US3378306A - Planer, conveyor and/or guide arrangement for extracting mineral - Google Patents

Description

Aprxl 16, 1968 A. LBBE 3,378,306

PLANER GONVEYOR AND/OR GUIDE ARHANGEMENT FOR EXTRACTING MINERAL Original Filed Jan. 18, 1965 United States Patent O 3,378,306 PLANER, CONVEYOR AND/OR GUIDE ARRANGE- MENT FOR EXTRACTING MINERAL Armin Lblie, Oberaden, Post Kamen, Germany, as-

signor to Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia, Wethmar, near Lunen, Westphalia, Germany, a corporation of Germany Continuation of application Ser. No. 252,528, Jan. 18, 1963. This application Get. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 585,989 Claims priority, application Germany, Jan. 19, 1962, G 34,060 12 Claims. (Cl. 299-64) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE Mining planer arrangement including planer support having lower guide track for continuous unyielding abutment with the mine face at the mine floor and planer slid-ably mounted on the track outwardly overlapping said track such that track extends partially under planer while outermost edge of planer extends a given distance beyond said tnack toward the mine face and carries cutting edge means extending outwardly therefrom, whereby the distance the track extends under the planer limits the depth of cut of the planer into the mine face, said support optionally including superimposed lower forward and upperreturn channels for a traction cable to drive the planer whereby such channels serve las additional slide surfaces for the planer which prevent rearward planer displacement.

Mining conveyor including a pair of side walls interconnected by a central plate, having a guide wall at the side wall adjacent the lmine face which extends rearwardly and upwardly away from the mine face to a level substantially above such side wall and terminates in an upper crest, said guide wall preferably including a lower edge portion extending forwardly ian-d downwardly to the mine lloor for anchoring unyieldingly at the intersection of the mine face and mine floor, and optionally including superimposed channels as mentioned above as part of the guide wall.

Mining planer including a base slidable in longitudinal direction ralong a support surface having mine face engaging cutting means shiftable limitedly linearly between a lower operative and higher inoperative position on the base along an essentially straight line in the longitudinal direction yet inclined with respect to the support surface, whereby planer movement in one direction will cause shifting of the cutting means to the lower position in operative contact with the support surface and in the other direction will cause shifting thereof to the upper position out of such operative contact.

This is a streamlined continuation of copending U.S. application Ser. No. 252,528, filed Jan. 18, 1963, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a planer arrangement for extracting mineral from la mine face, and more particularly a planer and 'a guide means therefor which permit the extracting of mineral to a pre-determined depth with a minimum of friction as the planer moves back and forth along the mine face.

it is an object of the present invention to provide a planer arrangement including -a planer movable back and forth along a mine face for extracting mineral and a guide means upon which the planer is conducted during its back land forth movement, the arrangement being such that the planer will extract mineral to a pre-determined depth with a minimum of friction during the planer movement.

Other and further objects of the invention will become ice apparent from a study of the within specification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the planer arrangement in accordance with the invention with certain parts ofthe guide means shown in section to illustrate details of construction,

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the planer in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a top view of the construction shown in FIG. 2.

It has been found in accordance with the present invention that 1an improved planer construction may be provided for extracting mineral such as coal from a mine face which comprises guiding means adapted to be unyieldingly `urged or pressed against the mine face, e.g. coal face, such guiding means bearing thereon a planer movable longitudinally back and forth 'along the mine face, such planer including a base means, having a base means bottom portion positioned for slidable movements longitudinally along the mine oor, and cutting means disposed on the base means for exractive engagement with the mine face, for removal of mineral, such as coal, therefrom, such cutting means being adapted for cutting the coal or other mineral to a predetermined depth fixed by the guiding means unyieldingly pressed against the mine face in the known manner. The cutting means are limitedly displaceable between a lower and a higher position with respect to the base means along a line substantially in the longitudinal Idirection yet inclined with respect to the mine door, said cutting means having la cutting means bottom portion, such that during movement of the base means in one direction longitudinally along the mine face, the cutting means is displaced to the lower position with the cutting means bottom portion in longitudinal slidable contact with the mine floor, whereas during movement of the base means in the opposite direction longitudinally along the mine face, the cutting means is displaced to said higher position with the cutting means bottom portion above and out of longitudinal slidable contact with the mine iloor.

