US2335921A - Slack or cuttings removing attachment - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INIENTOR. 6410014 c/ fioemr/fafl ATTORNEY Dec. 7, 1943.

' E. J. DOBERSTEIN SLACK OR QUTTINGS REMOVING ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 19, 1941 Dec. 7, 1943. E. J. DOBERSTEIN I 2,335,921v

SLACK OR CUTTINGS REMOVING ATTACHMENT I Filed NOV. 19, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

("iwa gd JDoers/a'n ATTORNEY E. J. DOBERSTE IN Dec. 7, 1943.

SLACK OR CUTTINGS REMOVING ATTACHMENT 3 Sheets-Sneet 3 Filed NOV. 19, 1941 Patented Dec. 7, 1%43 SLACK-0R CUTTINGS REMOVING ATTACHNIENT Edward J. Doberstein, Blue Island, 111., assignor to, Goodman Manufacturing Company, .Chicago,

111., a corporation of Illinois Application November 19, 1941, Serial'No. 419,690

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in slack or cuttings removing attachments for kerf-cutting machines of the room and pillar type, and has as its principal objects to provide arelatively light cuttings removing device of .the class described, readily attachable to and adaptedto extend either rearwardly beyond or laterally from a kerf-cutting machine of standard construction, together with a power drive connection from the machine when in either of these positions.

In coal cutting machines in use today, the. cutter bar lengths and feeding speeds of themachines have been increased over those formerly used, in order to increase thecapacity of the machine, with the result that the slack discharged by the cutter chain of the machine is more than can be handled by a manshoveling by hand. While conveyers have been provided to discharge the cuttings to the rear of the machine, it has been diificult to place the conveyor soit will efflciently collect the slack, and .the conveyer is of little or no use Where .roofconditions are poor and it is necessary to post timbers close to the working face. In carrying out my invention, I remedy this difficulty by providing an improved form of cuttings passageway arranged to permit the cutter chain to readily propel the cuttings therealong in a confined path, to the rear. end of the machine, and by providing a cuttings deflector arranged to deflect thecuttings onto a cuttings discharge conveyer in cuttings-receiving relation with respect to said deflector. ,I also arrange the cuttings discharge conveyer so it may extend. longitudinally rearwardly from the machine, for discharging the. cuttings into aface conveyer, if desired; or so it may extend laterally from the machine, where roof conditions arepoor and it is necessary to post props close to the Working face. The arrangement is such that the conveyer may collect the cuttings as efficiently when in one position as in the other.

Other objects of my invention will appear. from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary planview of a kerfcutting machine of the room and pillar type, with a cuttings removal device constructed in accordance with my invention attached thereto and shown as extending rearwardly beyond the'rear end thereof;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary View inside elevation of the device shown in Figure 1, withcertain parts shown in longitudinal section;

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan View of the rear part of the machine, with certainpartsremoved and showing the cuttings.removingdeyiceas, extending laterally from themachinafor discharging cuttings towards .the retreating,side,.,therepf;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially alongline die-i4 of Figure 1;

Figure'5 is an enlarged, fragmentaryitransverse sectional view taken substantiallyalong 1i ne,;5;-; 5 of Figure ,1;

Figure 6 is :a detail view, showing certainqdetails of the means. for connecting ,the cuttings removal conveyer to the machine;

Figure 7 is anenlargeddetail .viewcshowing certain details of the ,driveto tthe cuttingsremoval conveyer;

Figure 8 is an enlarged ,detaillongitudinal sectional view, showing certaindetails of the,drive to the cuttings removal conveyer; and

Figure 9 isan enlarged detail, fragmentary; plan view, showing the driveto the cuttings removal conveyer in a different position than ingEigure 18.

