US2853566A

US2853566A - Mining machine

Info

Publication number: US2853566A
Application number: US541140A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alexander W Calder
Original assignee: Joy Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Joy Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1955-10-18
Filing date: 1955-10-18
Publication date: 1958-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 1975-09-23

Description

4 Sheets-Sheet l LDH Hln H .NIH H, m H H O M 1 l A W C o a I .n W F /W M @WQ p E. w M Vw A. W. CALDER MINING MACHINE S p A, 1 \\NWMW l l n n v H m sept. 23, 195s Original Filed April 14, 1951 Sept 23, w58 A. w. CALDER 2,853,566

l MINING MACHINE original Filed April 14, 1951 4 sheets-sheet 2 53,22 NIM Pf 239.1958 A. w. CALDER 2,3565

' MINING MACHINE original F11ed .1pm 14, 1951 4 sheets-sheet s UPSWING Sept- 23, 1958 A. w. CALDER 2,853,566

V MINING MACHINE original Filed April 14, 1951 4 sheets-sheet 4 15g@ l f f4 7 TURA/5y United States )aattltn [MINING MACHnvE Alexander W. Calder, Claremont, N.H., assignor `to Joy Manufacturing 'Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corpora- .tion ofPeuusylvania Continuation of.. application Serial No.v 221,091, April 14, 1951. This application October 418, 1955, Serial No.

:6*Claims. (Cl. 200-25) This invention relates vto a mining machine, and es- ;-peciallyvto a substantially-automatic continuous mining zmachine and is .a continuation of my copending application ,Serial No. 221,091 led April 14, 1951, now

abandoned.

Mining machinesofrthe type disclosed in patent applications Serial Nos. 102,995 and 102,996 of John D. Russell vand John .-R. Sibley, respectively, now .Patents Nos. .2,798,714 and 2,798,713, respectively, dated July 9, 1957, ;and.both led July 5, :1949, are calledcontinuous miners for continuous mining-machines by-those skilled in the art. These machines provide a considerable advantage ...over -themore conventionaliand older methods of mining inthattheyeliminate blasting and its consequent dangers; machines ofthis .type also 'substantially increasethepro- 'ductionwhich ispossible `for a given number of vmen ina given time.

Still further improvement-in mining methods could be accomplished by rproviding Imeans to operate a portion Aor all of the operating cycle `of the machine in asub- .stantiall-y automatic `manner. Such 'a machine is dis- .closedin thepatent applicationof Arthur L. Barrett tiled .December 18, 1950, and bearing Serial No. 20l,411,;now matured-into Patent No. 2,777,102, granted January 8, 1957. .The .present invention provides still other means .for automatically operating a continuous-mining machine. Itisaccordingly antobject of `this invention to provide acontinuous mining machine which is substantially-automatic in its operation. .The specific embodiment ofzthe machine shown is one in which a vein-attacking and dis- .integratingfinstrument-is mounted for a plurality fofmove ments in .aface of .coal `or other mineral. The above and vother-.objects 'are achieved. in ythe embodiment vshown -by means of an electrical 4contact device,.orftiming means, operatingin-.conjunction with certain-elements which con- .trol the-meansto move the: instrument through its pluralityof. operations. In the embodiment shown, the timing meansrand the .control elements formppartof an electric system. .The-means'tooperate the machine-are hydraulic means, and the lelectrically operated control means `vincludes valves'in the hydraulic conduits.

AIn the drawings:

Fig. lisa ,topplan view'of the forward end portion .ofa machine `of .the general type referred to above.

Fig. 2 isaside elevation view of the portion'of the machine, shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vi'ew in section on'a substantially horizontal plane of a portion of the mining machine shown in `Figs. '1 and" 2.

Fig 4fis '.afschematic ldiagram .showing the hydraulic .and electricA circuits of automatic control mechanismmade .according tothe invention.

Fig. 5 is an operational view, showingthe entire-machine in position in a mine, and rbeing a section through the mine .onfa substantiallyhorizontal plane to provide a top plan viewof the machine; and

Fig. 6`is.a viewin sectionon a substantially vertical plane through a mine,pproviding a side elevation view of the entire machine.

A continuous mining machine of the type described comprises a mobile'base mounted on a Caterpillar track 2,

a vein-attacking and disintegrating instrument 4 which is Amounted for swinging in vertical planes about -a horizontal axis shown at 6 of Fig. 2, the axis being the axis of the .shaft carrying the drive sprockets for the chains of the vein-'attacking and distintegrating instrument 4. This vshaft is not shown in detail in this application, but can be seen readily :by reference to the above-identified Patent No. 2,798,713.

