US2626140A

US2626140A - Mining machine

Info

Publication number: US2626140A
Application number: US144763A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sproul John Connel
Original assignee: Mavor and Coulson Ltd
Current assignee: Mavor and Coulson Ltd
Priority date: 1947-11-10
Filing date: 1950-02-17
Publication date: 1953-01-20
Anticipated expiration: 1970-01-20

Description

J. c. sPRoUl.

MINING MACHINE Jan. 2Q, 1953 Filed Feb. I?, 195o 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Jan. 20, 1953 -J. c. sPRoUl. 2,626,140

A MINING MACHINE Filed Feb. 17, 195o 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 lll IIL

MMM'

Attorneys Patented Jan. 20, 1953 `John GonnelSproul, l Glasgow, YSco'tla'ncl,as signor to:'Mavor'&` Coulson, Limit'efL-Glasgom- Scot landt.

Application February 17, 1950SerialNo. 144,763' In, Great Britain Novemberlll; 19471 Thisinventi'on relates toemachines for mining coal orI othermineralr andvbelongingtoa previously proposed type havingl a-wedge1ikecutter head adapted tov stripvoif lthernineral -in the advance of the machine b-y splitting oif the mineral in-.the same ymanner as by alwedge orchiselalong aplane behind the mineraliface. Where, Aasis usually desirable, the machine isd'ouble-endedthat is to say-is designed.- to Work in eachlof' its two\ directions of travel-there are two suchcut-- ter heads.

In a.previously:proposed` construction, the ymachine has jacking meansadaptedl to provide an anchorage orabutmentcfor propulsion apparatus incorporated in' the machine. The arrangement is. such. thatfirst' the jackingrmeans isi extended toanchor itself between theroof and the floor, next the propulsion. apparatus is. operated. to force f the machine; forwards; so as to rmake aacutting stroke the reactionizoffwhi'cnisftaken bythe jackingmeans; nextv the-.jacking means isl contracted1-to :free itself. from its place ofi anchorage, and finally:v the.l propulsion yapparatus :is operated to pull the jacking means forwards alongythe floor for locaticniin aanew anchoragezinreadiness for; thef'nextv cutting stroke;

A disadvantagezyof; previously. proposed arrangementsis .thatztheijacking means iszrigidly attached tothe main body of." the. miningtma.- chine; so;v that; 'when-r the; jacking means?. is 4eX- tended. to anchorA itself; andithe" propulsion: apparatus is operated, the tendencyoftheahead toi ywork itself.: outwardly.A- from ther facef.. as. the cutting stroke.- progresses,` imposes vheavy bending. stressestonithefpropulsionapparatus..

According to the present invention, aVY mining machiney of the type: stated comprises aframe withat; least. one ywedge-like cutter head to split 01T the mineralrfromthe face of a. seam, jacking meanstofprovide an anchorage during eachcutting stroke, andfpropulsion apparatus actinglongitudinally. between the jacking meansand the frame ,toadvance themalternately, the jacking means being located on. the outer side of the propulsion apparatus.in-order-to-bring the centre of the jacking', pressure substantially outwards from the plane of the faceandin order to apply the cutter head at an effective angle-to said plane, andlthe machine frame being in pivotal relationship with thejacking means inorder that. as each cutting stroke progresses the frame` will adjustitself angularly about the jacking means asaxis. By virtue' of'this arrangementLthe-cutn ting'force can be4V applied to the cutter headtat. anzanglewhich isV greater.l than. hitherto, so much`so-that`the cutter headwill have no serious 2 tendencyftoLmovev outwards 'from-1 the-f ace o-fl the mineral seam:

Preferably; thecutterhead (or cache-cutter head)-is associated witha pad-arrangedf'eimmediately behind an active cutter on--sa-idhead and adapted' to slide-against-the-face'newlymcut by saidt cutter inthe-mineralseam.1 Provision is made vfor relative lateral adjustment between the'cutter andi sucha-pad--in order tol regulate the-cutting action;

The' jacking meansr` may bemounted -in proximitylto the middle of' the-length-oftlieframe and maybe supported-by guides on the-frame, between which` guides` and= theJ jacking means relative lengthwisel motion---occurs duringfr the operation of y'the` cylinder-and-ramA apparatus.

