US2885054A - Floor clean-up mechanism for continuous miners - Google Patents

Description

May 5, 1959 J. R. slBLEY ET AL 2,885,054

FLOOR CLEAN-UP MEOHANISM FOR CONTINUOUS MINERS Filed Oct. 25. 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 5, 1959 J. R. slBLEY ETAL 2,885,054

UP NEOHANISN FOR CONTINUOUS NINERS FLOOR CLEAN- Filed oct. 25, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 #Hw-u .@.wff

INVENTORS; JOHN R. slLaY RAYMONDJMAOHT ATTORNEY May 5, 1959 2,885,054

FLOOR CLEAN-UP MECHANISM FOR CONTINUOUS MINERS Filed oct. 25, 1955 J. R. sBLEY'ETAL 5 Sheets-Shea?l 3' 2,885,054 FLOOR CLEAN-UP MEOHANISM FOR CONTINUOUS MINERS Filed oct; 25, 1955 May 5, 1959 J. R. slBLEY ET AL 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 n m Y ww: .m8 Qn wm M f W. N B w O w \Q\ W. m. M. u Mw m m IU R R N m a N o@ @Go am G Ns o@ oo o 5 N\ @o o. o o

o o o 1| o, 0.,@ u m d. w M o Q o, e o o o o@ h\ U m O o o o o o O G O @Q Q Q O .N .G M

May 5, 1959 J. R. slBLl-:Y ETAL 2,885,054

v FLOOR CLEAN-UP MEOHANISM FOR CONTINUOUS MINERS Fild oct. 25, 1955 5 sheets-sheet 5 .l Hun@ .A 32 bl, Z6 77L\' 350 7a u 34 H gg u I nl A, .3352 3'. FIG-I8. 55 Z7 5 ,/rf/7/// /V// .I RAYMOND J. wAcHT ATTORNEY.

FLOOR CLEAN-UP MECHANISM FR 'CONTINUOUS MINERS `lohn R. Sibley, Franklin, and Raymond J. Wacht, Greensburg, Pa., assignors to Joy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation ot Pennsylvania Application October 25, 1955, Serial No. 542,556

23 Claims. (Cl. 1198-9) This invention relates to floor clean-up mechanism and more particularly to a lloor clean-up mechanism especially designed for use with a continuous mining machine for cleaning up any loose mineral which falls to the mine oor during the mining operation.

In a continuous miner of a known type a mobile base carries a support which has horizontal swinging movement and rectilinear back and forth movements and a disintegrating head is mounted on the movable support to swing in vertical planes for tearing out mineral from a solid mine vein and the miner also embodies conveying means for receiving the disintegrated mineral and for conveying it away from the face to a suitable point of delivery at the rear end of the miner. The disintegrating head embodies a series of parallel endless disintegrating elements movable in vertical orbits and the head may be sumped into the Vein at the oor level, may then be swung upwardly in vertical planes about its pivot and linally may be withdrawn from the mine vein at the roof level, and during these sumping, swinging and withdrawal operations some of the disintegrated mineral falls to the mine floor where it must be cleaned up for eicient operation of the machine. Various known forms of cleanup mechanisms have been devised for association with the disintegrating head of a continuous miner for cleaning up the floor and the present invention contemplates improvements over such known types of floor clean-np mechanisms.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved door clean-up mechanism. Another object is to provide an improved lioor clean-up mechanism especially designed for use with a continuous mining machine and having improved means for mounting the same on the machine beneath the disintegrating head. A further object is to provide an improved Hoor clean-up mechanism embodying conveyor scrolls operating at the oor level and having improved pivotal mounting means for the scroll housings whereby the scrolls may swing in horizontal and vertical planes in an improved manner. A still further object is to provide improved detachable mounting means for the scroll housings at the sides of the conveyor frame of a mining machine whereby the construction is made relatively simple and has ready attachment to the frame. Yet another object is to provide abutment means associated with the tiltable scroll housings for limiting tilting movement of the conveyor scrolls. Another object is to provide improved means for limiting rearward and downward swing of the scroll housings when the latter are in retracted position. Yet another object is to provide an improved oor cleanup mechanism of the conveyor scroll type whereby some of the loose mineral on the floor may be moved onto the front receiving portion of the conveyor of the mining machine and a substantial portion of the loose mineral may be piled up on the oor beneath the disintegrating head so that the endless chains of the head may convey the piled up mineral from the floor and up over the head onto the conveyor rearwardly of the front receiving por- States Patent O tion of the latter. A still further object is to provide an improved llexible mounting for a conveyor scroll whereby the scroll may readily accommodate itself to a rolling or uneven iioor. Another object is to provide an improved driving means for a conveyor scroll mechanism. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will however hereinafter more fully appear.

