US2564038A

US2564038A - Coal digger

Info

Publication number: US2564038A
Application number: US99798A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stephenson Edward
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-06-17
Filing date: 1949-06-17
Publication date: 1951-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 1968-08-14

Description

E. STEPHENSON Aug. 14, 1951 GOAL DIGGER 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN TOR. E 014/020 $rPHws0m Filed June 17, 1949 Aug. 14, 1951 E STEPHENSON COAL DIGGER Filed June 17, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 14, 1951 E. STEPHENSON COAL DIGGER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 17, 1949 ATIE INVENTOR. fan 4 90 SrEPHEmM/Y Patented Aug. 14, 1951 UNITED s'rsrss rarer EFlC COAL BIGGER Edward Stephenson, Carrier Mills, Ill.

Application June 17, 1949, Serial No. 99,798

Claims. 1

This invention relates to coal-digging machines, and more particularly to a machine adapted to dig coal off a solid mass in a mine and load it into a bin for discharge into a shuttle car or other conveyance.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved coal-digging machine which is relatively simple in construction, easy to operate, and which digs coal off a solid mass and loads it into a storage bin ready to be discharged into a shuttle car or other conveyance for moving the coal from the working face to the tipple.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved coal-digging machine which is sturdy in construction, substantially automatic in operation, and which renders unnecessary many operations formerly required in coal mining, such as undercutting, drilling, blasting and manual loading.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved coal-digging machine which eliminates many of the hazards encountered in present methods of mining, said machine involving relatively few parts, being easy to maintain in operation, and having a high capacity whereby a great saving in time and labor is provided in mining coal by the use of the machine.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a coalmining machine constructed in accordance with the present invention shown in an initial operating position thereof;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the machine in a second position of operation thereof;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure .1, but showing the machine in a third position of operation thereof;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the machine of Figure l; s

Figure 5 is a rear elevational view of the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a front elevational view of the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view of the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssectional detail view taken on line 8-8' of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on line 9-9 of Figure 4;

Figure 10 is a top plan detail view of the cut 2 ting head of the machine of Figure 1, with the conveyor chain removed;

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional detail view taken on line HII of Figure 9.

Referring to the drawings, the coal-digging machine is designated generally at H. Said machine comprises an elongated bin portion I2 to the forward end of which is pivotally connected the digging head 39.

The bin portion [2 has vertical side walls l3, a bottom wall It, a front wall l5, an upwardlyand rearwardly-inclined rear wall It, and a horiaontal extension of said rear wall, shown at ll, which defines with side walls l3, [3 a discharge chute at the rear of the bin portion [2. As shown in Figure '7, the bin portion l 2 is provided with an endless chain conveyor l8, extending along bottom wall 14, inclined rear wall It, and the discharge chute bottom wall l1, said conveyor extending substantially the full width of the bin portion l2 and being driven by an electric motor l9 secured to the rear portion of one of the side walls I3, and whose shaft is coupled, as by a belt 25], to a transverse sprocket shaft 2| journaled in the rear end portions of the side Walls and having suitable sprockets engaging the side links of the chain conveyor Ill. The chain conveyor I8 is provided with outwardly-projecting spaced lugs 22 acting to propel material deposited on the chain conveyor rearwardly out of the bin portion l 2 as the chain conveyor is driven by the motor IS, The chain conveyor is supported on respective sprocket shafts 23 and 24 adjacent the upper and lower ends of the inclined rear wall l6, and on a sprocket shaft 25 adjacent the front wall l5, said sprocket shafts being journaled in the side walls I3, l3. The motor is is automatically controlled by a push button switch 26 mounted on the upper portion of front wall l5 adjacent the forward end of chain conveyor I8. Hinged to front wall l5 at a point above the switch 26 is a plate member 21 overlying the actuating button of the switch. The plate member 2'! is forced into abutment with the switch button by the lateral pressure of material accumulating on the forward end of the chain conveyor. The switch is connected in the motor energizing circuit. When the switch is closed, the motor I9 becomes energized, starting the conveyor and moving the material rear- Wardly thereon. The switch opensas soon as the lateral pressure on hinged plate member 27 is removed, terminating operation of the conveyor.

