frame casting. The-spur gear 27 is connectedthrough a friction disk safety device 29 with a bevel. pinion 30 which meshes with the master bevel-gear 31. 7 Any overload transmitted to the bevel pinion 30 fromthe master gear 31 will cause a slippageof'the friction disks ofthe safety device 29 and prevent the overloading of the motor. The master gear 31 is fixed on a vertical shaft 32 which is journaled in the bearings 33 of the base frame casting and in i the bearing 3% of an auxiliary frame secured thereto. Mounted upon the lower end of the vertical shaft 32 is a sprocket wheel v35 by which the cutter chain 12 is driven.

Suitable clutch mechanism is interposed between the sprocket wheel 35 and the vertical shaft 32 by which they may be connected or disconnected as the conditions of operation may require. As concerns this clutch there can be variation, but for purposes of illustration I have shownthe shaft 32 as provided with an apertured flange 32. The sprocket wheel 35 is similarly apertured and in a conical recess of the wheel is a ring which carries vertical pins 35 adapted to extend through both sets of apertures. When the pins are in the position shown the sprocket wheel is connected to the shaft, but by lifting the pins they can be disengaged from the flange 32, thus breaking the power connection to the sprocket wheel 35.

Formed on the hub of the bevel gear 31 is a worm 36 which engages the worm wheel 37 keyed to the shaft 33 extending across the machine and supported in the bearings 39, 1-0 and 1-1 attached to the base frame casting 3. Mounted upon this shaft 38 is a cable winding drum 42 upon which may be wound the cable 4-3 by which the machine may be moved and guided about the working place as will be later explained. Upon one side of this drum 4-2 is formed the driven memher 44. of a friction clutch of the well known Weston multiple disk type, the driving member 45 of which is keyed to the shaft 33, Attached to the clutch member a l is an inward extending flange 16 provided with a central screw threaded aperture engaging similar threads on the hub of a spur gear 17. The gear 47 is freely mounted upon the shaft 38 in such a manner that the rotation of the gear 17 relative to the clutch member a l, in one direction will actuate the clutch to drive the drum and in the other direction will release it. Convenient means for the manipulation of the spur gear 47 is rovided in the pinion 1-8 attached to the shaft 49 j-ournalcd in suitable bearings of the machine frame, and having its end squared. to fit a convenient wrench for manual rotation.

A secondfriction clutch 50, similar to the clutch above described, is mounted on the shaft and upon the driven member of this is formed a spur pinion 51'which ougages a spur gear 52 keyed to the shaft its spur gear wheel 5% is provided for the manipulation of the clutch 50, and this gear is controlled by the spur pinion 55 attached to the-shaft 56 adapted to be controlled with a hand wrench in the same manner as the first described clutch. To the shaft 53 is fixed a pinion 57 engaging the gear wheel 58 to drive the feed shaft 59 and with it the feed drum 60. 2; feed cable 61 is attached to and 66 by which the feed cable 61 may be led in any desired direction for the proper 1 manipulation of the machine, as will be fully set forth, and a swiveled sheave 67 is provided adjacent to the drum 42 by which the cable-4:3 may be guided in either direction; v

A convenient reverse switch68 is provided by which the direction of rotation of the armature23 may be controlled. Starting and stopping of the motor is effected by; the starting box69 havingja handle 70' located convenient to the hand of the operator.

The conveyer is of. the endless chain and scraper type and is carried by aselfrcontamed structure having a forward horizontal part lying in a recess of the cutter frame and an inclined rearward portion extending along the right hand side ofthe motor frame to a point in the rear of the 'feed and guiding mechanism to discharge'the coal into any receptacle placed conveniently to receive 1t. a

The forward horizontal portion of. the

structure comprises two parallel side rails ,71 which have secured to :them thenangle Ibars 72; To these angle bars is attached the plate 73 which forms the bottom of the conveyer trough. Formed in the side rails 71- are notches adapted to engage the squareheaded studs 74 fixed to the bottom plate 5 to prevent longitudinal movement of the conveyer structure. 7 Coverplate's 7 5, bolted to the upper frame; engage the upper edges of these side rails to hold them in place.

