US1762154A

US1762154A - Mining machine

Info

Publication number: US1762154A
Application number: US104528A
Authority: US
Inventors: John H Blair
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1926-04-26
Filing date: 1926-04-26
Publication date: 1930-06-10
Anticipated expiration: 1947-06-10

Description

J. H. BLAIR MINING MACHINE June 10, 1930.

Filed April 26 June 10, 1930. J. H. BLAIR 1,762,154

MINING MACHINE Filed April 26, 1926 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. H. BLAIR MINING MACHINE June 1o, 1930;

Filed April 26. 1926 15 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. H. BLAIR MINING MACHINE June 10, 1930.

l5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 26, 1926Y J. H. BLAIR MINING MACHINE June l0, 1930.

Filed April 26, 1926 15 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,-ISE@ MAW@ J. H. BLAIR MINING MACHINE June 10, 1930.

Filed April 26, 1926 15 Sheets-Sheet 6 -/w @afar J. H. BLAIR MINlNG MACHINE 'June 1o, 1930.`

15 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed April 25, l 1926 Il Il ev, m N

7 'a/o vzwzmfw m June 10, 1930. J, H,V BLMR 1,762,154

MINING MACHINE Filed April 26, 19126 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 y MZQIQLW ,y o W l June 10, 1930. J. H. BLAIR 1,762,154

MINING MACHINE FiledvApril 26, 41926 151S`eetS-Sleet 9 f7 v ,wjgm '49,

June 10, 1930. J. H. BLAIR 1,762,154

MINING MACHINE Filed April 26, 1926 15 Sheets-Sheetl 10 4M/,3W 44444444@ gf/Mw M J. H. BLAIR MINING MACHINE June 10, 1930.

Filed April 26, l192e;

15 Sheets-Sheet 11 @4 NNN June 10, 1930. J. H. BLAIR 1,762,154

MINING MACHINE Filed April 26, 1926- 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 s, E l

, @dah J. H. BLAIR MINING MACHINE June 10, 1930.

Filed April 26. 1926 15 lSheets-Sheet 13 June l0, 1930. J. H. BLAIR 1,762,154

MINING MACHINE Filed April 2e, 192e 15 sheets-sheet 15 Patented June 10, 1930 PATENT OFFICE J' OHN' H. BLAIR, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINIS MINING MACHINE Application filed April. 26,

This invention relates to mining machines, more particularly to machines for mining coal, although it is to be understood that the machine of my present invention may be used for mining gypsum, shale or any other material for the mining of Which it is found suitable or adaptable.

I am awa-re that various mining machines have been provided and that various attempts have been made to increase the ton nage and capacity of the material handled and to decrease the cost of mining operations.

The proposals heretofore made have been costly and of limited capacity and they have not been generally practicable nor have they come into general use.

I have observed that the advantageous working positions of the machines of this sort heretofore employed are limited. The breakers or rams operate in most of their working positions against the butts of the coal or other material and at an angle tothe scams or cleavage planes in the material. The slabs of material have been lcut relatively wide, usually about four feet, and this, coupled with the angular operation of the breakers in most of their Working positions, has resulted in chewing or cutting the material up too fine. \Vide chunks frequentlybreak and drop down, especially Where the breakers aie Working in their horizontal position, which might otherwise be considered its most advantageous position, and these frequently clog up the entire machine and make it necessary to get in and break up the clogging material by hand. This all still further limits the capacity and tonnage Which is not good to start with because of the manner of breaking and cutting employed.

On the Whole, the proposals which have been Amade for cutting the kerfs closer together and thereby the material into smaller pieces, have been of' limited capacity or tonnage and have usually required Withdrawing or backing out of the cutter before the breakers could be brought into operation. The separate cutting and breaking operations i objectionably decrease the speed of Working and, as before, the breaking has again, at

1926. Serial No. 104,528.

least in most of the Working positions of the machine, been against the butts of the 1naterial and at an angle to the seams or cleavage planes with the same disadvantages as before. Cutting the slabs thinner vertically Without decreasing their Width, results in Wide pieces dropping down and clogging the entire machine or requiring manual breaking up before they could. be removed, and proposals in which breakers follow the cutters to operate upon the material after it is cut, are slow and limited in capacity, and the material is usually broken up finer than desired.

It is the object of my invention to provide an improved mining machine and method that Will better serve the purposes for Which intended, and particularly having greater capacity and tonnage, also not subject to clogging or the necessity of getting in and breaking up large slabs by hand and Which Will cut and break the material at convenient distances and in a manner to make lump coal, for example, of a suitable size.

