US1770922A - Mining machine - Google Patents

Description

M. P. HOLMES MINING MACHINE July 22, 1930.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May. 1, 1922 y 23, 1930- Q P. HOLMES 1,770,922

MINING MACHINE Filed May 1 22 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 22, 193C Messrs in HOLMES; cnnnniicirr nnw ji mairsnren, ism-acmeenemas 1 Q CECZiN EZRY COMPANY, econrons'rron' or'fiaassncnnsnrrs MINI G mem A plication filed M y hi invention relates to minin machines.

It has for itsobject to provide animproved cutter chain: driving mechanism for such a machine and improved. cooperating feeding. 5 and. .feed" controlling mechanism therefor,-

whereby the operation ofthe machine is maiterially improved'and whereby the-mecha-" nlSnT is materially simplified and rendered more flexible 1n operation. .Theseand other ob ects and advantages of my improved con struction' will,'. however, hereinafter more Fig. 1 isa plan view partially in section of a miningmachine construeted'to provide an illustrative embodiment of my inventlon.

Fig. '2 is a side elevation partially in sec--- tion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view on line 3-3 In this illustrative construction I have shown a mining machine of the room and pillar type c'omprising'a casing 1 slidable on so its bottom. 2 on the mine bottom and carrying a cutter bar 4 provided with the usual circu-' In describing my improved construction, 1 -W]ll first describe the cutter chain driving: mechanism. The cutter chain 5 is driven by.

a driving sprocket 8 rotatable on a vertical axis adjacent the rear end of the machine; f

Here it will be noted: that the armatureshait of the motor 6 is provided with a beveled pin 45. ion 9 in turn meshing with a "horizontally disposed larger bevel gear 10 rotatable on a ball bearing 10 concentricwith a-"vertica-l stud f 11 on the'rear end ofthe frame. This gear "10 is inturn connected as through nuts 12 to a sleeve carrying a lower pinionil3 which in:

invention may assume in int carrying cutter'chain- 5 and" 1922. 5 Serial Nb. ?,66-1,

. rmeshesiwith a pluralityoL- herein three, radially located pinions 14 j ournaled in suit able ball bearings 15 on-a spider 16, while the pinions 14 mesh Wltll. an internal gear 17 at-' tached aisby screws 18 to the sprocket member 8 and which with that member isjournaled on roller bearings 19; herein located between ball bearings 20, so as to vrotaterelative to the spider. and the lower end of the stud. As

shown, the spider is also provided with an up{ standing sleeve 21rotatable on the studinside the sleeve carrying the pinion 13, andsuitable bearing sleeves 22 and 23are'provided on'the' opposite sides of this s1eeve21 while the roller bearings are enclosed in. suitable sleeves 24 and 25. Afla'nge'd ringl26 is also interposed between thelower roller bearing 19 and the lower ball bearing 20, while are'taining member 27, flush with and attached to the bottom plate by suitable screws 28 and to a reduced.

portion 29 on the stud by a suitable screw 30, is provided tohold the parts in the desired assembled relation. .As illustrated, the gear a H i i i 1 17 is also provided with a friction surface-.31

4 is a detail sectional View onv line 44 I of the frame, herein adjacent the feed opcrating member, and having its nutrotated by a hand wheel 3 1.. V f 1 Cooperating'with this mechanism is the feeding mechanism. This mechanism is herein. connected to'and-driven by thesleeve-21 on "the spider, the same being connected through a clutchconnection'35 acting semi-"f permanently to connectthis'sleeve with a worm carrying sleeve 36 rotatable on the upper end'of the stud relative toa flanged :be'ar'ing sleeve 37,the bearing 10; anda ball bearing 38 removable through the top of the ,or thestud; Assho'wn, this worm gear rotatesiwith the casing 4C4? ofa differential; here- 1!]..COII1P11S1HQ" SQIIQSjOf beveled gears, hereln machine frameand, uponremoval-of a cap V and 'ournaled in a suitable bushin C1 'side'of the machine frame 1.

