US2760767A

US2760767A - Floor clean-up mechanism for a continuous miner

Info

Publication number: US2760767A
Application number: US293999A
Authority: US
Inventors: Barrett Arthur Lee
Original assignee: Joy Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Joy Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1952-06-17
Filing date: 1952-06-17
Publication date: 1956-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1973-08-28

Description

Aug' 28, 1956 A. l.. BARRETT 2,760,767

FLOOR CLEAN-UP MECHANISM FR A CONTINUOUS MINER Filed June 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l @y MW Aug. 28, 1956 A. l.. BARRETT FLOOR CLEAN-UP MECHANISM FOR A CONTINUOUS MINER Filed June 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eig.

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ing head mechanism of a continuous miner.

Unite States Patent() FLOR CLEAN-Ul) MECHANISM FOR A CONTINUOUS MINER Arthur Lee Barrett, Franklin, Pa., assignor 'to `loy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation-f Pennsylvania Application .lune 17, 1952, Serial No. 293,999

Claims. (Cl.4 2'62-26) This invention relates to continuous mining apparatus and more particularly to an improved floor clean-up mechanismassociated with the disintegrating` head mechanism of a continuous miner for cleaning vup any loose material which has fallen to the mine floor during the disintegrating operation.

In a known type of continuous mining apparatus similar to that disclosed in the Russell and Sibley applications, Serial Numbers 102,995 and 102,996, both ledon July 5, 1949, both owned by the assignee of the 'present-invention, a disintegrating head mechanism is mounted for rectilinear movement and for pivotal movement in verti` cal planes on a mobile base which travels over the floor of a mine, and the head mechanism comprises disintegrating elements movable in parallel vertical orbits for tearing out mineral such as coal from a solid mine vein. The head mechanism is swingable downwardly about its pivot to bring its outer tip end to the floor level and when so positioned the head mechanism is movable rectilinearly forwardly relative to the base to sump the outer portion of the head mechanism into the solid coal. pletion of the sumping operation the head mechanism is swung upwardly in verticalplanes about its pivot to cause the disintegrating elements thereof to dislodge and disintegrate the solid coal, and when the tip end of the head mechanism reaches the roof level the head mechanism is retracted rectilinearly to withdraw its outer portion from the mine vein. During the dislodging and disintegrating operation some of the distintegrated materialfalls to the mine door and it is desirable to clean up such loose materialbefore the mobile base is advanced to locate the head mechanism in a new operating position.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved oor clean-up mechanism for a continuous mining apparatus. Another object is to provide an improved floor clean-up mechanism associated with the disintegrat- A further object is to provide an improved floor clean-up mechanism which includes the conveyor of the head mechanism and wherein the conveyor is so constructed and arranged Y that when the head mechanism is lowered the bottom run of the conveyor engages the loose material on the mine floor and moves the same forwardly into the zone of aetion of the orbitally moving disintegrating elements of the head mechanism. 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. l

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of a disintegrating head mechanism of a continuous miner with which the improved iioor-clean-up mechanism is associated.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the head mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal vertical-section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Upon coml upper portion of the supporting means.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The disintegrating head mechanism with which the present invention is associated is generally designated '1 and is mounted on a supporting means 2, the latter being desirably in the form of a frame mounted for rectilinear movement on a mobile base in a manner similar to that disclosed in the copending applications, Serial Nos. 102,995 and 102,996, above referred to. Evidently, the head mechanism may be mounted in various other manners.

The disintegrating head mechanism may be similar to that disclosed in the Sibley application, Serial No. 267,717 filed January 23, 1952, now Patent No. 2,751,204, granted June 19, 1956, owned by the assignee of the present invention, and comprises a frame or bar structure 3 pivotally mounted at 4 on the supporting meansf2 to swing in vertical planes, and the bar structure comprises parallel vertical side bar portions 5 rigidly connected in parallel spaced relation by transverse frame portions 6 rigidly secured to the inner sides of the vertical side bar portions. The side bar portions have rear bearing engaging portions 7 (Fig. 2) which are pivotally supported by lateral bearing members or hollow trunnions S provided by the supporting means 2, and a rotatable cross shaft 9, coaxial'with the head frame pivot, is journaled in bearings 10 supported within the bearing members 8, as shown in Fig. 2. This cross shaft may be driven in a manner similar to that fully disclosed in the copending Russell and Sibley applications above referred to. The parallel side bar portions S have suitable guideways 11' extending about their margins and guided for orbital circulation in these guideways are endless disintegrating chains 12 comprising chain blocks 13 pivotally connected together by strap links 14. The chain blocks have sockets for receiving the Shanks of detachable disintegrating elements or bits 15 which are held in the block sockets by conventional set screws 16. Keyed to the cross shaft 9 are chain sprockets 17 which engage and drive the endless side disintegrating chains 12.