According to my present invention, I provide a Cutter and breaker or mining head, particularly adapted for use and operation at the front end of the loading machine disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 1,749,968, issued March 11, 1930. The mining head of. the present invention is particularly adapted to be substituted for the shovel or scoop of the above referred to Letters Patent and the push and pull mechanism of that Letters Patent with the breakers herein provided, are adapted for setting the breakers to operate with the seams or lines of cleavage in all of their working positions. The cutting and breaking head is operable selectively in all of its Working positions and in restricted places Without requiring definite cycles or orbital movements. The cutters preferably operate at convenient distances to make lump coal of the desired size, and the breakers operate Without chewing up the material and Without withdrawing the cutters before the breaking operation.

I provide for advancing the entire machine ahead slowly and for breaking the material as the machine advances and simultaneously with the cutting operation. Th s speed of the chunks dropping and clogging upV the mav Y diagrammatic entire mining operation and the capacity and tonnage of the machine is greatly increased, a particular connnercial application of the machine now contemplatedl and of anV entirely practicable and reasonable size being now estimated to have a tonnage of from 800 to 1000 tons a day. 'lh'c possibility of wide chine is eliminated, as is the necessity lof sep- 10luaratingthe cutting and breaking operations,

as well as chewingllltting up the material iner than desired.

vention, while having particular utility in mining coal, is not to be limited tovmining coal or the other materials above referred to, but may be used for mining any material not too hard for the cutters or breakers employed.

It is to be also understood that while the push and pull mechanism at the front end of the machine of my Letters Patent above referred tol has particular utility with the present invention, that this invention is not limited to use with the other details of that machine. For example, the swingable and extensible intermediate frame of the loading machine may be omitted and the other details may beV varied as desired. Y v I To acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructing and practicing the present invention, I shall now describe the same in connection with a particular cutting and breaking mechanism embodying the invention. p In the drawings,

Figs. 1 and 1A are parts'of a more or less diagrammatic side elevational view of a machine embodying the present invention (Figs. V1 and 1A are'to be laid beside` each other with Fig. 1 to the left and Fig. 1A to the right);

Figs. 2 and 2A vare parts of a more'or less plan view of the same (Figs. 2 and 2A are to be laid beside eachother with Fig. 2 to the left and Fig. 2A to the right).

igs. Sand 4 are parts of an'enlarged plan view of one side of the cutter and breaker `head or member, showing the supporting, op-

erating connections between the forward end of the'machine and the side of the'cutter and breaker head shown (Figs. 3 and 4 are to be laid beside each other with Fig. 3 to the left and Fig. 4 to the right) Figs. 5 and 6 are parts of an enlarged side elevational view of the cutter and breaker head showing fragmentarily the adjacent end ofthe machine and the supporting, operating and drive connections between it and the head (Figs. 5 and 6 are to be laid beside l each other with Fig. 5 to the left and Fig. 6

to the right) l Figs. 7 and 8 are parts of a vertical, longi- V tudinal section taken on the line a-a of Figs. 3 and 4 (Figs. 7 and 8v are to be laid beside each other with Fig. 7 to the left and Fig. 8Y to the right) Y Figs. 9 and 10 are parts of a vertical section taken substantially on the line b-.b of Figs. 3 and 4 with the adjacent tier of breakers removed to show the racks for the breaker carriage (Figs. 9 and 10 are'to be laid beside each other with Fig. 9 to the left and Fig. 10 to the right) v Fig. 11 is a fragmentary, vertical, transverse section through the cutter and breaker Y- 'headtaken substantiallyon the line c-o of -It is to be understood that the present viny Fig. 4; l Y Y Fig. 12 is a fragmentary longitudinal verv tical section throughthe machine on' an en? larged scaleand showing the means for rack- Ation taken on the line 14.-14 of Fig. 7' and looking down.

Referring irst to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the machine with which I have elected to show my present invention is the type more fully disclosed in my U. S.v Patent No.

1,749,968, dated March 11, 1930.