Referring now to the details of .theembojdiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, aslack-removing conveyer generally indicatedby reference character i ii is shown ,as. connected; to the discharge end of a .kerf-cutting .machinegll of a well known construction.andoperation. ,,S,'aid machine consists of a mainframe lj2havinga cutter bar l3 projecting forwardly from the-forward end thereof.- Said cutter b'arhasa cutter chain 14 guided for.,orbital movement thereabout and operates in a channelformedjbetween the bottom of said main frame and the base plate [5. Said cutter chain is driven from a Qutter chain drive sprocket l6, mounted .on the lowerend" of a vertical shaft l'i','suitab1y. icurnaled insaid main frame, and driven from a, motor. I'Bonsaid'main frame. The drive from said motor 'to ,said sprocket includes aspurgear reduction I'9,,a.bevel pinion'ZO on a longitudinal shaft 2l, and,a;be vel gear 23 meshed with said pinion and, mounted c.0- axially with said vertical shaft.

A flexiblejfeeding means is provided formpving the machine about the mine an'dsumpingthe cutter bar 13' and cutter chain'l' i,intojthegoal face and moving said barand chainthereacrgss. Said flexible feeding means may beofanguspal construction but, as herein shown, comprises; a winding drum 2 1 on the advancesideof ,the machine and having a fiexible, ,ca.ble..25 adapted to be wound thereon and be, anchoredat, s Jole points along the working face, to feed'theic ltie bar intov and. across the coal face.

Referring now in particular to the details of the slack removing conveyer l0, which forms the subject matter of the present invention, said conveyer consists of an elongated conveyer frame 29 of a generally trough-like form and having a generally horizontal cuttings receiving portion 30 and an inclined elevating discharge portion 3| extending rearwardly therefrom. The frame 29 carries a pair of endless conveyer chains 32, 32 with flights 33, 33 mounted therebetween, movable upwardly along a bottom plate 34 of said frame.

The horizontal cuttings receiving portion of said frame is detachably connected to the rear end of the machine so as to extend longitudinally rearwardly therefrom, for discharging cuttings to the rear of the machine, or laterally from the machine for discharging cuttings beyond the retreating side of the machine. A deflecting member 35 extends across the rear end of the base plate l5 and along one side of the receiving portion of the cuttings collecting conveyer I0, and besides forming a means for guiding and deflecting the cuttings onto two sides of the receiving end of said conveyer, also forms a means for connecting one side of the conveyer to the machine. As herein shown, said cuttings deflecting member is of a substantially L-shaped formation, secured to and projecting rearwardly from the rear end of the base plate l5, and is provided with a laterally extending portion 36 which extends across the rear end of said base plate and is curved to conform to the path of the cutter chain. Said laterally extending portion is also curved upwardly from the bottom of said base plate to the plane of the receiving portion of the conveyer ID, for elevating and guiding the cuttings onto the side of the conveyer which extends across the rear end of the machine. Said deflecting member also has a rearwardly extending curved upright deflecting wall 31 leading from a troughlike bottom portion 38 of said deflector. Said deflecting wall extends from the advance side of the machine rearwardly inwardly towards the center thereof along one side or end of the conveyer l0, depending upon the position of said conveyer, and with said trough-like bottom portion is arranged to elevate and deflect the cuttings onto the receiving end of said conveyer when said conveyer is in either a longitudinal or laterally extended position with respect to the machine.

The detachable connection from said conveyer,

frame 29 to the rear end of the machine, to permit said conveyer frame to be connected'in cuttings receiving relation with respect. to said deflector when extending rearwardly or laterally of the machine, includes an angle 39, one leg of which may be secured to a rear end portion of the rear wall 31, and the other leg of which may extend rearwardly from said rear Wall and be secured to a side Wall 40 of said conveyer frame in a suitable manner, as by nuts and bolts. The other side of said conveyer may be attached to the retreating rear end of the machine by means of a connecting member 43, connected to an ear 44 projecting laterally from the frame of the mining machine. Said connecting member is secured to a front end wall (not shown) of said conveyer frame by means of suitable nuts and bolts. 7

When it is desired that the conveyer extend laterally with respect to the machine, to permit operation in places where the props are posted close to the working face, a connecting strap is substituted for the angle 39 and is connected between the side wall 40 and the rear end portion of the wall 31 of the deflecting member 35. The connecting member 43 is connected between the ear 44 and the side wall of the conveyer opposite from the strap 45 (see Figure 3). Said conveyer is so located with respect to said deflecting member that the cuttings will be deflected thereto when extended laterally or longitudinally rearwardly from the machine, the top surface thereof being on a level with the bottom deflecting surface of said cuttings deflecting member.

