US2479132A - Method for mining and loading coal - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 16, 1949. R. PEALE ET AL METHOD FOR MINING AND LOADING COAL 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1944 m m M QPW mwum Wm wwulimk wmi mmkiwmu INVENTORS 15:1 BY My,

HTTO/INfy R. PEALE ET AL METHOD FOR MINING AND LOADING COAL Aug. 16, 1949.

6 Sheets-Sheef 2 Filed May 4, 1944 wk 3 3 m? 3% E Aug. 16, 1949. R. PEALE ET AL 2,479,132

METHOD FOR MINING AND LOADING COAL Filed May 4, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 arrow/6) Aug. 16, 1949. R. PEALE ET AL 2,479,132

METHOD FOR MINING AND LOADING COAL Filed May 4, 1944 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 3! i If! H? T I z ML /j-4 INVENTORS Aug. 16, 1949. R. PEALE ET AL 2,479,132

METHOD FOR MINING AND LOADING COAL Filed. May 4, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Jigs Aug. 16, 19 49. PEALE AL 2,479,132

METHOD FOR MININGAND LOADING COAL I Filed May 4, 1944 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Aug. 16, 1949 METHOD FOR MINING AND LOADINGCOAL Richard Peale, Clearfield, Pa., and Rembrandt Peale, J r., Greenwich, Conn., assignors to themselves, as trustees Application May 4, 1944, serial No. 534.030 7 Claims. (01. 252-1) This invention relates to coal mining and more particularly to a novel and useful method for mining'and loading mined coal, especially in mines where the seams are very thin, that is to say, generally seams 30 inches or less in height.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims. V

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations, and improvements herein shown and described. V

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is the plan view of the interior of a mine room showing somewhat diagrammatically a mobile loader embodying the invention in various typical operating positions for loading out shot-down coal at the face of the room;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan of the forward portion of said mobile loader; V

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of those parts of the loader shown in Fig. 2;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatical views showin the adaptability of the loading head to various pitches and conformations of the floor of a mine;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary diagrammatic side elevation of the loader head showing same in a typical loading operation under a mass of shotdoWn coal;

Fig. 8 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1 showing various operating positions of the loader;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of a cutting machine designed to operate in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view showing loading from an inclined bottom.

Fig. 11 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1 showing the use of the loader removing and gobbing bottom rock.

The invention also comprises a novel and useful method of under-cutting or kerfing the solid coal face before shooting same down, so as to facilitate the rapid and efficient operation of the loader and also to enable thecoal to be loaded with a minimum of handling and breakage. In all respects the invention is particularly directed 2 to the mining and loading'of bituminous coal in low seam mines where the head space is so low that men cannot work comfortably orfefficiently and where the enlarging of the'head space by re moval of bottom or top rock is costly and unproductive when done by hand. Because of these mining conditions. an eificient'machi'ne must be held to the lowest possible overall height, yet must be'able to handle the largest possible amount of material in its leading movements, the thinness of the seam of coal making it necessary for the machine to traverse alarge area quickly in its loading operations so as to handle and convey worthwhile quantities of material.

Having in mind these primary objects, the invention'provides a method for mining and loading large, quantities of thinseam 'c'oalquickly and efiicien'tly with a minimum of head room and without lifting the coal more than a very short distancethroughout' the entire loading operaa011,, By virtue of the novel mining method embodiedi'in conjunction with our improved loading apparatu'sg'the' shattering and breaking of the coal, both from shooting down and from loading, is held to "the minimumfso th'a't eventhe most friable coal is taken out in the larger and more valuablesizes. Moreover the coal is handledjin such a waythatpractically no dirt or impurities from either the top or bottom become intermixed with it during the mining and loading operations.

Thus coarser and, cleaner coal product is ob:

tained.

As another important object, the invention makespossible thejmob'ile loading of shot-down coal at the mine face with'an apparatus which occupies a minimum'of space'inthe timbered part of the room, especially in the danger, area near the face. Consequently it is possible to set the props Very close to the mine face, fthere'by greatly reducing the danger to miners and per mitting strict compliance with the most recent laws and regulations requiring close timbering at 'th'e'face. Nevertheless because of its mobility and meneuverabil'ity the machine of the invention can'operatein virtually any position or location' within a mine and is usable in all types of coal removal operations. I

, The invention also employs a novel construction whichena'bles the coal-engaging portion or head of the loader to follow and conform Very closely to the shape of the minebottom so that in all cases the'lo'ader head will follow and hu the bottom regardless of irregularities, variations/ in slope andfdir ection'therein so that the loaderwill always 't'ak e out all thecoaI cleanly 3 and completely. This features is of great importance in thin seam mining to insure that the output of the machine be kept at the peak and also to insure that full advantage is taken of the relatively small head room existing in such mines.

The details of the preferred apparatus for performing the invention are more fully disclosed in our co-pending application, Serial No. 551,828, filed August 30, 1944, and now Patent No, 2,430,364.