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

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view and Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view of a continuous mining machine with which an illustrative form of the floor clean-up mechanism is associated.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 5, showing a universal pivotal mounting for one of the scroll housings.

Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3, showing a horizontal pivot for the scroll housing.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 12, showing the floor clean-up mechanism in plan.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged horizontal section taken through one of the scroll housings, and showing a portion of the drive for the conveyor scroll.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 1o.

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on line 1tl 10 of Fig. 5, showing a portion of the attaching means for the scroll housing bracket.

Fig. 11 is a vertical sect-ion taken on line Il ll of Fig 10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged side view similar to Fig. 2. with parts shown in central longitudinal vertical section to illustrate structural details.

Fig. 13 is a horizontal section taken on line 13 13 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 14 is a vertical section taken on line 14 14 of Fig. 5, showing one of the tilt cylinders for the front conveyor frame.

Fig. 15 is a front view showing one of the conveyor scrolls in an upward tilted position.

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15, showing the conveyor lscroll in downward tilted position.

Fig. 17 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 17 17 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 18 is an enlarged section taken in the planes of line 18 18 of Fig. 17.

The continuous mining machine is generally designated land the improved iioor clean-up mechanism, generally designated 2, is operatively associated therewith for cleaning up any loose mineral which has fallen to the mine iioor during the mining operation. The mining machine may assume various forms but is herein desirably of the same general type as that disclosed in the John D. Russell application Serial No. 102,995, filed July 5, 1949, now matured into Patent No. 2,798,714, dated July 9, 1957, owned by the assignee of the present invention. The continuous mining machine 1 generally comprises a mobile base 3 carrying a frame 4 which is swingable horizontally relative to the base about a vertical axis and which is movable rectilinearly back and forth relative to the base along a horizontal path extending radially from the vertical axis. Pivotally mounted at 6 on the frame d is a disintegrating head 7 having .a frame 8 about which a series of parallel endless disintegrating chains 9 are guided for circulation in vertical orbits. At the outer portion of the head frame at the outer sides of the parallel chains and in parallelism therewith are outer disintegrating wheels which cooperate with the chains 1n the disintegration of the mineral. Fluid cylinders 11 at the sides of the head frame are operatively connected through levers 12 and links 13 to the frame 4 for swinging the head 7 upwardly about its pivot.

The swinging frame 4 carries conveying means 14 guided for circulation along the guideways of a conveyor frame 15 which has a tiltable forward portion 16 pivoted at 17 and the forward receiving portion of the conveying means extends forwardly and downwardly beneath the head pivot as shown in Fig. 2. Fluid jacks 18 serve to tilt the frame portion 16 about its pivot to raise the forward portion of the conveying means above the oor level. The conveying means has at its forward portion a transverse foot shaft 19 carrying sprockets 20 about which the conveyor chains pass so that the conveyor chains as they are driven effect drive of the foot shaft. The forward portion of the tiltable conveyor frame 16 has a tloor engaging shoe 21 disposed transversely beneath the foot shaft.

The oor clean-up mechanism 2 may be generally similar to that disclosed in a copending application to John D. Russell, Serial No. 141,137, filed January 28, 1950, now matured into Patent No. 2,744,607, granted May 8, 1956, and is adapted to gather loose mineral on the mine oor and to move a portion of the mineral inwardly toward the front receiving portion of the conveying means and to pile up a substantial portion of the mineral be` neath the disintegrating head. The disintegrating chains and wheels of the head, when the latteris swung downwardly, engage the piled up mineral and move it forwardly, upwardly and then rearwardly for discharge onto the conveying means rearwardly of the front receiving portion of the latter in the manner fully disclosed in the above mentioned application Serial No. 102,995.