A cuttings channel generally indicated by reference character 41 extends along the advance side of the cutter bar on the top side of the base plate I 5 and leads to the portion 38 of the deflector 35. Said cuttings channel includes a member 48 of a U-shaped formation having sides inclined ure 4).

member extends along the advance side of the machine along one side wall thereof, and is spaced laterally from the member 48 a distance sufficient to provide a substantially V-shaped channel leading to the rear end of the machine and terminating into the trough-like bottom portion 38 of the deflector 35 and the laterally extending portion 38 of said deflector. Thus, when the machine is cutting across a coal face, the cuttings discharged by the cutter chain are propelled by the cutter chain along the channel 41 formed by the inclined members 48 and 49 to the trough-like portion 38 and upwardly along the curved deflecting surfaces of the deflecting member 35 onto the receiving end of the elongated frame 29 of the conveyer, when said conveyer extends longitudinally or rearwardly of the machine.

Referring now in particular to the improved form of drive from the mining machine motor I 8 to the slack removing conveyer ID, the longitudinal shaft 2|, as herein shown, is provided with a rearward extension 50, having spaced bearings 5i and 52 thereon and carried within opposite ends of a housing member 53, projecting rearwardly from the rear portion of the machine frame and adjustably movable about the axis of said shaft on said bearings. A sleeve 54, having a bevel gear 55 keyed thereto, is journaled on said shaft and is adapted to be selectively connected thereto by means of a suitable clutch, herein shown as being a usual form of jaw clutch 51. Said clutch includes a clutch collar 58, feathered on said extension of said shaft and having clutch jaws 59 on one face thereof, adapted to be selectively engaged with clutch jaws 60 on the sleeve 54. Said clutch is operated by a suitable shifting mechanism of a well known form and construction and not herein shown or described in detail since it is no part of my present invention.

The bevel gear 55 meshes with and drives a bevel gear 63, journaled on its hub in a wall 64 of the housing 53. As herein shown, a bevel pinion 65 on the end of a shaft 56, keyed to the hub of said bevel gear, meshes with and drives a bevel gear 61 keyed to a longitudinally extending shaft 69. Said last mentioned bevel gear The: housing and turning frame "it has an l inner flanged portionJiS'. which isguideddn an annular. guide-'16 formed inthe housing 53, and. said .flanged; portion is retainedin/said guide by means' of :a .split annularz ring. if; .so said hous ings. mayzcb adjustably. moved :with. respect to the cdrive ishaft .2 l about I. perpendicular .axes.-- Whennthe conveyor. is .positionedto extend rears! ward1y.;of..thezframei2, the' housing .53: is .piv-.:' oted;.about.. the. axis .of the I. shaft '2 l, to dispose.

the housing .18 towards. the;advan'ce sideofitheng machine, as in Figures: 1 ands; .andwhenuthe conveyor is positioned. to. extend laterally. from the machine, the housing 53.1 .turned aboutlthe shaft 21 to. an upright. position, the .housing 163':

beingzpositioned at an; angle theretoabout Ca 5 verticalxaxis, as shown inFigure 9, .sothat. the... convey-er may .be' driven from..the. motor. it in any., desired .position of ..horizontal. .adi ustment, with respect thereto.