, space within the kerf to build up a relatively thick bed of cuttings therewithin. v Thisrstep is contrary to, ther conventional practice of-clearing outa'nd removing most of those cuttings from the V ,kerf. As a result, a substantial bed of cuttings i'sleft underlying the overhanging mass of coal Briefly described, the invention provides a mobile, track-mounted loader having a hat elongated loading head adapted to, be projected, into the undercut kerf of a shot-down face of coal without requiring any settings of jacks or other such usual paraphernalia in frontor inlayof the loading head. The loading head comprisesa fiat belt conveyor occupying most of the length and breadth of the head so as to be projected entirely through the under-cut beneath the shotdown'm'ass' to the solid face of the coal. Said conveyor is arranged so that the upp r flat portion travels rearwardly and carries with it whatever coal may be deposited upon it. Along either side and across the front end of the loading head are provided power-driven rotary means for dig-- ging into and picking up material in their orbits of movement and conveying same upwardly and toward the centrally-disposed conveyor belt for deposit thereupon. Said rotary, feeders are thus adapted to clear a path for the advance of the conveyor under and through the coal and cuttings lying in the kerf. Upon the removal of such relatively loose, fine material in the kerf the overhanging shattered masses of v coal progressively fallupon. the conveyor and are carried by it to thejrear. I

'By a plurality] of internal pivot joints and connections the loader head is so articulatedwith respect to the rearward portionsof the machine v and conveyor that it is adapted to lie updn and conform closely to the bottom surface of the mine regardless of whatever irregularities and difference'in slope or direction may exist between the plane in which the supporting tracks are laidand those of the bottom underlying the shotdoWn coal. This feature oi the invention is of great importance because it enables the load ing head always to underlie and remain substantially parallel to the bottom strata of the shotdown coal so that a complete load gnof said mass can be effected at alljtimes whi fthe loading head remains at the bottomand thus talges advantage of the entire headroom available.

The conveyor within the loading head con':

tinues rearwardly beyond the end of said head proper and is inclined upwardly 3 1 t highenghgh to overlie a wider intermediate belt conveyor: wi' respect to which it has horizontal pivotalrnove ment. The intermediate conveyor at itsrean end overlies in turn a third rearwardly disposedgb'elt conveyor which carries the coaljbaekwardly at any desired horizontal angle for deposit injthe ultimate receptacle. This entire'assembly is 'rngve able on a carriage along; the trackway iivl'lichis stationed preferably in the centerlof th mine o m so that ev oadc' can ieedi mushi into Operating p s nlai d, s t adl y, w th rawn andconveyed to-another.part;w the mine intermediate operations in thatlroon'r. f

Novel method steps areemployed inprepa'ring the l o o n by he abbver esci bc appa: ratus. In accordance with the invention the coal is undercut by a kerf cutter in the conventional after theJkerf-has been cut. The coal then being drilled and, shot down in the usual Way, the mass of; coal. breaks away from the roof and settles onto the b'ed'fof machine cuttings so that it is supported by said cuttings several inches above the mine floori This operation has the incidental advantage of reducing theQreakage or degradation' of the coal into small lumps, the shot-down mass being parted from the roof and settling in a relatively integral mass on the cutting's'bed. The presence ofsaidbed is even more important, however, in facilitating-the entry and operation of the loading head within the kerf. The bed of cuttings provides a relatively easy and uniform medium for the advancing and conveying action of the feeder rolls on the loader head so that said head can be moved into and through the kerf space occupied" by the bed of cuttings without great difficulty and without disintegrating any of the larger lumps of coal above. When the loading head has been advanced beneath the shotdown mass a sufficient distance and the bed of cuttings in that; area has-beenpicked up and loaded outby the feeders and; conveyors, then the overhanging mass of shattered coal'will fall; usually of its ownweight, onto the loader belt and be carried away in prime condition.

By advancing the pivotally' connected loading head forwardly and angularly, the entiremass of shot-down coal can thus be loaded out withjthe minimum expenditure of time and i pt er. It will be noted that-{except for the small amount of fine coal-comprising the bed "of" cuttings, none of the coal is lifted or forced upwardly during the loading operation in order to get it upon the loader belt, but-falls thereupon ash; is undermined. Thus a minimum of vertical space is requiredf or the r ostjefilcient operationof the loading apparatus and'this feature in itself greatly contributes to; the quality .Qfthe coal loaded out.

Manyfeatures of the invention are also ape plicable when the kerf is cut at the top of the seam. In this operation, of course, the supporting bedof cuttings cannot be provided and consequently the progress of the loading head, into the bottom of the shot-down mass cannot be so rapid and uniform. Nevertheless the loading head isc'apable of digging its Way, as. previously describedgthrough thebottom strata of the shotdown mass and lifting and carrying away the coal therein while'the overhead portions of that mass fall onto the conveyor. In this 'forrnjof minin the lack of the cuttin s bed issoinewhat compensated for. by the fact that the drillholes for the explosives aremade near. the bottom of the'seam, so that the shattering effect of the explosive isv greatest along theseam bottom, 7 As 'ii lt .8 ier ra ments of the shattered mass will be more 'concentrated in the lower strata and thus, to suchextent, will facilitate the entry and op rat on. of, the l ladinghea -f n h s. o eration as well it will be understood that the leading head, throughout its length, fol1o\ zs the contour of the seam bottom -rege'trdless of the pitch and/or transverse inclination thereof, and all of the beneficial features of said loading head construction are applicable as will be understood and hereinafter more particularly described.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description of the invention and the following detailed description as well are illustrative and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention illustratedby way of example in the accompanying drawings, a somewhat diagrammatic overall view of the mobile loader in operating position is shown in Fig. 1. This view represents a typical mine room or entry bein advanced inwardly toward the solid face I between solid side walls M and N. The shaded area B represents a mass of coal which has been undercut by the method hereinbefore described and then shot-down to lie upon a bed of machine cuttings C .therebeneath (Fig. '7). A trackway 5 of two parallel mine rails is laid longitudinally centrally of the room as shown, the tracks terminating just short of the outer face F of the shot-down mass. Rows of roof-supporting timbers or props 'I are provided throughout the cleared portion of the room, the space between said props usually being approximately 3 ft. from center to center. In the arrangement shown, it will be noted that the inner row of props is spaced quite close to the face F, in practice being placed as close as one foot therefrom. This spacing of the props is in accordance with recent safety recommendations of state and federal mining departments. The spacing of said props 'I is uniform throughout the room except for the area necessary to accommodate the trackway 5 (approximately 4 ft.) also the props 8 nearest the track in the row adjacent the face F are offset from the track approximately one foot, as shown, for purposes hereinafter described. The width of the room between the walls M and N is, as shown, the