The planer comprises a base means, longitudinally movable back and forth along the mine face in the known way, which includes a pair of base members pivotally connected together by pivot means, with each base member having a base member bottom portion positioned for slidable movement longitudinally along the mine floor. The cutting means may be disposed on each base member for extractive engagement with the mine face for removal of mineral, such as coal, therefrom, each cutting means being limitedly displaceable between ai lower and a higher position with respect to the corresponding base member along a line substantially in the longitudinal direction, yet inclined with respect to the mine floor. Thus, each cutting means when in the lower position on the corresponding line is longitudinally closer to the pivot means interconnecting the two base members than when the cutting means is in the higher position on the corresponding line. Each of the cutting means is provided with a cutting means bottom portion, one of the cutting means being displaced to the lower position with the corresponding one cuting means bottom portion in longitudinal slidable contact with the mine iloor during movement of the base means in one direction longitudinally along the mine face while the other of said cutting means is displaced to the higher position with the corresponding other cutting means bottom portion above and out of longitudinal slidable contact with the mine floor during said same movement of the base means in said one direction longitudinally along the mine face, whereas said one cutting means is displaced to the higher position with said one cutting means bottom portion above and out of longitudinal slidable contact with the mine door during the movement of the base means in the opposite direction longitudinally along the mine face while the other cutting means is displaced to the lower position with said other cutting means bottom portion in longitudinal slidable contact with the mine door during said same movement of the base means in said opposite direction longitudinally along the mine face.

Each of the cutting means is provided with cutting tools extending outwardly therefrom for engagement with the mine face, such that the cutting tools of one of the cutting means are operatively positioned for engaging the mine face during movement of the base means in one direction longitudinally along the mine face, while the cutting tools of the other of the cutting means are operatively positioned for engaging the mine face during movement of the base means in the direction opposite to the said one direction longitudinally along the mine face. Suitably, the base means is provided with cable mounting means at the corresponding ends of the base members remote from the interconnecting pivot means, for attachment of cable mounting means for conducting the base means in one direction longitudinally along the mine face, and in the direction opposite to the said one direction longitudinally along said mine face.

Each base member is advantageously provided with a substantially vertically extending base member slide surface with at least two head means projecting therefrom, and each cutting means is provided with a corresponding cutting means slide surface in slidable abutment with a respective base member slide surface, each said cutting means being further provided with means defining at least two slots cooperating with the two head means of a respective base member. The slots of the cutting means are downwardly inclined in a substantially vertical plane with their lower ends longitudinally relatively adjacent to the pivot means and their higher ends longitudinally relatively remote from such pivot means.

In accordance with a further significant feature of the present invention, a planer guide is etfectively provided which is adapted to rest on a mine floor for guiding the planer longitudinally back and forth along the mine face for extraction of mineral from the mine face. The guide means generally comprises elongated support means adapted to extend longitudinally along the mine face, elongated groove means disposed longitudinally along the support means on one lateral side thereof, and elongated track means disposed longitudinally along and laterally outwardly extending from the groove means a pre-determined distance and laterally terminating at an outer lateral edge. The track means have a longitudinally extending upper slide face laterally outwardly and downwardly extending from a higher level adjacent to said groove means to a lower level at the outer lateral edge of said track means, such lower level of the slide face at said outer lateral edge substantially coinciding with the level of the mine floor. Accordingly, the groove means and track means are able to guide a planer mounted thereon during back and forth movement of the planer along the mine face for extracting mineral in a thickness in dependence upon the pre-determined distance between the outer lateral edge of said track means and the cutting edge of the planer.