The vein-attacking and `disintegrating instrument is mounted for sliding or rectilinear movement on a sliding frame or support 8 which reciprocates on and relative to .a horizontal supporting frame or turntable 10. Turntable frame 10 is swingable in a horizontal plane `about avertical axis, said vertical axis being substantially the center of the arcuate members 12 and 14 of the turntable frame 10.

The rectilinear movement of the vein-attacking and disintegrating instrument 4, referred to above, provides the sumping-in and retracting movement, vand is effected by Vthe sump cylinders 16. Swinging of the'instrument 4 in -vertical planes is accomplished by means of the upswing cylinders 18. Swinging of the turntable frame 10, and with it the instrument 4, in a horizontal plane is accomplished by means of the swing -cylinders 20. Aswil'l readily be understood by reference to the above-identified Sibley patent, the cylinders 20 carry pistonshaving piston rods which are anchored ,to a stationary portion of the machine frame. To the exterior of the cylinders 20 there is secured a pair of sheaves 22-around which are wrapped chains 24. Chains 24 `are secured at one end to the stationary frame by means of a resilient shock absorbing mechanism indicated generally `at 26. The chains `wrap around

other sheaves

28 and 30, and at their other ends are secured Iat`32 to the swingable frame 10.

In this description, where the simple term swing is used, it will tbe understood tomean' side-swing, or swingvinghorizontally about a -vertical axis. When the koperation involving swinging in a vertical plane about ahorizontal axis is referredgto, the term upswing or"lower will be used.

In the schematic diagram, Fig. 4, the twosump cylinders are 4represented by a single sump cylinder 16, the :twoupswing cylinders are represented bya single cylinder 18, and the two horizontal swing cylinders are represented by a single cylinder 20.

Referring now to Fig. 4 in detail, cylinders or

jacks

16, 18 and 20 are hydraulic motors-which are connected tobe driven by hydraulic huid coming from 'any suitable source of fluid under pressure. In the embodiment shown,

a pump.3.4 draws uid from a supply tank 36 by means ofaconduit 38, and pumps the fluid under pressure to a valve 40 by way of a conduit 42. A second valve44 similar to the valve 40 conducts exhaust iuid back to the tank 36 by way of a conduit 46.

Valves 40 and 44 are conventional three-way hydraulic valves of any suitable type, available from any of la number Vof satisfactory sources. The details vof these valves form no part of this invention and accordingly will notbedescribed here. Valves 40 and 44 have ports which -are connected with the

conduits

42 and 46 respectively,and have additional ports opening out from vthe chambers A and M. Each .of-the valves has two .operating positions, one of which connects the port of conduit 42 (or 46) with the port of the chamber M, and the other .of which connects the port of the conduit 42 (or 46) with the port of the chamber A. The two valves .are .coupled together by means of a mechanical interlock indicated schematically at 48, in order that both valves may always be in the same position-i. e., either both valves are in"tl1e'-M,or manual, operating position,

PatentedrSept. y23, 1958 or both valves are in the A, or automatic, operatingy position.

The M chamber of valve 40 is connected by means of a conduit 52 with manually operable valves in a block 50. Exhaust or low pressure uid returns from the valve block 50 to the M chamber of valve 44 by way of a conduit 54. Valve block 50 is made up of three manually

operable valves

56, 58 and 60. Thevalves 56, 58 and 60 are conventional valves having two operating positions and an open-center or neutral position. In the neutral or central position, the valves are open to the tank, and

conduits

64, 62, 66, 70 and 68 are closed. Shifting a valve into one of its operating positions cuts olf tluid liow to all downstream points. Thus, manipulation of valve 56 into either of its operating positions serves to cut oft fluid tiow to the

valves

58 and 60. Similarly, with valve 56 in its central position, moving rvalve 58 into either of its operating positions cuts otf fluid ow to the valve 60.

Valve 56 has two ports which are connected with the swing cylinder 20 by means of

conduits

62 and 64. Valve 58 has two ports, but only one of them is connected with one end of the upswing cylinder 18, by a conduit 66, for the reason that the upswing jacks are single acting jacks, designed only to lift the vein-attacking and disintegrating instrument 4. The other port of valve 58 is plugged and is internally connected with the return line 54. The instrument 4 is lowered by its own weight, and does not need to be powered down. connected with opposite ends of the sump cylinders, shown as a single cylinder 16 in Fig. 4, by means of

conduits

68 and 70.

The foregoing describes briefly the hydraulic circuit and its connection for manual operation. The manual operation of a mining machine according to this invention will be readily understood by reference to the aboveidentified patents to Sibley and Russell and need not be detailed here.