An xexample of a= double-ended coal-mining machine according to the invention i's shown in the -accompanyingwdrawings inl which- Fig; 1 is anlelevationrof the'machine-andvFig. 2 is a=p1anI Fig. 3 isa sectional'y elevation ofa hydraulic jack and associated parts as' viewedlin'liggl;

Fig; 4is a=se'ctionalfplairofl themachine frame and.' the! propulsion` means; being a section approximately von the line' 4;-4 "off 'Figi 'lky The cutter. heads vare: indicated: :generally by I andi I :If respectively. l Each of these fheads, yin the example. shown, comprises a@ leading cutter I2 arranged at an intermediate level, two cutters I-3 and Irabove' theircutter: |21,andaio'orlcutter assembly .I 5'; *I all off them. .having-Y. cuttings edges Workingiin;approximately: thev same vertical.` plane A+A, Fig.' 2;..and1 theyperformthe main cutting operation 1 on the-coal.V The. Verticalfplane' cutting edgeszfareindicatedby I2A,.; ISA,..I'Aa.and IBA; respectively. Each. fioon cutter assembly I5 has yalso got a horizontaliedge; IEB-thexassembly beingjnl thefnature. fofa zdeecting. Shox/elf for re'N moving coalV .from the-fioori anda-.for lifting and deiiecting-.the coal? sidewise to ai conveyor- (not shown); Each cutter. headalso includes ahorizontaleedgedroof;.cutter assembly.; I6'.

Each head t carrying; these several f cutters; is a heavy structure j ointed.v to =an f end'A wall Il or I 8 of the frame of the mining machine,`

' Regarded generally, the. mining machinegcon sists of a heavybody-` which-comprises-.the aforesaid frame carrying the cutter headsj' I Il, Irl: and cylinder-and-ram components.' I Sandi@ 'forf'proe pellingtheV frame, in combination withV` roof-anclflooL-.engaging jacking; means-2I-,.; 22,. connected with .the componenti!! of the cylinder-,anderem apparatus to provide a temporarily fixed anchorage or abutment against which to apply the propulsion force. The propulsion cylinder I9 and the jacking means constitute an anchorage assembly. 'I'he frame includes, in addition to the end walls I1 and I8, two heavy

horizontal bars

23 and 24 which rigidly interconnect said end walls. The bar 23 is arranged at a low level and close to the inner side of the machine; that is, the side which comes close to the face of the coal seam, represented in Fig. 2 by the plane A--A. The bar 24 is arranged at an intermediate level and at the outer side of the machine. These

bars

23, 24 constitute guides upon which is slidably arranged a blocklike carriage indicated generally by 25. This blocklike carriage incorporates the cylinder component I9 of the cylinder-and-ram propulsion apparatus and carries the cylinder component 2| of the jacking means; that is to say, the carriage 25 carries the whole of the propulsion apparatus and jacking means.

The cutter heads I and II are equipped with soles IOA and I IA respectively which are slidable upon the mine oor and which assist the iloor cutter assemblies I5 to bear the entire weight of themachine.

In the example, the cylinder-and-ram propulsion apparatus is a single hydraulic unit of which the cylinder I9 is double-acting, being arranged in the carriage 25 longitudinally along the inner side of the machine. The ram 20 of the propulsion unit extends from both ends of the cylinder I9. The ram ends register with two buiers or abutments 26 on the end walls I1, I8 of the frame. The ram is very slightly shorter than the distance between the abutments 26, so that there is provision for slight relative longitudinal movement between the ram and the frame. Thus, when the ram is forced longitudinally in either .directi-on relative to its cylinder I9 in the blocklike carriage 25, the ram and frame act like a unit which either advances relative to the temporarily stationary carriage 25 `or rests stationary whilst the carriage advances. The fact that the ram 20 is structurally disconnected from the frame gives the important practical advantage that any distortion of the frame due to the veryheavy work of the machine is not transmitted to the ram, which is left free of bende ing and torsional strains to work in its cylinder and to be subjected to purely longitudinal compression due to thrust in both directions on the frame.

