US2626699A - Conveyer mechanism - Google Patents

Description

T. J. BAILEY' CONVEYER MECHANISM Jan. 27, 1953 Filed April 6, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l o e o o o o, o o o o o a o o f n e o Q /fM//w/u y wm e 1v, 0 w W f m p u A I|H|I N y I 1 l 1 ,m M M h M w w U lll: M w\ 0d @N M i a Jan. 27, 1953 Y, T. ,.1. BAILEY 2,626,699

COWEYER MECHANISM Filed April s, 1949 4 sheds-sheet 2 him.

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coNvEYER MECHANISM Filed April 6, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 "WNW f3 2@ s AIW"Il" www 5 4. ne h6- Jan. 27, 1953 T. J. BAILEY CONVEYER MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 6, 1949 Emp.:

Patented Jan. 27, 1953` CONVEYER MECHANISM Theodore J. Bailey, Reno, Pa., assigner to Joy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 6, 1949, Serial No. 85,857

Claims.

This invention relates to mining apparatus and more particularly to conveyor mechanism especially designed for use with a disintegrating and loading machine of the type known as a continuous miner.

In a continuous miner of the same general type as that disclosed in a copending application to John R. Sibley, Ser. No. 102,996, led July 5, 1949, a mobile base adapted to travel over the door of a mine, carries a swivelled frame mounted to swing horizontally relative to the base and on which a sliding support is guided for rectilinear movement in a direction radially with respect to the swivel axis. A swingable frame or bar structure is pivotally mounted on the sliding support and carries a vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism which embodies a series of parallel disintegrating chains movable in vertical orbital paths along guideways supported by the swingable frame structure. A primary conveyor carried by the sliding support and extending beneath the rearward portion of the attacking and disin tegrating mechanism, receives the disintegrated material discharged from the attacking and disintegrating mechanism, and this conveyor dischanges into a hopper mounted in a stationary position on the base in a generally coaxial relation with the frame-swivel. A rear discharge conveyor on the base has its receiving end extending downwardly into the hopper beneath the rear discharge end of the primary conveyor, for removing the material from the hopper and for conveying the material rearwardly of the base to a suitable point of delivery. The rear discharge end of the primary conveyor overlies and .discharges into the hopper irrespective of the swivelled and rectilinear positions of the attack'- ing and disintegrating mechanism relative to the base. It has been found in such machines when the attacking and disintegrating mechanism is in certain positions of angular and rectilinear adjustment with respect to the hopper some of the material being discharged from the primaryV conveyor is thrown beyond the lateral limits of the hopper resulting in substantial spillage and the need of considerable hand shoveling. The present invention contemplates improvements over such known type of continuous miner in that means is provided, effective in all angular and rectilinear positions of the attacking and disintegrating mechanism with respect to the base, for directing the material being discharged from the primary conveyor downwardly into the hopper and onto the receiving end of the rear discharge conveyor, so that spillage of material 2 beyond'the sides of the hopper is substantially avoided. in accordance with the present invention, in a preferred embodiment, side deiiector plates or so-called wings are pivotally connected to the rear end of the sliding support at the opposite sides of the rear discharge end of the primary conveyor to swing horizontally and extend rearwardly between the upright side portions of the rear discharge conveyor and are yieldingly held, as by springs, in sliding and pivotal contact with the inner surfaces of the upright side portions oi the rear conveyor and so extend with respect to the hopper that the material being discharged from the primary conveyor is efectively directed downwardly into the hopper and onto the receiving end of the discharge conveyor. Since the deflector plates or wings are so arranged and are so connected to the sliding support, spillage of material is substantially prevented in all positions of angular and rectilinear movements of the attacking and disintegrating mechanism with respect to the base.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved conveyor mechanism for a mining apparatus, whereby substantial spillage of material during the loading operation is substantially avoided. Another ob-y ject is to provide, in a conveyor mechanism which discharges into a hopper, improved deector means for preventing spillage of material as it is discharged from the conveyor, laterally beyondv the sides of the hopper. A further object is to provide an improved deflector means of the above character wherein said delector plates or wings are arranged at the sides of the discharge end of the conveyor and so overlie the hopper that the material discharged from the conveyor is effectively directed downwardly into the hopper. Yet another object is to provide an improved conveyor mechanism wherein a primary conveyor discharges into a hopper and a rear discharge conveyor removes the material from the hopper,l and having improved means cooperating with and extending between the conveyors above the hopper, for directing the material discharged from the primary conveyor into the hopper and onto the receiving end of the rear discharge conveyor.

