US2848204A

US2848204A - Mining planer for use in a gallery traversed by a fault

Info

Publication number: US2848204A
Application number: US402924A
Authority: US
Inventors: Brandi Karl; Rosler Wulff
Original assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia GmbH
Current assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia GmbH
Priority date: 1953-01-09
Filing date: 1954-01-08
Publication date: 1958-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 1975-08-19

Description

Aug. 19, 1958 K. BRAND! ETAL 2,848,204

MINING PLANER FOR USE IN A GALLERY TRAVERSED BY A FAULT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 8, 1954 I an: nan-n.

INVENTORS: KARL BRAND! WULFF ROSLER BY W g- 1958 K. BRAND! ET AL 2,843,204

MINING PLANER FOR USE IN A GALLERY TRAVERSED BY A FAULT Filed Jan. 8, 1954 2 Shets-Sheet 2 22 F l 6. 2b 30 I i L l I m I. "u I I I NH LE 5%"2/ EEP 57+. Q (Em u INVENTORS: KARL BRA/V0 -W(/ZFF R031 5/6 IVHNING PLANER FOR USE IN A GALLERY TRAVERSED BY A FAULT Karl Brandi, Bottrop, Westphalia, and Wullf Riisler, Essen-Margarethenhoehe, Germany, assignors to Gewerkschaft Eisenhuette Westfalia, Lunen, Westphalia, Germany This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mining planers.

Mining planers such as coal mining planers, are knownv and comprise a planer cutting head which is movable in either direction alongside a longitudinally extending conveyor. The planer head is provided with cutters for cutting in each direction, and is drawn back and forth along the leading portion of the conveyor.

The mining planer is particularly well adapted for a type of mining known as long-wall mining and may be used for efficiently removing coal by the long-wall method and especially from narrow seams.

In operation, the planer conveyor is positioned along the mine face of a long-wall panel in the mining gallery and rests on the mine floor. The conveyor is composed of sections which are connected together so as to allow a flexing therebetween. The conveyor is urged toward the mine face, and the planer cutting head is drawn back and forth along the conveyor by means of a flexible traction element, such as a chain or cable. The drive for this flexible traction element is positioned at one end of the conveyor, and the reversing means for the flexible traction element is positioned at the other end of the conveyor. The traction element such as a chain or cable thus passes from the drive to the reversing means, which, for example, may comprise a pulley, around this pulley, and back to the drive means. The planer head may be mounted on a base member which is drawn along the leading portion of the conveyor guided in relation thereto by means of the traction elements. The base member and the planer head are first pulled in one direction along the conveyor to the end of the conveyor, then the direction of drive is reversed and the base member and planer head are pulled along the conveyor in the other direction.

As the planer cutting head is drawn back and forth along the conveyor, and the conveyor is urged toward the mine face, the planer cuts and turns or ploughs cut material in a substantially continuous manner into the conveyor, which, in turn, continuously transports the material for removal.

The flexibility of the conveyor allows it to adapt to the change in contours of the mine face and of the mining gallery.

As a rule, it is only considered possible and worth while to operate the mining planer if there are undisturbed seams and a uniform coal vein.

If, as the planer advances, a fault is encountered which traverses the gallery diagonally, either the planing operation is completely suspended or the planer head is only drawn back and forth from one end of the conveyor up to the fault. The drive and reversing means are still, however, located at opposite ends of the conveyor. With this arrangement, however, the flexible traction element, such as the chain, may easily cause difiiculties. At the place where the fault occurs the chain will cut into the floor on one side, and into the roof on the other side, and, in so doing endangers the support 2,848,204 Patented Aug. 19, 1958 system such as the mine props, or even tears the same down completely. This is exceedingly troublesome and dangerous, since it is precisely in the faulted zone of the gallery that the support system is most important for the protection of the miners working .at the face. In the sectors of the workings, where the plane is not used for the cutting and loading of the coal, the coal has to be cut by hand by the miners and shovelled into the conveyor. These additional manual tasks, however, are so laborious and expensive that the economic advantage which could otherwise be achieved by the use of a planer are more or less lost.

It has already been proposed to obviate these difliculties by utilizing two separate mining planers in the gallery, one above, and the other below the fault. Means are provided, as, for example, by use of an appropriate transfer device, so that the conveyor of one planer discharges cut coal into the conveyor of the other planer. This method of operation is, however, very troublesome and expensive, and requires the use of two complete mining planers in addition to the transfer device.

One object of this invention is to overcome the abovementioned ditficulties encountered in a mining gallery traversed by a fault. This, and still further objects, will become apparent from the following description, read in conjunction with the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical section showing a gallery traversed by a fault and the positioning of the mining planer in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partially in section, showing an embodiment of a mining planer conveyor and reversing means in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2a is a plan view, partially in section, showing an embodiment of a mining planer conveyor and reversing means in which the reversing means is connected up by two chains to the traveling conveyor band of the conveyor;

Fig. 2b is another plan View of the embodiment of a mining planer conveyor and reversing means shown in Fig. 2a, showing one of the chains in tension;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section of Fig. 2 through the section line 33;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of another embodiment of a reversing means in accordance with the invention showing a pawl locking device; and

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are plan views of various complete planer structures showing drive means and reversing means and a planercutter movable therebetween.