customar distance of approximately 24 ft. and the length of depth of the kerf between face I and face F, which determines the lengthwise dimension of the mass of coal B, is approximately 6 ft. in the illustrative example shown. It will be understood, however, that these dimensions are not critical and that the principles of the invention are adaptable to different situations and mining operations.

Referring to the general layout of the loading machine (Fig. 1) same comprises the forward or inward portion I known as the loading head, which is made up primarily of the centrally and longitudinally disposed flat belt conveyor I0 I, the rotary side feeder bars I02 and I03 and the rotary end feeder bar I04 (Fig. 2). The rear end of said loading head may be considered as terminating at the rear end of the feeder bars I02 and I03. However, the conveyor belt IOI continues rearwardly therebeyond to the rear roller I05 and between those points the conveyor is inclined upwardly to form the driving and elevating portion of the loading mechanism. The next unit of the apparatus comprises generally the intermediate, wide belt conveyor 30, the inner end of which underlies the rear end of the loader conveyor l0! and the rear end of which inclines upwardly and rearwardly to feed onto the forward end of the conveyor 40, comprising the final unit of the apparatus considered as a whole.

As will be seen from the drawings, means are provided for affording several loci of internal articulation. for the conveyor belt IOI so that it and the loader head can turn in a plurality of directions and in several planes in order to effect the greatest possible conformity of the loader head with the surface of the mine floor while enabling the coal conveying apparatus to be kept as low in height as possible. For this purpose a plurality of horizontal transverse hinges or swivels are provided throughout the length of the conveyor IIO.

Pivotal freedom of motion about its longitudinal axis is provided for the loading head a short distance to the rear of said first transverse pivot. Thus it will be seen that the loading head I0 has substantial freedom of angular movement up and down about the pivot M0 and also can turn about its own longitudinal axis through the pivot provided by joint E49. It will be noted that both said pivot joints are mounted in the space between the upper and lower runs of the conveyor belt IOI.

Means are provided for permitting a horizontal angular swinging movement of the entire conveyor lilI, including all parts associated therewith from the loading head back to and including the rear roller I05. This swinging movement is designed to take place about a vertical axis at the rear end of unit 20. Thus it will be seen that the entire frame structure comprising the units I0 and 20 may rotate horizontally about the axis 220 and in the present preferred embodiment of the invention this freedom of rotation is preferably at least I In accordance with the invention the rear conveyor unit 40 is upwardly and rearwardly inclined to deliver the coal into any suitable receptacle such as a mine car on the tracks 5. Said conveyor unit 40 is also designed to be rotatable horizontally about its forward end so as to deliver the coal at any point within a substantial arcuate sweep of its rear end.

Preferably, in accordance with the invention, means are provided at the forward ends of both shafts I02 and I03 to enter into and break up coal masses which lie directly ahead of the forward end of the loading head I0. For this purpose frusto-conical disintegrator members I00 and I93 are mounted on reduced, forwardly projecting ends of the shafts I02 and I03 respectively. Said disintegrator members are preferably provided with radially extending teeth i932 which operate to carry out the intended purpose of said devices.

Preferably, and in accordance with one important operative feature of the invention, the loading head 10 is moved from place to place within the shot-down coal area B (Fig. 1) by means of traction ropes or cables rather than by the motor-wheel drive of the carriage unit 30. This feature of the invention makes possible the maximum application of power to the advancing and turning movements of the loading head without relying upon the traction of the drive wheels tilt which would tend to slip under any substantial load of the nature required to move the loading head under and through the shot-down mass. Accordingly, means are provided in connection with the forward units I040 of the apparatus, to apply drum driven cables to the work of '50 moving the loading head.

A description of the operation of the invention will now be given. As the first step in preparing the coal for the loading out operationsto be performed by the hereinabove-described mobile loader, we undercut the solid face of the coal across the room (conventionally a distance of about 24 it), using any suitable form of half- 37 eu'etlietheefiiee, for"iaifiplethat eohiieritibrfalli elite/h m e99. Saiii rifahhihe'cdhinrisesa eiit er war tnu hevifiee eritter em "with em;- aiae teeth aes-ie-nea'te have: aim-e aha emu-ad fiieh''htly mese'a or previaed with adjustable clbeure *su'c'h as the maged-gate see W111 e 1 *fiofiih; may 'betil-te'd il' hwardly or down" ai lly *th lii'ise mtireerie'ss ofthe rear end fob'riing, saitl closure thereby controlling the amount (if btitff en'y, permitsee to escape through =said *reereeeiiihg. 'Wheh-thegat'e is fuligweloeeeL-asat em be in the operation 0f the invention hetemam he'sci ibei, the e utting s dragge'c i in to thfe base h ina'c'hihe-b'y the chain wi11-be retumed r f frorh *whi'elh theyeame without esdf th'e 'reanof themac'hine. A ei-iiii-la'r net-eirewn, be hrevmee lor the machin'es'(ifthetype where the e allliwed toe'scahe fromth'e side'rather tHan'the- Feai oFtihe machine. Ifd-t ffou'nlthat not all the cuttings are 'rquirel t bef k'ept ih the fki fx'a cbhtfdlled amount thi'eo f ma be lowed "t: eca'pe through the variable opening 01 gate #86; r I

l i'siiiiiih'g a typical thin seam-6f coal A (Figs.

