US2776809A

US2776809A - Method of and apparatus for mining by drilling, coring, and breaking

Info

Publication number: US2776809A
Application number: US355975A
Authority: US
Inventors: Barrett Arthur Lee
Original assignee: Joy Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Joy Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1953-05-19
Filing date: 1953-05-19
Publication date: 1957-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 1974-01-08

Description

A. BARRETT 2,776,809 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MINING BY DRILLING, CORING AND BREAKING 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 8, 1957 Filed May 19, 1953 INVEN TOR: ARTHUR LEE BARRETT BY MW ATTORNEY A. 1.. BARRETT METHOD OF AND Jan. 8, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 19. 1955 l v mu m T E R N-R 0 Wm T m n gz I 1. & N X 3 ,m R K M/F Q mm MN m 33 g N. R m mm m l uh v o. m g Q R Q Q R R g R m N OE v R m 9. fin. N .l 5.1T a g m N\ I I N\ a x M I a I m\\ \w\ m \M\ NM Mfi N3 I A I 6; Aw mm ms t i. .3 Q R QN 5? E m Rb w w I OI Q Jan. 8, 1957 A. L". BARRE 2,776,809

. METHOD OF AND APP TU OR MINING BY DRILLING, COR AND BREAKING Filed May 19, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR'. ARTHUR LEE BARRETT ATTORNEY A. L. BARRETT 2,776,8 9 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MINING BY DRILLING, CORING AND BREAKING 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan. 8, 1957 Filed May 19, 1953 ATTORNEY METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MINiNG BY DRILLING, CORING', AND BREAKING Arthur Lee Barrett, Franklin, assignor to Joy Manufactoring Company, Pittsburgh, Pa. a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 19, 1953, Serial Not 355,975 11 Claims. (Cl; 262-9 This invention relates, from one aspect, to a mining apparatus and more particularly to a continuous mining apparatus for dislodging and disintegrating the coal or other mineral from a solid coal, seam or mine vein and for loading the disintegrated coal oio'ther mineral as mining progresses. The invention, from another aspect, relates to a method of mining. g

In the mining of coal or the like in underground mines it has become common practice to mine the'coal or other mineral from the solid coal s'e'am or mine vein without the usual steps of drilling and blasting, and for continuously loading the disintegrated coal or other mineral as mining progresses. Most known types of continuous miners embody dislodging and disintegrating mechanism whereby the solid coal or other rriineral is ripped or torn by orbitally moving cutters from the face or the mineral is cut away from the ,face by a seiies of rotary diills solely by a rotary drilling process, and it is within the contemplation of'the present invention to provide an improved dislodging and di'sint egrating'meclianism for removing the coal from the solid seam with a drilling, coring and breaking action so that the ratio of cutting to breaking is substantially reduced thus to increase the efficie'ncy of mining to a substantial de ree. Also, the dislodging and disintegrating head mechanism of the present invention is relatively simple and rugged iii design and economical in operation in comparison with those of siich known types of machine's. I An object of the present invention is to provide an improved continuous mining apparatus for dislodg'ing mineral from a solid mine vein without the necessity of drilling and blasting. Another object is to provide an improved dislodging anddisintegrating mechanism .for a continuous mining apparatus. Yet another object is to provide an improved mechanism for dislodg'ing coal or other mineral from a solid seam or min'evein comprising a combined drilling and core cutting disk or rotary disklike head carrying cutters both on its front face and circular peripheral edge whereby the coal maybe cut and dislodged from the solid in an extremelyefiective manner. c A further object is to provide an improvddislodging m echanism for removing mineral from .a solid niine vein by working alternately back and forth in succ "sive' sectors of the face. Still ahother' object is to prov de a rotary disk type cutting head whereby th'r'nineral may be drilled by an axial motion of the head and thereafter may be cut and broken away by a lateral swinging motion at the head. A further object is to provide an improved combined rotary drilling head and core cutter. another object is to provide an improved rotary disk type core cuttinghead having improved core breaking means associated therewith. A further objectis to provide an improved rotary disintegrating head rota c I miner together with an improved means for s the head agii'ally into the solid coal and for moving said head arcuate ly back and forth levels across the coa1 face to area d1 can. Aabther' object is is rewar. an iiniarovedmtho" 2,776,809 liatented Jan. 8, 1957 2 of mining coal or othr minerals from thesolid. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will, however, hereinafter more fully appear. 7 I In the accompanying. drawings there are shown for purposes of illustration one form and several modificati'ons thereof which the invention, from its apparatus aspect, may assume in practice.