More specifically, the planer guide in accordance with the invention comprises an elongated mining conveyor, such as a double chain scraper conveyor, adapted to extend longitudinally along the mine face, said conveyor having opposing vertical side wall means and a central horizontal conveyor path means, plate means vertically mounted on one of the side wall means of the conveyor, elongated upper channel means and elongated lower channel means disposed longitudinally along the conveyor and secured at a corresponding lateral side respectively to the plate means, and elongated track means. The lower channel means represent the housing for the forward drive cable means for driving the planer as well as a guideway for the portion of the planer to which the drive cable means is attached, and the upper channel means represents the housing for the return cable means, the lower channel means having an upper part and a lower part, with the upper and lower parts being spaced from one another at the corresponding portions thereof remote from the plate means to dene a longitudinally extending slit therebetween. The elongated track means are disposed longitudinally along and extend laterally outwardly from the lower part of the lower channel means at said slit a predetermined distance and laterally terminate at an outer lateral edge, with the track means having a longitudinally extending upper slide face laterally outwardly and downwardly extending from a higher level adjacent to said lower part to a lower level at said outer level edge, such that the lower level of the slide face at the outer lateral edge substantially coincides with the level of the mine oor.

In accordance with a combination feature of the present invention, a planer and guide arrangement for guiding a planer longitudinally back and forth along a mine face for extracting mineral from the mine face is provided, which comprises elongated support means adapted to extend longitudinally along the mine face, elongated groove means and elongated track means, as aforesaid, base means longitudinally movable back and forth along the mine face and having a base means bottom portion, said base means bottom portion having lug means extending outwardly therefrom, said lug means being received in the groove means and the base means bottom portion being positioned in slidable contact with the track means upper slide surface, and cutting means disposed on the base means as aforesaid, whereby the groove means and track means will guide the planer mounted thereon during back and forth movement of the planer along the mine face for extracting mineral in a thickness in dependence upon the aforesaid pre-determined distance.

The track means is preferably integral with the lower part of the lower channel means, and the upper channel means is disposed directly above the lower channel means and upwardly terminates, at a level above the top of the adjacent vertical side wall means of the conveyor. The upper channel means may be provided with a cover element portion and the plate means may be provided with corresponding stud means, whereby the cover element portion may be secured to the plate means at said stud means. Means including bolt means are advantageously provided for securing the lower channel means upper and lower parts and said track means, as well as the upper channel means and the cover element portion to the plate means.

Significantly, the guide means of the present invention is composed of a number of longitudinal sections which extend along the mine face in the same manner'as the elongated sections of a mining conveyor of the usual arrangement, such as a double chain scraper conveyor. The guide means is rigidly pressed against the mine face, such as a vertical face containing coal to be extracted, whereby the track means outer lateral edge serves to attain a constant limit or measure for cutting coal to a certain depth during each back and forth movement of the planer disposed thereon. The planer is advantageously provided with cutting tools positioned so that the mine face is engaged thereby over the entire height thereof, i.e. as far down as the mine floor. The guide means and portions of the planer mounted thereon in engagement therewith may be developed in sliding contact relation `so that a slidable connection is achieved between the planer and the guide means.

Advantageously, in accordance with the present invention, therefore, the track means abuts the coal face or other mineral material representing the vertical wall being worked, and since the planer extends outwardly beyond the outer lateral edge of the track means a certain distance, the coal or other mineral will be extracted in a width represented by the distance between the outer lateral edge of the track means abutting the mine face and the outermost extent of the cutting tools on the cutting means. This constant width of mineral being extracted is enhanced lby the fact that the guide means is urged against the mine face with the outer lateral edge of the track means thereagainst, due to the provision for urging means, such as pislon-cylinder means on the opposite side of the guide means. Such urging means, eg. pistoncylinder means, may apply a constant force against the guide means to maintain the outer lateral edge of the track means in constant abutment with the mine face even during the passage of the planer therealong, whereby the planer will not deviate from its intended path, nor will the guide means or conveyor be pushed back at the same time from the desired location thereof closely adjacent the mine face. Accordingly, the plan-er mounted on the guide means of the present invention will be guided positively along its longitudinal path both vertically and horizontally with respect to the mine face and mine door, whereby the desired extraction of mineral may take place with great efficiency. It will be appreciated, of course, that in accordance with the instant construction, because of the constant cutting standard rendered possible by the width of the track means and the degree of overlap thereof of the cutting means, it is possible to determine unequivocally the quantity of coal or other mineral extracted or loosened from the mine face in a single passage of the planer. By properly positioning the guide means at the mine face and ascertaining the cutting depth and the vertical height of the horizontal stratum, within the range of the cutting tools, the coal quantity per pass of the planer is readily estimated.