Y A still further object is to provide, in a conend of the primary conveyor to swing horizontally and engaging at their rearward ends the inner surfaces of the side walls of the rear conveyor` and yieldingly held in contact with such inner surfaces so that irrespective of the rectilinear and angular positions of the primary conveyor with respect to the hopper, the material being discharged from the primary conveyor is always directed downwardly toward the hopper and the receiving end of the rear conveyor. Still another object is to provide an improved conveyor mechanism comprising conveyor sections having relative angular and rectilinear movements, and each provided with side plates, and means intervening said conveyor sections for directing the material being conveyed from one to the otherincluding side deflector members pivotally mounted on upright axes at the sides of one conveyor section and slidingly and pivotally engaging the side plates of the other conveyor section and embodying means for yieldingly urging said de-l flector members apart into contact with said side plates. A further object is to provide in a conveyor mechanism of the above character an improved deflector wing structure wherein the deflector wingsr project rearwardly between the side plates of the rear conveyor and are yieldingly held as by springs in sliding and pivotal contact with the inner surfaces of the conveyor side plates. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Figs. 1 and 1d, taken together, constitute a plan view of a continuous miner in which an illustrative form of the invention is embodied.

Figs. 2 and 2a, taken together, constitute a side elevational View of the continuous miner shown in Figs. 1 and la,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the conveyor mechanism with which the invention is associated.V

Fig. l` is a central longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on line A of Fig. 1, showing one of the improved side deflector wings and its manner of cooperation with the primary and rear conveyors.

Fig. 5 is a detail. cross. sectional View taken. Qn line, 5v5 of Fig. 4.y

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view, similar to Fig. 3, showing the primary conveyor in one extreme angular and forward rectilinear position with respect to the rear conveyor, showing the relation of the side deflector wings with respect to. the hopper.

The continuous miner disclosed herein in which the improved conveyor mechanism is embodied, as mentioned above, is generally like that disclosed in the copending Sibley application Ser. No. 47,422Y and generally comprises a mobile base l having a frame 2 on which is swivelled at 3 onv an upright axis to swing horizontally relative thereto, a horizontal frame 4. The swivelled frame 4 has a horizontal portion 5 projecting outwardly beyond the base, and guided on this horizontal portion is a sliding support 6 which is movable rectilinearly relative to the frame in a direction radially with respect to the swivel axis 3. A swingable frame or bar structure 1 is pivotally mounted on a horizontal transverse axis at 8 on the sliding support 6 to swing in vertical planesv with respect thereto andto swing horizontally with the swivelled frame 4 with respect to the base. The vertically swingable frame structure 'l extends outwardly beyond the base and carries a mine vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism 9 for detaching and disintegrating the coal or other mineral in relatively wide vertical segments from a solid coal seam or mine vein. The attacking and disintegrating mechanism comprises a series of parallel disintegrating chains i carrying disintegrating instruments or bits i l and guided for circulation in vertical orbits about guideways on the frame structure l. Arranged generally coaxially with the swivel axis 3 is a stationary hopper l2 rigidly secured to the base frame and projecting a substantial distance above the top of the base in thc manner shown in Fig. 2, and a primary front conveyor I3 is carried by the sliding support 5 with its forward portion underlying the rearward portion of the attacking and disintegrating mechanism 9. As the attacking and disintegrating mechanism dislodges and disintegrates the coal or other mineral the top runs of the disintegrating chains IS move the disintegrated material rearwardly along the top of the attacking and disintegrating mechanism to discharge onto the primary conveyor i3 and the latter moves the material thereon rearwardly to discharge into the hopper I2. A rear discharge conveyor lil car-l ried by the base frame has its front receiving end extending downwardly into the hopper as shown in Fig. 4 and this conveyor moves the material from the hopper and conveys it rearwardly of the base to a suitable point of delivery. The conveyors i3 and iii are of the conventional endless cross flight type and act to move thev material over the top plates of the conveyor frames, and are fully disclosed in the copending application above referred to. Since the construction of the continuous miner above described is generally fully disclosed in the copending application above referred to further description thereof is herein unnecessary.