The chains of theconveyer are indicated by 79 and are provided with rollers 78. Be-

'cause of'the difiiculty of properly lubricating the bearings of a revolving shaft continuallyexposed to dust in the limited space available atthe forward end of the'cutte'r frame, the foot shaft 76 is fixed to theside the coal along the trough, and the return strand travels over the bottom plate 5 to a point 81 near the'foot shaft 76 where the plate is cut away to afford'additional clear- The inclined rear portion of the conveyer structure comprises two side plates 82 and 83, attached at their-forward ends to the 5 side rails 71. To these side plates are fixed the angles 84 which support the trough plate 73, and the angles 85 which support h r r nds 9 t e 91 9111 79; A g es 86;secured to the side plates 82 and 83 protect the chains from contact with the coal in thetrough. Channel bars 87 and 88, se-

cured to the main frame 3 of the machine, and vertical angle bars 89 secured to these channels form a structure which supports. the rear end of the conveyor. Secured tothe side plates 82 and 83 near their rear and the chain 93 with the sprocket wheel 94:.

fixed noon the transverse shaft 95 'ournaled .L in bear1ngs96 of the machine frame. and

driven by the bevel gears 97 and 98 from the vertical shaft 32 to drive the conveyer. Aremovable side plate 99 is provided for use at the forward end of the conveyer after the completion of the sumping out. Sccured to the back of thisplate 99 are attachmentlugs 100 adapted to be inserted in apertures 101 provided for'their reception in the plates and bars of the cutter frame. The use of this removable plate will appear in the description of the operation of the machine as hereinafter set forth.

As concerns the breaking down mechanism, there can be'wide variation, but I prefer a mechanism which consists of a mechanically operated pick of any suitable type, such as is commonly usedfor under- 7 cutting coal. Although anyone of a number tool 103 adapted to reciprocatory motion.

Compressed air is supplied from any convenient source through a suitable air hose 104 and controlled by a conveniently placed valve 105. Formed on the sides of the cylinder 102 at about its center of weight are trunnions 106 adapted to be supported in suitable bearings of a yoke 107 which is pivoted for rotation in a horizontal plane, in the hub 108 of the goose neck bracket 109'. Convenient handles 110. attached to the rearward end of the cylinder 102 afford means to direct the blows of the pick against any desired point in the coal face.

Formed at the other end of the bracket 109 is a hub 111 in which. are mounted the ball bearings 112 113, and 114, the inner races of which engage the pivot post 115 fixed in the top and bottom plates 116 and 117 of the horizontally osoillatable arm 118,

affording a support for the bracket 109 and the parts carried thereby. The ball bearings, being sufficiently massive, afford an abutment for the thrust of the pick against the coal face as transmitted through the trunnions 106, the yoke107 and the bracket 109. Hinged to the bracket 109 is a latch 119 adapted to engage with notches in the segmental plate 121 attached to the arm 118 concentric with the pivot post 115 to prevent the rotation of the bracket about the pivot. A cord 122 attached to the latch 119 and leading around the guide sheave 123 to the hand of the operator at the handle 110, affords means for disengaging the latch when such rotation is desirable.

The arm 118 is built up of the top and bottom plates 116 and 117 and the channel bars 124, and is pivotally attached to the supporting platform 125 by the pivot belt 126. The platform 125 comprises the plate 127 supported from the motor frame 22 by two sectionsof channel bar 128 bolted to the 'motor frame and riveted to the plate 127,

and of an angle bar 129 fixed to the forward edge of the plate 127 and extending above the conveyor and along the right hand side of the machine and supported by angle bars 89 and 89 of the machine frame. Spaced apertures in the angle bar 129 are adapted to receive the lugs 131 of the stop block 132 by which the oscillation of the arm 118 may be limited.

In mines adapted for the room and pillar system of mining, entries or passages, along which the coal is transported, are excavated in the coal body and from these entries open the rooms in which the principal mining operations are conducted. Tracks are laid .along the entries for the passage of the cars in which the coal is hauled, and from these tracks extend branches into the rooms. For reasons which it is not necessary to recite at this time, these branch tracks are usually laid along one side of the room, and as the mining operations extend across the end of the room much of the coal must be carried a considerable distance to be loaded into cars standing upon such tracks. On this account I have found it advisable to use an auxiliary conveyer, extending along the working face in such relation thereto that it will receive the coal discharged from the machine conveyer, as it advanced across the face, and deliver the same to an auxiliary loading conveyer which in turn delivers it to the cars.