With Ireference to the jacking means 2|, 22, in the example this is a hydraulic jack, which is arranged vertically in the carriage 25 at the cuter side of the machine. The jack is mounted in a casing or holder 21 incorporated in the structure of the carriage 25. The jack cylinder 2| is vertically slidable in the casing 21 and is formed with a part-spherical enlargement 2 IA about the centre Iof which the jack is tiltable in relation to the casing. The cylinder 2| and the piston of the piston-operated component 22 are doubleacting. The jack cylinder 2| has a heavy foot or base 28 adapted to engage the mine floor when the jack is extended and which presses upwards against pads 29 on the underside,` of the casing 21 'when the jack is fully contracted. The piston-operated component 22 has a head 30 adapted to engage the mine roof when the jack is fully extended and which rests upon facings 3| on the casing 21 when the jack is contracted. Then the facings 3| bear the weight of the jack. The head 30 is connected to the component 22 by universal joint 32, so that the head isireely chine, any appropriate hydraulic pumping plant is provided, such plant in the example being carried by the carriage 25. The plant comprises an electromotor-driven pump 33, a tank 34 from which the pump draws the hydraulic liquid (namely oil) a manually operated control valve 35 for directing the hydraulic liquid to and from the appropriate ends of the cylinders I9 and 2| and appropriate piping 3B (Fig. 2). As Fig. l shows, the piping includes two flexible pipes 31, 38 communicating with opposite ends of the jack cylinder 2|. The hydraulic plant, being of any conventional design, is shown more or less diagrammatically.

The leading cutter I2 of each 4of the cutter heads II) and II is associated with a pad 39, the face of the pad occupying the cutting plane A-A; that is to say, the pad is arranged to slide against the newly cut coal face during each cutting stroke of the head I 0 or |I carrying it. Moreover, each leading cutter itself is angularly adjustable laterally so that its setting relative to the associated pad 39 can be adjusted to regulate the cutting action. As shown in Figs. l and 5, the cutter I2 is attached by a vertical pivot pin 40 to an arm 4| projecting forwards from the head I0 (or II). Two adjustable grub screws 42 extending through the cutter come against a facing 43 on the arm 4| and thus fix the angular setting lof the cutter. A swing bolt 44 anchored to the arm 4I passes through the cutter and serves to hold the screws 42 hard against the facing 43.

The operation yof the machine is as follows: Assume that the machine as viewed in the drawings is to work towards the right; that is to say, the head |I ihas to lead and act on the coal face whereas the head I0 has to trail idly. Assume also that the carriage 25 and jack 2|, 22 are positioned as shown and that the hydraulic plant is in operation.

The rst action of the machine is to thrust the head II forward to perform its cutting stroke. Accordingly, the control valve is manipulated so that the jack 2|, 22 is extended. Thus, the jack cylinder 2| is forced'downwards until its foot 28 engages the iloor, after which theV piston-operated component 22 rises until its head 30 engages the roof, so that the jack finally anchors itself and the carriage 25 between roof and floor. Next, the control valve 35 is operated so that the ram 20 of the propulsion unit is forced towards the right; that is, the propulsion unit is operated to push forwards the frame I1, I8, 23, 24. Thus a cutting stroke is performed by the head II, the frame sliding upon the mine oor past the anchored jack and carriage. Next, the control valve 35 is operated so that the jack is operated to lower its head from the roof and lift its foot clear of the floor. The entire carriage 25 and everything carried by it are now supportedby the frame clear above the mine floor. Finally, the control valve 35 is operated so that the .propulsion unit acts in theopposite direction so that its ram 2li vthrusts towards the left. .'Ihisfaction causes 'the propulsion cylinder I9 with vthe carriage 25 and jack v2I, 22 to slide forwards, free from obstruction by the floor or roof, along the frame guides 23, '2li in readiness for anchorage again.