During the dislodging and disintegrating operation, in a manner also fully disclosed in the above mentioned copending application, the veinattacking and disintegrating mechanism 9, as the disintegrating chains lil are rapidly circulated in their orbits, may be swung downwardly by power devices about the pivot 8 relative to the swivelled frame i to locate. the outer tip, end of the attacking and disintegrating mechanism near the mine oor, and the slidingI support E may then be moved by power devices rectilinearly outwardly relative to the swivelled frame to sump the outer portion of the attacking and dis,- integrating mechanism into the solid coal seam or mine vein. When the outer portion of the attacking and disintegrating mechanism is in sumped position the swingable frame structure l may be swung upwardly about its pivot 6v by power devices at a relatively high speed and with a powerful upward thrust to effect dislodgment and disintegration of a relatively wide vertical segment of the coal seam or mine. vein between the top of the attacking and disintegrating mech-- anism and the mine roof. When the attacking and disintegrating mechanism reaches the limit of its upward swinging movement at the mine roof, the sliding support S may be retracted by its power devices relative to the swivelledv frame 4 to withdraw the other portion of the attacking and disintegrating mechanism from the coal seam or mine vein. The dislodged and disintegrated material is moved rearwardly by the top runs of the disintegrating chains and is discharged onto the primary conveyor I3 and the latter discharges the disintegrated material into the hopper I2, and the rear discharge conveyor I4 moves the disintegrated material from the hopper and conveys it rearwardly of the base to a suitable point of delivery.

When the attacking and disintegrating mechanism is in its retracted position on the swivel frame, the latter may be turned by power devices in a horizontal direction about its swivel axis relative to the base to locate the attacking and disintegrating mechanism in new positions of attack with respect to the working face, and by repeated sumping, swinging and withdrawing movements of the attacking and disintegrating mechanism, successive segments of coal or other mineral may be detached and disintegrated until the coal or -other mineral for the entire width of the working face is removed. The hopper I2 is so arranged with respect to the primary conveyor and the primary conveyor itself is so constructed and arranged that the disintegrated material received from the attacking and disintegrating mechanism is discharged into the hopper irrespective of the angular and rectilinear positions of the attacking and disintegrating mechanism withrrespect thereto.

Now referring to the improved means for preventing substantial spillage of disintegrated material as it is discharged by the primary conveyor into the hopper in the different angular and rectilinear positions of the attacking and disintegrating mechanism, it will be noted that arranged above the hopper I2 are upright side retainer plates or deiiector wings If, I6 which are pivoted at Il on vertical axes to swing horizontally on rearward projections I8 of vertical side frames I9 of the primary conveyor I3. The deflector wings are of substantial height at their forward portions 20 as shown in Fig. 4 and narrow downwardly and rearwardly so that rearward portions 2I of relatively low height are provided. These rearward Aportions extend rearwardly between vertical side frames 22 of the rear conveyor I 4 (Fig. 5) and slidingly and pivotally engage the inner surfaces 23 of these side frames. The rearward ends of the wings are slightly bent horizontally inwardly at 24 so in certain positions thereof they may ride freely over the surfaces with which they contact. Coil springs 25 are connected between the outer sides of the wings and rear end of the sliding support 6, as shown in Fig. 3, for constantly urging the Wings apart into yielding contact with the side frame surfaces 23. As the attackingl and disintegrating mechanism swings about the swivel axis 3 relative to the base and moves rectilinearly with the sliding support 6 relative to the swivel frame, the deflector wings I6, while yieldingly held in contact with the surfaces 23 by the coil springs, pivot relative to and slide over the side surfaces 23, from the position I shown in Fig. 3 to the extreme position shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Fig. 5 the lower edges of the deflect-or wings I6 extend a substantial distance below the tops of the conveyor plates 22 with the top edges of the wings disposed a short distance above the top edges of the conveyor plates. It will thus be seen that irrespective of the angular and rectilinear positions of the primary conveyor with respect to the hopper the deflector plates or wings direct the disintegrated material discharged from the primary conveyor downwardly into the hopper I2 and onto the front receiving end of the rear discharge conveyor. It will be evident that in all positions of the defiector plates, there is sufficient space therebetween for the passage ofV material between the plates to the hopper and rear conveyor.