Thedrive from. the extensible shaft '13. to the conveyeris shown in detail in Figure. 7 andincludes a universal. couplingJlQ having. driving... connection withthe forward end of. a longitudi-. nally extending shaft 88 journaled in a framefi l.':

Said: frameis provided .withan. annularflanged inner p t n 8 guided Withinan. annularguide formed in a membert l, WhiChiS secured toani.

outer sidewall id of. the frame 29.1.and. projects :1 outwardlytherefrom. An. annulapringtifi. is pro.-

videdito retain said. frame in said annularguidec-qo so said'frame. may move about .the...axis .of ;a conveyer; drive shaft. 36 journaled therein... A2.

bevel pinion. Bl keyed on thetshafttil. meshes... withand drives. a bevel gear 88 Unsaid conveyer'..l drive shaft. 85-. Said driveshaf-t has the usual sprockets 89, 89 mounted thereonfwhioh. mesh with and drive. the conveyor chains 32, 32 andflights 33, 33 along theelongated frame 29. H

While I have herein shown and described one form 'in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that theconstructionthere I of and-the arrangement of the various parts may i be altered without departing from'thespirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish .tobe construed as limiting my invention to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting as it maybe limited in the appended claims,

I claim as my invention: I

1. In a kerf-cutting machin'eoi the room and pillar type, a frame having a cuttings passagewayextending therethrough, a cutter bar projecting from and extending within said frame and a cutterchain guided for movement about said cutter bar and about a drive sprocket at the rear end or said frame, said-cuttings passageway ter-" minating into a deflecting member having .a pore. tion extending across the rear end. of said .pas-J sageway and another portion extending rear-.. wardly beyondthe rear end of the machine adjacent the advance. side thereof, the inne mar-v 1y fromtherear end of the machineand -to;ex-.-

tend-Within said recessed portion of said deflect ing--member in-cuttingsreceiving relation with respect-thereto when in either a rearwardly or L laterally extended position;

2. In a ker-fecutting machine of the roomand 'pillan type,l.-a frame having a cuttingspassage-r way extending therethrough, a cutter bar pro. I jecting :from .and .extending within-said frame andca :cutter chain guided lfor:movement about saidzcutterlbarrand abouta drive sprocket at the reariend. ofisaidirame; saidlcuttings.passageway.

terminatingcintoaa deflectingmember having a portiorrvextending across the rear end of said passageway; and another: portion.- extending rear..-. wardlyz. beyond .the' I rearl end of .the. machine ad- I jacentsthe advance sidethereof, th inner mare gins.'.of -said portions. forming a substantially rectangu'larsrecessed. portion. at. the .reanof said .cut-- tings: 1passageway, a outtingeremoving conveyor adapted toextendlatera'lly of or rearwardly from theirearrend of thezmachine and to extendwithin said:recessed portion of said deflecting member,-:.in:icuttingsireoeiving. relation with respect theretowhenineither a rearwardly. or laterally extended. position; means. forxdetachably cone. necting'one'portionxof saidlconveyer to the..rear.. portion 10f .tsaidrearwardl extending portion .of. said deflectin-gimember, and other. means for de:. tacha'bly connecting. another. portion ofsaidconveyer to, the rear. endv of the machine, for. ho-ld-. inggsaidconveyer in cuttings receiving relation. with respect .to. said deflecting .member when in. a longitudinal or laterally extended ositionwith respect to said. frame.

3 ;-Ina kerf-cutting machine. of the;room rand. pillantype, a frame-havinga cuttings passageway extending lthe'rethrougn. a cutter. bar pro.- jectinggfrom andextendingzwithin said frame and -a cutter chainguided.tforniovementaboutv said rcutterubaruand about. a drive sprocket at the rearrend of said frame, said cuttings passage Way beingof .a trough-like formation and extend.-. ing: beneath and along the advance. side of said cutter-:barand having said cutter chain move able. along the bottom thereof, to progress .the cuttingsmearwardly therealong, said passageway terminating into a deflecting member havinga portion extending. rearwardly: fromithe advance side: of the machine. and another portion extendingacross the rear. end of. said cuttings passageway,; and a cuttings removing. conveyor. adapted to be connected to the machine in .cuttingsqreceivingrelation with respect to both pore tionsof-said deflecting member, so said deflect.- ingmembeuwill deposit material on two sides. of said:conveyer.