In accordance with the invention when operating in a mining gallery traversed by a fault, the conveyor is positioned along the entire length of the gallery and thus passes through the faulted zone, and the path of travel of the planer cutting head is limited to a portion of the length of the conveyor outside of the faulted zone by providing a drive or reversing means for the flexible traction element of the planer between the ends of the conveyor.

In this manner, for example, the conveyor may be provided with the drive for the flexible traction element at one end, and the reversing means for the flexible traction element, as for example, including a pulley or wheel, may be positioned along the conveyor between the drive means and the fault adjacent to the fault. The

exible traction element will extend from the drive to and around the reversing means and back to the drive. The planer cutting head will be drawn along the conveyor between the drive and the reversing means.

It is also possible to provide separate planer cutting heads on the same conveyor at diflferent parts thereof. Thus, for example, in addition to the set-up as described above, the conveyor may be provided with an additional drive at its other end and additional reversing means positioned between this additional drive and the other side of the fault adjacent to the fault. The additional planer head is to be moved back and forth between this additional drive and reversing means. Alternatively, the positions of the drive and the reversing means may be reversed with the drive positioned in the central portion of the conveyor and the reversing means at its end.

The drives and/ or reversing stations which have been provided between the ends of the conveyor for the planer cutters moving over different sectors of the workings may be adapted to form one working unit or group.

The end portions of the conveyor are generally constructed as substantially rigid units, while the individual sections of the conveyor between the ends are usually connected pivotally relative to one another. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the individual conveyor sections which are pivotally relative to one anotherare advantageously connected substantially rigidly to one another, at least in a horizontal plane at the portion, between the ends of the conveyor, at which the additional driving or reversing stations for one or more of the planing cutters is arranged.

It is preferable to design the drive or reversing means arranged between the ends of the conveyor, so that the same may be displaced without any great difliculty along the length of the conveyor. This may be effected, for example, by a locking device or mechanism which may be clamped to the conveyor by being pulled by the flexible traction element which draws the planercutting head back and forth.

Referring to the drawings, as shown in Fig. 1, the coal scam in is traversed by a fault 11 and the two parts of the mining gallery 12 and 13 of the seam are staggered vertically by a small amount relative to one another. A conveyor 14, which has sufiicient vertical flexibility, is guided through the faulted zone. The conveyor may have any known or conventional construction which allows this flexibility. Conventional driving stations are provided at each end of the conveyor. The driving station at the right hand and of conveyor is designated 24 and an identical driving station not shown is positioned at the left hand end of the conveyor. Each of the'gallery sections 12 and 13 are provided with separate planer cutting heads. The flexible traction element in theform of a chain 15 extends from the driving station for the end of the conveyor 14 located in the gallery portion 12 around the reversing means 17 and back to the driving station.

The flexible traction element in the form of a chain 16 for the planer cutting head operating in the portion of the gallery 13 extends from the driving station attached to the end of the conveyor 14 in the portion 13 to and around the reversing means 18 and back to the driving station. Alternatively, of course, the reversing means 17 and/or 13 may represent driving stations, in

which case the reversing means would be positioned at the end of the conveyor.

The cutter head in the portion of the gallery 12 will move back and forth between the end of the conveyor and reversing means 17, and cut and plough coal from the mine face into the conveyor 14.

The cutting head 23 operating in the portion of the gallery 13 will operate between the other end of the conveyor and the reversing means 18 will also plough coal from the mine face into the conveyor.

With this -construction,*the miners working in the zone of the fault are not in any way hindered by the planer cutting heads. The material cut by both of the planes is passed into the same conveyor 14, which continuously advances as the malls cut from the face. The conveyor is urged forward toward the face in the conventional manner, for example, by penumatic jacks.

Between the reversing

means

17 and 18, the sections of the conveyor 14 should be sufiiciently rigidly connected at least in the horizontal plane, so that this length A will be automatically carried along with the other lengths of the conveyor as the same are moved forward into the mine face. Care must be taken that the support system, consisting of the jacks and the like, which in the faulted zones is always of particular importance, does not hinder the advance of the conveyor.

An embodiment of the reversing means which may be used at 17 and/ or 18 is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A reversing roller or pulley 19 is mounted in a box-shaped girder 20. The girder 20 is connected by two guide arms 21 to a second girder 22, which bears on the opposite side of the conveyor 14. The guide members 21 extend beneath the conveyor and are pivotally mounted to both the box-shaped girder 20 and the second girder 22. The structure is therefore in the form of a parallelogram, and the girder 22, upon pivoting of the guide members 21 may move closer or farther from the box-shaped girder 20, while remaining parallel thereto.

