US1600245A - Mining machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 21 1926.

originan Fuea'uay 1. 1920 "K Y l mim o T. EI PRAY E-r M MINING MACHINE? 's sne'fets-shnt 1 26. t 21 ,19 Sep A1. PRAY ET E. T.

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ee s sheets t 676252Z jsw. P 765535; P i @mwa w JL W VPatented Sept. k21,v 1926. i

AUNITED sTATissA THOMAS n. PRAY AND GEORGE BoDIN, or CHICAGO, ILLINois',"AssrGNoRs 'ro Gooi)- MANMANUFACTURING COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ACORPORATVION or ILLINOIS. Y

MININGl MACHINE.

Application filed May 1, 1920, Serial No. 378,092. Renewed February 10, 19276.

This invention relates to coal mining machines, and more particularly to mining machines of the chain cutter type commonlyV known as the continuous cutter coal mining Vmachine which is moved laterally along the wall of the mine to cnt a horizontal kerf thereunder, and is particularly adapted foi' use in the room and pillar system of mining.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a new and'iinproved machine of the above description which' is capable of use in narrow or thin veinsV of' coal. Further objects will hereinafter appeaivin theYV description of the construction and operation of the machine embodying our 'inven-Y tion. I

One of the principal features of the present invention relates to the construction wherein the machine is provided with a recess iii the forward portion thereo-f into which thecuttings are brought bythe cutting chain, which recess isclosed to the advance side of the machine, and through which the cuttings ai'e moved by the cutter chain to the opposite, or following side of the machine and are ejected therefrom. 7e also provide an improved operating mechanism as will hereinafter appear. y y The invention consists in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts as will hereinafter be described in connection' `with the accompanying drawings, and more particularly defined in these appended clarin-s,

' In the dra-wings, VFigure l is a plan view position adjacenty bar, and showing the front of the machine in elevation.

' Figure 4 is a cross section taken online 4-4of-Figure 3. i

Figure 5 is a side view of the machine with the cutter bar removed, and illustrating details of the control mechanism.

ing machine comprises a main frame 1, and

a cutter har 2 of any approved construc! also provided A Y y y chine advances.A W' ith reference yto the drawings, the min-v vided with cutter bits 5,=5 projecting at varying angles from said cutter bar. The main frame l of the machine comprises "a motor 6, mounted in acasing 7, preferably located at the rear ri-housing 8, atthe front end of the machine. In order to reduce the overall height of the machinel to. aV minimum, weconstruct .the motor casing 7 overall heightvk erating'the machine. The armature of the motor is preferablyl arrangedlongitudinall of the` machine, asl shownin dotted lines in Figures land 2. lt' will be seen that 'the height of the housing 8 which contains' the driving mechanism is controlled Vby the height of the motor casing 7. Said motor casingv is detachably.connected with the housing 8 by `any suitable means' such as Thecasing? and housing 8 form the base plate on the mine floor. i v

Machines of the class describedl are fed to the ivorlrby means of a flexible draft device, including a cable, chain, or the like. In the machine illustrated, wehave shown a flexible cable 10, which: is led around av end of the machine, and

so asto require arminimum l commensurate with the size" -of the moto-r havingsufiicient power for iop- 7, and vis anchored near thefmine wall at a point` toward lwhich the machine is to" be moved The cable 10 is wound on a motordriven drum l2 mounted on the left side of the machine. The driving mechanism` for said drum will be hereinafter described. By means of the fiexible draft gear, arranged as shown, the entire machine is -dragged bodily along the face, or wall, of the mine so asto perform the cutting operation Ain the usual manner. A

to maintain the machine in its proper cutting .relation to the wall. 'For this purpose we have shown a friction controlled drum 13 at the rear end ofthe motor casing carrying a flexible cable 14, which is adapted to be anchored in thev direction opposite to that-of the feed rope 10, and to be unwound from said drum against friction vas the ma- ItV will be understood, however, that any other suitable draft device orpi'opelling mechanism may be used for the purpose of moving` and controlling the machine during the cutting operation.