4. In-a, kerf-cutting machine of the room and pillar type, including a frame having a cuttings. passageway extending therethrough, a cutter bar: projecting from and extending within said frame and a cutter chain guided for movement about said cutter bar and about a drive sprocket at the rear end of said frame, said cuttings passageway being of a trough-like formation and extending beneath and along the advance side of said-cutter bar and having said cutterchain. movable-along the bottom thereof, to progress thewcuttings rearwardly therealong, said. pass. sagevvayeterminating into a deflecting member having a portion extending rearwardly from. the advanceside of the, machine and another. portion extending across the rear end. of .said cutetingspassageway, and a cuttingsremoving con,-; veyer adapted to' be detachablyconnected toithe. H machine to extendrearwardly from.the rear :end. 1

thereof or laterally beyond the retreating side thereof in cuttings receiving relation with respect to both portions of said deflecting member, 50 said deflecting member will deposit material onto two sides of said conveyer when in either a rearwardly or laterally extended position with respect thereto.

5. In a kerf-cutting machine of the room and pillar type, a frame having a cuttings passageway extending therethrough, a cutter bar projecting from and extending within said frame and a cutter chain guided for movement about said cutter bar and about a drive sprocket at the rear end of said frame, said cuttings passageway being of a trough-like formation and extending beneath and along the advance side of said cutter bar and having said cutter chain movable along the bottom thereof, to progress the cuttings rearwardly therealong, said passageway terminating into a deflecting member having a portion extending rearwardly from the advance side of the machine and another portion extending across the rear end of said cuttings passageway, a cuttings removing conveyer including a relatively horizontal receiving portion and an inclined discharge portion, and means for de tachably connecting the receiving portion of said conveyer to said kerf-cutting machine so it may be positioned to extend longitudinally rearwardly of or laterally from said cuttings passageway and be in cuttings receiving relation with respect to both portions of said deflector, when in either of these positions.

6. In a kerf-cutting machine of the room and pillar type, a frame having a cuttings passageway extending therethrough, a cutter bar projecting from and extending within said frame and a cutter chain guided for movement about said cutter bar and about a drive sprocket at the rear end of said frame, said cuttings passageway being of a trough-like formation and extending beneath and along the advance side of said cutter bar and having said cutter chain movable along the bottom thereof, to progress the cuttings rearwardly therealong, said passageway terminating into a deflecting member having a portion extending rearwardly from the advance side of the machine and another portion extending across the rear end of said outtings passageway, a cuttings removing conveyer including a relatviely horizontal receiving portion and an inclined discharge portion, and means for detachably connecting the receiving portion of said conveyor to said kerf-cutting machine so it may be positioned to extend longitudinally rearwardly of or laterally from said cuttings passageway and be in cuttings receiving relation with respect to both portions of said deflector, when in either of these positions, including means for connecting one portion of said conveyer with the rear end of said rearwardly extending portion of said deflector, and other means for connecting another portion of said conveyer with said cutting machine.

7. In a kerf-cutting machine of the room and pillar type, a frame having a cuttings passageway extending therethrough, a cutter bar projecting from and extending within said frame and a cutter chain guided for orbital movement about said cutter bar, a sprocket at the rear end of said frame for driving said cutter chain about said cutter bar, a cuttings removing conveyer adapted to be connected to said kerf-cutting machine to extend longitudinally rearwardly of or laterally from the rear end of said machine,

said conveyer including an inclined frame having a transversely extending drive shaft at the rear end thereof, and means driven by the motor of said machine for driving said shaft when said conveyer is in either a longitudinally or laterally extended position with respect to said machine including a longitudinally extending shaft journaled in the frame of said machine and driven from the motor thereof, a housing on said shaft and adjustable about the axis thereof, another housing mounted on said housing for adjustable movement about an axis perpendicular to the axis of said longitudinal shaft, a shaft journaled in said second housing for rotation about an axis r parallel to the axis of rotation of said longitudinal shaft, geared drive connections in said housings for driving said second shaft from said 1ongitudinal shaft in all positions of said housings with respect to each other, and a universal extensible drive connection between said second shaft and said transverse shaft.