The means for swingingA the head mechanism in ver-v tical planes about its pivot may assume various conventional forms and herein, for illustrative purposes, may be similar -to that disclosed in the copending application to John D. Russell, Serial No. 215,431, filed March 14, 1951, now Patent No. 2,751,208, granted June 19, 1956, owned by the assignee of the present invention, and comprises upright iluid cylinders 20 rigidly secured to the outer sides of the side bars S of the head frame and containing pistons (not shown) connected by downwardly extending piston rods or connecting links 21, at 22, to lever arms 23,`the latter in turn being pivotally connected at their forward ends at 24to the sides of the head frame. The lever arms arealso connected at their rear ends at 25 to flexible chain sections 26 which lie about curved surfaces 27 on the supporting meansr 2, these chain sectionsbeing suitably fastened at Z'S'to the When liquid under pressure is supplied to the upper ends of the cylinders 20, the lat-ter move upwardly relative to the piston, causing swinging of the lever arms, and resulting in upward swing of the disintcgrating head mechanism. When liquid is trapped in the cylinders, the head mechanism may be rigidly held in adjusted position, and when liquid is vented from the cylinders the head mechanism may swing downwardly about its pivot. Since this swing mechanism is well known, further detail description thereof is herein unnecessary.

An endless Hight conveyor, generally design'atedtl, is guided for orbital circulation along suitable guideways provided by the head frame and is arranged longitudinally intermediate vthe parallel side bar portions and this conveyor comprises parallel endless side chains 31 which pass around and are driven by chain sprockets 32 (Fig. 2) secured to the cross shaft 9. Connected between the side conveyor chains are cross flights 33 which are adapted to move the disintegrated mineral along a bottom plate 34 extending between and secured to the vertical side bars. This bottom plate has a forwardly and downwardly inclined forward portion 34a extending to the bottom of the front portion of the head frame, as shown in Fig. 3. The bottom runs of the conveyor side chains extend forwardly from the drive sprockets and pass around an adjustable transverse guide roll 35 mounted on a slide 36 in turn slidably mounted in a suitable guideway on the lower portion of the rearward head frame portion. The bottom runs of the conveyor side chains extend forwardlyand sharply downwardly from the roll 35 to a transverse guide roll 37 journaled on depending brackets 38 secured to the sides of an adjustable outer head frame portion 39, and the conveyor side chains extend upwardly and forwardly to a transverse guide roll 40 journaled 'on the brackets 38 and located close to the bottom of the head frame just rearwardly of a rotary toothed rum, generally designated 41, near the bottom of the latter. This rotary drum has orbitally moving teeth similar to the bits 15, arranged in spaced vertical orbits and this drum is arranged transversely of the outer end portion of the head frame. The side brackets 38 provide rearwardly and downwardly inclined guides 42 for the side chains of the bottom run of the conveyor intermediate the guide rolls 37 and 40, as shown in Figs. l

- and 3. The slide 36 is adjustable by screws 4-3 and screws 44 pass through longitudinal slots 45 at the opposite sides of the slide 36 and these latter screws when tightened rmly clamp the slide in adjusted position on the head frame. When the disintegrating head mechanism is lowered, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, the bottom run portion 30ab of the conveyor which extends between the

guide rolls

37 and 40 is disposed in substantial parallelism with the mine floor and engages any loose coal or other mineral piled up on the floor and moves the same forwardly toward the rotary drum, and the latter in turn engages such loose coal and moves the same upwardly and rearwardly onto the top run of the conveyor. Thus, the conveyor of the head mechanism not only moves the disintegrated mineral discharged from the rotary drum 41 and the side chains 12 rearwardly of the head mechanism but also serves to move the loose mineral on the mine oor into such position as to be engaged by the rotary drum 41, thus, affording a supplemental floor cleanup device.

Extending transversely between the vertical side bar portions of the adjustable head frame portion 39 and rigidly secured thereto is a deflector or grizzly bar 47. This cross bar is arranged near the bottom of the forward portion of the head frame just rearwardly of the lower rearward portion of the rotary drum 41 and has a series of forwardly projecting parallel vertical teeth 48 of comblike formation. This transverse row of teeth projects forwardly between the bits or teeth of the rotary drum and serves to deect the larger pieces of disintegrated mineral from the drum and to direct the same toward the conveyor. This cross deector bar also has a rearwardly facing curved surface 49 (Fig. 3) which lies close to the forward portion of the conveyor as the latter passes around the front guide roll 40 and serves to strip any loose mineral from the bottom run of the conveyor during the oor clean-up operation.