"'7 (P9) having 'a thickness of aphi oximately 23 i" a k rf E a-pia'i'oiiimately eix -'i'n ches in here-ht ahiiahfifoizimately t feet inlepth is mt along the bottom thereof, leaving thereabove ah eveeneng f solia co'aFB aii hrexiinatel-y 22 -inehes high. In accor ance with the {ih-Ventioh, s'te'fis are taken to builii lib a substantial bed of machine ciit'tifigs in the-kerf E, i. e. the relatively fi'ne fifaginents of "coal "fo'rmeiti by the ciittih'g actihn of the ""teeth on "the biittr bar of "the "lier firig 'fnachine. '"I'n hi'ior "practice, it has been cusftomery for the 'inachine nfa'ris helper ("called -"a Sc'faplef) "t'o shovelth'at"portibnbf 'theinachi'r'ie hiitti'ngs "carried out 'frohi under the kerf by' the cutting chain 'awayfrciin the rear or "sidehf "the hfachirie tohive'nt s'ai'd clittingrs froinbeing'cari'ji eiiback into the ke'l'ff 'by'the ietiirn movement lbf'the (flitting chem. Itiha's also been customary 'forthe sraber'to'ha ie a lobe-handlei;l"shvfelffr iinovifig Hem within the kerj the remaining rfia'chiiie clittingshot carried ontby the eefivey- Zing action oi the cutting chain. This practice *has prevailecibecause heretofore it has been de- -sire d to -provide the -maximu1 n-fa11 for the coal when '-it-isshot down so as to break it up to the -greatest extent and --thus make it less difficult to doed out by-hand. Inaccordanoe withthe present" invention, however, it is desired to retain -and/or-returnwithin the kerf virtually all -of the machine cuttings. Consequently thespractice' of -removing the cuttings from the -rear or --side of the machine -when same are carried out by'the i outtin'gx-chain, 'is eliminated, said cuttings being return'eii *i'nto the -kerf as aforesaid. hikewise the former practide'-of=the scraer inishovllin'g the mafchine cuttings from winder -the but is not ewoweu.

mately 4 inches thick 1h the' ih es'eii t anuemttive eeejmelewie 7).

' the nert --e1;ep undercut ririags's hf(503331- 13 is drilleu afid own exiflosivein the usuiil Way, time *hai -tin g it froin th'e reef R by 'a c1ea vage space N. The shot-downrhEss iB will 'the'h ies't tip'on anfl bhipres's "the bed "6f cti tings C, axe that said tea is ieiiuc'ed to appreiiiihat'ely a thi'-H'riess df 33 hes. "The bed of 'iii'iti'r gs "C *so @usih'ioiis "the taller the "m ss is that 'it *reinaiii's-serni-bolid. That is, although fractured thiiiugho ut by the shooting and telling ecnbp. *B dees not thereu'b'on disiritegiate or fall jabart'fiito fragments or lumps, but remems'rdr the i'nost "part inbo'sition as a senii-'so1ic'l"ix'ias whic s'iibjeet to "ready separation into -r1a- *avely -lare liilfip's when the suppoit of the "be?! c is removed. The bed of "ctittings 'c itself, a1- th'oiiiih "cempressed by "the weight of "the shotaownmes B, is nevertheless made u ijfil'ch i"e1ative'lyfihe ant friable fragments 'thatit imejy be"reaaily'peh'etrateq'arid dug out, as b 'ahand pick, for example. ljiiending uhhn "the haft'ihss and fi iability of the "oalior'rnihgfth'e semiiso'lifd shot-Gown mass Bfihiore or less (if the sup- .pdrting bed or cuttings may be "rembvea, .bfit when an overhang thereof has -ben produced, depending in extent upen the nature of saidicbal 'mass 'B, the undercut portion thereof will "fall 6f its own Weight-and break up intoflu'mps loverithe space'fror'n which theshpportingibed C 'has been removed (Fig. 7), In some Very hard -coa1s it may be necessary to strikelthe overhanging mass with a pick in order to loosen or startEits 'fall but ordinarily it will fall of its own weight when a suflieient clearance of thesupporting bed C there- -beneath has been made.

*Atter 'the coal mass B has been shot down-and '-is -resting upon 'the -:bed :of cuttings z'as previously deseribed, the invention next brings into operation the mobil'e 'Ioader 'hereinbefdre described in detail. First, "i'of "c'ourse, the :cu-t'ting machine 600 iS removed from .thewoom orlplac'e and the :pIaee- -is -u1iy timbereii as shown in *Fig. "1. The loader is theh oiight up te the -shot-adown face F (Fig. 1), bi-iig fii'bplieii thereto by the "earriage wheels 304. V