three, carried on a spider 46 and meshing .with oppositely disposed bevel gears 47 and 48 rotatable on a transverse shaft 49. As shown, the gears 45 are suitably journaled on ball bearings 50 on the spider studs, the spider is keyed to the shaft 49 as at 51, and the gears 47 and48are carried on sleeves 52 and 53,.

suitably journaled in ball bearings .54'idisposed between the same and theditferential casing. As shown herein,thesleeve 52 is also keyed as at 55 to the hub of a friction pulley 56-the rotation of which is controlled.- by a suitable brake band 57 through a controlling member 58, while the sleeve 52 is'also 'connected through a seml-permanent clutch 59- \vitha sleeve 60, This sleeve'60 which is yournaled in a suitable bushing 61 carries at its outer end a spur pinion 62 which meshes with an internal gear 68 upon a suitable drum member 64 jOlllllttletl in an appropriatemanner upon the left hand side of the machine frame 1. Also it will be noted that the sleeve 53 is keyed as at 65 to the hub of a friction pulley 66 controlled by a brake band 67 operlated by a controlling member 68 and that this sleeve 53 is connected throu h a semiernn'inent clutch 69 with a sleeve 70. The sleeve 70 likewise carries at its outer end a drivingpinion? 1 meshing with an internalgear 7 2 73. The internal gear 72 is formed upon a drum member'74 suitably journaled on the right hand Appropriate holding means, indicated at 75, are provided for the purpose of holding the sleeves GO and 70 in appropriate longitudinal position rela'-- tive to the shaft 49.

Coo-pera't ngwith the drums 64 and '14 are suitable flexible feeding members78 and 79 off to a suitable takeup member adjacent the.

right hand rib. In order to permit the machine to cut in opposite directions there are provided additional guiding sprockets 82 and 83 corresponding respectively to the sprockets 81 and and arrangedrcspectively at the opposite sides of the machine frame from their corresponding sheaves. It will be understood that the flexible members '78 and 79 may be wound in either direction on their respective drums and maybe variously reeved relative to the sheaves 80, 82 and 81, 83.

The mode of operation of this mechanism when cutting across a face from right'to left may now be'described and from this description one skilled inthe art will be able to un-' derstand theoperation of thejmachine underother conditions. Let it be assumedthat the lllZLChlllG has been sumpedinto the coal and straightened up to the face, that the rear end of the flexible feeding member 79 is connected to a take-up member adjacent the right hand rib and that the forward end of the member 78. is connected to a jack adjacent the left hand rib and relatively close to the face. The cutter chain must circulate under these circumstances in acounter-clockwise movement through its orbit. It will therefore be found that, looking forward, the bevel pinion 9 upon the armature shaft is rotating in a counterclockwise direction, driving the pinion 10 in a clockwise. direction viewed from above. This causes the gear 13 to rotate in a clockwise direct-ion viewed from above and the latter drives the several pinions 14 in a counterclockw se direction, causing them to drlve the internal gear 17 which is connected as previously described to the cutter chain driving sprocket 8 in a counterclockwise direction so that thecutter chain is rotatedin the necessary' direction. chain of course presents a substantial resist- During cutting the cutter ance'to being dragged through the coal and accordingly the gear 17 does not rotate as rapidly as would be possible-were there no resistance opposed to its'rotation. It thereforeifollows that the gears 14 being unable todrive the gears 17 at a speed equal to their peripheral speed, roll ina clockwise direction around the internal gear carrying with them the spider member 16 which is connected to the worm 36 and causing thereby the worm 36 to rotate in a clockwise direction. It will be observed from Fig. 2 that this worm has a left han d thread and as a result it causes the worm wheel 43 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 2/ If the two pinions 62 and 71 present equal resistances to rotation, thedrums 64 and"! 4 will be rotated in the same direction and at equal speeds and in view of the way-in which the rope is wound upon the drums it will be found that the drum 64 avill rotate in a direction to wind in the flexible portion 7 8while the drum 7 4 will rotate in a direct-ion to pay out the-flexible portion 79.