A singular advantage of the instant construction is found in the decrease of the frictional resistance generated during the passage of the planer along the mine face. Arrangements have been provided in the past in which the planer rests with its full weight directly upon the horizontal seam, The :Erictional resistance generated either between the planer and the conveyor track or the planer and the horizontal seam is generally so high that more than half of the available energy for conducting the planer is used up in overcoming friction.

In contrast thereto, in accordance with the present invention, the planer is moved along a track means which rests at its outer lateral end upon the horizontal seam, so that by the effective guiding means provided, not only is the planer unable to undergo displacement from its intended path, i.e. vertically or horizontally, but also substantially all frictional losses caused thereby are avoided, while any friction between the track means and the planer is minimized by the presence of coal dust which falls upon the track means during the extraction of coal. This lubrication eilect of coal dust or tine coal serves to reduce to a minimum any friction between the base means bottom portion and the track means.

Referring to the drawing, fFlG. l shows a planer 'and guide arrangement including a double chain scraper conveyor 10, `shown only in part, of the conventional type. Conveyor '10 includes :a vertical side wall '1-1 on either iside of central yplate 1'2, Ionly one of said vertical side walls i111 `being shown. The operation of double chain scraper conveyors is well known and their construction is shown, 'for example, in U.S. Patents 2,810,565, is'sued Oct. 22, l1957 and 2,990,168, issued June 27, 1961. Colal or other minenal extracted iby the planer 1i-3 from the mine face is loaded onto the conveyor 10 and hauled therealon-g by a scraper bar mechanism, no't shown, comprising parallel chains interconnected along their common length by scraper bars for lconveying the coal `from the `site olf extraction. At `the vertioal side wall 11, 'closest toI the mine face, a 'supporting vertical plate 14 is provided which is 'attached to side wall 11 by suitable screws '115' in the Well-known manner at intermediate `recesses located between the top and bottom ends of side wall iltl. At specific internals along the length ot supporting vertical plate E14, attachment bases 16 'are welded, Isaid atachment ba'se's 16 containing thread means therein. For each attachment base 116, ya corresponding bolt 17 is provided which passes through outer :and inne-r ttings I18 and 19, respectively, as well as the `upper end portion of the upper part 21a ot the means dening lower channel 20g said lbolt '17 in each case being provided with a threaded end portion for cooperative engagement with the corresponding ythreaded portion of the attachment base 16 thereat. The outer itting 18 is ac'tually Welded to the shield plate covering 23 which is arcuate in configuration and extends above the upper end of vertical iside wall *11. of conveyor 10 for attachment 'along its shank portion 2K5 with suitable studs 14a extending upwardly and outwardly `at lan tangle to the vertical tfor proper connections with shank portion 25.

By 'reason of the outer fand inner fittings l'18 and '19, respectively, afs well as the `shield plate covering Z3 and supporting vertical plate 14, a lclosed passageway 22 is provided -for the return cable or chain 2l4 used -to propel the planer 13 back and forth along the mine face. The passageway Z2 may lbe considered an `upper channel deiined in cross-section by said outer land inner fittings l18 and 119 respectively, said shield plate covering 23 and said supporting vertical plate 14, -in consideration of the fastening of these parts via appropriate bolts l17 and attachment pieces y16 Ias Well as appropriate studs 14a to ysupporting vertical plate 14 and iu turn Vertical side Wall '11 ofthe conveyor y1l).

`On the other hand, la correspond-ing lower channel 20 is provided immediately below upper channel 22, lower channel Ztl being `used `for the forward chain or oable 31 used to propel `the planer t13 back and forth along the mine tace. The lo-wer `channel 26 actually includes an upper part 21a, las aforesaid, as well -as a lower part 2lb, said lower part 2l1b being connected at 28 to supporting vertical plate 14 by suitable means. Lower part 2 1b is Iactually provided with `a particular arcuate conliguration which conforms with that of upper part 21a, so that in cross-section, lower channel 20 is more or less circular.