a next steb er the lead'm'g liberation, ii; is th'e'n 'feasibl'e to m'dve the' l'oading mead Hneefly forwardly ihto the k'if E 'aiiii bed (if ma'chiiie "c'littiiigs C and "then g'r'adually to advance same as "the machine cuttings C "and the shot flown mass 6f coa are rogressively leeing ioaded and conveyed away as shown by '15, "the loading head being so moved with it "reaches the solid wall *I, "For this operation the ra e 2'69 is fextendeh "through the he'ave on bracket 2 68 "and is uefrwa'ru to "be fixed to a "reef 'jek J aHjacfit the for-ware end "(if the loading Head "loading head H1 will beiprojected forwardly in a path parallebtothetrackse5' andbeyond the ends thereof -(Fig. "7) and iultimately into the ad- *vanded position shown-in -Fig. 1. iB'e'fore beig'irihing emh forward tinoveinent sthe conveyor I01, the feeder'rolls I02, I03 and I'M and the disintegrator cones I90 and [9| are all set in operation. The feeding and cutting teeth H5 (or ribs 115a, as the case may be) on roll I04, assisted by the cones I90 and f9], dig into and load onto conveyor [ill the relatively easily penetrated coal fragments comprising the bed of cuttings C (Fig. '7). This operation clears a space in the kerf E into which the loading head can be advanced. It will be understood that the maximum height of the loading head (Fig. 3) is preferably less than that of the compressed bed C after the mass B has been shot down, although this is not essential for the reason that the feeder members or loading shafts of the loading head are so designed as to dig and load shot down coal in addition to the machine -cuttings. As said advance progresses under the pull of the ropes 261 and 269, the side feeder rolls I02 and IE3 also enter the kerf and dig and load onto the conveyor ID! the parts of the bed C lying along the sides of the advancing head l0, thereby facilitating its advance through said bed and kerf.

As the loading head is so advanced along the path continuously being cleared for it by the feeding or conveying action of the feeders, the support provided for the over-hanging mass B is progressively removed. Consequently the large coal lumps and other fragments making up that mass will fall of their own weight onto the moving surface of the loading head conveyor iill, as shown in Fig. '7. In some cases, though rarely, it may be necessary to loosen an arched or relatively solid portion of mass B with a hand pick to facilitate its cascading onto the conveyor. Thus the loading head will quickly and steadily advance until it reaches the solid wall I and all the broken coal in the kerf and above the rectangular space occupied by the head and for some little distance on either flank thereof will have been loaded out to the waiting receptacle by the action of the series of conveyor units I'll, 20. 33 and 40 (Fi 3).

When the coal overlying said rectangular area has been fully loaded out, then it will be practicable to begin to load out the coal in the righthand half of mass B as shown in Figs. 1 and 8. For this purpose it is desired to swing the loading head Hi gradually toward the right, while simultaneously advancing the entire loader forwardly along the track 5 to the extent necessary to ultimately bring the loading head by forward and turning movements into the position shown at the extreme right-hand of Fig. 1 and Fig. 8. This operation is performed by a, series of advancing and turning movements permitted by the rotation of the loading head ill and its rear extension 29 about the pivot 22!]. For the purpose of effecting such movements the jack J-l is removed so that the pull exerted from jack J--2 operates directly upon the side bracket 255 and its sheave 265. Also, jack J is removed and advanced to the position J--3, the rope 269 being attached thereto and run directly from the drum 256. This rope arrangement induces a lateral pull upon the loading head causing same to swing gradually to the right as the loader is advanced forwardly so that the end of the loading head tends to follow the face I of the solid coal and to sweep thereacross and around through the successive positions shown in Fig. 8.

After the coal has been loaded out in the right-hand half of the mass B, the same operation is repeated in the opposite sense toward the left'to load out the other half of the mass, as indicated in Fig. 1. In this operation jack J3 will be moved to position J-4 and jack J-2 to the proper position to the right of that occupied by J-3 (Fig. 8).

The use of ropes and jacks to effect all loading and operational movements of the mobile loader is important because it provides the necessary power toturn and translate the loading head into and through the material. This function could be eifected, very inadequately if at all, by the drive of the track wheels 304 because it is impossible to provide sufficient traction in that manner. However, it will be noted that the loading head can be advanced or projected into shot-down coal, such as the mass B, without having to set up or make place for any jacks in areas beyond where coal has been loaded out. That is the loading head is, by the arrangements shown and described, projected first into the coal to be loaded ahead of any jack or other apparatus set up to pull it thereinto. Similarly the loading head is turned through its arcuate lateral loading operations by pull exerted on the sheave brackets 265 and 268, which brackets are located well to the rear of the forward end of the loading head. This arrangement obviates setting up any jack or other support or apparatus ahead of the actual loading movements of the loading head and thus makes it possible to project the loading head into a shot-down mass and clear out the coal inthat mass without any advance jacking, timbering or other preparatory operations.

By following the outline of the loading head In through its successive loading positions, it will be noted that all of the shot-down coal in the width of the 24 ft. place has been loaded out, during which operations the loading head I!) has remained entirely within the shot-down coal area B and thus timbering is possible within 6 inches to 1 foot of the face F of the shot-down mass of coal. The only change from the conventional arrangement required by the plan of close timbering shown in Fig. 1 is the moving of props 8 one foot from their usual positions as previously described.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the loading head In is adapted to travel easily and relatively rapidly through the kerf E because the compacted bed C is comprised of fragments relatively small in size and of homogeneous content which present a readily penetrated mass to the action of the feeder members. Moreover it will be noted that all of the shot-down coal constituting the fragmented mass B is supported above the loading head by the bed C so that in loading said coal always falls downward onto the conveyor belt llll. Consequently practically none of the lumps of coal are ever lifted or elevated during their removal from the mass B. This feature of the invention not only affords the minimum handling of said lumps during the loading operation (thereby minimizing degradation thereof) but it also prevents their coming in contact with the mine floor and so avoids the contamination thereof which frequently results from intermingling with rock and dirt particles adjacent the floor.