The automatic control means The automatic hydraulic swing system Valve 80 is an electrically responsive control element consisting of a conventional four-Way hydraulic valve, and is provided with an electric operator in the form of a solenoid indicated schematically at 86. Valve 80 is provided with four ports, one of which is connected to the aforesaid conduit 74. Another of the ports is connected to a conduit 88 which goes to the A chamber of valve 44. A third port of valve 80 is connected to a conduit 90, which has in it a check valve 92. The fourth and last port of valve 80 is connected to a conduit 94 which connects at its other end with a metering cylinder 96.

Valve 80 may be any one of a number of conventional four-Way hydraulic valves having two operating positions, being held in one operating position by the energization of the operating coil 86, and in its other operating position by a spring (not shown) when coil 86 is deenergized. When coil 86 is energized, conduit 74 is connected through the valve with conduit 94, and conduit 90 is connected with conduit 88. In this operating position fluid flows from conduit 74 through the valve into conduit 94, and would flow from conduit 90 through valve 80 to conduit 88 except for the fact that check valve 92 prevents ow in that direction. In the other operating position, conduit 74 is connected with conduit 90, and conduit 94 is connected with conduit 88.

As was set forth above, conduit 94y is connected with Valve 60 isv a metering cylinder 96, namely to a port in one end of the metering cylinder. A port in the other end of metering cylinder 96 is connected by means of a conduit 98 with another conduit 99. The aforesaid conduit also connects with the conduit 99.

Metering cylinder 96 consists merely of a cylinder with a piston 100 in it movable to compress a spring 101, the piston having a piston rod 102 passing through the lspring and projecting through one end of the cylinder, `and adapted to abut against an adjustable stop such as a screw 104. The screw 104 provides means for varying the quantity of hydraulic Huid displaced from cylinder 96, in order to vary the amount of huid passed to the side-swing cylinders 20.

Conduit 99 is connected with a simple stop-valve 106 having an electric operator or solenoid indicated schematically at 108. Valve 106 has two ports, one of which connects with the aforesaid conduit 99, and the other of which connects with a conduit 110. The construction and operation of valve 106 is such that, with solenoid 108 energized, the valve is open to connect conduit 99 with conduit 110, and when solenoid 108l is deenergized, the valve is closed to prevent all flow therethrough.

Conduit 110 communicates with a direction selector valve 112 which is provided with two operating

solenoids

114 and 116. Valve 112 has four ports, one of which is connected with the conduit 110 as aforesaid, a second of which is connected with a conduit 118, a third with conduit 120, and the fourth with the conduit 122.

Valve 112 may be any of a number of suitable conventional types, having a neutral or closed-center position in which no flow is permitted through the valve and having two operating positions into which it is moved by energization of either solenoid 114 -or solenoid 116. Valve 112 will probably be the same type as valves 82 and 84. As shown schematically, valve 112 is provided lwith a partition or septum 124 which in the neutral or closed-center position blocks or blanks oi the ports communicating with conduits 110 and 120. When the solenoid 114 is energized, the partition 124 is pivoted counterclockwise and permits communication between conduits 110 and 118 on the one hand, and conduits 120 and 122 on the other hand. When solenoid 116 is energized, the partition 124 is rotated clockwise from its position shown in Fig. 4, whereupon conduits 118'A and 120 are connected, and conduits 110 and 122 are con'- nected.

The aforesaid conduit 118 is connected at one end with one of the ports of valve 112, and at its other end is connected with the conduit 62 referred to above as connecting the manually controlled swing valve 56 with the right end of the swing cylinders, shown as a single cylinder 20 in Fig. 4. The aforesaid conduit 120 is connected at one end with one of the ports of valve 112, and at its other end connects into a conduit 126 which serves as a header conduit of which the conduit 120 is one of the branches. The header conduit 126 is connected with the exhaust conduit 88 referred to above. The aforesaid conduit 122 is connected at one end with one of the ports of valve 112, and at its other end is connected with the conduit 64 which, as aforesaid, connects the left end of the swing cylinder 20 shown schematically in Fig. 4 with the manually operated swing control valve 5 6.

The automatic hydraulic upswing system Reference is made again to the upswing cylinders 18, shown schematically in Fig. 4 as a single cylinder. As was set forth above in the description of the manually controlled hydraulic system, the upswing cylinders 18 are single-acting cylinders, and therefore only one end of those cylinders is connected to be supplied with hydraulic fluid under pressure. As'shown in Fig. 4, the schematically indicated single-cylinder 18 has its one end connected to fluid supply by means of a conduit 66.

Asfaforesaid, tlie'valve 82 is connected withA the header conduiti72lby means of the' branch conduit 76.'v Conduit 761 is provided with a simple stop'valve 127 havingan operator or solenoid127. Valve 127 is normally open, and is closed only when its solenoid is energized.