Outwar'dly extending from lower part 2lb and preferafbly integrally connected therewith, `a track means 26 is provided which has an upper slide face 26a laterally outwardly and downwardly extending from a higher level V adjacent the lower part 2lb to a lower level at the outer lateral edge 2161) which actually rests upon and coincides with the mine floor th'ereat. By reason of the positioning of upper part 21a and lower part 2lb at the side portion thereof remote -from supporting vertical plate 14 and vertical side Wall 11, ia slit Ztla is provided which permits the connecting arm 30a to pass from the main portion of the ihase lmeans of lplaner -13 to t-he lug means 30 of cylindrical conguration `disposed within lower channel '20 `and to which the forward cable or chain drive means 31 is attached for displacing the planer v1'3 in the usual manner.

Connecting arm Sila is adapted to slide along that portion of track mean's 26 adjacent the outermost end portion of lower part yZlib of lower channel 20.

Track means 26 extends longitudinally adjacent the mine tla'ce and lis adapted to abut the vertical mine wall at the outer lateral edge 2611 thereof. In this way, planer 13 disposed thereon and outwardly overlapping said track means in the direction toward the mine face being worked, will extract colal to a pre-determined depth measured by the distance a between the outermost lateral edge VZibb o-f track means 26 and the outermost extension of the cutting tools 29.

As will be appreciated, when forward cable means 31 move's in the direction away from the person viewing the drawing, i.e. in a direction to the reverse side of the sheet ifrom the viewer, lug Imeans 30 Will ride within lower channel 2t) and due to its cylindrical construction, the same will prevent deviation rfrom the normal path of 7 planer 13. Furthermore, connecting arm 30a. and base means 36 will slide along slide face 26a of track means 26, with a minimum of friction on the abutting parts, lin'as'muoh as the outer portion of planer 13 extends pas-t edge 26b and rests -partially on the mine foor 27 due t0 the distribution of the planer weight on both the track means 26 and the mine -loor Track means 26 may be conne'c'ted with the supporting vertical plate 14 not only `by means of the connection 28 'but 'also by actually being welded thereto, whereas edge 26h will support the track means at the opposite side.

iIn operation, an urging means, such as a piston-cylinder means (not shown), perhaps of the type disclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Patent 2,990,168, 'is provided on the side of the conveyor 110 opposite from the side containing the planer guide means of the present invention. Such urging means will be positioned normally against the opposing vertical side wall .11 (not shown) so as to urge a conveyor 10 in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, i.e. toward the mine face.

By reason of the overlap of the base means 13, and especially the cutting means 34 and 33 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), a width of coal or other mineral will be extracted from the mine face equivalent to the depth a between the outermost portion of the cutting tools 29 and the outer lateral edge 26b of track means 26. Of course, due to the presence of line coal particles or coal dust in the vicinity of slide face 26a, the under side of base means 36 and the upper surface of slide face 26a will be lubricated, thus minimizing the friction resistance during passage of the planer 13 along the mine face. Not only will the foregoing arrangement prevent the deviation of the planer from the vertical and horizontal, due to the cylindrical configuration of lugs 30 within the appropriately shaped lower channel and the outer arcuate configuration of upper part 21a and shield plate covering 23 on the lateral side thereof remote from supporting vertical plate 14, in cooperation with the appropriately shaped portions of the adjacent parts of planer 13, but also the same will prevent displacement of the conveyor and guide means arrangement of the present invention from abutting contact with the mine face, even during the passage of planer 13 therealong, due to the presence of the urging means forcing outer lateral edge 26h against the mine face. The chain or cable drive means 24 and 31 may be arranged as a closed loop mounted on a pair of spaced apart driving wheels, whereby rotation of said wheels in one direction will cause movement of the chain or cable means 31 and in turn planer 13 in a corresponding forward direction, with chain or cable means 24 being displaced in the opposite direction, while upon reversing the rotation of the drive wheels upon which the chain or cable drive means is mounted, said means 24 and 31 will reverse their direction, correspondingly reversing the direction of travel of planer 13. Appropriate driving systems for driving a planer along a mine face are disclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Patents 2,810,565, and 2,990,168.