Accordingly, the machine would be moved across the face while maintained perpendicular tothe'face. It Willbc observed that the rope 78 must be under a substantial tension in order to move the machine. which tension resists the rotation of the drum64 while the pulling of the machine across the face places the rope 79 under a tension which tends'to aid the rotation of the drum 74. It is therefore evident that the drums would not rotate in the same direction and at equal speeds'due to the presence of the differential unless the friction-member 66 were loaded to'the extent necessary to cause 'agresistance to rotation in t-heca se oft-he pinion 71 equal to that in the ciaseof the pinion 62. This is thereforedone aiichtheimachine tllQIlzillOVB'S across theface in the manner described. virtue ofthe construct-ion just described it-will be evident that by tightening the brake band 67 still further, the sp'eedof rotation of the pinion 62 may be increased abovethat of the pin1on7l.

There will accordingly resulta more rapid Y WiIlCll" in of the flexible portion 78 than the paying out of the flexible portion 7 9. are

' cordingly; the bar will move forward more rapidly and the machinewill be angled-inbne direction. By slackening off the friction upon drums twice as rapid as when they are rotating at the same speech-thereby permitting a more rapid movement during shifting of the machine from place to place and during sum pi ng.

Moreover, when a very rapid 'movementof the machine is desired. this is 1 extending around the guide sheaves witheasily obtained by manipulation of the controlling mechanism-33 'in' such lmanner as to lock the cutter chain entirely, a relatively high speed of movement of the machine frame over the mine bottom then being p0 sible. During cutting from left to right, the motor will obviously be reversed which will cause, without any changein the'direction of winding of the flexible members upon the d ums, paying out of the flexible member 78 and winding in of the flexible: member 79. V

effecting lateralrfeed andcontrolhng ma-- By virtue of the dispositionof the members 80 and 82, and 81 and 83bit will be readily possibleto' carry the member '78 back from the member 80, aroundthe member 82 and on? to a takc-up member at the left'hand rib. while the member 79 may be carried forward and around the member 83. That is to say, while the flexible portions 78 and 79 areleft which they are shown cooperating in Fig. 1,

they may be caused to leave the machine;

frame at the opposite ends of the latter from their present disposition with the result that the machine will be appropriatelyguided when cutting from left to right. Other pos-j' sibilities as to the operation of this mechanism will readily present themselves tov one skilled in this art and accordingly it seems unnecessary to provide a more detailed discussion.

While I have in this application specifi cally described one form. whiclimy inventi ,n may assume in practice, will be understood that this form of the same s shown for purposes of illustration and that the 1n-' vention may be modified and embodied in various other-forms without departing from its spirit or the scope oi the appended clalms. 'VVhat I claim as new and desireto; secure.

by Letters Patent is In a mining machine, "feeding mecha nism therefor includ ng a dilterent al havmg rbita'lly movable elementsfand controh lable to vary the feed;- cutting mechanism ineluding orbitally moving'elements, "and driV- orbitally movable elements and controllable V to va-ry thefeed,cutting mechanism includlng orblt ally movable elements, a motor, and power transmittingconnections betweensaid V 'forsaidmechanisms including a motor and: mechanical connections between- 1 movement of the motor and said mechanisms for drivinggthe' inversely varying speeds. V r

3. 'lnainining machine, mechanism for I effecting lateralteed including flexible feeding means, a rotatable feed operating member. cooperatingtherewith, and differential means including orbitally movable elements 7 and controllable to vary the'speed and power transmitted to said member, cutting mechanism including orbitally movable elements, a motor, and power transmittingconnections orbitally iovable elements or" the latter at between said motor and the orbitally 'movable elements ofsaidmechanisms for'eiiecting the supply or" power theretoflin inverse ratio 1 f i 4;. In a mining machine, mechanism'for -riable speed-device toretl'ecting drive" at any speed between, Zero and a. predetermined mammum, and a single diflerential driven by said variable speed device and through'which said members are driven, said 'difierential heir-4; controllable, to eflect rotation of said members at mverselyvarying speeds.

nism for effecting lateral teedand controlling machine "angle including fleXible'feed-' ving means, rotatable feed operating and controlling members" cooperating with said fieX- ible feeding means, and 'difierential means controllable to vary the power distribution to said members, cutting mechanism, a mooperating and. i

" between said'motor' anl said feedfoperating and centrolhngkmembets including a '.va-"

51-11: a mining machine', feeding mechasting mechanisms for effecting operation thereof at inverselyvarying speeds."