Valve 82 is a four-Way valve having Afourports one of which is connected with conduit 76as aforesaid. Another ofuthe ports of valve 82 is connectedwith one end ofi a conduit 129," the other end ofwhich is connected with the conduit 66. Another port of valve 82 is connected with a conduitf130, and the remaining or final port of valve 82 is connected' with a conduit 132. Bef cause thek swing cylinders 18 are single-acting cylinders, the conduit 132 is connected directly with the discharge conduit 130. By this means, the port of valve 82 with which conduit 132 connects isy jumpered back to the tank, because conduit 130 isoneof the branch conduits which connects with the header conduit 126, which in turn connects with the tank 36 by wayof conduit 88, valve 44, and conduit 46. Y

Valve 82 may be any oneof a number of conventional four-way, closed-center hydraulic valves having

operat ing solenoids

134 and 136. When solenoid 136 is energized, the valve spool is shifted to connect conduit 76 with conduit 129, and conduit 130`with conduit 132. Because the conduit 132 is merely a jumper connection, this last connection through the valve isof no consequence. When solenoid134is energized, conduit 129y isY connected through the valve with conduit 130, and conduit 76 is connected through the valve with conduit 132.

The automatic hyaraulc sump system Valve 84 is a valve similar to the valve 82, having four ports one of which is connected with the conduit 7`8`as aforesaid.` Another portl of valve 84 is connected toone end of a conduit 138, the other end of which connects withthe conduitl70` described above. A third port of valve 84 is connected with a conduit 140`Which` connects with the conduit 68k referred to above, and the last and'remaining port of valve 84 is connected with aV conduit 142 which is another branch conduit connectingwith the header conduit 126; Valve 8'4 is provided'with two operating solenoids 144 and 146, and is, like the valve 82, a closed-center valve. When the solenoid 144 is energized, conduit 78 communicates with conduit 140 through the valve and conduit 138 communicates With conduit 142 through the valve. When the solenoid 146' is energized,conduit 78 .communicates through the valve with conduit 138, and conduit 140 communicates through the valve with conduit 142.

The electrical system The invention as applied to the embodiment shown inuFig; 4 includes automatic control means for the swing, upswing and sump jacks, these control means including a source of electric power which may of course be any suitable A. C. or D. C. source but which in the embodiment shown is indicated as a storage battery 148; the system also includes a plurality of electrically responsive control elements, these elements being the

valves

80, 82, 84, 106, 112 and 127, the control elements having electric operators which are the

solenoids

86, 134, 136, 144, 146, 108, 114, 116 and 128.

The system also includes timing means in the form of an electrical contact device indicated generally at 150 to complete an electric circuit between the electric operators or solenoids and the power source shown as the battery 148. Suitable electrical conductor means connect the storage battery or other power source, the operating solenoids, and the timing means, as will be detailed below. The system also includes a directiony control switch at 152, said switchbeing connected with suitable conductors and through the timing means to permit selectionk of the*directionofhorizontal swing of the Vein attacking and disintegrating instrument l"4.'r

The positive terminal of the battery is indicated-fsche'- matically at 154, and the negativeterminal at 156. A single central terminal of the timing means is connected by means of a conductor 158` with the positive terminal of the battery. The central terminal referred to may conveniently be arpin 159 which serves as the pivot about which a contact `of timing means 150 rotates, as will be seen below.

One end of solenoid 86,is connected with the timing device by means of`a conductor 160, and the other end of solenoid 86 is connected by means of a conductor 162 with the negative terminal 156 of the battery. The ends of solenoid 108 are connected with conductors 160 and 162'by means ofv conductors 166 and 168 respectively. One end of each of

solenoids

114 and 116 is connected with a commony terminal 170, which in turn is connected with the conductor by a conductor 172. The other end of solenoid 114 is connected by means of a conductor 174 with a contact 176 of the switch 152; The other end of solenoid 116 is connected by means of a conductor 178 With a contact 180 of switch 152; Switch 152 has a movable contact 186 which is pivotable by means of a handle 188 about a pivot 190 to engage alternately contact 176 or contact 180. Pivot 190 is connected with conductor 162 by aconductor 192.

. The electric operator or solenoid 134 has of course two ends, one of which is connected with the timing means by means of a conductor 198,' and the other of which is connected with the negative terminal 156 of the battery by a'conductor 200. One of the ends of solenoid 136 is connected with the timing means 150 by a conductor 202, and the other end of the operating solenoid 136 is connected with the negative terminal 156 of the battery by way of the aforesaid conductor 200 and a branch conductor 204. Solenoid 144 is connected with the timing means by a conductor 205, and with the terminal of the battery by way of the aforesaid conductor 200. Solenoid 146 is connected with the timing means 150 by a conductor 206 and with the negative of the battery by way of the aforesaid conductors 200 and 204.` Solenoid 128 is connected with the timing means by a conductor 207, and with the battery terminal 156

byl conductors

204 and 200.