As may be appreciated more clearly from FIG. l, lower left hand portion, the rearward side of the cutting means 34 or 33 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) is actually mounted upon track means 26 near the outer lateral edge 26h. Thus, the particular cutting means extends downwardly therefrom to the mine lioor 27, engaging the same along the forward portion thereof at the lowermost cutting tool 29. While track means 26 may be said to coincide with the mine floor 27 at the outer lateral edge 26b, in fact a sufficient clearance is provided by the very thickness of track means 26 which permits the lowermost bottom portion of the particular cutting means to be spaced from mine oor 27 except for the outermost portion thereof at cutting tool 29. By the foregoing construction, it may be said that the planer 13 during operation is actually supported only on the track means 26 and only engages the mine floor 27 along its outermost portion at the bottom cutting tool 29 thereat. While any friction is minimized between the planer and the track means by reason of the presence of coal dust and small coal particles which act as a lubricant for the slide face 26a, due to the fact that the cutting means bottom portion in each instance is raised from contact with the mine floor, friction resistance between the planer 13 and the mine floor will also be minimized. However, if the planer 13 were supported directly upon the mine floor and drawn along the mine face in this condition, as is true in conventional plow or planer arrangements, inordinately high friction resistance would be generated during the mininU operation, entailing a much higher energy requirement just for moving the planer and without regard to the force needed for eX- tracting the coal.

As may be appreciated from FIGS. 2 and 3, the friction resistance of the coal planer is even reduced to a greater extent by the Specific mounting construction of the cutting means 33 and 34 on the base members 35 and 36 respectively of the planer. Base members 3S and 36 are inter-connected by a pivot 32 located therebetween, such that with the cylindrical lugs 30 disposed outwardly and rearwardly of the main portion of base members 35 and 36, the planer may be driven along the mine face by reason of the attachment of chain or cable drive means to the lugs 30 in the manner discussed above. The base members 3S and 36 are provided with appropriate forward vertically extending slide surfaces from which various head means 38 outwardly project. Appropriately, the cutting means 33 and 34 are provided with corresponding sliding surfaces for sliding contact with the base member sliding surfaces, cutting means 33 and 34 having inclined slots 37 cooperating with head means 38. Due to the positioning of the inclined slots 37 in the cutting means 33 and 34, and the mounting of cutting means 33 and 34 onto base members 3S and 36 at the head means 38, the cutting means 33 and 34 may be substantially longitudinally displaced a limited distance determined by the length of the various slots 37. The slots 37 are actually inclined toward the central pivot 32 so that cutting means 33 and 34 may be moved in an inclined direction downwardly toward pivot 32 or upwardly and outwardly away from pivot 32.

This arrangement permits the particular cutting means to be downwardly displaced with its bottom portion in slight slidable contact with the mine iloor during operation of the planer in one longitudinal direction with the remaining cutting means being upwardly and outwardly displaced above and away from contact with the mine floor. Specifically, in FIG. 2 cutting means 33 is shown displaced inwardly toward the pivot 32 and thus downwardly into slight contact with the mine floor, since the direction of travel of the planer is from right to left as viewed in the drawing, whereby the resistance of the mine face to the cutting tools 29 on cutting means 33 will force cutting means 33 to be displaced at inclined slots 37 against the appropriate head means 38 as the chain or cable drive means attached at lugs 30 propels the base members 35 and 36 toward the left. On the other hand, since the cutting tools 29 on cutting means 34 do not actually operatively engage the mine face when the planer is being moved from right to left as aforesaid, the resistance of the cutting tools 29 against the mine face will cause cutting means 34 to be displaced via the appropriate inclined slots 37 and the head means 38 upwardly and outwardly a sufficient vertical distance to enable the cutting means bottom portion to clear completely the mine floor. Naturally, upon reversal of the movement of the planer, .e. from left to right as viewed in the drawing, cutting means 33 will be displaced upwardly and outwardly to the left with respect to base member 35, whereas cutting means 34 will be displaced downwardly and inwardly to the left so that the bottom portion thereof will engage the mine oor at the forwardmost portion thereof as discussed in connection with the arrangement of the planer with the mine floor in the lower left-hand portion of FIG. l.