6. In a mlning machine, cutting mechachine in a direction parallel to a Working face during cutting, and driving means for said mechanisms including a motor'and power transmission connectionsbetween said motor and said mechanisms for driving the latter at inversely varying speeds, said feeding mechanism comprising adifi'erential including elements movable in an orbit upon transmiss on of power thereto by sald motor.

K. In a mining machine, cutting mechanism, feeding mechanism for feeding the ma-- chine in a direction parallel to a working face during cutting, driving means'for said mechanisms including a motor and power transmission connections between said motor and said. mechanisms for driving the latter at inversely varying speeds, said feeding mechanism comprisinga differential including elements movable in an orbit upon transmission of power thereto by said motor, and friction means for controlling the rotation of. the elements of the latter. v

, 8. Ina mining .machine, cutting mechanism, feeding mechanism for feeding the machine in a direction parallel to a Working face during cutting, driving means for said cutting and feeding mechanisms including a motor and power transmission connections between said motor and said cutting and feeding mechanisms for driving the latter at inversely varying speeds, said feeding mechanism comprising a differential, and feedoperating and controlling members operatively connected to separate elements of the differ- V ential.

9. In a mining machine, cutting mechanism, feeding mechanism for feeding the machine in adirectionparallel to a Working face during cutting, driving means for said cut ting and feeding mechanisms including a motor-and power transmission connections betWeensa-id motor and said cutting and'feeding mechanisms for driving the latter at inversely varying speeds, said feeding mechanism comprising a difierential, feed operating and controlling members operatively connected to the differential, and independent controlling means for'said members.

10. In ,-a.m1-n1ng machlne, cutting mecha- -;n:ism, feeding'mechanism for feeding the machine :in a direction parallel to a Working face dluring cutting, driving means for saidcutnting and feeding mechanisms including a -mo'tor. and power transmission connections sloetween sagijd motor and said cutting and feedgmechanisms for driving the latter at inersely-varyingspeeds, said-feeding mecha- -:n-ism comprising a differential, feed operatingaand controlling members operatlv'ely connectedv to the differential, and independent friction controlled controlling means for said members. a

11. In a mining machine, cutter chain driv-.

ing mechanism connected to one element of a nism, feeding mechanlsm for feeding the ma- .frictionally controlled planetary gearing,

feeding mechanism connected to another element thereof including a differential, and a feed operating member and a controlling memb r operatively connected to different elements of said differential.

'13; Ina mining'machine, cutter chain driving mechanism connected to one element of a frit ona'lly controlled planetary gearing,

feeding mechanism connected to another element thereof including a difierential, a feed operating member and a controlling member operatively connected to different elements of said diferential, and independent controlling means for said members.

1a. In a mining machine, cutter chain driving mechanism connected to' one element of a frictionally controlled planetary gearing, feeding mechanismconnected to another element thereof including a differential, a feed operating member and a controlling member operatively connected to different elements of said differential, and independent frictionally controlled controlling means for said members. i r

15. In a mining machine, cutter chain driving mechanism connected to one elementof a frictionally controlled planetary gearing, Worm gearing connected to another one of the elements thereof, a differential driven by said Worm gearing, and feeding mechanism driven by said differential.