It comprises in general the main body or base frame 5 mounted upon caterpillar treads '6, fortravellingover the ground and for moving the entiremachine to the desired position, maneuvering it as desired and advancing the entire machine and the cutter and breaker head at' the forward end thereof slowly toward and into the material being mined. 3

The particular tread arrangement and the frame arrangement and other details of the main machine, per se, may be varied as desired. I1 particularly contemplate at present eliminating, for mining purposes, the extensible frame,tobehereinafter referred to. In the particular machine shown, however, which is merely for the purpose of imparting a clear understanding of my invention in connection therewith, the main conveyor section '7 lies along the central part ofthe main frame or truck 5 and this main conveyor has a drop front and a raised rear, as shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1. The drop front ofthe conveyor 7 receives the coal or other material from the front conveyor section 10 which is mounted upon an extensible frame 12. The forward end of the frame 12 bears the cutter and breaker head or member designated generally at 13, and this cutter and breaker head 13 is suitably articulated at the front end of the swingable front conveyor arm to operate in an improved and highly effective manner upon the material in all of its working position 10 is adapted to be swung up and down' with the articulated arm 14 and cutter and breaker head 13 to permit cutting and breaking and operation of the cutter and breaker head as a whole in different vertical positions. The cutter and breaker head 13 may be swung selectively about its articulated or pivotal mounting l5 at the front or outer end of the arm 14. It may be swung to or fro through any range of movement about the pivot 15 without thenecessity of a complete cycle or definite fixed orbital movement of the member 13 about its pivot. This permits cutting and breaking in restricted places and up close to corners and overhead roofs, such as are usually present in coal mine passages, without the necessity of requiring a fixed sweep or movement in spite of obstructions or the lack of any necessity for the entire movement and without the necessity of always allowing sufficient clearance for a complete cycle or movement.

The front conveyor carrying arm 14 is in turn pivoted or articulated at 18 on the front end of the extension frame 12 and is adapted to be swung selectively about the pivot 18 up and down in vertical directions. The arm 14 is adapted to be swung selectively up .and down to position the member 13 at any desired height or level, but like the cutter and breaker head 13 there is no definite cycle of movement required of the arm 14 in any of the working positions of the head 13 and it need never be swung from the working position of the cutter and breaker head upwardly or to any other position to receive the coal or other material from the head 13. The cutter and breaker head 13 delivers the material to the conveyor 10 in any and all of its working positions without moving the arm 14 or the front conveyor 10.

In the particular embodiment shown, the frame 12 is eXtensible and retractable longitudinally of the machine for the purpose of moving the cutter and breaker head 13 in or out without moving the entire machine, it being understood, as already pointed out, that I propose in practice to dispense Vith this extensible and retractable feature and that, in operation, the cutter and breaker head will be preferably advanced into the material by a slow movement of the 'entire machine by means of the caterpillar treads 6, 6.

The raised rear of the main conveyor 7 overlies the drop front of a delivery conveyor section 21 disposed at the rear of the machine and receiving the material from the main conveyor 7. The rear conveyor 21 has a conveyor arm 23 which, in the embodiment shown, may be swung up and down selectively in vertical direction and. in the embodiment shown, the rear conveyor frame, together with the conveyor 21 is adapted to be swung laterally about a king pin 24 (Fig. 2), so that the material may be delivered from the machine to any desired vertical or lateral position. The pivot about which the rear conveyor frame 23 is adapted to be swung vertically is designated generally at 2:5 in Fig. 1. The central main conveyor section 7 is mounted upon a laterally swingable frame 26 having rollers 27 operating upon a track 28. The

frame

1,2 is mounted for extension and retraction upon the laterally swingable frame 26 and the rear end of the frame 26 is mounted to swing laterally about the king pin 24, the intermediate conveyor 7 and front conveyor 10 swinging laterally as a unit about this pivot 24 to position the cutter and breaker head 13 in any desired lateral position.

While the particular source of power may, of course, be varied, the source employed 1n the particular machine shown comprises a pair of

electric inotors

30, 30. The motors which I contemplate employing in the particular machine shown are of 50 horse power rating mill type. Y These motors 30 are mounted upon the frame 12 as shown in Fig. 2, one upon each side of the machine. Drivingly connected through suitable reduction gearing 32, one with each motor 30 and extending longitudinally one along each side of the machine, are a pair of

shafts

35, 35.

As in my application above referred to, these

shafts

35, 35 form the main drive shafts .for racking the extension frame 12 in and out, for selectively swinging the cutter and breaker head 13 about its pivot 15 and for swinging the front conveyor arm vertically. In addition, in the present invention, they drive the cutter and breaker mechanism, as will be pointed out later. The main transverse or cross shaft for racking the extension frame .12 in and out is designated at 38 in Fig. 2A. This cross shaft 38 is provided at each of its opposite ends with a brake 39 and with a bevel gear 40. Each of the bevel gears 40 meshes with a pair of bevel gears 42, which gears are-selectively connected with the drive shafts 35 to turn therewith by means of clutches 43. The gears 42 on one side of the gears 40 turn the shaft 38 in one direction and the gears 42 on the other side of the gears 40 turn the shaft 38 in the opposite direction. The brakes 39 normally operate when there is no power application to the shaft 38 to lock the same against turning and the frame 12 against movement. The drives at each of the opposite ends of Jdie shaft 38 provide a powerful balanced drive and they are operated, varied, connected and disconnected together.