8. In a kerf-cutting machine of the room and pillar type, a frame having a, cuttings passageway extending therethrough, a cutter bar projecting from and extending within said frame and a cutter chain guided for orbital movement about said cutter bar, a sprocket at the rear end of said frame for driving said cutter chain about said cutter bar, a cuttings removing conveyer adapted to be connected to said kerf-cutting machine to extend longitudinally rearwardly of or laterally from the rear end of said machine and including an inclined frame having a transversely extending drive shaft at the rear end thereof, and means driven by the motor of said machine for driving said conveyer when in either a longitudinally or laterally extended position with respect to said machine including a longitudinally extending shaft journaled in said machine and driven from the motor thereof, a housing adjustable about the axis of said shaft, another housing mounted on said housing for pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to the axis of said longitudinal shaft, a shaft journaled in said second housing and rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of said longitudinal shaft, geared drive connections in said housings for driving said second shaft from said first shaft in all positions of adjustment of said housings with respect to each other, and a universal extensible drive connection between said second shaft and said transverse conveyer drive shaft, said universal extensible drive connection including a housing mounted on said conveyer frame for movement about an axis coaxial with said transverse shaft and bevel gearing carried by said housing and connecting said extensible drive connection with said transverse shaft.

9. In a kerf-cutting machine of the room and pillar type, a frame having a cuttings passageway extending therethrough, a cutter bar projecting from and extending within said frame and a cutter chain guided for orbital movement about said cutter bar, a. sprocket adjacent the rear end of said frame, for driving said cutter chain about said cutter bar, a cuttings removing conveyer adapted to be connected to the rear end of said frame, to carry away the cuttings discharged through said passageway, said cuttings passageway including a cuttings channel of a troughlike formation extending along the bottom of said frame and Within which certain bits of the cutter chain extend, said channel being close to said cutter bar and curving at the rear end of said frame to conform to the path of the cutter chain as it passes around said sprocket, and leading into a deflecting member having one portion extending beyond the rear end of the machine adjacent the advance side thereof for deflecting the cuttings onto one side of said conveyer and having another portion extending across the rear end of said passageway in advance of said conveyer, for deflecting the cuttings onto another side of said conveyer.

10. In a kerf-cutting machine of the room and pillar type, a frame having a cuttings passageway extending therethrough, a cutter bar projecting from and extending within said frame and a cutter chain guided for orbital movement about said cutter bar, a sprocket adjacent the rear end of said frame for driving said cutter chain about said cutter bar, a cuttings removing conveyer adapted to be connected to the rear end of said frame, to carry away the cuttings discharged through said passageway, said cuttings passageway including a cuttings channel of a troughlike formation extending along the bottom of said frame and Within which certain bits of the cutter chain extend, said channel being close to said cutter bar and curving at the rear end of said frame to conform to the path of the cutter chain as said cutter chain passes around said sprocket, and said cuttings channel leading into a deflecting member arranged to deflect the cuttings onto two sides of said conveyer and having a portion extending along one side of said conveyer beyond the rear end of the machine adjacent the advance side thereof and having another portion forming a gradually inclined rear wall of said channel and extending across the rear end of said frame in advance of said conveyer, for elevating the cuttings onto said conveyer.

11. In a kerf-cutting machine of the room and pillar type, a frame having a cuttings passageway extending therethrough, a cutter bar projecting from and extending within said frame and a cutter chain guided for. movement about said cutter bar, a cutter chain drive sprocket adjacent the rear end of said frame, said cuttings passageway including a cuttings channel of a trough-like formation extending along the bottom of said frame and within which certain bits of the cutter chain extend, said channel being close to said cutter bar and conforming to the path of said cutter chain as it passes around said sprocket and leading into a deflecting member having a vertically extending wall portion extending rearwardly from the advance side of the machine and another portion extending across the rear end of said cuttings passageway and having a portion forming a gradually inclined rear wall of said channel, to permit the cuttings to be propelled therealong and elevated thereby over the top of said deflector, and a cuttings removing conveyer adapted to be connected to the machine in cuttings receiving relation with respect to both portions of said deflecting member, so said deflecting member will deposit material onto two sides of said conveyer.

EDWARD J. DOBERSTEIN.

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