16. In a mining machine, cutter chain driving mechanism connected to one element of a frictionally controlled planetary gearing, Worm gearing connected to another one of the elements thereof, a differential driven by said Worm gearing, and feeding mechanism driven by said differential including independently controlled feed operating and controlling members. I

1?. a mining machine, cutter chain driving mechanism connected to one element of a frictionally controlled planetary gearin \vorm gea ringconnected to another one of the elements thereof, a differential driven by said WOIIII ring, and feeding mechanism driven by said differential including a frictionally controlled feed operating and a frictionally controlled 5 controlling member;

18. In a mining machine, cutter chain driving mechanismconnected to one element of a frictionally controlled planetary gearing, -wormgear1ng connected to another one of-the controlled controlling member,

controlled feed operating and 'frictionally bel'S; 1! 1 .1

19,; The (ZOll'lblIlLtlOll' chine; oii cutter'chain drl feeding cineans cooperating withisaid -mem mining ma trolled planetary gearing,- Worm gearingcom an d controlhng in controlling members. i a 1 21. in a mining apparatus, mechan sm tor a diii erent l driven by s aid Worm gearin feeding ii 7 anism including fee -d opera nected to another onefof the elementsthereoi i -erential, and flexible feeding cooperatin gwith opposite sides of said machine.-

20." In a mining apparatus, mechanism for:

feeding a machine of tlieiiroom'and pillar-type and for controllingi-ts angle to auivorlringf face including a plurality oi feed operating and controlling menibers' adapted to cooperate directly with flexible'feeding means, and driving mechanism; for said. members includa variable, speed r-differential mechanism anda differential driven. thereby, said diliere ential having corresponding elements operativ-ely. connected tothe feed operating and feeding a machine of the room and pillartype and for contrelllng its angle toa Worlnng iaee including apluralit-ylof feed operating and;

controlling members adapted to cooperate directly WliIlIflGXlblB feeding means, anddriv ing and controlling mechanism for saidvmem here including a variable speedwdifi erential ments'operatively connected tothe feed eper and for centrolling itsj angle to a working time includinga plurality of feed-operating and controlling 'members adapted to cooper ate directly with flexible feeding meana'anjd driving and controllin mechanism for said members incl ding a variable dili'erential inechani n and flexible g 'mechanism con-i nected to one ielenienmoif a frictionally con- 7 '"nbers driven by said dirsaid members andhaving pee: tions extending 711 1 oppesltedirections troln v 'feedoperatmg member and a 7 and a difi'erential driven: thereby,'said diii'erential having correspond entialat different speeds inversely .p r'opor-e tional to speeds of the cutting mechanism.

24;. In a mining apparatus, mechanism for feeding-a machine of the room. and pillar type.

and for controlling its angle to aworking face including feed operating and controllingmeans on the machine including ,a' motor; a

' d *erential, worm and vvorml gear I driving mechanism therefor, and I meansdriven by said'fmotor for rotating 'sai-divorm at .Widely feeding a inachineiof the room and pillar .iierent speeds between zero and aiprede-L. t-e-rm'..1ed maximum While said motor speed ran tinsconstantx 7 i 25: Ina mining apparatus, mechanism for V type "bodily laterally over-the mine bottom during the cutting operation and for control ling-its angle to a working faceincluding a member, flexible. feeding means controlling cooperating, with sald members lncludlng advanceand re;

a ling flexible feeding' portions extending in oppositefdirections'from Opposite ends of the; machmefiariablespeed means through which both of said members are driven for effecting matically operative upon retardation of one member to increase'the speed'of operation or. the other.

'26; In a mi'nin a) aratusmechanism. for b l a a:

flexible feeding means cooperatingwith' said I 1' members including advance and receding mechanism and a difierentialdriven thereby, said dIfi QFQZ lbHll having corresponding: el-e-- flexible feeding portions extending: in, opposite directions-from opposite ends of themachine, variablespeed means through which ating and controlling members andme'ansi'or controlling the rotation of said members 7 22. In a miningapparatus,"mechanismfor feeding a machine of the room and-pillar type} mati'cally operative.uponiretardation of either memberto increase the-speed ofthe other; I