The timing means The timing means or device 150 comprises a plurality of contact members grouped about a common center and electrically insulated from each other and from the common center, and still another contact member mounted for rotation about an axis which is located substantially at the aforesaid common center.

Thus, the timing means is made up of a sump Contact member 208, an upswing contact member 210, a retract contact member 212, a lower contact member 214, andk a swing contact member 216. The plurality of Contact members 208-216 are grouped about a common center shown at 218, this being the center of pin 159. As will" be understood by those skilled in the art, the various contact members are not in electrical contact with each other, but are insulated from each other as well as from the common center. To this end, strips of suitable insulating material, not shown in detail, will be providedV between the contact members. These strips of insulating material are indicated schematically as plain black lines in the diagram shown in Fig. 4. In addition a central-l core 217 of insulating material is provided to support the pin 159 and insulate it from the plurality of contact members 20S-216.

The still another contact member referred to above isthe radial arm 220 shown in Fig. 4, arm 220 being at any radial distance from the center 218between the extreme ends of the slot.

'Iwo of the plurality of contact members are mounted in radial alinementwi. e., with one of said two contact members being spaced from the common center by the other of the two contact members. Thus, the contact member 216 is spaced from the common center 218 by the contact member 214, with which it is in radial alinement.

As will be pointed out in detail below, one of the two alined contact Ymembers is in position to be engaged by the contact-making-means 224. The other of the two contact members is engaged by an additional contactmaking-means 226. The contact-making-means 226 is stationary-i. e., at a tixed radial distance from the center 21S-as distinguished from the radially adjustable mounting of the contact-making-means 224.

Means are provided to rotate the arm or rotor 220 at a predetermined constant speed, these means comprising the electric motor 228. The drive means, here shown as the aforesaid motor 228, may be any suitable variable speed means. As here shown, the means is a shuntwound direct current motor having a variable resistance 230 in the shunt field. The motor may be driven from any suitable source of power, but is here shown as connected to the storage battery 148.

Reference was made above to the fact that the varions electric operators or solenoids are connected to the timing means 150. Thus, the solenoid 146 is connected with sump contact member 208 by the conductor 206, the upswing contact member 210 is connected with solenoid 136 by conductor 202, the retract contact member 212 is connected with the solenoid 144 by conductor 205, the lower contact member 214 is connected with solenoid 134 by the conductor 198, and the swing contact member 216 is connected with solenoid 86 by way of conductor 160, with solenoid 108 by way of conductors 160 and 166, and with solenoid 128 by conductor 207. The

solenoids

114 and 116 are merely for the purpose of actuating the direction-selector-valve 112; however, their electric circuits als-o include the timing means 150 because valve 112 should be in its neutral position during sump, upswing, and retract.

Attention is now invited to the separation of the contact members 208-216. As was noted above, the plurality of contact members are not in electrical contact with each other but are insulated from each other. As can be seen in Fig. 4, the lines of insulation separating the separate contact members are straight lines. Moreover, the line C C separating the sump contact member 208 from the lower contact member 214 is a radial line. It will be observed that the lines or, more accurately, planes, which separate the remaining contact members from each other are not radial lines, but are instead tangential lines. The manner of determining the location of those tangential lines will now be taken up.

It is of course understood by those skilled in the art that a mining machine made according to this invention will be required to operate in seams of different heights. Let it be assumed, for example, that the minimum seam height in which the machine operates will be 40 inches and the maximum seam height will be 80 inches. The time in seconds then required to complete each of the separate operations of a complete cycle, determined by watching a machine in operation, will be as set forth in the following table:

It will be observed 4from the above table `that the sump time and retract time are independent of the seam height. It will alsov be observed that the sump time is about 10% longer than the retract time. The reason for the diierence lies in the fact that, during sump, the machine is operating at what is probably a maximum load, and during retract, the machine is operating almost completely unloaded, and also because the presence of the piston rod at one end moves the piston faster when fluid is pumped into the rod end. It will further be noted that the lower time is much shorter, especially in the high seam operation, than the upswing time. This too is understandable when it is recalled that the machine is operating loaded during upswing and unloaded during lower.

It will be noted that the complete cycle time arrived at for a 40" high seam is 19.1 seconds, and the 'complete cycle time for the seam is 32.6 seconds. This means of coursefthat when the timing means is set for a low seam, it will make one revolution in 19.1 seconds and when it is set for high seam operation, it will make one revolution in 32.6 seconds. Therefore, for low` seam operation, the rotor 220 of timing means 150 will rotate at a speed of 3.14 R. P. M., and for a seam height of 80, it` will rotate at a speed of 1.84 R. P. M.