Referring now more particularly tothe 'A retarding device ,is f

ionv

jacent said boss, supporting lug 15 with the forward edge Y,ing sprocket. ysaid-,sprocket will be hereinafter described.

Vlower wall is provided with a boss 18, forming a lower bearing for a cutter chain driving sprocket 1,5,fand a vertical web 15, ad-

which web connects the of wall 20,' and provides a support against Ywhich the rear endY of the cutter bar abuis.

Thecutter chain 3 is mounted on said cutter bar, and passe-s rearwardly around the driv- The driving mechanism for As themachine proceeds to the left along `the mine wall the cutter bits 5 5 move in the direction indicated by the arrow arounc the cutter bar 2, thru the opening 21, into the .recess 1,7, and around the driving sprocket 16. The cuttings are brought rearwardly from the kerf by the cutter chain,

'-" `and tend to accumulate in the recess 17,

as they are` dislodged from the` chain.

Referring now to the means for discharging the cuttings from the recess 17, which means are shown in detail in Figures 3, i and 5, it will be seen that the recess 17 opens to one side of the machine and forms a discharge passage 22 for the cuttings.` rIhe boundaries of the recess 17 comprise a top wall 19, bottom wall 2G, and a side wall 23, all of said walls being preferably cast inte-- gral with the housing 8. The side wall 23 of the recess comprises a slightly flared portion 24C adjacent the front passage 21, an arcuate portion 25, rearwardly of said flared portion, and formed on a radius approximately concentricV with theY axis of the sprocket 16, and an approximately straight portion 26, wnich merges into said curved portion and is-inclined rearwardly and toward the discharge passage 22 (see Y'Figure 4).

A, rib 27 projects upwardly from the base plate 20, and extendsifrom the boss 18 outwardly and slightly rearwardly, tothe margin of said base plate, as shown. An oppositely disposed rib 28 may also be provided in the upper wall 19 of the recess, if desired. Said rib is preferably arranged so yas to meetthe boss 1S at a tangent, and may be approximately parallel with the straight portion 25, ofthe side wall, or diverge slightly away therefrom toward the front of the machine, as shown in Figure 4.

The essential feature of the construction just described is the arrangement whereby vertically disposed pin 114-.

the cuttings are discharged from the recess by themovement of the cutter chain. 'lhis is accomplished by the novel shape, or conformation of the walls of the vrecess above described, in the following manner: is the cuttings accumulate on the Iioor and along the walls of the recess 17, to a depth sufficient to come into contact with the cutter chain, they are carried by the chain usually suiiicient to throw the cuttings .be- A Yyond the side margin of the bottom wall,

where they4 are deposited on the mine Yfloor adjacent the discharge passage 22, and are left behind as the machine advances laterally in its cuttingioperation. The lateral margin of the lower wall 20ris sul stantially in longitudinal alignment with the portion of the cutter chain on the following side of the cutter ban-soV that4 excessive accumulations Vof cuttings adjacent the discharge passage may be readily cleared away by the operator or his helper, in the usual manner. The provision of the oppositely disf posed ribs 27, 28'servesV to assistin directing the movement of the cuttings toward the discharge passage.

. The driving mechanism. comprises a hori- Zontal shaft 29 carried by suitable bearings '30,731 and 82 in the housing 8; said shaftl Ahaving a gear 33 meshing with the motor pinion 84; and arranged with its axis above, and to one side of the axis of the motor 6.

The driving connection for the feed rope drum 12 compr' ses a worm 35 carried by the shaft 29,V and engaging aV worm wheel 36 mounted on a longitudinal shaft 37, Vand having operative connection with the feed drum 12y thru a suitable vplanetarychange speed mechanism 38, shaft 39 and gears l0 and i-1. rlhe planetary mechanism is oper-- ated by a longitudinally movable shaft 29n extending through shaft 37 to a clutch Vmember 58 in the planetary mechanism and provided with a shifter arm 29h, carried by a vertically disposed shaft 29C extending upwardly thru the housing 8. A. control lever 29d (see Figure 5) is attached to said shaft,

and extends rearwardly so 'asV to be manipulated from the rear of the machine.