27. Ina mininga-pparatus, mechanism for fee'dmg a machine ofthe room and pillar type bodily laterally over the mine bottom during the cutting operation and'for controlling its angle to a Working face includinga feediop crating member and a controlling member, 'fienibl'effeejding means cooperating Withs'aid members including advance I and receding 5 flexible feeding portions extending in oppositefdirections from opposite ends ofthe machine, variable speed means through which both of said members are driven for effecting drive thereof at'any speedbetweengzero and a predetermined maximum, and means driven through saidi variable speed means and auto-' matically-operative upon-anli'n'ciease in speed I feedin'g'a machine of the room andIpillar t-ype bodily laterally over the mine bottomduring" the cutting operation and for controlling its. angle to thevvorking faceineluding a feed" operating member and acontrolling member,

ofsaid. controlling member to decrease the speed ofisaid.feedoperating member.

28. Inla miningapparatus, mechanism for feeding a machine of the room and pillar type bodily laterallyover the mine bottom during the cutting operationand for controlling its.

flexible feeding portionsextending in opposite directions from opposite ends of the machine, variable speed means through which both of said members are; driven for effecting drive thereof at any speed between Zero and a predetermined maximum, and means driven through said variable spced'means and automatically operative upon an increase in speed of either memberto decrease the speed of the other.- l

-29. In a mining apparatus, mechanism for feeding amachine of the room and pillar type and for controlling its angle to a working face including a pluralityof feed operating and controlling members, driving gearing thereforincluding a differential having corresponding'elements connected to said feed opcrating and controllingmembers, and means manually controllable to effect rotation of said differential at any speed from zero to a given maximum. 30. In a mining machine, feeding mechanism thereforincluding a differential having 1 v a differential, and a feed operating member and: a controlling member operatively conorbitally movable elements and controllable to vary thefeed, cutting mechanism including orbitally movable elements, and driving means for said mechanisms including a motor and mechanical connections between said mo-. tor and said orbitallvniovable elements for, automatically decreasing the speed of certain of said orbitally movable elements upon an increasein speed of theother orbitally movable elements.

31. In a mining machine, fee-ding mechanism therefor including a differential having orbitally movable elements and controllable to vary the feed, cutting mechanismincluding cutting devices and driving means therefor including orbitally movable'driving elements,a motor, and mechanical power transmitting connections between said motor and said mechanisms for driving the orbitally movable elements of the latter at inversely varying speeds.

32. In a mining machine, mechanism for. effecting lateral feed including flexible feeding means, a rotatable feed operating member cooperating therewith, and d1fierent1al means including orbitally movable elements and controllable to vary the speed and power transmitted to saidmember, cutting mechanism including cutting devices and driving means therefor including orbitallymova'ble driving elements, a motor, and mechanicalpower transmittingconnections between said said mechanisms for effecting the supply of power thereto in inverse ratio.

33'. In a miningmachine, cutting mechanism, feeding. mechanism for feeding the machine in a direction parallel to a working face during cutting, and driving means for said mechanisms including a motor and mechanical power transmission connections between said motor and said cutting andfeeding mechanisms for driving the latter at inversely varying speeds, said feeding mechanism comprising a differential including elements movable in an orbit upon transmission of power thereto by said motor. i

34. In a mining apparatus, mechanism for feeding a machine 'of the room and pillar type and for controlling its angle to a working face including feed operating means on the ma- 1 elements of said differential, worm and worm gear driving mechanism therefor, and means driven by said motorfor rotating said worm at widely different speedsand any intermediatespeed while said motor speed remains constant. V

35. In a mining machine, cutter chain driving mechanism connected to one element of a planetary gearing, feeding mechanism connected to another element thereof including nected to different ential.

36. In amining machine, cutter chain driving mechanismconnected to one element of a planetary gearing, feeding mechanism connected to another element thereof including a differential, a feed operating member and a controlling member operatively connected to different elements of said differential, and inldependent controlling means for said memers.

37. In a mining machine, cutter chain driving mechanism connected to one element of a planetary gearing, feeding mechanism connected to another element thereof including a differential, a'feed operating member'and-a controlling member operatively connected to different elements of said difierential, and inelements of said differdependentjfrictionally controlled controlling MGR-BIS P; HOLMES.

Images