Let it now be assumed thatthe inner circle, marked B in Fig. 4 is taken as the base operating circle for the minimum seam height of 40". Taking the point C as the starting point, the point D for the end of the sump operation will be displaced from the point C by an angle which is determined according to the following equation:

where as is the angle between the points C and D. Following the above procedure for all of the angles, we arrive at the following complete table for a full cycle:

Operation Angle a, Points degrees 124. 3 C to D. 66. 0 D to E. 113.1 E to F. i 56.6 F to C.

Operation Angle a, Points degrees indicate the lines or planes of separation between adjacent contact members. Then, with the contact-making-means 224 located in slot 222 on the circle B, and with rotor 220 moving at the proper angular speed, the contact-making-means 224 will engage the plurality of contact members for time intervals suitable for 40" seam operation; Similarly with contact-making-means 224 at the outer extreme end of the slot, at the circle G, and with rotor 220 moving at the proper angular speed, contact-making-means 224 will engage the plurality of contact members for intervals suitable for 80 high seam operation. Location of the contact-making-means 224 in between these two extreme positions land driving the rotorv220 at the vappropriate angular velocity will give proportional intervals.

lThe'foregoingstatement has not discussedthe contact member 216. It will be appreciatedby those skilled inrthe art :that the horizontalswinging ofthe instrument 4`=aboutnits1vertical axis of 'swing is entirely independent of 'all-of' the other` operations, except for the fact that the horizontal swingingshould be accomplished duringy that partof the cycle in which the instrument is being lowered, because it is only during vthat operation that instrument 4is out ofk contact with thecoalor other mineral being mined. l l

Accordingly, the` design of the contact member 216 must be ksuch that contact-*making-means 226 does not engage'contact member 216 until after contact-makingmeansi 224 has engagedcontactmember 214; and contactmaking-means 226 must be disengaged from contact member 216 before contact-making-means 224 is disengaged from tlre 'contact member 214:.

Theoretically, itis possibleto design the contact member 216 so that engagement between it and contact-making-means 226 is so` timed as to provide the proper degree of horizontalswinging. As a practical matter however, it is better to design theY contact member 216 so that, for all seam heightsLit is in engagement with contact-making-meansy 226for a longer time than is required to accomplish the desireddegree of swing, and then to control the degreefof swing by other means, as for example by metering `the amount of iluid pumped into the swing jacks.

Operation will connect a circuit as follows: From contact member 216, conductors 160 and 172, solenoid 114, conductor 174,? contact 176, contact 186, handle 188, terminal 190, and

conductors

192 and 162 to the negative terminal 156` of thebattery. When contact-making-means 226 engages contact member 216, a complete circuit is closed fromV positive terminal 154, conductor 158, rotor 220, contactmaking-means 226, contact member 216 etc. as above, energizing solenoid 114. With'solenoid 114 energized, the valve 112 is actuated so as to pivot the partition 124 counterclockwise and thus connect conduits 110 to 118 and 120 to 122. The vein-attacking and disintegrating instrument 4 will thus be set to swing from right to left, namely from the position shown at T (Fig. 5) tothe position shown at V, upon energization of solenoid 114' operation. The sumping-in operation begins as the con tact-making-means 224 crosses the line CC and engages` the SU or sump contact member 208, whereupon a circuit` is completed as follows: Positive terminal 154 of the battery, conductor 158, rotor 220, means 224, contact member 208, conductor 206, solenoid 146,

conductors

204 and 200, and negative terminal 156 of the battery.

With solenoid or electric operator 146 energized, the valve spool is shifted in such a manner that conduit 78 communicates through the valve with conduit 138, and.

conduit 140 communicates through the valve with conduit 142. As a result, oil is pumped from the tank by way of the following circuit: Tank 36, conduit 38, pump 34, conduit 42, Valve 40 and the automatic chamber A thereof,conduit 72, branch conduit 78, valve 84, conduit 138,` conduit 70, to the right end of the sump cylinders, shownl schematically as one cylinder 16 in Fig. 4. Oil is forced out of the left endof the sump jacks as follows: Conduit 68, conduit 140, valve 84,

conduits

142, 126 and 88,

10 through the valve-44, and conduit 46 back tothetank 36: Thismovement of the `sump jacks moves the vein-attack ing and disintegrating instrument '4 from the` position shown at'W (Fig. 6) to the position shown at X.

As the contacti means 224 crosses the line DD', it leaves the sump contact member 208 and thus deenergizes the electric operator or solenoid 146. The valve 84 is thereupon returned to its center position, in which all flow through the valve is blocked.

Now, however, contact is made for the upswing cycle and the following circuit is completed: Positive terminal 154, conductor '158, rotor 220, contact-making-means 224,' contact member 210, conductor 202, solenoid 136, and

conductors

204 and 200 back to the negative terminal 156 of the battery. With solenoid 136 energized, ow from the pump to the upswing jacks is as follows: Conduit 42, valve 40, header conduit 72, branch conduitt76, valve 82,

conduits

129 and 66, to the upswing jacks 18. Meanwhile, the

conduits

130 and 132 are connected through the valve 82, but nothing happens becausethese two conduits are also connected outside the valve.