The floor clean-up mechanism, in this illustrative construction, includes gear housings 23 rigidly attached to the sides of the conveyor frame by wedge lock means 24 which includes wedge-keys 25 adjustable by screws 26 (Figs. 9 and 10). Screws 27 serve to hold the gear housings 23 in adjusted position. The foot shaft 19 is journaled in bearings 28 (Fig. 13) supported within the housings 23. Attached at 29 to the forwardly facing outer sides of the gear housings are brackets 30 having superimposed lugs 31 provided with aligned openings 32 into which shaft portions 33 of vertical pivot members 34 are rotatable. The vertical pivot members have transverse bores 35 (Fig. 3) which receive horizontal pivot pins 36 and the pivot pins at their outer end portions t into aligned openings 37 in scroll housings 38. The scroll housings have curved inner surfaces 39 and the housings have downwardly extending front lip portions 40 for directing loose mineral on the iloor toward the interior of the scroll housings as the latter are advanced. By the The gear housings 23 have outwardly and forwardly' inclined surfaces 41 diverging from the sides of the tiltable frame portion 16 and the universal pivotal mountings for the scroll housings are located at the front of said gearing housings in the space between said housing surfaces and the adjacent sides of the scroll housings, as shown in Fig. 5. The universal pivotal mountings for the scroll housings including the upright pivot members 34 are so designed and are so located in the relatively narrow spaces between the gear housings 23 and the scroll housings 38, as shown in Figs. 13, 15 and 16, that obstructions are provided which impede flow of loose mineral in a rearward direction through such narrow spaces past the scroll and gear housings.

Journaled within the scroll housings are rotatable conveyor scrolls 42 having tubular bodies 43 formed within enlarged outer portions and spiral vanes 44 are secured,

as by welding, to the scroll bodies. The outer portions of the scroll bodies are splined at 45 to the outer end portions of coaxial shafts 46 and are supported at the outer edges of their vanes on the curved inner surface of the scroll housings 38. The shafts 46 are splined at 47 at their inner portions to shafts 48 suitably journaled within outer gear housings 49 in turn suitably secured to the outer portions of the scroll housings. It will thus be seen that by the provision of the relatively loose splined connections between the scrolls and the drive shafts the scrolls have limited floating movement in their housings.

The scrolls are reduced in diameters at their inner portions and project inwardly freely at their inner ends beyoud the inner ends of the scroll housings as shown in Figs. 5 and 8.

Now referring to the drives for the conveyor scrolls, it will be noted that secured to and driven by the foot shaft 19 are aligned shafts 50 to which bevel gears 51 are keyed and the bevel gears mesh with bevel gears 52 secured to shafts 53 likewise suitably journaled within the gear housings 23. Secured to the shafts 53 are spur gears 54 which drive through intermediate gears 55 and 56 spur gears 57 keyed to shafts 58 suitably journaled within the gear housings and these shafts 58 are connected through conventional universal couplings 59 to splined telescopic shafts 60. The shafts 58 extend outwardly from the gear housings 23 through the inclined outer surfaces 41 thereof and are located rearwardly but close to the universal pivotal mountings for the'scroll housings (Fig. 8). The telescopic shafts are connected through conventional universal couplings 61 to shafts 62 suitably journaled within the outer gear housings 49. Secured to and driven by the shafts 62 are spur gears 63 driving through an intermediate spur gear 64 (Fig. 6) relatively large spur gears 65. The gears l65 have their hubs journaled on bearings 66 supported by the shafts 48 and the gears are connected through conventional toothed chatter clutches 67 to the shafts 48. Thus the conveyor scrolls may be driven from the conveyor foot shaft 19 through the gear trains and universal telescopic shafts irrespective of the angular positions of the scrolls about their pivots relative to the gear housings 23. The chatter clutches 67 are set to slip automatically to disconnect the conveyor scrolls from their drive upon overload, in a well known manner.

Extending angularly between the side portions of the tiltable conveyor frame portion 16 for the scroll housings are extensible fluid jacks 70 having cylinders 71 (Fig. 14)

universally pivotally mounted at 72 on the conveyor frame portion. Reciprocable in these cylinders are pistons 73 having piston rods 74 universally pivotally connected at 75 to the scroll housings. These uid jacks extend forwardly and downwardly from the sides of the tiltable conveyor frame portion and are extensible to transmit positive vertical force components on the scroll housings to insure proper contact of the latter with the floor. By suitably operating the fluid jacks the scroll housings may be swung forwardly and rearwardly about their pivots.