paratus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view showing amodified form of dislodging and disintegrating head.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing another modified construction. I c

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1. s v

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail longitudinal vertical section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1. 1 I

Fig. 7 is an enlarged central longitudinal vertical section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail cross section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 4. c

. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a. horizontal section taken on theplanes of.

line 10-10 of Fig. 7. A

Fig. ll is a deta of line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic plan view and Fig. 13 is a.

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic end view illustrating the various cutting and breaking positions of the dislodging and disintegrating head employed in the removal of the coal from the face in accordance with the improved method. c

Fig. 17 is a diagrammatic side View showing difierent operating positions of the dislodging and disintegrating head while making a series of arcuate cuts for removing superimposed segmentsof coal from the coal seam in accordance with the improved method.

The improved mining apparatus. as shown in the drawings, generally comprises a mobile base it having a frame 2 on which is mounted a horizontal frame 3 swivelled at 4- on' a vertical axis to swing in horizontal planes with respect to the base frame, and this swivelled frame carries a gathering or fioo'r clean-up mechanism 5, an elevating and loading conveyor means 6, and a dislodging and disintegrating head mechanism generally designated 7.v The gathering mechanism 5 and the dislodging and disintegrat ing mechanism 7 are swin'gabie horizontally with the frame 3 relative to the base, and the dislodging and disintegrating mechanism 7 is pivotally mounted at 8 on the swivelled frame to swing in vertical planes relative tothe swivelled frame and base. The elevating and loading conveyo'r means 6 has a tiltable and horizontally sv'vingable rear portion 9 whe'reby th'e discharge end i the cenv'eyihg means may be located at the, desiredheight and lateral position. The gathering mechanism 5 istiltable in vertical planes about a horizontal transverse axis at 11 so that it may be elevated from the floor 'd'uri'ng trans- P j T he mobile base 1 is herein desirably a. crawler base comprising the base names when is mounted on side crawler frames 12 about which conventional endless ii vertical section taken on the planes:

crawler treads 13 are guided for orbital circulation, and these treads may be separately or concurrentlydriven by motors 14 to effect propulsion and steering of the base in a well-known manner.

The elevating and loadingconveying means 6 comprises an endless flight conveyor 16 having upper and lower runs and provided with a central universal type drive chain 17 carrying series of spaced flights-18 and guided for orbital circulation along suitable guideways provided by the base frame 2 and the swivelled framefi. The tiltable gathering mechanism may assume various, forms but herein for illustrative purposes has a tiltable frame 19 at the sides of which are mounted endless chain type gatherers 20 including orbitally moving gathering chains 21 having flights 22 provided with socketed lugs for receiving conventional cutter bits 23. These gathering chains move orbitally along the sides and at the front of guide frames 24 at the floor level to effect gathering of loose material on the mine floor both during lateral and forward endwise movements of the gathering mechanism, and the connected between the swingable frame and the tiltable' frame 19 are conventional fluid jacks 26 pivoted at 27 on the swingable frame and containing usualpistons hav ing their piston rods 23 pivotally connected at 29 to the tiltable frame. By supplying fluid under pressure to the jack cylinders the frame 19 may be swung in vertical planes about its pivot to raise and lower the gathering mechanism with respect to the mine floor. Evidently various other appropriate known types of gathering mechanisms may be employed in lieu of that disclosed.

The horizontally swingable frame. 3 has a circular bearing portion 30 formed with an inwardly directed annular flange 31 swivelly mounted on suitable bearings 32 carried by an upstanding bearing support portion or upper swivel mounting 33 of the base frame 2. The conveying means has its horizontal forward frame portion 34 swivelled at 35 on vertical axes aligned with the swivel axis of the swingable frame 3 so that the forward portion of the conveyor may swing horizontally relative to the base frame with the gathering mechanism 5 andthe dislodging and disintegrating mechanism 7.