With fluid flowing into the upswing jacks, the veinattacking and disintegrating instrument 4 moves through the upswing portion vof the cycle from the position shown at X in Fig. 6 to the position shown at Y.

As the contact-making-means 224 crosses the line EE', the circuit for the solenoid 136 is broken and valve 82 returns to center, in which position all iluid ow therethrough is prevented.

With the contact-making-means 224 now engaging the retract contact member 212, the electric circuit is as follows: Positive terminal 154, conductor 158, rotor 220, contact-making-means 224, contact member 212, conductor 205, solenoidA 144,. and conductor 200. back to the negative terminal 156 of the battery.

With the solenoid 144 energized, fluid ilow through:

valve 84 is as follows: Pump 34, conduit 42,' valve 40,` header conduit 72,v branch conduit 78, through valve 84,

conduit i140, and conduit 68 to the left end of the sump` jacks 16. Hydraulic fluid leaves the sump jacks. from the right ends by way of

conduits

70 and 138, valve 84, branch exhaust conduit 142, header exhaust conduit 126,

conduit 88, through valve 44, and conduit 46 back to the tank 36. The Vein-attacking and disintegrating instrument is thus moved from the position Y in Fig. 6 to the position Z.

As the contact-making-means 224 crosses the line FF', the circuit for solenoid 144 is interrupted, whereupon valve 84 returns to its center or closed position and no- Huid ows therethrough'.

Contact-making-means 224 is now in engagement withL the lower contact memberL 214, and an electric circuit is completed as follows: Positive terminal 154 of the battery, conductor 158, rotor 220, contact-making-means 224, contact member 214, conductor 198, solenoid 134,and conductor 200 to the negative terminal 156.

The resulting energization ofthe solenoid 134v allows` for fluid ilow as follows: Pump 34, conduit 42, valve 40, header conduit 72, branchconduit 76, valve 82, conduit 132,-conduit 130, and conduits 126 and 88 to the valve 44,-thence to the tank 36 by way of conduit 46. It-is thus noted that the pump is connected straight through to the tankI and does no useful work for this portionof the cycle, except as will be noted below.

Meanwhile, tluid. is allowed to leave the upswing jacks` its center or closed position, thus blocking continuedtlow through valve 82.

Attention-is now invited tothe fact that, fora portion of the time that the contact-making-means 224 is moving in engagement with the contact member 214, the contactmaking means 226 is in engagement with the contact member 216. While this engagement is in effect, an electric circuit is completed as follows: Positive terminal 154, conductor 158, rotor 220, contact-making-means 226, contact member 216, conductor 160, solenoid 86, and conductor 162 back to the negative terminal 156 of the battery. A circuit is also completed for

solenoid

114 or 116, depending on the selection made bythe operator, as aforesaid; moreover, a circuit is also completed from conductor 160 to conductor 166, solenoid 108, .conduct-or 168, conductor 162 and back to the battery by way of the circuit just outlined for solenoid 86 There is another electric circuit completed as follows: Positive terminal 154, conductor 158, rotor 220, contactmaking-means 226, contact member 216, conductor 207, solenoid 128 and

conductors

204 and 200 back to the negative terminal 156. The energization of solenoid 128 operates to close valve 127 and to prevent further uid flow through valve 82 from pump 34, without however interfering with uid ow out of the upswing jacks 18. This constitutes the exception to no-usefulwork flow referred to above in discussing the operation during energization of solenoid 134.

With solenoids 86 and 128 energized, there is fluid ow through the valve 80 from conduit 74 to conduit 94 because the pump can no longer by-pass valve 80 by way of valve 82. Conduits 90 and 88 are also in communication but there is no reverse How because of the check valve 92. With solenoid 108 energized, valve 106 is open and ow may proceed through valve 106 from conduit 99 to conduit 110.

Accordingly, the pump 34 delivers hydraulic fluid as follows: conduit 42, valve 40, conduit 72, conduit 74, valve 80, conduit 94, and cylinder 96. As a consequence, piston 100 moves in the cylinder, compressing the spring 101 and displacing hydraulic fluid from the rod end of the cylinder by way of conduit 98, conduit 99, valve 106, conduit 110, valve 112, conduit 118, conduit 62, and the swing jacks 20. Fluid is allowed to leave the other end Aof the swing jacks by way of

conduits

64 and 122, valve 112, conduits 120, 126 and 88, valve 44, and conduit 46 back to tank 36. Note that fluid displaced from the rod end of the cylinder 96 cannot flow back through valve 80 by way of conduit 90 because of the check valve 92.