The scrolls are shown in their retracted position in full lines in Fig. 5 and the forward positions are shown in dotted lines in that figure, and the range of horizontal swing of the scroll housings is limited by the extent of the piston strokes. When the scroll housings are retracted and the front conveyor frame portion 16 is tilted upwardly by the fluid jacks 18 the outer portions of the scrolls are supported by a chain suspension arrangement including chain sections 76 (Figs. 8 and 17) and these chain sections are connected at 77 to the upper lugs 31 of the scroll housing pivots at points located eccentrically of the pivots, as shown, and extend rearwardly and downwardly into connection at 78 with eye-bolts 79. These eyebolts extend through lugs 80 on the scroll housings and are provided with adjusting nuts 81. Thus the chain sections extend between the upper portion of the gear housings 23 and the inner sides of the scroll housings and as the gear housings are elevated with the conveyor frame the chain sections limit the downward tilt of the scroll housings relative to the conveyor frame. When the scrolls are in their forward position and the front conveyor frame is tilted upwardly downward tilting of the scroll housings is limited by stop lugs 82 on the scroll housings engaging stop lugs 83 on the vertical pivot members 34, as shown in Fig. 16. When the scrolls are in their forward position the chain sections 76 remain slack to enable free tilting of the scroll housings as they move over an uneven floor. The extreme positions of up and down tilt of the scroll housings are shown in Figs. 15 and l16.

Projecting forwardly from the gear housings 23 at the opposite sides of the front conveyor shoe y21 are liplike members or shoes 85 having yforwardly curved surfaces 86 and the inner projecting ends of the conveyor scrolls extend above the curved shoe surfaces when the scrolls are in their forward extended positions as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. Curved inner surfaces 87 merge with the surfaces 86 and provide for free, unimpeded flow of the `loose material discharged from the scrolls inwardly toward the conveying means 14. The relationship between the discharge of the forwardly extended conveyor scrolls and the foot shaft 19 of the conveying means 14 facilitates movement of loose mineral onto the vfront receiving portion of the conveying means 14 thereby eliminating .jam ming or clogging of the conveyor scrolls. The scroll housings and front shoelike portions 85 are designed to insure free flow of loose mineral from the inner ends of the scrolls and prevents ow of mineral past the clean-up mechanism at all angular positions of the scrolls.

The universal `pivotal mountings for the scroll housings at the sides of the conveyor frame enable yfree movement of the Vscroll housings between their retracted and extended positions and permit the scroll housings to tilt freely up and down thereby readily to follow the irregularities of the floor. By driving the scrolls from the cross foot shaft of the conveying means 14 in the manner disclosed a minimumA angularity of the universal telescopic drive shafts is obtained and enabling location of the telescopic shafts in a relatively protected area. -By the particular arrangement of the universal pivotal mountings for the scroll housings shown in Figs. and 8 and the manner of construction rof the associated gearing and scroll housings flow of loose mineral rearwardly of the scroll housings, as the scrolls are advanced, is reduced to a minimum. The location of the universal pivots for the telescopic drive shafts at relatively high points on the gear housings and the arrangement of the telescopic universal drive shafts close to the gear housings makes it possible to locate the shafts in a relatively protected manner, as above mentioned. v

The improved floor clean-up arrangement operates in a manner quite like that disclosed in the copending Russell application Serial No. 524,791, -led -July y27, 1955, which `is a continuation of application Serial No. 95,693, filed May 27, 1949, now abandoned. As the disintegrating head and conveying means are advanced toward the work fluid under pressure may be supplied to the jack cylinders 71 to swing the conveyor scrolls forwardly from the full line position shown in Fig. 5 to the dotted line positions shown in that ligure, and during such advance the conveyor scrolls may gather any loose mineral on the mine oor and move it inwardly in advance of the conveying means beneath the distintegrating head. Some of the loose mineral is received by the conveying means 14 while a substantial portion of the mineral is piled up on the oor beneath the disintegrating head in the manner above described. When the disintegrating head and conveying means are retracted from the work the fluid jacks 70 may be operated to effect movement of the conveyor scrolls to the full line position shown in Fig. 5 and the conveyor scrolls remain swung inwardly during retraction thereof. When the front portion of the conveyor means is tilted upwardly by the uid jacks 18 and the conveyor scrolls are retracted the chain sections 76 limit the downward tilt of the scroll housings, and when the scroll housings are in their forward extended positions downward tilt of the scroll housings is limited by engagement of the abutment lugs 82 with the stop lugs 33. The improved location of the universal pivotal mountings of the scroll housings at the forward receiving portion of the conveying means 14 enables positioning the scrolls to facilitate the movement of loose mineral toward the conveying means 14 and substantially reduces the possibility of jamming or clogging of the conveyor scrolls.