Secured transversely in the bin 12 adjacent sprocket shaft 24 between the upper and lower 3 elements of conveyor chain l8 and extending through the side walls 13 is a shaft 28. Journaled on shaft 28 outwardly adjacent the respective side walls [3 are driving wheels 29. Each driving wheel 29 is driven by an individual electric motor 30 mounted on the side wall l3 adjacent thereto. Secured to the forward portion of each side wall I3 is an angle bracket 3|. Pivoted to the bracket 3| is a depending fluid pressure cylinder 32. Telescoped in each cylinder 32 is a piston sleeve 33 and provided in each sleeve 33 is a piston carried on a piston rod 34. Secured to the end of each piston rod 34 is a yoke 35 carrying a Wheel 36 rotatably mounted between its arms. A caterpillar tread belt 31 extends over each set of wheels 29 and 36 at the respective sides of the bin member l2. When fluid under pressure is introduced into the cylinders 32, the forward end of the bin member I2 is elevated from its normal position, shown in Figure 1, to a raised position, such as shown in Figures 2 and 3, due to the extension of the piston sleeves 33 and piston rods 34. The machine may be moved longitudinally by simultaneous energization of the motors 38, causing the caterpillar belts 31 to be simultaneously driven. To turn the machine in one direc-- tion or the other, one of the motors 30 is energized while the other motor 30 is de-energized.

Rotatably mounted in the upper forward corner portions of the side walls l3, 13 above the forward wall I is a transverse shaft 38 carrying the digging head 39. Said digging head comprises a pair of side wall members 40, 4!], each side wall member comprising an intermediate plate element 4| to opposite surfaces of which are secured

outer plate elements

42, 42 slightly larger in size than the intermediate plate element, thereby defining a peripheral guide groove extending around the peripheral edge of the side wall member. Movably positioned in the peripheral guide grooves thus defined are the

respective chain cutters

43, 43. The transverse shaft 38 extends rotatably through the side wall elements 40 at the rear end of the digging head. Rotatably secured to the forward ends of the side wall elements 40 is a transverse shaft 44 provided with a plurality of spaced abrading lugs 45. Rotatably secured to the upper marginal portions of the wall members 40 rearwardly adjacent shaft 44 is another transverse shaft 46 provided with similar abrading lugs. Secured on the

shafts

38, 46 and 44 in recesses formed in the wall members 48 are respective sprockets 47, 48 and 49 engaging the cutter chains 43, as shown in Figure 9.

At its intermediate portion, shaft 38 carries additional sprockets, shown at 56. Pivotally mounted on said shaft is a flat transverse housing 5|. Telescoped over housing 5| is another housing member 52 having an end portion 53 in which is iournaled a transverse shaft 54. Shaft 54 carries sprockets 55 which are respectively longitudinally aligned with the sprockets 50. Engaged over each set of longitudinally-aligned sprockets 50 and 55 is a conveyor chain element 56 having spaced lugs 66 thereon. Secured in housing elemerit 5| is a longitudinally-extending fluid pressure cylinder 51. Secured to the end portion 53 of housing element 52 is a piston rod 58 carried by a piston slidably positioned in cylinder 51. Engaging the lower portion of each chain element 56 is an idler wheel 59, the idler wheels being rotatably mounted on a common transverse shaft 60. The shaft 60 is connected by respective link arms 6| and 62 to the respective housing elements 5|. and 52. By introducing fluid under pressure into the cylinder 51, the piston rod 58 may be forced outwardly, increasing the effective length of the conveyor chains, 56, as compared with the normal effective length thereof shown in Figure 8.