The swinging means for the swivelled frame 3 comprises an annular circular plate 36 secured as by keys 37 to a cylindrical member 38 having a reduced cylindrical shank 39 fitted within a bore 4 in the upstanding bearing portion 33 of the base frame and desirably Welded thereto (Figs. 5 and 10). This annular plate has gear segments 41 at its sides with which the teeth of reciprocable racks 42 mesh. The rack teeth are formed on the inner sides of piston rods 43 to the oppoiste ends of which are secured reciprocable pistons 44 which are contained in parallel fluid cylinders 45 carried by theswivelled frame 3 at opr posite sides of the swivel axis. Fluid under pressure may be properly supplied to these cylinders under the control of a conventional valve means to effect simultaneous opposite movements of the pistons to move the racks insupports desirably formed integral with the swivelled frame 3. A fluid jack 51 has a cylinder 52 pivotally mounted at 53 on the swivelled frame 3, and reciprocable in this cylinder is a piston54 having its piston rod 55 pivotally connected at 56 to the rear end of the boom frame.

When fluid under pressure is properly supplied in this cylinder the boom frame may be swung upwardly and downwardly about its pivot as desired, and by trapping fluid within the cylinder the boom frame may be locked in adjusted position. The boom frame has a tubular forward portion 57 and extending axially through this tubular portion is a.trausmission shaft 58 journaled in bearings 59 and 60 supported within the boom frame. The shaft 58 extends'forwardly in advance of the boom frame above the conveying and gathering mechanism (Fig. 7) and detachahly secured at 61 to the outer end of this shaft is a disklike cutting and disintegrating head 62 located a substantial distance forwardly in advance of the gathering mechanism 5. This cutting and disintegrating head has an annular peripheral portion 63 and spaced arm portions 64 extending radially from a hub 65, and the peripheral portion and the radial arms carry suitable cutter bits or teeth 66. The peripheral portion, the arms and the hub are so formed as to provide a generally convex front face 67, and the rear surface of the head is plane at 68 perpendicular to the axis of head rotation. Open spaces 69 are provided between the radial arms internally of the annular'peripheral portion 63 and the dislodged and disintegrated coal or other mineral may flow through these spaces or openings as the head is sumped into the face. A core breaker arm 7tlhas a hub 71 mounted on and keyed at 72 to the shaft 58, and the outer portion of this breaker arm has a socket 73 for receiving the shank of a detachable cutting and breaking element 74. This cutting and breaking element is inclined forwardly and outwardly from the shaft with its outer portion located near the periphery of the dislodging and disintegrating head rearwardly of the latter, as shown in Fig. 7.

The driving means for the transmission shaft 58 herein for illustrative purposes comprises a pair of horizontal motors 77 mounted at the sides of the swivelled frame 3, and keyed to the motor shafts 78 are spur pinions 79 meshing with and driving spur gears 80 keyed to longitudinal shafts 81 suitably journaled within gear housings 82 integral with the swivelled frame 3. Fixed to these shafts 81 are worm gears 83 meshing with Worm wheels 84 (see also Fig. 10) secured to aligned horizontal shafts 85 extending transversely of and suitably journaled within the gear housings 82. These aligned shafts are arranged in coaxial relation with the swivel mounting for the boom frame 47. Secured to the inner ends of these aligned shafts are bevel gears 86 meshing with and driving a bevel gear 87 keyed to the rear end of the transmission shaft 58.

The breaker arm 70 rotates with the disklike head 62 and as the disklike head forms a core in the mineral of the solid vein, as the boom frame is swung horizontally, the breaker arm impinges against the core and dislodged it from the face,in the manner shown in Fig. 14.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the breaker arm 70' turns in the same direction as the disklike head 62 but at a somewhat slower speed so that the kerf or slot in the solid mineral is substantially deeper than in the embodiment above described thereby forming a relatively large core which may easily be broken off by the breaker arm due to increased leverage of the longer core. In this construction the transmission shaft 58 has a spur gear 89 fixed to it and this gear meshes with planet gearsv 90, herein desirably three in number, journalecl on shafts 91 carried by arotatable carrier 92 desirably formed intcgral with the arm hub 71. The planet gears mesh with an intern'alfgear 93 rigidly secured, as by screws 94, to the forward portion of the tubular boom frame 47.