As a result of this invention an improved floor cleanup mechanism is provided whereby any loose mineral which has fallen to the mine floor during the mining operation may be effectively and expeditiously cleaned up. By the provision of the improved pivotal mounting for the conveyor scrolls, the latter may readily follow the contour of an uneven floor and may be swung into ex tended and retracted positions and raised from the lloor in an improved manner. By the structural arrangement of the scroll housings, their support, and their pivotal mountings ow of loose mineral in an undesired manner rearwardly of the scrolls is reduced to a minimum, and the drive parts may be located in a protected manner. By locating the scrolls in the manner disclosed with re' spect to the front elevating conveyor, a smooth ow of loose mineral discharged from the scrolls to the conveyor is obtained. The clean-up mechanism is not 'only efficient in operation but is also relatively simple and rugged in design, well adapted for its intended purpose. Other advantages of the invention will be clearly appar ent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is vshown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

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

1. In a oor clean-up mechanism, a support movable over the door of a mine, gear housings rigidly secured to the sides of said support, scroll housings, means for uni'- versally pivotally mounting said scroll housings on said gear housings respectively to swing horizontally and ver tlcally relative to said support, said scroll housings hav= mg free limited tilt on their pivotal mountings relative to said support, conveyor scrolls journaled in said scroll housings and operating at the floor level, and driving means for said scrolls including gearings contained in said housings respectively including driven elements located near the upper portions of said housings and universal telescopic drive shafts driven by said driven elements respectively and operatively connected to said scrolls at the outer ends of the latter.

2. A floor clean-up mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein universal pivotal mountings are provided for said scroll housings including vertical pivots located in the space between said scrolls and said driven elements at the `outer sides of said gear housings.

3.' In combination, in a oor clean-up mechanism, a support movable over the door of a mine, gear housings secured to the opposite sides of said support, scroll houslngs containing conveyor scrolls, said scrolls operating a the Hoor level, means for driving said scrolls including gearings contained insaid housings respectively and operatively connected to said scrolls, and shoelike portions projecting forwardly from said gear housings, said scrolls having their inner end 'portions extending freely above and closely overlying said shoelike portions, said shoelike portions having directing surfaces for directing the loose mineral discharged from said scrolls.

4. In combination, in a door clean-up mechanism, a support movable over the floor of a mine, scroll nous? ings, means for universally pivotally mounting said scroll housings at the sides of said support, conveyor scrolls journaled on said scroll housings and operating at the floor level, means for swinging said scroll housings forwardly and rearwardly on their pivotal mountings relative to said support, said scroll housings having limited free tilt on their pivotal mountings relative to said support, means for tilting said support to vary the elevation of said housings with respect to the mine floor, and means effective when said scroll housings are retracted for limiting the downward tilting of said scroll housings relative to said support as the latter is tilted upwardly.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein said limiting means includes exible suspension elements connected between said gear housings and the rear sides of said scroll housings eccentrically of the pivots of the latter, said flexible suspension elements permitting free up and down tilting movement of said housings relative to said support when said scroll housings are in their forwardly located position.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 4 wherein said swinging means includes power devices for swinging said scroll housings forwardly about their pivots and arranged to urge said scroll housings in a downward direction in contact with the mine oor.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said exible suspension elements are in the form of exible sections, and adjusting means is provided for varying the effective lengths of said exible sections.

8. In a oor clean-up mechanism, the combination comprising a support movable over the oor of a mine and mounted to tilt in vertical planes, scroll housings, means for universally pivotally mounting said scroll housings at the sides of said support to swing horizontally and vertically relative to the latter, said scroll housings projecting laterally from said support and having limited free tilting movement on their pivotal mountings relative to said support, said scroll housings swingable horizontally back' and forth about their pivots between rearward and forward positions, conveyor scrolls journaled in said scroll housings and operating at the oor level, means for swinging said scroll housings back and forth about their pivots, and coacting abutment means at said pivots 'and on said scroll housings for limiting downward tilt of said scroll housings relative to said support as the latter is tilted upwardly above the oor.

9. In a-oor clean-up mechanism, a support movable over the iloor of a mine, scroll housings projecting laterally from the sides of said support, conveyor scrolls journaled in said housings and operating at the floor level, said scrolls having free inner ends projecting from said housings beyond the inner ends of the latter, and shoelike projections at the sides of said support and having surfaces over which loose mineral discharged from said scrolls may move, said scrolls having their free projecting ends extending closely above said shoelike projections.