When each cutting stroke is performed by the machine, the force of the stroke is directedv ina plane from ythe central axis B-of the jack to the approximate place of application to the coal of they main cutter edges I2-A, I3A, I4A and ISA of the active head Il. In Fig. 2 theA approximate plane of application is indicated by the arrow C, which is directed at an angle to the cutting lplane A'--A. Throughout the Vcutting stroke, not only does the frame Il, I8, 23, 24 continue to `slide past the anchored jack 2|, 22` but as the stroke progresses the angularity'of the liner of application C with the cutting plane A-A decreases slightly by virtue of the pivotal relationship of the frame to the jack. By virtue of the universal mounting at 2 IA of the jacking means, the frame -is free to follow undulations on the mine floor.

Thus it will be seen that, in the coal-mining machine described, the vertical roof-and-oor jack 2|, 22 is outwardlyV offset from and pivotally related to the longitudinal propulsion cylinderand-ram unit kI 9, 2c so that the inwardly inclined thrust from the ram towards the coal face produces an inward cutting iniiuence on the leading cutter head II, which influence is restricted by the pressure pad 39 on the cutter head.

As Fig. 2 shows, the centre of thev total jacking pressure represented by the cross B is substantially odset outwards from the line of action of thepropulsion ram 20, so much so that the approximate line of thrust represented by the arrow C is at an angle to the cutting plane A-A reasonably great enough to obviate or substantially reduce any tendency of the cutter head to work itself outwards from the face.

Moreover, the freedom ofthe frame to pivot about the anchorage at B obviates or minimises bendingstresses in the frame but as already explained, any such bending or other stresses to which the frame may be subject are not communicated to the propulsion apparatus I9, 2l).

Patent application No. 144,745 having the same date as the present application describes and shows a mining machine the same as that herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings but claims an invention diierent from that hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

l. A machine for mining coal or other mineral and of the type stated comprising a frame, a cutter head carried by said frame to split off mineral in a cutting plane from a mine seam, propulsion apparatus supported by said frame for movement along the frame, said cutter head being structurally related to said propulsion apparatus so that said cutting plane is at the inner side of said apparatus, extensible and contractible roof-and-iioor engageable jacking means including a vertical axis cylindrical component which is carried by said apparatus and which is offset to the outer side of the propulsion apparatus, said jacking means providing an anchorage against which said apparatus can apply to the frame propulsive and cutting force, and a pivotal connection between the cylindrical component and the propulsion apparatus such that as the cutting stroke progresses the frame can adjustI itself angularly by pivoting about the axis of said cylindrical component.

42A-:machine :accordingto claim. 1 including also a: cutteronzthe cutterhead anda had' 1I- rangedimmediately to theprear of said mittew t0 slide in the cuttingv plane against a Aface newly cut by said cutter.

3. A machine accordingA to claim 2 including also :means Afor effecting relativeA lateral-angular adjustment between said cutter and said `pad in vorder to regulate the cutting action.

4. A .machine-according tol claim 1in which the said jacking. means; is an extensible'fandjcontractible cylinder-and-piston unit andin which the machine-includes a vsupport incorporated-,in said propulsion apparatus,-y and wherein. :said Divotal connection -isl between -said cylindrical: @Qmponent and said support, said-unit'beifng Vertically slidable in said support.

'5. vA machine according to claim 4in which said cylinder-and-piston unitVv includes lone C9111- ponent having av roof-engageable, head adapted to rest uponk said support, whichl thus bears `the weight of the jacking means when the'unt Vis contracted.

6. A machine according to claim 5 in' which the other component of said unit. hasv a;f10,011 engageable foot which comes,- against said support when the unit'is,` fully contracted.

7. A machine according to claim 45 infwhich the cylinder-and-piston unit is mounted in said support not only so as to vbe pivotable and vslillable but also so as. to be tiltable to the vertical axis of said unit.

