US3445139A

US3445139A - Longwall mining machine with cutting elements on rotated and reciprocated screw conveyor

Info

Publication number: US3445139A
Application number: US648631A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hans Joachim Von Hippel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-03-03
Filing date: 1967-06-26
Publication date: 1969-05-20
Anticipated expiration: 1986-05-20
Also published as: DE1284384B

Description

May 20, '1969 H. J. VON HIPPEL 3 LQNGWALL MINING MACHINE WITH CUTTING ELEMENTS 0N ROTATED AND RECIPROCATED SCREW CONVEYOR Sheet of 4 Filed June 26. 1967 May 20, 1969 H. J. VON HIPPEL LONGWALL MINING MACHINE WITH CUTTING ELEMENTS. ON ROTATED AND RECIPROCATED SCREW CONVEYOR Filed June 26. 1967 56 52 51/ U/WJ QQQQ @Q Sheet g of 4 FIG. 2a.

INVENTOR BY h Elem kw- ATTORNEY May 20, 1969 H. J. VON HIPPEL 3,445,139 LONGWALL MINING MACHINE WITH CUTTING ELEMENTS ON ROTATED AND RECIPROCATED SCREW CONVEYOR Filed June 26,1967 Sheet 3 014 K\ I I I h I I N M Q IN 9 w :h 8

l a Q m 22 k f E n [AI- 0 ,X to

l h l w Q .3 H )l V V i v be m 5% 82 e M i il l' @gQ @{QQ' Q Q 2% INVENTOR BY MW/hag k ATTORNEY May 20, 1969 H. J. VON HIPPEL 3 LONGWALL MINING MACHINE WITH CUTTING ELEMENTS ON HOT ATED AND RECIPROCATED SCREW CONVEYOR Sheet 4 014 Filed June 26, 1967 INVENTOR hm xmcum m q g ATTORNEY United States Patent Int. Cl. E21c 35/20, 13/00; B65g 65/22 US. Cl. 299-43 17 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mining apparatus, especially for coal mining, having a screw conveyor adapted to be arranged substantially parallel to the face of a coal seam and provided with at least one cutting tool projecting beyond the periphery of the screw conveyor, in which the screw conveyor is rotated about its axis and reciprocated in axial direction while the mining apparatus is slowly advanced against the face of the coal seam.

Background of the invention In recent years, coal mining has become highly mechanized and continuous mining machines have been developed for cutting the coal from the face of a coal seam and for conveying the cut coal to mine cars or belt conveyors by means of which the cut coal is conveyed to the mouth of the mine.

In longwall mining in which an elongated face of a coal seam is mined over the whole length thereof by cutting apparatus moved along the length of the face of the coal seam and/or traverse thereto, considerable difficulties are encountered in transporting the coal which is cut loose from the face of the coal seam in longitudinal direction of the latter to conveyors movable in mine shafts extending transverse to the coal seam at one or opposite sides of the latter.

It is an object of the present invention to provide for a mining apparatus for cutting coal from the face of a coal seam and for simultaneously transporting the cut coal in longitudinal direction of the face of the coal seam to conveyors extending transverse thereto.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide for a mining apparatus of the aforementioned kind, especially suitable for longwall mining in which the face of the coal seam extends over a considerable length.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a mining apparatus of the aforementioned kind which can be used regardless whether the roof of the coal seam extends in substantially horizontal direction or in a direction inclined thereto.

Summary of the invention With these objects in view, the mining apparatus according to the present invention mainly comprises screw conveyor means adapted to be arranged substantially parallel to the face of a coal seam and having a longitudinal axis, at least one cutting tool fixed to the screw conveyor means projecting with a cutting portion thereof in substantially radial direction beyond the periphery of the screw conveyor means, support means supporting the screw conveyor means turnable about its axis and movable in axial direction, and drive means connected to the screw conveyor means for rotating the same about its axis and for reciprocating it in axial direction.

The mining apparatus preferably comprises also moving means connected to support means for slowly advancing the latter and the screw conveyor means carried ice thereby towards the face of the coal seam while the latter during the mining recedes.

The screw conveyor means, especially for longwall coal mining, preferably comprises a plurality of screw conveyor sections substantially aligned in longitudinal direction, and coupling means connected adjacent ends of the plurality of sections for simultaneous rotation and for limited universal tilting movement relative to each other.