Forwardly or outwardly of the cross shaft 38 is a second cross shaft 45 which is simil arly selectively connected with the main drive shaft 35 to turn in one direction or in the other direction selectively, as desired, through pairs of clutches 46 and associated bevel gears 48 which mesh with bevel gears 50, the shaft 45 being provided with brakes 52 for locking 12. Each of thesepinions 55 meshes with a larger -g'ear 58, the gears 58 being suitably keyed or -fixed upon a 'cross shaft 60 suitably journaled on t-he frame 12. The gears 58 mesh i lo' withiracks 62 on themenextensible laterally swingable frame 26 so that when the cross shaft 38 is turned in one direction, the gears 58 turn therewith, and by their engagement with the racks 62, rack or move the extensible frame 12 forwardly or outwardly. l-Vhcn the cross shaft 38 is driven in the opposite (li-- rection, the frame 12 is racked or retracted inwardly. l

Fixed on the cross shaft 45 to turn therewith are a pair of pinions, one of which is shown at in Fig. 12. Each of these pinions 65 meshes with a somewhat larger gear 66 fixed upon short transverse shafts 68 suitably journaled on the frame 12. Each of the gears 66 meshes with a rack 70 formed on the under surface of the associated push and pull arm 72, it being understood that there is one of these arms on each side of the machine. The operating movementof the arms 72 is always either in tension when the operation is through a pulling of said arms, or in compression when the operation is through a pushing of said arms. At their rear ends the arms 72 have guide rollers 73 which operate in and are guided by tracks 74 formed on the frame 12.

Links 78 pivoted at 80 to the forward or outer ends of the push and pull armsV 72 eX- tend forwardly or outwardly and are pivoted at their opposite ends-,at 82 (2A and 3) to the cutter and breaker head-13 eccentrically of the pivotal mounting 15 thereof. The plan view of Fig. 3 is of that portion of the cutter and breaker head on oneside of a medium line longitudinally through thermachine, it being understood that the cutter and breaker head and connecting links 78, aswell as the drive connections and other .parts to be hereinafter described, are duplicated on the other side of that median line, as shownv in Fig. 2. The links 78 also always operate in tension or compression to swing the cutter and breaker head 13 selectively to or fro about its pivoted or articulated mounting 15. When the cross shaft 45 is turned in one direction, the arms 72 are pulled or drawn rearwardly to swing the cutter and breaker head 13 in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot 15, and when the cross shaft 45 is turned in the opposite direction the arms 72 areforced. or pushed outwardly to push the cutter and breaker head 13 in a clockwise direction about its pivotal mounting 15. Through the clutches 46 the cutter and breaker head 13 may be swung to any desired distance and in either direction selectively as desired, about the pivot 15.

The cutter and breaker head 13 may thus be operated selectively about its pivot without any necessity of completing an orbital or cycle of movement each time. It may be swung into any desired position and through any desired range and back.

Forwardly of the cross shaft 45 is a third cross shaft 90 suitably journaled on the frame 12. vThe c-ross'sh'a'ft'90, likethe shafts 3 8 and I 45 has fixed o'n'its opposite ends bevel 'gears 92, each of which meshes continuously with a pair of reversing bevel gears 93, the bevel gears 93 on one side of the gears 92 operating cumulativelyon opposite ends of the shaft 90 to turn the same in one direction and the bevel gears 93 on thev other Asides ofthe gears 92 operating cumulatively on opposite ends of the shaft 90 to turn this shaft 90 in the opposite direction. v/

Each of the gears 93 has a clutch 94, for selectively fixing these gears onthe shaft 35 for rotation therewith and the opposite ends of the shaft 9.0 mayvhave brakes 95 for normally locking the shaft 90 against rotation when there is no power application thereto.

Fixed on the cross shaft 90 are a pair of spur pinions 98, one of which is shown in Fig.'12, and these pinions 98 mesh with somewhat larger spur. gears 100 mounted on relatively short transverse shafts or spindles 102 which may be suitably journaled on the frame 12. The spur gears 100 mesh with racks 104 on the upper surfaces of associated push and pull or rack arms 105, it being understood .that like the arms 72 there is one ofthe arms 105'on each of the opposite sides of the machine, these `arms being similarly operable so that a detailed description of one will suffice for both. At their rear ends, the push and pull or rack arms 105 have guide rollers 106 which operate in and are guided by suit# able tracks 108 on the frame 12.