8. A machine for mining-coal or otherI mineral and of the type stated comprising a Hama-acutterhead carried byzsaidtframe tosplit'oi mineral in a cutting plane from a mine seam, a carriage which is supported by said frame for movement along the frame, extensible and contractible-roofand-floor engageable rjacking means carried f by said carriage to; provide a temporarilyfixed anchorage against-which' toapply machine propulsion force, said jacking means having an approximately vertical axis, propulsion-apparatus also carried by said carriage, said apparatushaving an approximately horizontallongitudinal axis and' acting longitudinally -throughnsaid frame while the carriage is anchored to apply a cutting stroke to said cutter head, said cutter head, carriage, jacking means and propulsion apparatus being structurally related so that the propulsion apparatus is located at the inner side of the carriage with its said longitudinal axis close to said cutting plane and the jacking means is located at the outer side of the carriage with its said vertical axis spaced outwards to a substantial extent from said longitudinal axis in order that the cutting stroke will be applied at an effective angle to said plane, and a pivotal connection between the jacking means and the carriage such that as the cutting stroke progresses the frame can adjust itself angularly by pivoting about said vertical axis.

9. A machine for mining coal or other mineral and of the type stated comprising a frame, a cutter head carried by said frame to split off mineral in a cutting plane from a mine seam, a carriage which is supported by said frame for movement along the frame, extensible and contractible roof-and-ioor engageable jacking means also carried by said carriage to provide a temporarily fixed anchorage against which to apply machine propulsion force, said jacking means having an approximately vertical axis, a propulsion power cylinder carried by said carriage, a ram movable through said cylinder and extending therefromin opposite longitudinal directions to act through the frame while the carriage is anchored to apply a cutting stroke to said cutter head, said jacking means being located on the outer side, with respect to said plane, of the ram in order that the cutting stroke will be applied at an effective angle to said plane, and a pivotal connection between the jacking means and the carriage such that as the cutting stroke progresses the frame can adjustl itself angularly by pivoting about the axis of the jacking means.

10. Amachine according to claim 9 including alsoa cutter on the cutter head and a pad arranged immediately to the rear of said cutter to slide in the cutting plane against a face newly cut by said cutter.

11. A machine according to claim l0 including also means for effecting relative lateral angular adjustment between said cutter and said pad in order to regulate the cutting action.

12. A machine according to claim 9 in which the said jacking means is an extensible and contractible cylinder-and-piston unit and 'in which the machine includes a support incorporated in said carriage, and wherein said pivotal connecs.

tion is between said cylinder-and-piston unit and said support, said unit being vertically slidable in said support.

V13. A machine according to `claim 12 in which the cylinder-and-piston unit includes one component having a roof-engageable head adapted to rest upon said support, which thus bears the weight of the jacking means when the unit is contracted.

14. A machine according to claim 13 in which the other component of said unit has a iioorengageable foot which comes against said support when the unit is fully contracted.

15. A machine according to claim 12 in which the cylinder-and-piston unit is mounted in said support not only so as to be pivotal and slidable but also so as to be tiltable to the vertical axis of said unit. Y

16. A machine for mining coal or other mineral and of the type stated comprising a frame which 'supports itself at opposite ends on a mine oor,

a cutter head incorporated in an end of said frame to split oi mineral in a cutting plane from a mine seam, cylinder-and-ram propulsion apparatus having a horizontal longitudinal axis, a carriage which carries said apparatus and which is supported clear of the mine floor by said frame for longitudinal movement along the frame between the ends thereof, extensible and contractible roof-and-floor engageable vertical-axis jacking means also carried by said carriage to provide a temporarily xed anchorage against which said apparatus can apply` a cutting stroke to said cutter head, said cutter head, carriage, jacking means and propulsion apparatus being structurally related so that the propulsion apparatus is located at the inner side of the carriage with its said longitudinal axis close to said cutting plane and the jacking means is located at the outer side of the carriage with its said vertical axis spaced outwards to a substantial extent from said longitudinal axis. in order that the cutting stroke will be applied at an effective angle to said plane, and a pivotal connection between the jacking means and the carriage such that as the cutting stroke progresses the frame can adjust itself angularly by pivoting about the axis of the jacking means.

17. A machine according to claim 16 in which the vertical-axis jacking means is an extensible and contractible cylinder-and-piston unit and in which the machine includes a support incorporated in the carriage, and wherein said pivotal connection is between said cylinder-andpiston unit and said support, said unit being vertically slidable in said support.

JOHN CONNEL SPROUL.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Y Date 1,704,866 Morgan Mar. 12, 1929 1,761,060 Van Slyke June 3, 1930 2,420,755 Mavor May 20, 1947