The support means may comprise a plurality of units arranged in a row substantially parallel to the screw conveyor means and linked together for tilting movement about axes substantially normal to the elongation of the screw conveyor means, a plurality of slides respectively arranged at the ends of adjacent screw conveyor sections, and guide means on each unit for supporting the slides reciprocable in axial direction. The guide means are substantially aligned with each other so that the slides may be one-by-one placed in and removed from the guide means from one end of the row of units. The plurality of slides are connected to each other for simultaneous reciprocating movement and the apparatus may also include a pair of carriages respectively arranged spaced from opposite ends of the row of units and connected to the units at the opposite ends by bridging members, and the drive means for rotating the screw conveyor means about its axis and for reciprocating the same in axial direction are preferably arranged on the aforementioned carriages.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a partially cross-sectioned side view of a mining apparatus according to the present invention;

FIGS. 2a and 2b are partial top views of the mining apparatus drawn to a reduced scale and respectively showing opposite end portions of the apparatus; and

FIG. 3 is a partial front view of the screw conveyor means and elements associated therewith.

Description 0] the preferred embodiments Referring now to the drawing, it will be seen that the mining apparatus according to the present invention mainly comprises elongated screw conveyor means SC adapted to be arranged substantially parallel to the face F of a coal seam. A plurality of cutting tools 56 are arranged spaced from each other in axial direction of the screw conveyor means SC fixedly connected thereto in any convenient manner, projecting in substantial radial direction beyond the periphery of the screw conveyor and each carrying at the freed end thereof a cutting portion 56, as best shown in FIG. 1. According to the present invention, the screw conveyor means SC are supported turnable about the longitudinal axis and movable in axial direction and they are rotated about the axis and reciprocated in axial direction as will be explained in detail later on.

The elongated screw conveyor means SC preferably comprises a plurality of screw conveyor sections substantially aligned in longitudinal direction and coupled to each other for simultaneous rotation and for limited universal tilting movement relative to each other. The coupling means for coupling the screw conveyor sections at adjacent ends may comprise, as best shown in FIG. 3, short coupling shafts 60 having at opposite ends thereof two male coupling portions 61 having each a plurality of convexly curved teeth and adapted to engage with female toothed coupling portions 62 formed in opposite ends of the screw sections. FIG. 3 shows the right coupling portion 61, as viewed in FIG. 3 engaged with the female coupling portion 62 in the adjacent screw conveyor section, whereas the left screw conveyor section, as viewed in FIG. 3, is axially moved so that the female tooth coupling portion 62 is disengaged from the corresponding male tooth coupling portion 61. The coupling shaft 60 is turnably mounted in a bearing 52a, and a pair of collars 63 fixed to the coupling shaft and engaging opposite end faces of the bearing 52a prevent axial displacement of the coupling shaft 60 relative to tthe bearing. Each of the bearings 52a is mounted on the free end of an arm 52 (FIG. 1) releasably connected at the other end thereof in any convenient manner, for instance by screws or the like, to a slide 50 and projecting forwardly and downwardly inclined with respect to the latter. The slide 50 has preferably a configuration as best shown in FIG. 3, that is it has a central plate-shaped portion '51 to which the arm 52 is attached and elongated portions 53 extending to opposite sides of the plate-shaped portion and being guided along opposite edges thereof in substantially U-shaped guide means or guide channels 32 as best shown in FIG. 1. An insert 53 is preferably placed in the lower guide channel 32 which can be adjusted in vertical direction by screw means 37 passing through appropriate threaded openings in the bottom wall of the U-shaped slide 32 so that the vertical clearance of the slide 50 in the pair of U-shaped guide channels 32 may be adjusted.