The flexible traction element used to draw the planer cutting head back and forth along the conveyor passes from the drive around the wheel 19 and back to the drive. As tension is exerted by this traction element, as, for example, in the direction of the arrow 26, the guide members are pivoted at a greater diagonal position with respect to the conveyor and the girder 22 is urged toward the girder 20 and both of these girders exert a powerful clamping and holding action on opposite sides of the conveyor, and thus the reversing means is maintained in position.

If it is desired to shift the position of the reversing means, it is merely necessary to pivot the guide members 21 in a direction so that the parallelogram formed by the

members

21, 20, and 22 more nearly assumes the shape of a rectangle. Thus the girder 22 moves away from the girder 20, and the entire unit may be slid in either direction laterally along the conveyor 14. The unit comprising the reversing means may be shifted in a simple manner by being connected up by two

chains

30, 31 as shown in Figs. 2a and 2b to the travelling conveyor band of the conveyor. One of the two chains 31 employed for shifting the reversing means is connected to the girder 20, and the other to the girder 22. If it is desired to shift the entire unit in the direction of the arrow 26, the chain 30 connected to the girder 22 should first be tensioned by connecting the same first by having the same, in effect, shorter than the chain 31 connected to the girder 20. In this manner the clamping effect ceases and the two girders may be dragged to the desired extent along the conveyor without resistance. If it is desired to shift the unit in the opposite direction, the procedure, of course, is reversed.

In place of the clamping locking device as described above any other clamping device may be used, as, for example, a pawl locking device as shown in Fig. 4. As shown the pawls 27 engage the rack 28 on the conveyor, and in all other respects this embodiment is identical to that shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 5, a planer is shown which has a driving station 24 at one end and a reversing station 18 which is adjustable along the length of the conveyor. A flexible traction element, such as the chain 16, extends between the driving station 24 and reversing station 18 and drives planer cutter 23.

In the embodiment as shown in Fig. 6, the reversing station 18 is replaced by combination driving reversing station 28. In this embodiment the

station

28 or 24 may act as the driving station with other station acting as a reversing station. Station 28 is adjustable along the length of the conveyor.

In the embodiment as shown in Fig. 7, which corresponds to a plan view of the embodiment of the conveyor and planer shown in Fig. 1, driving station 24 is provided at one end of the conveyor and the driving station 29- at the opposite end. Two intermediate reversing

stations

17 and 18 are provided which are adjustable over the length of the conveyor. A flexible traction element 16 drawing planer cutter 23 extends between the station 24 and station 18 and a flexible traction element extends between the driving station 29 and reversing station 17 and drives the planer 25.

Though the invention has been described in detail with reference to the specific embodiments illustrated, other embodiments and modifications will become apparent to the artisan, which fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a mining planer having a planer cutter movable back and forth along the forward portion of a longitudinally extending conveyor by means of a flexible traction element driven between drive means and reversing means, the improvement which comprises the conveyor being formed of individual conveyor sections, at least some of said sections being pivotably connected together for limited motion in a vertical direction, and means for adjusting the position of one of said drive means and reversing means along the length of the conveyor whereby the conveyor may be extended through a fault with the drive and reversing means positioned on one side of the fault with the planer cutter operated therebetween.

2. Improvement according to claim 1 in which the position of said reversing means is adjustable over the length of the conveyor.

3. Improvement according to claim 1 including a second planer cutter movable back and forth along a differ ent sector of the forward portion of said conveyor by means of an additional flexible traction element driven between additional drive means and reversing means, said additional drive means and reversing means being spaced from said first mentioned drive means and reversing means whereby the other said drive means and reversing means may be positioned on the other side of the fault with said second planer cutter operated therebetween.

4. Improvement according to claim 3 in which the "individual conveyor sections between the two groups of drive and reversing means are substantially rigidly connected together in a horizontal direction.

5. Improvement according to claim 4, including means for adjusting the position of one of the drive means and reversing means of each group of the drive means and reversing means along the length of the conveyor.

6. Improvement according to claim 5 in which one said drive means is positioned at each end portion of the conveyor and said reversing means are positioned between the ends of said conveyor in spaced relationship to each other.

7. Improvement according to claim 1 including locking means for locking the movable one of said drive means and reversing means alongthe conveyor upon pulling actuation of the flexible traction elements.

8. Improvement according to claim 7 in which said locking means includes a girder on each longitudinal side of the conveyor pivotally connected to each other by means of parallel guide rods extending beneath the conveyor.

9. Improvement according to claim 1 in which said reversing means includes a girder positioned on the forward longitudinal side of said conveyor, a vertical wheel mounted on said girder, a second girder positioned opposite to the first girder on the opposite longitudinal side of the conveyor, a pair of parallel guide rods having greater length than the width of the conveyor extending beneath the conveyor and pivotally connected to each girder.