Secured to one of the side walls 13 of bin member 12 is an electric motor 63 coupled, as by a belt 64, to a pulley 65 secured on shaft 38. When motor 63 is energized, shaft 38 is rotated, causing the cutter chains 43 to be moved in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 8 and 9, and simultaneously causing the conveyor chains 56 to be moved in a similar direction. The

toothed shafts

44 and 46 are rotated counterclockwise at the same time, because of the counterclockwise movement of sprockets 49 and 48 produced by the movement of chains 43.

Pivoted to each of the side walls l 3 of bin member I2 is a fluid pressure cylinder 6'! containing a piston provided with a piston rod shown at 68. The end of each piston rod 68 is pivotally connected at 69 to a generally triangular plate member 10 secured to the adjacent side wall member 40 of digging head 39. When fluid under pressure is introduced into cylinders 67, the digging head is elevated from its normal position with respect to bin member 12, shown in Figures 1 and 2, to an elevated position with respect to said bin member, as shown, for example, in Figure 3.

Designated at H is a source of fluid pressure, for example, a motor-driven pump, mounted on one of the side walls l3 of the bin member l2. Mounted on said side wall I3 is a control valve 12 connected to pump II by a conduit 13 and having respective outlet conduits l4 and 15. The outlet conduits 14 are connected to the respective bin-elevating

cylinders

32, 32. Valve '12 has a first control lever 16 which controls the admission of fluid under pressure into the conduits 14, '74. The outlet conduit 15 is connected to the respective cylinders 61 and 51. Valve 12 has a second control lever 11 which controls the admission of fluid under pressure into the conduit 15. I

In operation, the machine, arranged in the position of Figure 1, is advanced to engage the digging head 39 with the coal face, by means of the tread driving motors 30. The main drive motor 63 is then energized to start the movement of the chain cutters 43, the

toothed shafts

44 and 46, and the conveyor chains 56. With the digging head elements running and the head located at the proper place at the coal face, the motors 30 are then energized to advance the digger head several feet into the coal face. Since the chain cutters 43 extend forwardly of the toothed shaft 44, the coal face is sheared vertically, forming two vertical grooves adjacent the portion of the face engaged by the toothed shaft 44. The toothed shaft 44 cuts the coal between said grooves forwardly from the bottom of the face while the other rotary cutter shaft 46 splits the face, defining a block of coal. Meanwhile, the conveyor chains 56 are running. Due to the angle of attack defined

b cutter shafts

44 and 46, a considerable amount of coal is loosened and thrown back onto the conveyor chains 56. The conveyor chains 56 move all the coal falling thereon rearwardly over wall l5 into the bin member I2. 'When'asubstantial amount of coal accumulates in said bin member, the chain conveyor [8 is actuated .by the closure of switch 26, as above described, moving the coal rearwardly out of the bin member into a suitable conveyance for hauling the coal to the surface of the mine.

When the digging head, in the position of Figure 1, is completely buried in the coal face, the operator manipulates valve lever 76, admitting fluid under pressure to the jack cylinders 32, thereby elevating the forward end of the bin member [2 to the position of Figure 2. The digging head 39 meanwhile continues its cutting action but in an upward direction. The chain cutters 43 shear the coal vertically while the cutte shafts M and it out upwardly into the coal face, loosening the coal and throwing same onto the conveyor chains 58 for rearward movement into the bin member [2.

By manipulating valve lever 'l'l, fluid under pressure may be admitted into cylinders 61 and '51, applying further upward force to the digger head and at the same time extending the conveyor chains 56. When the head rises a few inches from the fire clay at the bottom of the face, the conveyor chains 56 become extended to their full length, reaching to the back of the cut made by the front rotary toothed shaft 45. By being thus extended, the conveyor chains 56 are in positions to catch all the coal cut with a minimum of spillage. As the digging head is raised, it cuts and shears several inch s ahead of the lugs on the conveyor chains as, making it easy for said lugs to pull the coal down.