As illustrated in Fig. 13, the auxiliary face conveyer comprises a trough 133, of

similar construction to that used in the inclined portion of the conveyor upon the mining machine, which is supported at either end on pedestals 134 and 135, each provided with a sole plate 136 and 137 respectively, adapted to slide over the floor of the mine in any direction, to facilitate placing the conveyor in working relation with the mining machine. Along the trough 133travel two endless strands of the chains 138 connected together at intervals by cross bar scrapers 139 by which the coal is propelled along the trough, A head shaft'140 and a foot shaft 141 are provided at the ends of the trough to guide the chains 138 in the manner common to conveyer practice. A driving shaft 142, journaled in suitable bearings supported by the trough structure, carries sprocket wheels 143 which engage the return strands of the chains 138 to drive them, and idler sprockets 144, suitably mounted, hold the chains 138 in working engagement with the sprocket wheels 143. The drive shaft 142 is connected through the sprocket wheels 145, the chain 146 and the sprocket wheel 147 with the motor 148, mounted in the pedestal 134.

i A loading conveyor which is suitableto the purposes of this invention is illustrated in Fig. 15 but it is to be borne in mind that these devices are subject to wide variation without departing from the spirit of my invention. As illustrated in Fig. 15 this conveyer comprises two sections of trough 149 and 150, the former of which extends in an upward inclined direction while the latter extends in an approximately horizontal direction above the cars 151 standing on the rails 152 of the mine track. These trough sections are connected together by a horizontal hinge 153 to admit of a certain amount of vertical adjustmentof the delivery end of the trough 150. Secured to the trough 150 are-forward extending arms 154 connected through the links 155 with the cross yoke 156 which is in threaded engagement with the adjusting screw 157 by which the said adjustment may be effected. This loading conveyer is supported on a structure comprising a hopper casting 168, adapted to slide over the floor of the mine, and a steel framework 179, built up of structural shapes suitably connectedtogether and to the hop per casting according to the practice of structural steel construction. An axle 180 and wheels 181, adapted to travel on the rails 152 of the mine track, are provided to support the weight of the rear portion of the framework 179 and to facilitate the positioning of the conveyor for service. The hopper casting 168 is shaped to form the forward portion of the conveyer trough, and is provided with suitable-bearings in which is journaled the foot shaft 182. At the rearward extremity of the horizontal section 150 are fixed journal boxes 183 of the ordinary adjustable type commonly used in con veyer practice to regulate the tension of the conveyor chains 184. The conveyer chains 184 pass around the sprocket wheels of the hand and foot shafts in the manner common to scraper conveyers, and are connected together at intervals by the cross bar scrapers 185 which slide overthe bottom plates of the troughs 149 and 150 to propel the coal therethrough. Mounted in suitable bearings of the structural frame 179 is a shaft 186 which is so positionedthat the line of the return sprocket wheels strand of the conveyer chain 184 is approximately tangential to the periphery of the r 187 V mounted thereon. These sprocket wheels 18'? engage the chains 184 to drive them, a sufficient amount of slack being provided to insure engagement The shaft 186 motor 179" mounted upon the framework 179.

When operated according to the perferred method of use, the machine is brought into the mine room and'placed at one side, as for example. near'the right hand rib adjacent the working face with the forward end of the cutter frame as close up into" the corner as is convenient, asillustrated in Fig. 16.

The feed cable 61 is then drawn out from thedrum 60, passes around the guide sheave 62 and secured to a suitable anchor jack 188 adjacent the working face of the coal. The guide cable 43 is then drawn-outfrom the drum 42, passed around the swiveled sheave 67 and the guide sheave 65 and attached to a suitable anchor 189 adjacent the'right hand rib. The auxiliary face conveyer 133 is then adjusted in position to receive material delivered: by the machine conveyer, and the loading conveyer 149 is adjusted in position to receive material from the face eonveyer and deliver it to a car 151 suitably positioned upon the mine track 152. When the 7 machine is started, and. the feed cable 61 wound upon the drum 60, the machine will be caused to move forward to make the sumping, or entering, out. By the manpulation of the friction clutches 14: and 50 the drums 42 and 60 may be caused to wind their respective cables 13 and 61,- to hold them against unwinding or to allow them to freely unwind as the operator may desire. By such manipulation of the clutches the 7 Q ropes 13 and 61 will be controlled to bring the machine into the position shown in Fig.