Due to the ability of the loading head to take on coal lying on both sides and the front end of said head, a large floor area is quickly covered and loaded out with the minimum travel of the head. It will be noted further that the coal caramuse ilii ri-ed-reamvardlyzbyzthe conveyor I M is maintained eta low elevel throughout itsitravel,ithaonlyelevw tionizthereofitbeingi that necessary 1toztide'liverszsame fronnthe rear end zofct'he conveyor 2M1 onto the central conveyor unit and thence ontozthe rear conveyor unit'r lll. Each. ofatheseelevationseisjfby virtueiof'thelowheight eharacteristios'iof :the machine 1 as a -=whole, of :the slowest possible extent and: in practice 1, we :have ioundttha-t no piecei'of coal will'be raised=moresthan;12%inchessahove the "floor-.ofzthe minerthroughout ltsf-travel son the mobile: loader.

After: the ooalvinztheshot-rdown :areaIB'has all been loaded zouta-thenmobfle loader is moued: back into :the :position :shown Fig. 1, ready to moved;by traction.adriueltoianotherqolace.

:In :Figsmi-B "T3118 TlShGWH avar ious i'typica'l conditions or mine zrbottom'ztovwh-ich the sloading t'head .l'.0 ofourmobilezloaderris designedcto adapt itself so as;always:tol1iefflat=inueonformity zwith l the 1 bottom oftheizseam thmughouttrtheiengthio'frsaid head. These-mewsiarehighiydiagrammaticand aremtended"toemphasizeieertafin operational feer tunes "without (regard :to details :of :bhe estructure already disclosed. .iEig. I4 shows :the ibottom K beneathtthe: kexf nitchedfiorwardlysandmpwardly withrespectstoithe: bottomdiv onwhiwh the ttraok fi is: mounted. As he rseenvthentransuensei hmge ism-permits the fonwand part of :conveyor' unit-.20 toslope downwardlyntowardwtherfloor :beyond the tracks, whileithe :hinge 2M0 permits the loading head E H): tossiopeiupwardlymlnng' the pitched? bottom-K. simiiariyisaidmlurality.zofahinges permits the loading head to adapt itself equally well toatlie opposite condition rshmm .in aEig. where the pitohrof ctheibottomfKxis-zdoumward sani'l *fom'rard withiriespect .tO thGSfiOQML.

..-It will 'be understood that in bothwsuoh cases, as in -others,?-the bottom :K .mayealso .be pitohetl transversely, whereunonzthe axial swivel AM! per mits the loading head no -.to eonform to such transverse pitch. :It will be clear .that by these means ,the-loadingmead wilLingenerallseaenabled automaticallyto iollowlandaoonformltoany-directionsorirreg ularityvof the mine bottom :it may encounter. Theifreelyswiveled headmis pneierably of such length (about sixlieet) .as-conforms to the length .oikerhcut by the ecuttingimaohine, and Within .suchlength T.the pitch of .the bottom will ,normallybe unifiorm because-of the-rigidity of ,thecutter'bar.

By virtue of theforegoing, the feeder rolls r1112, 1113 and IM wilkalwaysbe-in 'functioningposition throughout theirlength and willthuspermit'the loading of ,.coal to thefiill capacity ofithejnead I, a"

at:a1ltimes,both broadside and at .thefront thereof. f This featureis'of great'importance in;the mine ing'o'f'thin seams whenthe amount of coal above any'unit area of the bottomfis-rlatively small.

I Itwili be understood that these aspects of the invention are important "and applicable regardr less of whether the kerf "be 'cut 'at the bottom oT-the-seam or at the top, In some eases the formation of the 'roof may-dictate *the cutting of the kerf at the top, "as when the roofmaterial is I soft-or weak for a distanceabove the true 'coal seam and "therefore would tend to ran with the coal when the seam is undercut. Because-of the novel ability of "our loader -tooperate *in 'a shotdown area while permitting very close timbering up to and "along the shot-down faee, "bottom outting is possiblewitha relativelyweak roof because of theadiiitional support provided by anon close timbering but when the roo'f is'too weak=nevertheless, *the olo'se tim'bering permitted -is natm'ail-y zin s w thE-MSQzGf main-line haula'gel locomotives re uires that' top or lodttom material 'bei'rem'oved in headings or haulage-waysso as to make height in acl'dition to ttre eoal seam height; "howevergin t rooms 7151B law does not so "require, a because @rthe oost'o'im-ak ing height inaudit'i'oii to tlae-seam h'eight rooms, suoha'proeedure has mot been heretofo're adopted in wontheus'e' oi -oloile eoallloadin equip- H 'qihaseoflthednvention'makes it fpossible to bring regular largesizefliaulage-way cars iii-to :and along tne rooms and load tliefishot down coal directly im th'em "wane :using our mobile loader. s 'opei. ,tiomentailsfithen emoval of a relativelynamowstr'ip of topoi bottom rookfth at is 'inerel-y along that --par t of the room oocupied by e traekway orpassageway for thefmine ears and e-oarriage-of theloader.