When the roof of th cut is reached, the chine is arranged in the position shown in Figure 3. The operator backs the machine by reversing the motors 3G. The cutting elements on the digger head 39 continue to out until. they are clear of the coal.

When one out, such as described above, been made, the operator moves the machine laterally over the width of the cut and repeats the process.

It will be noted that the action of the rotary cutter shafts M and 46 is to cut out a block of coal by forward movement of the machine. When the digger head 39 is elevated, the first block. is disintegrated into lumps and has been largely conveyed rearwardl into the bin member [2 by the action of the lugs on the conveyor chains 56. The upward movement of the cutter shafts M and .6 cuts out a second block of coal. This block is also disintegrated by the action of the lugs on the extended conveyor chains 56.

While a specific embodiment of a coal-digging machine has been disclosed in the foregoing description, various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coal digging machine, a bin, an endless belt conveyor positioned longitudinally within said bin and rotatably supported therein, motive means operatively connected to said belt conveyor for effecting the movement thereof, ground engaging means carried by said bin and engageable with a ground surface for effecting the movement of said bin along said ground surface and for selectively elevating the forward end of said bin with respect to said ground surface, a digging head positioned contiguous to said forward end of the bin and mounted on the latter for movement toward and away from said ground surface, said digging head comprising a pair of spaced side walls, an endless chain cutter circumposed about each of said side walls and supported thereon for movement thereabout, a first toothed shaft disposed transversely between said side walls contiguous to and spaced inwardly of the forward ends of said chain cutters and rotatabl supported on said side walls a second toothed shaft disposed rearwardly of and spaced above said first toothed shaft androtatably supported on said side walls transversely thereof, conveyor means extending from subjacent said toothed shafts rearwardly to said bin and movably supported on said side walls, means for simultaneously driving said chain cutters, toothed shafts and last named conveyor means, and means connected between said bin and said digging head for effecting the movement of the latter with respect to said ground surface.

2. In a coal digging machine, a bin, an endless belt conveyor positioned longitudinally within bin and rotatably supported therein, motive means opera-tively connected to said belt conveyor for effecting the movement thereof, ground engaging means carried by said bin and engageable with a ground surface for effecting the movement of said bin along said ground surface and for selectively elevating the forward end of said bin with respect to'said ground surface, a digging head positioned contiguous to said forward end of the bin and mounted on the latter for movement toward and away from said ground surface, said digging head comprising a pair of spaced side walls, an endless chain cutter circumposed about each of said side walls and supported thereon for movement thereabout, a toothed shaft disposed transversely between said side walls contiguous to and spaced inwardly of the forward ends of said chain cutters and rota-tably supported on said side walls, a second toothed shaft disposed rearwardly of and spaced above said first toothed shaft and rotatably supported on said side walls transversely thereof, conveyor deans extending from subjacent said toothed shafts rearwardly to said bin and movably supported on said side walls, means for simultaneously driving said chain cutters, toothed shafts and last named conveyor means, and means connected between said bin and said digging head for effecting the movement of the latter with respect to said ground surface, said ground engaging means comp-rising a first pair of wheels arranged on opposite sides of saidbin contiguous to the other end thereof and supported thereon for rotary movement about a horizontal axis, a second pair of wheels arranged contiguous to said forward end of said bin and in spaced aligned relation with respect to said first pair of wheels, a hydraulically actuated extensible arm connected to said bin and one of the wheels of said second pair and rotatably supporting the latter, an endless tread looped about the aligned wheels of said first and second pairs and supported thereon, and means for introducing fluid under pressure into each of said extensible arms for selectively varying the length of each of said arms.