- The arm hub is -jonrnaled on bearings 95 supported by grasses disklik .head 62 and ,thetforwardportionof this sleeve is rigidly fixed to the shaft to revolve with the disklike headandis provided with suitably formed peripheralcuting teeth .97. A breaker wedge .98 projects rearwardly from the rear planefa-ce ofthe disklike head and has its wedging face inclined inwardly and rearwardlyin the manner shown. As the .core is formed by the disklike headduringhorizontal swinging .of the boom frame it is engaged by the wedge '98 and the peripheral teeth 97 and is thus effectivel y dislodg d. The plane rear face .of the head, as the latter is moved arcuately across the face, will act at 99 on the core to .aidin dislodging the core.

In the several illustrative embodiments of the invention the disklike dislodging and dis ntegrating head 62, as stated above, is detachably connected at 61 to the front end of the transmission shaft 58 and this detachable connection comprises a shaftlike projection 100 extending axially rearwardly from the rear plane face of the head and fitted within a socket 101 formed within the forward portion of the shaft and there is a keyed connection 102 between the shaftlike projection and the socket walls for interlocking the head for rotation with the shaft. The shaftlike projection is held within the socket as by means of screws 103. As shown in 'Fig. 7 a cylindrical sleeve 1.0.4 surrounds the transmission shaft between the rear face of the head and the forward surface of the hub 71 of the breaker arm and this sleeve is secured to the shaft as by a series of radial screws 105. In Fig. 3 a similar cylindrical sleeve 106 surrounds the transmission shaft between the rear face of the head and the inner race of the front bearing 95 for the hub of the breaker arm. In the embodiments shown in Figs. 3 and 7 breaker wedges 98', similar to the breaker Wedge 98 shown in Fig. 4,, project rearwardly from the rear head face, and in the several embodiments a plurality of these breaker wedges may be used if desired.

The gathering chains 21 of the gathering mechanism 5 may be driven in various manners but are herein desirably driven by motors 110 mounted on the tiltable frame 19 and which drive, through conventional speed reducers, longitudinal shafts 111 suitably journaled within the tiltable frame 19 (see Fig. 11). Secured to these shafts are .worms 112 which mesh with and drive worm Wheels 113 secured to upwardly and outwardly inclined shafts 114 likewise journaled within the tiltable frame. Keyed to the upper ends of these shafts 114 are chain sprockets 115 which engage and drive the gathering chains 21.

' The endless conveyor 16 of the conveying means 6 is, in this illustrative construction, driven by a pair of motors 117 mounted at the opposite sides of the swingable and tiltable rear portion 9 of the conveying means, and these motors are operatively connected to a rear drive sprocket 118 (Fig. 1) about which the rearward portion of the conveyor chain 17 passes. The forward receiving portion 25 of the conveyor passes around a front idler roll 119 (Fig. 7) mounted on a transverse shaft 120 suitably supported within the tiltable frame 19 of the gathering mechanism 5. As shown in Fig. 7, the swivelled frame 3. has 'a longitudinal passageway 121 extending above the conveyor and beneath the upstanding bearing support 33 for the base frame 2, so that the dislodged coal or other mineral moved onto the conveyor by the gathering mechanism 5 may be conveyed rearwardly in the space between the upper swivel mounting for the swingable frame 3 and the lower swivel mounting 35 for the forward swingable portion of the conveyor frame. As shown in Fig. 5 the base frame 2 has upstanding side arms or side portions 122 which straddle the conveyor and which supportthe upper bearing support 33, and these upstanding side portions are secured to the inner sides of the crawler frames 12.