At their front or forward ends, the arms 105 are pivotally connected at 110 with push and pull links 112,`the opposite or front ends of which links 112 are in turn pivotally connected at 114 with the front vertically swingable conveyor frame or boom arm 14, as shown in Fig. 5. Y

By turning the front cross shaft 90 in one direction, the arms 112 will be retracted to swing the conveyor arm 14 downwardly or in a clockwise direction about its pivot 18, and by turning the cross shaft 90 in the opposite direction the conveyor armor boom frame 14 will be swung vertically upwardly or in a counterclockwise direction. f The vertical tical height or vertical position in the mine passage or other place. The vertical swingabout its pivot 15 in any of its working positions so that the breaker rams or members may be positioned horizontally or to operate with the seams or lines of cleavage in the coal or other material in any of the vertical positions of the'cutter and breaker head, as will hereinafter appear. In this manner, the push and pull arms 112 are utilized to swing the cutter and breaker head angularly to any desired vertical position and wholly selectively, and the push and pull arms 72 are operable selectively to compensate for the different angles of the cutter and breaker head in its various vertical positions and to position the cutter and breaker head for effective operation upon the material in all i other positions, particularly positioning the breaker rams or members to operate horizontally or with the seams or lines of cleavage in the coal or other material in all of the working positions of the cutter and breaker head. Y

A longitudinal shaft 120suitably driven by the motors 30 has a pinion 121 which meshes with an arcuate rack 122 on the under surface of the laterally swingable frame 26 for the purpose of swinging the same and the cutter and breaker head 13 at the forward end thereof laterally, as desired. This lateral swinging movement is wholly selective in all of the working positions of the machine all as more fully disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 1,749,968, issued March 11, 1930.

Each of the two threads 6 is driven at each of its opposite ends from the motors 30 as through gearing designated at 125 (Fig. 2), it being apparent that the two treads 6 may be driven in the same direction to advance the'machine slowly into the material or in the opposite direction to propel the machine rearwardly and either tread may be adapted to be driven relative the other tread, or they may be adapted to be driven. in opposite directions to turn the machine abruptly'and maneuver the same into and out of inaccessible places.

Referring now to Figs. 3, .4, 5, 6 and7, the cutter and breaker head 13 comprises a. frame 150 swingably mounted at 15 at the outer or forward end of the arm 14 and pivotally connected at 82 to the outer vor forward ends of the push and pull links 78.

The cutter and breaker mechanism' comprises, in general, a horizontally operable under cutter 152, a plurality of verticallyA number of vertical cutters and breakers em` rployed may be increased any particular purpose or they may be varied for any other desired reason. It is important, however, regardless .of the number of cutters and breakers employed, that the vertical cutters be spaced to cut the coal or other material into relatively narrow widths. This feature, coupled with the provisions which I make for simultaneously operating the cutters and the breakers to break down therelatively narrow width cut selectively as the machine is advanced into the material and without the necessity of withdrawing the cutters or otherwise separating the cutting and breaking operation and without the necessity of following the cutting operation with the breaking operation in a progressive cycle, are highly important aspects of my invention.

It will be understood that any increase or decrease in the number of vertical cutters employed,l will simply increase or decrease the number of relatively narrow widths ofthe material cut without materially or impracticably increasing the widths of the slabs of material themselves. By cutting the slabs of relatively narrow widths and operating the breakers simultaneously with the advance of the cutters, the capacity and tonnage of the machine is greatly increased. Furthermore, the breakers operating upon these relatively narrow slabs break them up into larger lumps than it has been usually possible to secure before and without chewing the slabs up or pulverizing or breaking them too fine and, at the saine time, the possibility of causinga chunk or slab of a width as wide or wider than the entire machine, to break oif and drop down and clog the machine, mak-l ing it necessary to get in and break up the same by hand, is eliminated. y The widest piece that could possibly break off and fall or decreased to suit down could be no wider than the distance between the vertical cutters. A chunk of that width would not clog up or stall the machine and because of the narrower width and greater vertical connection with the face of the material, the possibility of chunks that wide breaking oli' and falling down is greatly decreased.

Because of the smaller or less width of the chunks or slabs cut, the breakers will break them more uniformly and into larger lumps, particularly lumps of the desired size for lump coal and, at the same time, the smaller or decreased widths of the slabs expedites