The disintegrating head mechanism of the present invention is sumped into the coal or other mineral of a solid mine vein at the floor level and upon completion of the sumping operation is swung upwardly in vertical planes until its outer tip end reaches the roof level and nally the head mechanism is retracted from the working face to complete the cut, all in the manner fully disclosed in the copending Russell and Sibley applicationsQSerial Nos. 102,995 and 102,996 above referred to. During the dislodging and disintegrating operation the disintegrating bits of the side chains and the teeth of the rotary drum tear out the mineral from the solid mine vein and move the disintegrated mineral onto the conveyor 30 of the head mechanism which in turn moves the disintegrated mineral rearwardly of the head mechanism to a convenient point of discharge rearwardly of the head pivot, and during the dislodging and disintegrating operation some of the loose coal or other mineral falls to the mine floor. When the head mechanism is swung downwardly toward its lower position, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the lower run portion 30ab of the head conveyor engages the loose mineral and moves the same forwardly into the zone of action of the teeth of the rotary drum and the drum teeth elevate the mineral en gaged thereby and discharge the same rearwardly onto the top run of the conveyor. Thus when the head mechanism is moved towards its lowered position the mine floor is effectively cleaned up.

As a result of this invention an improved oor cleanup mechanism is associated with the disintegrating head mechanism of a continuous miner whereby the loose material which falls to the mine floor during the disintegrating operation may be effectively cleaned up. By associating the floor clean-up mechanism with the disintegrating head mechanism, the bottom run of the head conveyor may be employed to move the loose material on the oor into the zone of action of the orbitally mov ing disintegrating elements of the head mechanism whereby the latter may elevate the loose material and discharge the same rearwardly onto the top run of the head conveyor. These and other uses and advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically 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 without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

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

1. In combination, a support, a disintegrating head mechanism pivotally mounted on said support to swing in vertical planes for dislodging mineral from a solid mine vein, said head mechanism including disintegrating elements moving in vertical orbits at the outer portion thereof, and conveying means swingable with said head mechanism and comprising a conveyor of the endless type having its forward portion disposed in close adjacency to the orbits of said disintegrating elements and with its bottom run spaced above the oor and moving forwardly at the lower portion of said head mechanism for moving, when said head mechanism is lowered about its pivot to the oor, the loose mineral on the mine floor forwardly beneath said conveyor in the space between the bottom run of the latter and the floor directly into the paths of movement of said orbitally movable disintegrating elements, the bottom run of said conveyor having its eiective mineral moving portion spaced outwardly from said head mechanism beneath the latter with said effective portion disposed a substantial distance below the orbits of said disintegrating elements.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the Y forward portion of said conveyor is spaced rearwardly of said orbitally moving disintegrating elements outside of the orbits thereof and is disposed transversely on said head mechanism in a transverse zone intermediate the lateral limits of the zone of action of said disintegrating elements.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said disintegrating elements are carried by a rotary drum .journaled at the outer portion of said head mechanism with its axis disposed in parallelism with the pivotal axis of said head mechanism, said bottom run of said conveyor moving forwardly along a path disposed at a substantial angle with respect to a plane in which the pivotal axes of said head mechanism and said drum lie, said bottom run of said conveyor, when said head mechanism is lowered as aforesaid, being inclined upwardly and forwardly with respect to said plane.

4. In combination, a support, a disintegrating head mechanism pivotally mounted on said support to swing in vertical planes for dislodging mineral from a solid mine vein, said head mechanism including disintegrating elements moving in vertical orbits at the outer portion thereof, and conveying means swingable with said head mechanisrn and comprising a conveyor of the endless type having its forward portion disposed in close adjacency to the orbits of said disintegrating elements and with its bottom run moving forwardly at the lower portion of said head mechanism for moving, when said head mechanism is lowered about its pivot to the floor, the loose mineral 0n the mine Hoor forwardly directly into the paths of movement of said orbitally movable disintegrating elements, said bottom run of said conveyor, when said head mechanism is lowered as aforesaid, being disposed substantially parallel with but spaced vertically from the oor.

5. A combination as setorth in claim 1 wherein said disintegrating elements discharge the dislodged mineral at the tops of their orbits rearwardly onto the top run of said conveying means and said conveyor of said conveying means has its top run moving rearwardly for conveying the loose mineral discharged from said disintegrating elements away from the face of the mine vein.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 611,167 B'odley Sept. 20, 1898 1,332,292 Gregg Mar. 2, 1920 1,811,927 Halleck June 30, 1931 1,903,673 Hange Apr. 11, 1933 2,415,217 Osgood Feb. 4, 1947 2,422,645 Moore lune 17, 1947 2,564,038 Stephenson Aug. 14, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 478,650 Germany July 1, 1929