The general mode of operation of the improved continuous mining apparatus is as follows: The apparatus may be trammed about the mine under the propulsion of the treads 13 of the crawler base 1, these treads being driven hy ithe fmOtOr-S 1'4 whieh may be controlled to effect .drive of :the itreads -at relatively diiferent'speeds to .efiectsteering of the "apparatus. During transport the boom frame '47 and the dislodging and disintegrating head 621are:desirably :located in the central horizontal longitudinal position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the gathering mechanism i5 is held upwardly in tilted position above the amine floor as indicated in dotted lines in 'Fig. 2. When the working face is reached the apparatus is located centrally of the face, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, and'the motors 77 maythenbe operated to effect rapid rotation of the dislodging and disintegrating head. The boom frame may then 'be swung upwardly by its hydraulic .jack 51 to locate-the dislodging and disintegrating head at the roof level as indicated at A in Fig. 16, and the crawler base may then be operated to propel the apparatus forwardly toward the face to sump the head axially within the solid mine vein to the position indicated at B in Fig. 17. The boom frame may then be swung horizontally by the swing cylinders 45 to move the head arcuately horizontally along the face to the right hand position indicated at C in Fig. 16, and as the head moves horizontally arcuately along the face it cuts out cores of mineral which are periodically dislodged from the face either by the breaker arm and wedge or by the combined action of the rear plane face of the head, the wedge and the centrally located peripheral teeth on the head sleeve rearwardly of the head, as above described. When the dislodging and disintergr'ating head assumes its right hand position at the roof the swing cylinders 45 may be operated to swing the head arcuately across the face from right to left to the position indicated at D in Fig. 16 thereby to com plete the removal of a horizontal segment of mineral across the face near the roof level. The boom frame jack 51 may then be operated to swing the boom frame downwardly about its pivot to move the dislodging and disintegrating head arcuately in vertical planes at the left hand rib or side of the mine passageway to the position indicated at E in Fig. l6 and thereafter the boom frame may be swung horizontally by the swing cylinders 45 to move the head arcuately across the head from left to right to the position indicated at F at the right hand rib or side thereby to remove the subjacent horizontal segment of mineral from the vein. The boom frame may then again be swung downwardly by its swing jack 51 to move the head arcuately in vertical planes to the position indicated at G in Fig. l6 atthe floor level. The swing cylinders 45 may then be operated to swing the boom frame horizontally to move the head arcuately from right to left at the floor level to the position indicated at H in Fig. 16, to remove a parallel horizontal segment of mineral from the face at the floor level thereby to complete the removal of the section of mineral from the solid. The dislodging and disintegrating head may then be swung back to central position, swung upwardly to the roof level and the base may be advanced to locate the apparatus in a new position, and

the operations above described may then be repeated.

Evidently, the dislodging and disintegrating head 62 may besumped into the face of the vein at the floor level and moved successively horizontally and vertically to re move sectors of mineral from the face in superimposed planes at different elevations thereby to effect removal of the face section, and under certain conditions the head may be moved successively in vertical planes between the fioor and roof instead of in horizontal planes as above described.

As the dislodging and disintegrating head is moved horizontally arcuately back and forth across the face during the core cutting and dislodging operation the gathering mechanism 5 moves horizontally arcuately therewith at'the floor level so that the dislodged mineral;

whichfalls directly down in front of or upon the gathering mechanism may be gathered and moved by the gathering chains onto the conveyor. As the apparatus is advanced toward the face the forward portions of the gathering chains at the floor level gather the loose material from the floor and as the head is swung horizontally successively in opposite directions across the face the side portions of the gathering chains at the floor level serve to gather the loose material from the floor. The cutter bits or teeth 23 on the flights of the gathering chains may cutaway any upstanding projections or uneven portions at the floor thereby to level up the floor during the dislodging and gathering operaions of the apparatus, and the particular arrangement of the gathering mechanism enables cleaning up of the floor close to the sides or ribs in an effective manner.

Evidently, if desired, the disklike disintegrating head 62 may be swivelly mounted on a sliding frame which is shiftable horizontally rectilinearly relative to the swiveled frame on the base in a manner similar to that disclosed in the Russell and Sibley applications, Serial No. 102,995 and Serial No. 102,996, both filed on July 5, 1949, owned by the same assignee as the present invention. Also instead of the provision of the sliding support the boom which supports the disintegrating head may be made telescopic with hydraulic extension in a manner similar to that disclosed in the Joseph F. Joy Patent No. 2,229,086, dated January 21, 1941, also of common ownership, to effect sumping and retraction of the head. Thus with either such modified structure the disintegrating head may be sumped axially into the mineral while the base remains stationary and sumping may take place in any angular position of the head with respect to the base. For simplicity, however, the sliding support or the telescopic boom has been omitted in the present machine and the entire machine is advanced to effect sumping of the head in the manner above described.