The driving connection 'for the cutter chain sprocket 16 comprises a bevel pinion on the forwardjend of the shaft 29.r and meshed with the bevel gear 43, carried by a Said pin is liu `thru the top Vdownwardly mounted at its upper end in'a yoke 45 rigidly attached to the housing 8. yThis pin extends downwardly wall 19 of the recess 17, and is mounted at its lower end in the boss on the lower wall 20. The bevel gear 43 comprises a toothed periphery 46,!and a downwardly extending neck portion'47, and'is provided with a suitable bearing sleeve 48 on the pin 44. The chainl sprocket 16 is mounted at the lower end 'and outside'of the hub portion 47 just described, and is provided with a bearing sleeve 49. Connecting sleeve 50is also lmountedv on said bearing ,sleeve 49 above the chain sprocket' 16'and -in clutched engagement with the latter, so

yas to allow the-sprocket to 4be easilytaken outand replaced. i

The mechanism forv clutching the: bevel gear43 to the driving sprocket 16 comprises a vertically movable. clutch sleeve 51 `provided with a suitable yoke 52.I andA having extending clutch fingers 54, 54 extending thru suitable openings 55, 55 in the beveled g'ear43, and adapted to have` clutchingengagement'with recesses 56, 56. carried by the connecting sleeve 50 engaged with the sprocket 16 as described. The clutchsleeve 51 is provided with a bearing e sleeve 57, and is adapted to revolve with the gear 43. In the position shown in Figure 2, Y the clutch isdisengaged, that is to say, it isV raised in its uppermost position so that the clutch fingers 54, 54, are out of engagement with the recesses 56, 56, carried by the connecting sleeve 50. The clutch is manipulated by means of a shifter arm 58k (see Figure 1) carried by a rocking shaft 59 mounted on the bearing 60. The'control connection for the clutch comprises . segmental gears 61 and 62 and Va rocking shaft 63 extending to therear of the machine. and ina nipulated by handle 64 (see Figure 1). Thrust bearing plates 65, 65 are provided for the bevel gear 43. Similarly, the shaft' 29 is provided with a--thrust collar 66 and thrust' bearing 67.

A removable top or cover plate is piovided to cover the housing 8.

F rom the foregoing description, it will be seen that we have provided a coal cutting machine which may be moved laterally and in which the cuttings are carried into the recess 17, and? ejected from vthe side of the machine opposite to that in which the entire machine is moved during 4the cutting' operation. Said recess is closed to the advance side of the machine so that no cuttingscan get into vthe path' of movement of the inachine. The .lower wall 20. iii-addition te forming a portion ofthe base plate upon which the machine rests, also prevents the cuttings from lodgingv under the forward end of the machine. The motorand motor casing are' mounted/at the rear end of 'the side walls 46, 46 of the.

yto tliedirection in which @the n n adapted tolinove'v cintingsrinto said lway, and an arcuate deflector in' saidr p ysagewayadapted to coact with said out cuttings toward said discharge passagewav closed to'- the advance machine, and rest on the mine floor, while the operating inechanisnn including the draft gearing and vcutting mechanism, is lo cated at the front end of the machine; T he longitudinal shaft 29 is positioned above the axis of 'theinotor pinion 34 so as to pass above, and have driving connection with the transverse shaft for the dra-ft gea'rii'ig, and also has driving connection with the bevel gear 43 located in the forward end of the inotor housing over the recess 17 for driving the cutter chainl sprocket 16. Thisk ari'c ment of parts provides a novel and connv construction in rwhichtlie overall height of they entire mechanism' may vbe redi'iced to a minimum so that theinachin'e may be used-. in narrower thin veins of coal. f

Another advantage of this construction is the provision of the yoke 45 which for `is an upper bearing for the pin 44 inde'aendenv of the movable top- 70 of theliousing 8.. This arrangement allows the mechanism to be operated while the top is removed. y