In order to accommodate various uneven portions of the mine iioor, base members 35 and 36 are provided with a pivotal connection 32, and it will be realized that the displaceable arrangement of cutting means 33 and 34 on base members 35 and 36 respectively will pennit these parts to accommodate unevenness in the mine floor as well, i.e. especially with respct to the particular cutting means not operatively in engagement with the mine face in the direction in which the planer is being moved. Of course, the positioning of the lugs 30 at the outermost -portions of the planer for connecting the chain or cable drive means has the Ifurther advantage of complete stability of movement of the planer, especially with the lugs 30' situated lwithin lower channel 20.

In the same way, the guide means arrangement of the present invention could be used with a planer not equipped with displaceable cutting means on the base means, whereby the desired positive engagement of the planer with the mine face would still be obtained together with the prevention of the deviation of the planer from its normal path. The combination of the instant planer with the instant guide arrangement therefor permits all of the advantages of both configurations to be attained in a common operation with a construction simple to manufacture, durable in use, and permitting operation with a minimum energy requirement.

What is claimed is:

1. Planer arrangement for extracting mineral from a mine face which comprises a planer support means disposed longitudinally along such mine face and having lower guiding means extending outwardly therefrom in a direction toward such mine face, and a mining planer having cutting means extending in a direction toward such mine face, said cutting means having an outermost edge in said direction and carrying cutting edge means extending outwardly from said outermost edge, said planer being mounted for back and forth movement on said support means along the mine face and said lower guiding means extending partially under said cutting means such that said cutting means extend a Vgiven distance beyond said lower guiding means in the direction of the mine face while being in sliding contact therewith and in turn the outermost edge of said cutting means be ing disposed such distance beyond said lower guiding means with said cutting edge means extending outwardly from said outermost edge, whereby the distance said lower guiding means extends under said cutting means limits the depth of the cut of the planer into the mine faceul 2. Arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said lower guiding means extend partially under the entirety of said cutting means while being in sliding Contact with said cutting means.

3. Arrangement according to claim 2 wherein said lower guiding means extend in the form of a ramp from a higher level on said planer support means downwardly to the mine floor and terminate in a knife edge adapted to anchor in the corner abutment defined at the intersectio of the mine face and mine floor.

4. Arrangement according to claim 3 wherein said planer support means includes a lower and an upper channel means longitudinally extending therealong in stacked relation for accommodating the forward and return strands, respectively, of a traction cable for displacing said planer back and forth along the mine face, the lower channel means having a longitudinal slit defined there along at the side thereof adjacent the mine face for receiving therethrough a corresponding portion of such planer for attachment with such traction cable and the upper channel means being closed at the side thereof adjacent the mine face, said channel means along their full height serving as additional slide surfaces for said planer and preventing rearward displacement of said planer during any position of movement of said planer therealong.

5. Arrangement according to claim 4 wherein said ramp extends from the lower margin of said slit to said knife edge.

6. Arrangement according to claim 5 wherein said planer support means includes a longitudinally extending mining conveyor having said ramp and said channel means -disposed at the `corresponding side of said conveyor adjacent the mine face.

7. Planer and guide arrangement for extracting mineral from a mine face which comprises planer guide means having lower guiding means terminating in an outermost edge disposed adjacent the mine face, and a planer guided at the lower guiding means and movable back and forth along said lower guiding means and bearing a cutting tool thereon positioned for engaging the mine face, said cutting tool having an outermost edge in the direction of the mine face and carrying cutting edge means extending outwardly from said outermost edge, said tool extending from a point inwardly behind the outermost edge of said lower guiding means to a -point a given distance beyond said lower guiding means in the direction of the mine face while being in sliding contact therewith and in turn the outermost edge of said tool being disposed such distance beyond said lower -guiding means with said cutting edge means extending outwardly from said outermost edge, whereby the distance said tool extends beyond said lower guiding means determines the depth of the cut of the planer into the mineral in the mine face, said lower guiding means being in unyielding abutment at the outermost edge thereof with the mine face during `any position of movement of said planer therealong and thereby functioning to determine the cutting depth in place of means on the planer to perform such function.