10. The combination with the clean-up mechanism set forth in claim 8 wherein conveying means receives mineral discharged from said scrolls and said shoelike projections have curved surfaces for directing loose mineral discharged from said scrolls toward the front receiving portion of said conveying means.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 10 wherein said shoelike projections have their inner edges inclined forwardly and inwardly, and universal pivotal mountings are provided for said scroll housings and including vertical pivots located near the inner ends of said inclined edges rearwardly of said projections.

12. A floor clean-up mechanism as set forth in claim 1l wherein said conveying means has a front transverse floor engaging shoe and said shoelike projections are disposed at the sides of said shoe and project forwardly in advance thereof.

13V.v A floor clean-up mechanism as set forth in claim 12 wherein said shoelike projections are inclined forwardly and outwardly with respect to said floor engaging shoe.

14. In a tloor clean-up mechanism, a support movable over the floor of a mine, gear housings rigidly secured to the opposite sides of said support and having forwardly and outwardly inclined outer surfaces diverging from the sides of said support, scroll housings projecting laterally from the sides of said support near the floor level, conveyor scrolls journaled in said scroll housings and operating at the oor level, means for universally pivotally mounting said scroll housings on said gear housings near the front of said inclined outer surfaces of said gear housings, said scroll housings swingable on their pivotal mountings relative to said support and having limited free tilting movement relative to the latter, and driving means for said scrolls including driving gearings contained in said gear housings respectively and driving elements projecting from said inclined outer surfaces of said gear housings rearwardly of said pivotal mountings.

l5. A oor clean-up mechanism as set forth in claim 14 wherein said universal pivotal mountings for said scroll housings include vertical pivot members, said gear housings have superimposed lugs in which said vertical pivot members are rotatably mounted and horizontal pivot members carried by said vertical pivot members respectively and with which said scroll housings have pivotal engagement.

16. In a Hoor clean-up mechanism, a support movable over the oor of a mine and having upright sides, gear housings carried at the sides of said support, wedge lock means for rigidly securing said gear housings to said sides of said support, scroll housings carried by said gear housings and projecting laterally therefrom, conveyor scrolls journaled in said scroll housing and operating at the oor level, and means for driving said scrolls including gearings contained in said gear housings and operatively connected to said scrolls.

l7. A floor clean-up mechanism as set forth in claim 16 wherein said wedge lock means comprises a pair of top and bottom wedging-elements, and means for adjusting said elements longitudinally of said support to secure said gear housings in position with a wedging action.

18. A floor clean-up mechanism as set forth in claim 17 wherein adjustable means is provided for securing said housings in their adjusted positions.

19. In a oor clean-up mechanism, a support movable over the floor of a mine, scroll housings carried by' said support and projecting laterally therefrom, said housings having curved inner surfaces, conveyor scrolls rotatably supported in said scroll housings and having free inner ends, said scrolls provided with spiral vanes, said scrolls being guided within said scroll housings by contact of the outer edges of said spiral vanes with said curved inner surfaces of said housings, drive shafts coaxial with said scrolls respectively, and relatively loose splined connections between said coaxial shafts and said scrolls.

20. A oor clean-up mechanism as set forth in claim 19 wherein driving means for said coaxial shafts is provided including shafts supported by said scroll housings and having relatively loose splined connections with said coaxial shafts.

21. A oor clean-up mechanism comprising a support movable over the floor of a mine, conveying means having a front receiving portion guided on said support, said support having a transverse oor engaging shoe at the forward receiving portion of said conveying means, conveyor scrolls projecting laterally from the sides of said support and operating at the oor level for gathering loose mineral on the mine floor, and shoelike portions projecting forwardly at the sides of said support and disposed at the opposite ends of said transverse oor engaging shoe, said shoelike portions having curved ilow directing surfaces over which loose mineral discharged from said conveyor scrolls moves toward said conveying means, said conveyor scrolls having free inner ends extending closely above said shoelike portions.

22. In combination, a support, a housing attached to the side of said support, a scroll housing pivotally mounted on said housing to swing relative to said support, a conveyor scroll carried by said scroll housing, and means for pivotally mounting said scroll housing on said first mentioned housing with the pivot located closely between said first mentioned housing and said scroll housing and partially obstructing the space therebetween so as to impede ow of loose mineral in a rearward direction past the first mentioned housing and said 15 scroll housing.

10 23. A combination as set forth in claim 22 wherein said pivotal mounting means includes a vertical pivot member extending partially across and providing an obstruction in said narrow space between said first men- 5 tioned housing and said scroll housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,672,332 Wiebe Mar. 16, 1954 2,798,711 Silver Iuly 9, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 721,672 France Dec. 22, 1931

Images