-17. As soon as'the cutter frame, with the forward end of the machine conveyer, is

sufliciently advanced beneath the coal, compressed air will beadmitted to the breaking down mechanism, causing the reciprocation Theoperator may of the pick tool 103. move the pick mechanism upon its support to direct the stroke of. the pick tool 103 against any desired points in the coal face to break out fragments therefrom upon the conveyer to be removed thereby. While the machine is operating as illus- 'trated in Figs. 16 and 17 the right hand end of the face conveyer 133 may be conveniently adjustedto maintain its operative relation with the machine conveyer to receive the coal delivered therefrom without disturbing the relation of the left hand end 7 adjusted in parallelism with -the coal face After themachine has been drawn to the maximum distance into the coal, the jack 188 is removed to a point ad acent the left hand rib and a feed cable 61 is connected thereto as illustrated in Fig. 18. The clutches -14 and are then manipulated to feed the machine across the face of the room in the manner well understood by those skilled in the art. As the machine advances the pick mechanism breaks ,down the coal and the conveyers carry it to the cars. The operation will thus be continued, illustrated in Fig. 19, until the entire width of the room has been traversed. If new the feed drum be held against rotation and the guide cable 12 be wound up, the rear end of the machine will be drawn toward the right, and the forward end of the cutter frameforced to the left to finish the cut as illustrated in Fig. 20.

The feed rope 61 will then be passed around the. guide sheaves 63, 64, 65 and 66 to the anchor jack 189 positioned adjacent the coal face, and the guide rope 43 attached to the anchor jack 188 adjacent the left hand rib as illustrated in Fig. 21. The sumping operation is then repeated in substantially the same manner as that described at the right hand side of the room. sumping out has been completed at the left hand side of the room, by the manipulation of the feeding and guiding clutches, the machine will be straightened up as illustrated principal coal face and extending inwardly to the vertical plane of the inner end of the cutter frame. pick mechanism 102 may be swung upon its support into any desired position to cause During such operation the the engagement of the pick tool 103 with either the principalcoal face or with the secondary coal-face as may be desired for the most efiicient breaking down of the coal.

'When mining machines of the usual weight and dimensions are used, and it is desired to cut first in one direction and then in the other, it has been found expedient to reverse the cutter bits in the cutter chain and to reverse the direction of .the cutter chain, to prevent the pick rea 0- tion from forcing the machine away rom the coal face, and the devices here descrlbed After the are adapted for operation in that manner. But experience with the machine embodying my invention as described, has demonstrated that the additional Weight of the breaking down and conveying mechanisms prevents the movement of the machine by such reaction and it is possible to cut in both directions without changing the bits or reversing the chain.

As soon as the sumping cut is completed in either side of the room the removable plate 99 is adjusted to confine the broken coal to the conveyer, and when the out has been completed across the room this plate will be again removed to be out of the way while sumping. V

lVliat I claim isr 1. An apparatus for mining coal comprising a horizontally extending kerf cutter adapted to be moved either longitudinally or late ally to form a kerf at the base of a coal vein, means for breaking down the coal above said kerf, a conveyer in fixed relation with said kerf cutter adapted to receive and remove said coalas it is broken down, and an auxiliary conveyer extending longitudinally of the coal face adjustable relative thereto, and adapted to receive the broken coal from said receiving conveyer.

2. An apparatus for mining coal comprising a horizontally extending kerf cutter adapted to be moved either longitudinally or laterally to form a kerf at the base of a coal vein, means for breaking down the coal above said kerf, a conveyer in fixed relation with said kerf cutter adapted to receive and remove said coal as it is'broken down, and an auxiliary conveyer supported upon the mine floor and slidable thereon into position to receive the broken coal from said receiving conveyer.

3. An apparatus for mining coal comprising a horizontally extending kerf cutter v 5. adapted to be moved either longitudinally or laterally to form a kerf at the base of a coal vein, means for breaking down the coal above the kerf, a conveyer in fixed relation with said kerf cutter adapted to receive and remove said coal as it is broken down, and an auxiliary conveyer extending longitudinally of said coal face supported upon the mine floor and slidable thereon into position to receive the broken oal from the receiving conveyer.