"The novel menstruation "and operation of our loader i-t *possible to 'provide 'suh additional height alon-g' the central *traekw-a'y' or passageway in a mine room of aver-age width (suoh a-the-Z l foot 'w fde rooms herein described) and, operating t-he Header from suh he'ightened passageway, "load out an of the =coal across "the entire room, the leaiilin-g "head operating at the seam height and w'holly warm the *shot blown.

area B of the seam as previously described. EBy eon'fin ing the mmoval (if *the bot-tom or top "rook to the relatively narrow strip corresponding to said. trackway or passageway, the-oapauity of the coal transporting ears is very greatly "increased withouta substantial inorea'sein the costof the mining operation. "Thatisfibytakingup bottom rocktoa depth'ofat most say. rzin chesbel'ow the seam bottom "fQrLa width of say 4 feet along the central trakway space'in a room about 24 feet wide, our loader makes .it possible tolload out all the shot-down eoal for 'the entire width of the room, theiloaderiheadoperating 0n the .normal seam Lbottom throughout that width while the other parts of the loader stay \in the depressed trackwaysand deliver theloaded coal to the large cars on suolntrack; Similanly an i-equivalent operation {may be performed by removing e -like amount of the top iltoek where that is more dosirable or ,feasible under the particular mining eonditions enoountered, and :in such case the flexible oonstruotion 20f vonr :loader :enables it :to takenut all the coal within .lihBzSBtIH-lhBifihb-Shtil'rdown area without interference or "difliculty.

6, 1:0 and 511 illustrate an operationof the type :referred to. :Fig. i6 shows :how the :hinged construction. 05 :t'he 11111175 it! :aml'km .enabl'e the loading'nead L0 '42) ioonionm throughout its "length and (width to a bemih stormation where the seam bottom K2 has a longitudinal pitch as shown.

Referring again to the operations illustrated in Figs. 6 and 10, it will be seen that the pony truck 5130 is preferably placed below the loading head Ill, generally intermediate the front and rear ends thereof, and the supporting rollers 5| and H thereof are elevated by the means previously described so as to bring the forward end of the head just above the lip T of the seam bottom K2. When so positioned the head can then be moved forward by jacks and ropes in the usual manner so as to enter the mass B of shotdown coal resting on the bottom K-2. As the loader is projected forwardly the bottom thereof will travel over the rollers 5H] and 5 which afford support for the loading head until sufficient of its length rests upon the seam bottom K2 as to insure that it will continue to move therealon in conformity with the pitch of said bottom. As will appear from Fig. 10, the rear roller 5 of the pony truck will be raised to a level above that of the forward roller 5H! so as to impart the proper initial inclination to the head Ill. When the head I B has advanced far enough to establish its support and position upon the seam bottom K2, the rollers 5I6 and 5!! of the pony truck may be lowered and the truck rolled back to its usual position adjacent the carriage of unit 30.

It will be understood that the pony truck may be used in a similar manner for the condition illustrated in Fig. 6, except that the rollers 5H] and El I will be elevated equal amounts because of the fact that the bottom Kl is level. further be understood that after the loading head has been advanced forwardly into the position indicated in Fig. 6 (i. e. equivalent to the central, advanced position shown in Fi s. 1 and 3,

thereafter the loading head may be moved laterally and diagonally forwardly to load out the entire width of the square shot-down face across the room at both sides thereof, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 8. Throughout this entire operation the remaining units of the loader stay substantially within the trackway area, which is of the greater height previously described.

In Fig. 11 there is also shown the manner in which the loader may be used for gobbing or stowing away rock which has been drilled and shot either from the top or bottom in advance of the trackway 5 preparatory to shooting down and loading the next forward mass of coal B in the room. It will be understood that after the loader has cleared away all the shot-down coal lying on a bottom K-l (Fig. 6), for example, the loader will be temporarily withdrawn and the cutting machine 600 (Fig. 18) brought into position on the bottom Kl to cut the next advance kerf in the solid face I. The cutting machine will then be withdrawn and that part R of the rock bottom Kl lying ahead of the trackway 5 will be drilled and shot to a width and depth equal to that of said trackway. Then the loader will be again moved into loading position and the loading head will be advanced at the level of the track bottom in the usual way by ropes and jacks straightforward into the shattered mass of rock R ahead of it. In this manner the loading head may be utilized promptly to load out and clear the depressed space in advance of the trackway. It will be understood that the loader may be used in the same manner to remove rock shot from the top of the mine, above and in prolongation of the trackway, when the desired additional It will 14 height is obtained in that manner instead of by removing bottom rock.

After the bottom or top rock has been drilled and shot as described, the rear discharge conveyor ill may be used to gob or stow the rock loaded in the manner just described. As, will be clear from the previous description the rear, upwardly inclined conveyor 40 is rotatable about the vertical axis 45! so that it may be set at any desired horizontal angle with respect to the trackway 5 and the intermediate conveyor unit 30. Hence by turnin the discharge conveyor 40 as shown in Fig. 11, for example, the rock loaded out by the loading head i K! may be promptly disposed to the sides of the track to form the gob usually produced by hand operations. Wherever necessary, preps i may be temporarily removed to permit the conveyor 4E3 to enter and turn through spaces in the room at the sides of the trackway.

While in the foregoing, application of the invention to the mining and loadin out of a face of coal in an advancing room has been illustratively described, it will be understood that the mobile loader of our invention and the operation of the method herein disclosed are equally applicable to other mining operations in mines of the type described, particularly those wherein the room and pillar system is employed. For example, the loader may be utilized in making crosscuts, in retreating pillar removing operations and in fact in any and all of the mining operations customarily employed in said room and pillar systern. This versatility of operation is largely a result of the maneuverability of the units of the machine around and into various parts of the mine and with respect to each other. That is, the loading head can be swun through a very wide angle with respect to the middle unit 30 and also the rear unit 40 can be swung similarly so that the apparatus as a whole can be positioned and operated in virtually any angular relation to be found in any of the various mining operations. Moreover it will be understood that the loader need rarely be idle because it can be readily moved from one room or place to another over the usual track system in the mine, so that while the kerfcutting machine is preparing a face in one room, the loader may be used in its phase of the operations in another room and vice versa.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What we claim is: I

1. The method of mining and loading a seam of coal which comprises undercutting a kerf in a room face of substantial width, shooting down onto the seam bottom the mass of said coal over said kerf, forming a relatively narrow passageway of greater height than the seam along the room short of the shot-down face, projecting a coal digging and conveying means from a support in said passageway onto the seam bottom of the shot-down mass and loading out said mass for the full width of said room by advancing said means into said mass along the seam bottom thereof and across said bottom to the sides of the room to load out said coal and convey it to a receptacle in said passageway while keeping said support in the passageway.