Another advantage of this invention is the arrangement of the control levers extending "-f' to `the rear `of the machine so as to be easily accessiblefor the 'operator 'while the machine is in operation. y f f f 1 Having described Vour invention what we claim as new and desire to Vcover by'lgetters Patent, is: I y 1,111 a mining 'machine' adapted to be moved laterally along the face of a 'mine E. xv)

wall, the combination of a frameha'if'ingv a passageway opening to the front endand wl communicating with a discharge passage` opening to the side of the 'anaclni'iewocp adapted to move, an endless crttin dement e ztending from the end of s zinc vand "L cassage-V ter chain for directing' the ii'ioven'ient `of the iiassage. 2.111 mining machine adapt'Arr moved laterally along vthe face o wall, the combination of 'a fraineha 11, i side ;t

said machine, but opening tothefr at 115 and comnninicating with a 'discliarge passage ropening to the following side or the niachine, anendless cutting element extending fron'i the front end ofsaid' frame and 'af ed tofmove thek cuttings kinto 'said' pa ee way, and a deiiector in said recess foiing a restricted p'ortion'of d passageway dif recting `the movement of the cuttings to ward said discharge passage. Y

'3. In a mining machine adapted to be l??? /noved laterally along 'the face of-a. minev wall, the combination of ya frainelhavingl a recess in the front portion tliereof,.closed to the advance side of4 said frame'and forming a discharge passage opening to the side `of 1 by said the machine opposite to the direction in which the machine is adapted to move, a vsupporting member mounted in said recess, a

movable cutter chain carried by said sup-A Y porting member, and a deflector in said recess having a rearwardly extending' portion thereofforming a relatively restricted passageway between said cutter chain and said defiector, and having a second portion thereof forming a relatively large passageway communicating with said discharge passage.

4l. ln a mining machine adapted to .be moved laterally alongv the face of a mine wall, the combination of a motor having a horizontally disposed driving shaft, a casing for said motor adapted to rest on the mine floor, a frame located forwardly of vsaid motor, a cutter bar extending from the forward end of said frame and provided with a cutter chain, a longitudinal shaft mounted in said frame havingits axis above the axis of said driving shaft and having driving connection therewith, a vertically disposed gear member mounted forwardly of said longitudinal shaft, and a sprocket having operative connection with said gear member, and

adapted to drive said cutter chain.

5. In a mining machine adapter to be moved laterally along the face of a mine wall, the combination of a motor having a horizontally disposed driving shaft, a casing for said motor adapted to rest on the mine floor, a frame located forwardly of said inotor provided with a cutter bar extending longitudinally from its forward end, a longitudinally extending shaft carried by said frame above the axis of said driving shaft, and having driving connection therewith,

v draft mechanism carried by said frame including a transverse horizontally disposed shaft having operative connection with said longitudinal shaft, a cutter chain supported cutter bar, and means for driving said cutter chain comprising` a vertically disposed gear member mounted forwardly of said longitudinal shaft, and a sprocket having driving connection therewith.y

6. In a mining machine adapted to be moved laterally along the face of a mine wall, the combination of a motor, a casing for said motor adapted to rest on the mine floor, a housing located forwardly of said motor having a recess in its forward portion, a'cutter bar extending forwardly from the forward end of said housing` and provided with a cutter chain, a longitudinal shaft mounted in said housing having its axis above the axis of said motor and having driving connection therewith, a worin carried by said longitudinal shaft, a transverse shaft having a worm gear meshed vwith said worm, draft mechanism on one side of said housing having operative connection with said ,transverse.shaft, a vertically disposed gear member mounted forwardly of said longitudinal shaft, and a sprocket in said recess having operative connection with said gear member, andad-apted to drive saidcutter chain.

7. In a mining machine adapted to be.

moved laterally along the face of a mine wall, the combination' of a motor, a casing for said motor adapted to rest` on the mine Hoor, a housing located forwardly of said motor provided with a cutter bar extendingvhousing including a transverse horizontally disposed shaft having operativ-ev connection with said longitudinal shaft, a cutterchain supported by `Said cutter bar, vand means for driving said cutter chain comprising a gearl membermounted forwardly of said longitudinal shaft, and independent of vsaid housing cover, and a sprocket having driving connection with said gear member.