As a result of this invention an improved mining apparatus is provided having improved conveyor mechanism whereby substantial spillage of the material being conveyed is substantially avoided. It will further be evident that by provision of the deflector wings arranged between the relatively swingable and rectilinearly movable conveyor sections the material discharged from one conveyor section onto the other is prevented from substantial spillage. By arranging the deflector wings in the manner disclosed above the hopper and by pivotally connecting the wings to the sliding conveyor section with the rearward portions of the wings yieldingly held in sliding and pivotal contact with the side frames of the other conveyor section, the material discharged from one conveyor is effectively directed into the hopper without substantial spillage irrespective of the relative positions of the conveyor sections. The improved deflector structure is simple and rugged in design and may be readily applied to a mining apparatus of conventional construction with a minimum of change. Other advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms WithoutV departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A conveyor mechanism comprising, in combination, a front conveyor mounted to swing horizontally about a vertical axis and to move rectilinearly in a direction radially of said axis, a hopper mounted beneath the discharge end of said front conveyor Iand relative to which said front conveyor hashorizontal swinging and rectilinear movements as aforesaid, said hopper having a circular frame provided with spaced vertical rearward side frame portions, said front conveyor having spaced vertical side frames at their rear ends overlying said hopper, a. rear conveyor extending forwardly between said vertical side frame portions of said hopper frame with its receiving end terminating within said hopper for removing the material discharged into said hopper from said front conveyor rearwardly from Said hopper, upright deflector wings pivotally connected at their front ends to the rear ends of said side frames of said front conveyor to swing horizontally about parallel vertical axes and extending rearwardly above said hopper between the vertical sides of said conveyor and hopper frames for directing the material discharged from said front conveyor downwardly into said hopper irrespective of the horizontally swiveled or the rectilinear position of said front conveyor relative to said hopper, said deflector wings having rearward portions extending between and guided by said rearward side frame portions of said hopper frame above said rear conveyor, and means for yieldingly urging said rearward portions of said dei-lector wings into guided contact with the inner walls of said rearward side frame portions of said hopper frame, said deector wings engaging said inner walls amarga in the` different; angular; ypositions of; saidY front conveyor about said vertical axis, said wings also, moving bodily with said front conveyor` and slide ingly engaging said inner walls during said recti linear movement of said front conveyor relative to. said. hopper.

2. A conveyor mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rearward portions of said deilector wings extend downwardly below the bottoms` of the forward portions of said wings and below the. top of said hopper framev whereby said forward wing portions may move, horizontally above said hopper during horizontal swinging of said front conveyor while said rearward portions of said wings remain in guided contact with said inner walls.

3.y A conveyor Ymechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said yielding urging means for said wings act to swing said wings apart and comprises springs connected at their forward ends to the frame of said front conveyorv at points spaced outwardly from the sides of said front conveyor and at their rearward ends to said wings at points located near the middle portions of the outer sides of said wings and above the bottoms of said forward portions of said wings and above the top of said hopper frame.

4. A conveyor mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the front portions of said inner walls of said rearward frame portions are outwardly curved where they join onto said circular hopper frame with the inner surfaces thereof convex horizontally about a vertical axis and having a` horizontal rear discharge end, said front cori- 8f veyor having a troughlikeframe including spaced vertical sides projecting rearwardly beyond Said dischargev end, a rear conveyor having a honizontal forward receiving end underlying said dis charge end of said front conveyor and having a, troughlike, frame including spaced vertical sides, said front conveyor mounted for horizontal4 rec-l tilinear movement relative to said rear conveyor in a direction radially of said vertical axis, said discharge end of said front conveyor overlying the receiving end of said rear conveyor in all positions of rectilinear movement thereof, and upright, deector wings lextending between said vertical sides of said conveyor frames for directing the material discharged from said front` conveyor downwardly toward the receiving end ofr said rear conveyor in all s wivelled positionsv of, said front conveyor,. said wingsv being pivotally connected at their front ends to the rear ends of said vertical sides of said front conveyor frameA to swing horizontally about parallel vertical axes above the receiving end of said rear conveyor; said wings having downwardly extending rear portions extending between said spaced vertical sides of said rea-r conveyor frame and engaging and guided by said inner walls above said rear conveyor, said rear Wing portions slidingly en-v gaging said inner walls of said rear conveyor frame during such rectilinear movement, Iand yieldable means forl urging said wings apart into` guided engagement with said inner walls.

THEODORE J.. BAILEY.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS' Number Name Date 1,128,880 Jamison Feb. 1 6, 1915 1,762,060 Jones June 3, 1930 2,047,589 Levin July 14, 1936 2,353,051 Levin July 4, 1944- 2,381,108 Cartlidge Aug. 7, 1945 2,437,629v Whaley Mar. 9, 1948

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