2. The method of mining and loading a seam of coal which comprises undercutting a kerf in a jr-t'fir face "of substsntihi width, shooting onto the seam bottom the mass "of aid of ver said 'lerf, forming *a =rel ativel narrow -c l eprs- 'sed assageway e'ffgreater h'ignttnantheseami along the rooin =bottom short bf "tlieshot dbwn fec'e, raisi'r-ig' a 'boal' di'ggin'g ajhdcbiweying'nfeans from a'su port in' sa d ipsssag'eway onte the seam bottom bfthe' shot down mass-fend ioadingbut {said Miss? for the "full' width b: seiid "room b'y-f'a'dvahcint; aid meeins i'nt'0 saw mas's alongthe seam bittdin "thereof end transversely across said bottom'to the sides of the room to load out said coal ind ho'nveyih'g the coal sol'oaded to a receptacle in said fipassageway while keeping said support in the apiss'ageway.

3.-'- 1-he method of mini-n'g'and loading a "seam of 'e'oal which comprises undercutting a Martin a rooin faxze of substantial width, shooting down ontotnevseam bottom the in eiss ofsa'id coal over said forming "a relatively *narr'bw pai'sfge Way of greater 'heig'h't than the seam along the approximate center line of the room short of the slrot down T3168, @projeting'e coal digging and eoiiveying'means from a support insaid passageway "onto the sealin bottoin' of the shotdown mass and loading out "a square face :for theffull widthof said-room advancing said'm'eans' into said *meiss "along. theseam :bottomtheree-f and across said bott'bhito the sides oftl'le room to lead out a square face "and conveying the coal s'o loaded towreoeptaicle in s'a-idfpassageway while keeping said support :in the central passageway.

4'. I h'e method *of "mining 'aind loading a seam ofboai comprises undercutting "fa ke'rf in axrodm face of sulostttntiall width, "shooting'down' onto the seam bottom the mass of said healover sail-d ker-f, ioriming "a depressed a-pa-ssag'eway of greater height than "the seam along the "aipp'rbxh mate center l'in'e'of the room bottom shortof th'e 'shot down iace,-'raisi-ng a coal digging and conveyingme'ans 'afroin'a' support in said passageway onto the seam bottom of the shot down mass and loading out a square face for the 'fu11 width "of Saidroomby advancing saidmeans into said'niass along the-seam bottom thereof and across said bottom to the sides of the "room to load out a square fa-ce and'convey ing the coa1'so"1oaded*to a receptacle in said passageway.

5. The method of "mining and'loading a seam of coal which comprises cutting a kerf'alo'ng the bottom of said seaimand across a room face of substantial width, forming a bed or *cizttihigs within said ke-rf to @rovide support forthe dercutnoal, shooting down onto'sa-id bed'the'mass of nndemut'coail, forming a. relatively narrow passageway below the seam bottom along the center of the room short of the showdown-face, projecting coal digging andconveying'nieainsfrom a slipport ih "s'aid 'iaeissh geway into eiid through the bed of cuttings on the seam bottom and loading oiit the maiss of sl'iot down toetl for'thefnll Width of said, room by srdvancing said -inuis through Saidbed"alorigftlieseem bottom to the solid fade Ehd EEGIOSSSGJid"bofitollifto theside's of the room to reihove the suppbrting "bed of cuttings and conveying away the' co al which falls onto said 'eonve'yifig means'after reiiioval of said bed "therebeneath; while maintaining sa'idsubport in the depressed central zpass'ageway.

*6. Ihymethodo'fniinihg coal which comprises eutti-ng-a 'ker-f *at the 'bottom of a seam, "building upwsupporti'ng bed or coal cuttings within said kerf to a substantial depth, shooting down the dnderciit sehm albdve-"ssiidikerf, and loading the fragmehtedfi'shot-down deal *by inserting a rel2;=-

tive'ly shallow, ddhg' and narrow digging and conveying-memberi into'the' bed of cuttings beneath said ifragmented sl'iot-"down mess and profieeting said member fore-substantial distance into and through said bed,"digging out andczirryiifg -'a;w'a;y the cuttings *of -s aii'd bed, in the paith' bf the member so as tmremove the "supportingefiectbf the bed the overhanging fragmented c'oalnnd thereby ea-using saiid overhanging fragments to fell upon the member and be do'nveyd "'out'of the mass.

V 7'. A method as speei-fied'in' cl aim '6 wherein the digging and conveying member is moved laterglly toward both sides the mass from "the oint of original insertion so its to load out the entire shot-down mass :by advancing and letters movements. V

- RICHARD PEABE;

REMBRANDT JR.

The following references "aji e of record in the Number '15268 ,584 13075335 1,378,830 1,43 1,857 "1,498g506 1,608,149 "-1g628g329 1300;294 1,770,934 2,03 L544 2,308,517

umber

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