As a result of this invention an improved continuous mining apparatus is provided whereby the coal or other mineral may be effectively mined out from the solid and continuously loaded out without the need for drilling and blasting. By the provision of the improved rotary disklike drilling, core cutting and dislodging head the mineral may be dislodged from the face in relatively large lumps with a minimum of actual cutting of the mineral, the disklike head, as it is swung horizontally arcuately across the face, forms cores of mineral which are periodically dislodged from the face and loaded out, The rotary drilling and dislodging head by the provision of cutters on its front face as well as at its circular peripheral edge may be easily sumped axially into the solid vein and then moved arcuately in successive sectors of the face to remove segments of coal from the solid with a coring and breaking action, substantially improving the efficiency of mining from the solid. By the provision of the improved gathering mechanism which has not only a gathering function but, to some extent, a cutting function the Iloor is effectively levelled and cleaned up as the dislodging head is swung horizontally across the face. By operating the drilling and dislodging head in accordance with the novel method described, removal of the coal from the solid is effected rapidly and efiiciently, and with the production of a relatively large percentage of desirable lump coal or other mineral. Other modes of use and advantages will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there are in this application specifically described one form and several modifications which the,

invention, from its apparatus aspect, may assume in practice and one mode of practice of the invention, from its method aspect. it will be understood that these forms and modifications are shown for purposes of illustrations and that the invention may be further modified and em bodied in various other forms, and operated in accordancewith other methods, 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: i

1. In a mining apparatus, the combination comprising a rotary dislodging and disintegrating head of circular form operating in generally upright planes about an axis extending toward the face of a mine vein, said rotary head having cutters on its front face and about its circular peripheral edge, means for rotating said head about said axis, means for feeding said head axially to sump the same into the mineral of a solid mine vein as said head is rotated, and means for swinging said rotating head arcuately from its sumped position to form an arcuate kerf inside of the face of the mine vein to form a core of mineral, said head swinging arcuately generally in a direction at right angles to the axis of head-rotation, said head comprising an annular peripheral portion, a central hub portion and radial arms connecting said peripheral portion to said hub portion, said cutters being mounted at said peripheral portion and on said arms, and the spaces between said arms providing flow passages for the discharge of dislodged mineral as said head is fed axially during sumping.

2. In a mining and loading apparatus, the combination comprising a mobile base, a frame swivelly mounted on said base to swing horizontally relative thereto, a dislodging and disintegrating head for dislodging mineral from a solid mine vein, said head being provided with axial boring means and lateral core cutting means for effecting boring of a hole in a mine vein with a rotary boring action and for cutting a kerf inside of the face of the mine vein to form a core of mineral in the vein with a lateral core cutting action, said head embodying means for breaking off the core of mineral as the head is moved laterally, means for moving said head axially to effect its rotary boring action, means for mounting said dislodging and disintegrating head on said swiveled frame and comprising an elongated boom extending outwardly in advance of said base and swingable horizontally with said frame and pivoted to swing vertically relative to said frame, said head having its axis aligned with the longitudinal axis of said boom and effecting its lateral core cutting action during such horizontal and vertical movements thereof with said boom, and means for swing ing said frame horizontally to swing said mounting means horizontally therewith and for swinging said boom vertically to effect the lateral core cutting action of said head.

3. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said dislodging and disintegrating head is in the form of a rotary cutter journaled at the outer portion of said boom and said head is rotatable in generally upright planes with its axis extending toward the face of the mine vein, and cutters are carried on the front face and at the outer peripheral edge of said head.

4. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said lateral swinging means for said head includes said means for swinging said head arcuately both horizontally and vertically along the face of the mine vein from its position inside of the coal face at the completion of the bore to cut an arcuate kerf inside the face, said head swinging arcuately with said boom as aforesaid generally in a direction at right angles to the axis of head rotation.