8. lin af mining machine, the combination of an elongatedv frame having a .recess in the forward end thereof provided with top and bottom walls, and opening to the foi w-ard end and to onel side `of said frame, and

anendless cutting element supported by said frame adapted to move thru said recess and to coact with the walls thereof to discharge the cuttings to one side of the machine, a motor, and a casing for said motorv adapted to rest on theimine floor. l. v

9. ln a mining machine adapted to be moved laterally along the face of `a. mine wall, the combination of anielongated frame having a recess in the forward end thereof provided with 'a top, bottom, rear, and one side wall, whereby said recessopens to the front and one side of said frame, and a vcutting element extending longitudinally from, and supported by,'saidffraine, adapted to co act with said walls to discharge the cuttings to one side of the machine.

lili

l0. ln a mining machine adapted to be ing a continuous arcuate surface conforming' substantially with the initial change of direction of lsaid cutting element.

ll. In a mining machine adapted to move laterally along the face of a miiie'wall, the

combination -of a frame having arecess in' lla';

the forward end thereof, a cutting element adapted to move through said recess and means in said recess restraining the cuttings from being discharged on the advance side of the machine, and cooperating with said cutting element for discharging the cuttings from the following side of said machine, a motor, and a casing for said motor mounted rearwardly of said frame and forming therewith the bottom plate of said machine on which the machine rests on the mine floor.

12. In a room and pillar mining machine, the combination of a frame having draft means operable on opposite ends of thel frame for advancing the machine laterallyT along' a mine wall, a cutting element rigidly supported on said frame and provided with a movable cutter chain extending rearwardly through a passageway extending longitudinally and thence transversely toward the following side of said frame, the side walls of said passageway cooperating with said cutter chain to move the cuttings rearw-ardly and then laterally to be discharged at the following' side of the machine.,

13. In a mining machine, the combination of a frame, means for advancing the machine laterally along the mine wall, a movable cutting element supported by said frame and extending into a recess in the forward portion thereof, a deflector iii said recess adapted to cooperate with said cutting element to discharge the cuttings to the fol-V lowing side of said machine, a motor, and a casing for said motor mounted rearwardly of said recessand adapted to rest on the mine floor.

l-i. In a mining machine, the combina-` tion of an elongated frame having a cuttings discharge channeliii the forward end there` of opening to one side of said frame, an endless cutting element supported by said framel gearing having below thev upper and to one side of said cuttings land having its rear` end disposed in said channel, a motor, driving connections for said cutter chain, and feed operating means to move said mining machine laterally onits vbottom along a mine fioor, said feed means comprising a planetary gearing mechanism disposed on a transverse axis having a portion thereof extending below the upper boundary and on the closed side of said cuttings channel. y THOMAS E. PRAY.

GEORGE BODIN.

along a mine floor, said feed- DISCLAIMER.

l,600,245.-Thoma.s E'. Pm/ and @cof/ge Bodin, Chicago, Ill. MINING MACHINE. Patent dated September 2l, 1926. Disclaimer led January 29, 1927,r by the patentees, assignee Goodman Manufacturing 0ompan% consenting.

Herebyl enter this disclaimer to that part of the subject matter claimed in said specification as set forth in claims numbered 14 and l5, which are in the following words: w

14. In a mining machine, the combination of an elongated frame having a cuttings discharge channel in the forward end thereof opening to one side of said frame, an endless cutting element supported by said frame and having its rear end ydisposed in said channel, a motor, driving connections for said cutter chain, and feed operating means to move sai-d mining machine laterally on its bottom along a mine floor, said feed means including a planetary gearing having a portion thereof extending below the upper boundary and to one side of said cuttings channel.

15. In a mining machine, the combination of an elongated frame having a cuttings discharge channel in the forward end thereof opening to one side of said frame, an endless cutting element supported by said frame and having its r-ear end disposed in said channel, A a motor, driving connections for said cutter chain, and feed operating means to-move said mining machine laterally on its bottom along the mine floor, said feed means comprising a planetary gearing mechanism disposed on a transverse axis having a portion thereof extending below the upper boundary. and on the closed side of said cuttings channel.

[Oficial Gazette February 8, 1927.] i

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