4.1 111 apparatus for mining coal comprising a horizontally extending kerf cutter adapted to be moved either longitudinally or laterally to form a kerf'at the base of a coal vein, means for breaking down the coal above the kerf, a conveyer in fixed relation with said kerf cutter adapted to receive and remove the coal as it is broken down, a loading conveyer arrangedto deliver material into a suitably positioned car, and an auxiliary conveyer extending longitudinally Levsneo of the coal face and adjustable to maintain operative connection between said receiving conveyer and said loading conveyer to transfer said broken coal to said car.

5. An apparatus for mining coal comprising a horizontally extending kerf cutter adapted to be moved either longitudinally or laterally to form a kerf at the base of a coal vein, means for breaking down the coal above said kerf, a conveyer in fixed relation with said kerf cutter adapted to receive and remove said coal as it is broken down, a loading conveyer arranged to deliver material into a suitably positioned car,and an auxiliary conveyer extending longitudinally of the coal face supported upon the mine floor and slidable thereon to maintain operative connection between said receiving conveyer and said loading conveyer to vtransfer said broken coal to said car.

6. An apparatus for mining coal comprising a horizontally extending kerf cutter adapted to be moved either longitudinally or laterally to form a kerf at the base of a coal vein, means for breaking down the coal above the kerf, a conveyer in fixed relation with said 'kerf cutter adapted to receive and remove said coal as it is broken down, a wheel supported loading conveyer adapted to be moved along the rails of a mine track and to deliver material to a car suitably positioned upon said track, and an auxiliary conveyer extending longitudinally of the coal face and adjustable to maintain operative connection between said receiving conveyer and said loading conveyer to transfer said broken coal to said car.

7. An apparatus for mining coal comprising a horizontally extending kerf cutter adapted to be moved either longitudinally or laterally to form a kerf at the base of a coal vein, means for breaking down the coal above the kerf, a conveyer in fixed relation with said kerf cutter adapted to receive and remove said coalras it is broken down, a wheel supported loading conveyer adapted to be moved along the rails of a mine track and to deliver material to a car suitably positioned upon said track, and an auxiliary conveyer extending longitudinally of the coal face supported upon the mine floor and slidable thereon to maintain operative connection between said receiving conveyer and said loading conveyer to transfer said broken coal to said car.

8. An apparatus for mining coal comprising a horizontally extending kerf cutter adapted to be moved longitudinally inward to make a sumping cut and laterally across the face of the coal to form a kerf at the base of a vein, means for breaking down the coal above the kerf, a conveyer in fixed relation with said kerf cutter adapted to receive and remove said coal as it is broken down, and an auxiliary conveyer extending longitudinally of the coal face adjustable relative thereto to maintain operative con nection with said receiving conveyer and receive the broken coal therefrom. V

9. An apparatu for mining coal comprising a horizontally extending kerf cutter adapted to be moved longitudinally inward to make a sumping cut and laterally across the face of the coal to form a kerf at the base of the vein, means for breaking down the coal above the kerf, a conveyer having a receiving portion positioned within the bounding planes of said kerf cutter and adapted to receive and remove said coal as it is broken down, and an auxiliary conveyer extending longitudinally of the coal face and adjustable relative thereto to maintain operative connection with said receiving conveyer and receive broken coal therefrom.

10. An apparatus for mining coal comprising a horizontally extending kerf cutter adapted to be moved longitudinally inward to make a sumping cut and laterally across the'ct'ace of the coal to form a kerf at the base of the vein, means for breaking down the coal above the keri', a convever having a receiving portion positioned within the bounding planes of said kerf cutter and adapted to receive and remove said coal as it is broken down, a loading conveyer arranged to deliver material into a suitably positioned car, and an auxiliary conveyor extending longitudinally of the coal face and adjustable relative thereto to maintain operative connection between said receiving conveyer and said loading conveyer to transfer said broken coal to said car.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signa ture, in presence of two witnesses.

NILS D. LEVIN. Witnesses:

HARRY C. DEAN, F. C. Cosmo.

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