8. Planer and guide arrangement according to claim 7 for extracting mineral from a mine face, which comprises planer guide means having a slide track thereon with an outer lateral edge disposed adjacent the mine face, and a planer having a cutting tool thereon, said planer being mounted slidably on said track for movement longitudinally back and forth along the mine face with said cutting tool positioned for engaging extractively such mine face, said cutting tool having an outermost edge in the direction vof the mine face and carrying cutting edge means extending outwardly from said outermost edge, said track underlying said tool and said tool extending entirely above said track from a point inwardly behind the outer lateral edge of said track to a point outwardly :beyond said outer lateral edge in the direction of such mine face and in turn the outermost edge of said tool being disposed such distance beyond said outer lateral edge with said cutting edge means extending outwardly from said outermost edge, and said outer lateral edge being continually maintained in unyielding abutting contact with the mine face during any position of movement of said planer thenealong, whereby the distance said planer extends beyond said outer lateral edge determines the depth of the cut of the planer into the mine face to be worked.

9. Mining conveyor adapted to be positioned on a mine floor longitudinally along a mine face, which comprises a pair of side walls and an interconnecting central plate delining a conveyor trough and means defining a guide wall disposed Iat the corresponding conveyor side wall adjacent the mine face and extending rearwardly and upwardly away from such mine face to a level substantially above such side wall adjacent the mine face and terminating in an upper crest, said means dening a guide wall including a lower edge portion extending forwardiy and downwardly toward such mine face and terminating substantially at the mine floor in a knife edge adapted to anchor in the corner abutment defined at the intersection of the mine face and mine oor, and said means defining a guide wall further including a lower and upper channel means longitudinally extending therealong in stacked relation immediately adjacent such adjacent side wall for accommodating the forward and return strands, respectively, of a traction cable for displacing a mining planer in connection with which such conveyor is used back and forth along such mine face, the lower channel means having a longitudinal slit defined therealong for receiving therethrough a corresponding portion of such planer for attachment with such traction cable.

10. Conveyor according to claim 9 wherein said upper crest is at least partially arcuate in cross-section.

11. Conveyor accordingf to claim 9 wherein said lower edge portion extends from the lower margin of said slit to said knife edge.

12. Planer for extracting mineral from a mine face Which comprises base means longitudinally movable back and forth along the mine face and having a base means bottom portion positioned for slidable movement longitudinally along the mine oor, and cutting means disposed on said base means for extractive engagement with the rnine face for removal of mineral therefrom, said cutting means being limitcdly linearly displaceable between a lower and a higher position with respect to said base means along an essentially straight line substantially in the longitudinal direction yet inclined with respect to the mine oor, said cutting means having a cutting means bottom portion, and said cutting means being displaced to said lower position with said cutting means Vbottom portion in longitudinal slidable Contact with the mine floor during movement of said base means in one direction longitudinally along the mine face and said cutting means being displaced to said higher position with said cutting means bottom portion above and out of longitudinal slidable contact with the mine oor during movement of said base means in the opposite direction longitudinally along t'ne mine face.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,750,425 3/1930 Parker 198-204 X 2,745,651 5/1956 Herrman 299-34 2,793,737 5/1957 Sandeman et al 198-204 X FOREIGN PATENTS 571,062 9/ 1958 Belgium. 1,226,189 7/ 1960 France.

879,237 6/1953 Germany.

887,932 8/1953 Germany.

969,742 7/ 1958 Germany. 1,000,317 1/ 1957 Germany.

717,094 10/ 1954 Great Britain.

ERNEST R. PURSER, Prinmry Examiner.

B. HERSH, Assistant Exmnizer.

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