3. In a coal digging machine, a bin, an endless belt conveyor positioned longitudinally within said bin and rotatably supported therein, motive means operatively connected to said belt con veyor for effecting the movement thereof, ground engaging means carried by said bin and engageable with a ground surface for effecting the movement of said bin along said ground surface and for selectively elevating the forward end of said bin with respect to said ground surface, a digging head positioned contiguous to said forward end of said bin and mounted on the latter for movement toward and away from said ground surface, said digging head comprising a pair of spaced side walls, an endless chain cutter circumposed about each of said side walls and supported thereon for movement thereabout, a first toothed shaft disposed transversely between said side walls contiguous to and spaced inwardly of the forward ends of said chain cutters and rotatably supported on said side walls, a second toothed shaft disposed rearwardly of and spaced above said first toothed shaft and rotatably supported on said side walls transversely thereof, conveyor means extending from subjacent said toothed shafts rearwardly to said bin and movably supported on said side walls, means for simultaneously driving said chain cutters, toothed shafts and last named conveyor means, means connected between said bin and said digging head for effecting the movement of the latter with respect to said ground surface, and pressure responsive switch means carried contiguous to one end of said bin and connected to said motive means for actuating the latter in response to the accumulation of material in said bin.

4. In a coal digging machine, a bin, an endless belt conveyor positioned longitudinally within said bin and rotatably supported therein, motive means operatively connected to said belt conveyor for effecting the movement thereof, ground engaging means carried by said bin and engageable with a ground surface for effecting the movement of said bin along said ground surface and for selectively elevating the forward end of said bin with respect to said ground surface, a digging head positioned contiguous to said forward end of the bin and mounted on the latter for movement toward and away from said ground surface, said digging head comprising a pair of spaced side walls, an endless chain cutter circumposed about each of said side walls and supported thereon for movement thereabout, a first toothed shaft disposed transversely between said side walls contiguous to and spaced inwardly of the forward ends of said chain cutters and rotatably supported on said side walls, a second toothed shaft disposed rearwardly of and spaced above said first toothed shaft and rotatably supported on said side walls transversely thereof, conveyor means extending from subjacent said toothed shafts rearwardly to said bin and movablysupported on said side walls, means for simultaneously driving said chain cutters, toothed shafts and last named conveyor means, means connected between said bin and said digging head for effecting the movement of the latter with respect to said ground surface, said last named conveyor means including a plurality 'of conveyor chain elements disposed in side by side spaced relation with respect to each other and mounted for movement about spaced horizontal axes, and means connected between said horizontal axes for selectively varying the spacing of said axes with respect to each other to thereby effectively increase or decrease the length of each of said conveyor chain elements.

5. In a coal digging machine, a bin, an endless belt conveyor positioned longitudinally within said bin and rotatably supported therein, motive means operatively connected to said belt conveyor for effecting the movement thereof, ground engaging means carried by said bin and engageable with a ground surface for effecting the movement of said bin along said ground surface and for selectively elevating the forward end of said bin with respect to said ground surface, a digging head positioned contiguous to said forward end of the bin and mounted on the latter for movement toward and away from said ground surface, said digging head comprising a pair of spaced side walls, an endless chain cutter circumposed about each of said side walls and supported thereon for movement thereabout, a first toothed shaft disposed transversely between said side walls contiguous to and spaced inwardly of the forward ends of said chain cutters and rotatably supported on said side walls, a second toothed shaft disposed rearwardly of and spaced above said first toothed shaft and rotatably supported on said side walls transversely thereof, conveyor means extending from subjacent said toothed shafts rearwardly to said bin and movably supported on said side walls, means for simultaneously driving said chain cutters, toothed shafts and last named conveyor means, means connected between said bin and said digging head for effecting the movement of the latter with respect to said ground surface, said last named conveyor means including a lurality of conveyor chain elements disposed in side by side spaced relation with respect to each other and mounted for movement about spaced horizontal axes, and means connected between said horizontal axes for selectively varying the spacing of said axes with respect to each other to thereby effectively increase or decrease the length of each of said conveyor chain elements, and idler means engaging each of said chain elements and connected to said last named means for maintaining said chain elements taut in all positions of said spaced axes.

EDWARD STEPHENSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Feb. 22, 1932 Number Number