The degree of horizontal swing of the vein-attacking and disintegrating instrument 4 is adjusted by means of the adjusting screw 104, which limits the amount of displacement of the piston 100 by abutting against the end of the piston rod 102, as will be well understood by those skilled in the art.

As the contact-making-means 226 leaves contact member 216, presumably after piston 100 has reached the end of its travel as determined by adjustable stop 104, soleniods 86, 108, 128, and 114 (or 116) are deenergized. As a result, valve 106 closes, valve 127 opens, valve 80 returns to the position in which conduit 74 is connected through valve 80 to conduit 90, while conduit 94 is connected through valve 80 to tank 36 by Way of conduit 88, valve 44, and c-onduit 46, and valve 112 returns to its closed-center position (shown in Fig. 4). It will be noted that the lower face of piston 100 is no longer subject to pump discharge pressure, but is instead subjected to the pressure in the exhaust line 88. A1- though the pump may continue to pump liquid without doing work by way of valve 82 and the jumpering conduit 132 (because valve 127 is now open), the resistance to fluid flow in this circuit is great enough to cause uid to ow through valve 80 from conduit 74 to conduit 90 and into the upper end of cylinder 96 by way of conduit 98, whereby the spring and the fluid pressure return piston 100 toits lowermost-postion, ready for another indexing of instrument 4'horizontally through the required arc.

It will, of course, be understood that the contactmaking-means 224 is adjustable in the slot 222 and will be adjusted in accordance with the seam height in which the machine is operating. The slot 222 may be calibrated along one or both edges to cooperate with a registry line on the contact-making-means 224. It will further be understood that the motor 228 will be adjusted to run at the desired operating speed in order to have the rotor 220 complete a cycle, thta is to say, one revolution, in the time calculated for a complete cycle of operation of the vein-attacking and disintegrating instrument 4. To that end, the rheostat 230 may be provided with calibrations to indicate at least approximate motor speed, or, preferably, in inches of seam height.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that this invention provides a novel and useful means of controlling automatically the separate operations of a continuous mining machine of the type described.

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 modiied and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a timing device a plurality of contact members, another contact member disposed to have successive engagement with said plurality of contact members, means for eifecting relative movement between said rst and second mentioned contact members for effecting successive contact between the first mentioned members and the second mentioned member, and means for effecting relative movement between said members and member normal to their rst mentioned relative movement, some of said first mentioned contact members insulated from others along lines deviating from normality to said first mentioned movement and others insulated along lines normal to said iirst mentioned movement.

l 2. In a timing device a plurality of contact members, another contact member disposed to have engagement with successive ones of said plurality of contact members,y

means for effecting relative arcuate movement between said firstA and second mentioned contact members for effecting contact between successive ones of the lirst mentioned members and the second mentioned member, and means for effecting relative radial movement between said members and member, some of said rst mentioned contact members insulated from others along lines deviating from the radial and others insulated along radial lines.

3. In a timing device a plurality of members each having a contact surface thereon positioned in insulated juxtaposition to dene an enlarged circular surface, another contact supported for movement over each of said contact surfaces to circumscribe a circular path, some of said plurality of contact surfaces insulated from others of said contact surfaces along radial lines and others insulated along lines deviating from the radial, said other contact being radially adjustable along its supporting means to produce non-linear variations in the time of movement of said other contact over said contact surfaces for different adjustments of said other contact.

4. In a timing device a plurality of members each having a contact surface thereon positioned in insulated juxtaposition to define an enlarged surface, another contact movable arcuately over each of said contact surfaces, respectively, in a given sequence, means for adjustably supporting said other contact for movements toward and away from the center about which it moves while maintaining the same sequential movements, and at least some of said contact surfaces being insulated along lines extending toward said center and others of said surfaces being astma* 13 insulated along lines deviating from said last mentioned lines.

5. A device as in claim 4 in which said several insulations separating said plurality of contact members are of substantially the same and constant thickness throughout their lengths and said other contact moves from each of said contact surfaces to another in substantially the same time increment.

6. In a timing device a plurality of members each having a contact surface thereon positioned in insulated 1 juxtaposition to deiine an enlarged surface, another contact movable over each of said contact surfaces, respectively, in a given sequence, means for adjustably supporting said other contact to maintain the same sequen- 14 tial movement, and at least some of said contact surfaces being insulated along lines such that adjustments of said other contact produce non-linear variations in the time of movement of said last contact over said sequence of 5 contact surfaces.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 0 2,055,031 Hutchings Sept. 22, 1936 2,061,312 Louden et al Nov. 17, 1936 2,081,184 Ross et al May 25, 1937 2,150,376 Keating Mar. 14, 1939