5. In a mining apparatus, the combination comprising a mobile base, a rotary drilling and dislodging head comprising a rotatable drilling and dislodging member having cutters on its front face and about its outer peripheral edge, means for mounting said head on said base for adjustment relative thereto including a swingable boom frame, a rotating shaft journaled within said boom frame for supporting and driving said member, said shaft having its axis of rotation aligned with the boom frame axis, means for rotating said shaft irrespective of the angular position of said boom frame, means for feeding said head axially to sump the same into the mine of the face, means for swinging said boom frame laterally relative to said base to move said head both horizontally and vertically to cut arcuate kerfs substantial distances inside of the face to form cores of mineral, and means carried by said boom frame in axial alignment therewith for dislodging the cores as cutting progresses, said dislodging means comprising a rear plane surface on said head perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said shaft, said rear plane surface acting on the cores of mineral cut by said head during arcuate movement of the latter to effect outward displacement of the cores from the face of the mine vein.

6. In a mining and loading apparatus, the combination comprising a mobile base having a frame, a frame swivelly mounted on said base frame to swing horizontally relative thereto, a drilling and core cutting mechanism for drilling and coring the mineral of a solid mine vein and for dislodging the mineral, means for moving said drilling and core cutting mechanism axially relative to the working face of the mine vein, and means for pivotally mounting said drilling and core cutting mechanism on said swivelled frame and including an elongated boom extending outwardly in advance of said base, said boom mounted to swing horizontally with said swivelled frame and laterally vertically with respect thereto, said drilling and core cutting mechanism aligned with the longitudinal axis of said boom and effecting drilling of a hole in the mineral when advanced axially toward the face and effecting cutting of kerfs to form cores in the mineral wholly inside of the face and for dislodging the cores when said mechanism is swung laterally and arcuately relative to the face.

7. A method of dislodging coal or other mineral from a solid mine vein comprising the steps of inserting a rotary cutter having face and peripheral cutting means axially into the face of the vein, moving the cutter arcuately along the face successively in horizontal and vertical planes to form arcuate kerfs inside the face to provide cores of mineral, and periodically breaking of the cores outwardly from the face during either the horizontal or vertical direction of cutting.

8. A method of dislodging coal or other mineral from a solid mine vein comprising the steps of inserting a rotary cutter having face and peripheral kerf cutting means axially into the face of the vein, moving the cutter arcuately to cut kerfs inside of the face back and forth across the face successively along superimposed parallel i0 paths in different sectors of the face to form cores, and moving the cutter arcuately in vertical planes to out similar kerfs to form cores at the sides of the face at the end of each arcuate cut and prior to the succeeding superimposed cut.

9. A method of dislodging coal or other mineral from a solid mine vein comprising the steps of inserting a rotary cutter having face and peripheral cutting means axially into the face of the vein, moving the cutter arcuately back and forth across the face successively along superimposed parallel paths in different sectors of the face, moving the cutter arcuately in vertical planes at the sides of the face at the end of each arcuate cut and prior to the succeeding one of the superimposed cuts, the rotary cutter as it moves arcuately forming an arcuate kerf inside of the face to provide a core of mineral, and periodically dislodging the core outwardly from the face as cutting progresses.

10. A method of mining mineral from a solid mine vein comprising the steps of sumping a rotary drilling and core cutting instrument having face and peripheral cutting means axially into the mineral, moving the sumping instrument arcuately laterally successively in horizontal and vertical planes to make arcuate cuts inside the face to form cores of mineral, and applying an outward dislodging force to the inner sides of the cores to dislodge the latter outwardly from the face as mining progresses.

11. A method as defined in claim 10 wherein said instrument is moved successively in opposite directions arcuately across the face to remove superimposed segments of mineral from the solid vein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 376,719 Morean Jan. 17, 1888 736,846 Hamilton Aug. 18, 1903 1,313,695 Jackson Aug, 19, 1919 2,078,863 Lundbye Apr. 27, 1937 2,211,751 McCarthy Aug. 20, 1940 2,520,040 Levin Aug. 22, 1950 2,572,403 Stevenson Oct. 23, 1951 2,619,339 Cartlidge Nov. 25, 1952 2,654,586 Berry Oct. 6, 1953 2,659,585 McCallum Nov. 17, 1953