The guide means or guide channels 32 are supported on a plurality of units S hinged together for tilting movement about axes substantially normal to the axis of the elongated screw conveyor means SC. The construction of the unit which supports the guide channel 32 does not form part of the present invention and a preferred construction may comprise, as shown in FIG. 1, a top shield 2 formed with openings 2a and 2b therethrough, a bottom plate 4 formed with openings 4a therethrough and rigid supporting means supporting the top shield 2 on the bottom plate 4 downwardly spaced from the roof R of a mine gallery. The aforementioned rigid supporting means preferably comprise a rear shield 6 having forwardly extending top and bottom portions 6a, 6b respectively abutting against the bottom face of the top shield 2 and the top face of the bottom plate 4, and a pair of preferably tubular front supporting members 8, only one of which is seen in FIG. 1. The rear shield 6 as well as the front supporting members 8 are preferably releasably connected at opposite ends to the top shield 2 and bottom plate 4 by brackets 12 and screws 14 as indicated at the top of the front supporting members 8 in FIG. 1. The rear shield 2 may be reinforced by vertical plate members '10 extending between the top and bottom portions 6a, 6b of the rear shield and being fixedly connected to these portions and the downwardly inclined rear shield portion by being, for instance, welded thereto. The guide channels 32 are connected in any convenient manner to angle irons 34, which in turn are connected by screws and nuts 36 to a plate 16 fixed to the front supporting members 8 and extending over the whole Width of the respective unit. A hinged door 18 is preferably provided in each plate member 6 to provide access to the slide 50. Each unit preferably comprises further a pair of extensible and collapsible front prop members 20, of known construction, only one of which is seen in FIG. 1, having each a cylinder portion 20a and a telescoping piston portion 20b projecting in the extended position, as shown in FIG. 1, through the respective elongated opening 2a in the top shield 2 so that a cap 26 carried at the upper end of the piston portion 22b engages the roof R of a mine gallery. The bottom portion 24 of each cylinder portion 20a extends through the elongated opening 4a in the bottom plate 4 to engage with its serrated bottom face the bottom B or sole of the mine gallery. Each of the front prop members 20 is connected to the respective shield means and movable with respect thereto by cylinder and piston means having cylinders 38 pivotally connected by means of a pivot pin 40 to a bracket 41 fixed to the plate 16, whereas the piston rods fixed to pistons, not shown in FIG. 1, and respectively reciprocably arranged in the cylinders 38 carry on their outer ends a head 43 which is by means of a pivot pin 42 pivotally connected to the bottom portion 24 of the respective front prop member 20. Each unit or shield means S is advanced toward the face F of the coal seam by feeding pressure fluid into the cylinders 38 cooperating with one front prop means 20 which is maintained in extended position so that the shield means is slowly advanced toward the face of the coal seam, whereas the other front prop means is maintained in collapsed position and advanced relative to the advancing shield means.

Each of the shield means preferably comprises als two extensibly collapsible rear prop members 22 having each a lower cylinder portion 22a mounted on the bottom plate 4 and an extensible piston portion 22b having an upper portion located in the collapsed position as shown in FIG. 1 within the opening 2b in the top shield 2 and projecting in the extended position, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, through this opening into engagement with the roof R.

The plurality of shield units S are arranged in a row adjacent to each other as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b and adjacent units are hinged to each other by a pair of hinge means each comprising two spaced bosses 44 projecting from one side edge of each bottom plate 4 and a boss 46 projecting from the side edge of the unit adjacent thereto between the bosses 44 and connected to each other by a hinge pin 48 having an axis substantially normal to the axis of the screw conveyor section so that the units are coupled together for tilting movement about the axes of the pivot pins 48 while being constrained to move together in direction of the axes of the pivot pins.

Each of the caps 26 may also be provided with addi tional coal cutting means comprising a cylinder 28 and a pointed cutting tool or hammer 30 connected to the piston reciprocably arranged in the cylinder 28 for loosening during advancing of the unit coal ahead of the cap 26, as described in the aforementioned copending application.

As mentioned above, the elongated conveyor means SC are rotated about their axes and reciprocated in axial direction. Preferably, each of the screw conveyor sections 54 carries only a single cutting tool 56, or at most a second cutting tool 57, as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 2b, axially spaced from the cutting tool 56 is provided on each screw conveyor section. If only a single cutting tool 56 is provided on each screw conveyor section, the screw conveyor means SC is reciprocated in axial direction for a distance slightly greater than the axial distance a between the cutting tools 56 of adjacent screw conveyor sections 54, and if two cutting tools are provided on each screw conveyor section, the screw conveyor means SC is reciprocated for a distance slightly greater than the axial spacing b between the

cutting tools

56 and 57 on each section. The guide channels 32 is in adjacent units are substantially aligned with each other so that each slide may move during its recriprocation from the guide channels in one unit to the guide channel in the unit adjacent thereto.

In order to reciprocate the screw conveyor sections 54 simultaneously in axial dierction, the slides 50 are con nected to each other for instance by chain portions 58 which .are connected in any convenient manner at opposite ends to bosses projecting from the arms 52 which are connected to the slide members 50. The drive means for reciprocating the slides 50 in longitudinal direction of the guide channels 32 and for rotating the screw conveyor means SC about its axis are preferably carried on a pair of carriages 66 located spaced from opposite ends of the row of units S and connected to the units at opposite ends of the row by bridging members 64a. Each of the bridging members 64 is preferably L-shaped and hinged along one edge portion thereof to the edge portion of the unit adjacent thereto by a pair of hinge means 44, 46, 48 of similar construction as the hinge means which hinge adjacent units to each other, whereas the transverse portion of the L-shaped bridging member 64 is hinged by a similar hinge means to the edge of the carriage adjacent thereto. The boss 46 of the last-mentioned hinge means is preferably carried by the carriage 66 tiltable about a vertical pivot pin 65. Each briding member has also a pair of guide channels 32 substantially aligned with those of the unit adjacent thereto. Each carriage 66 carries an elongated cylinder 76 pivotally connected at one end thereof by means of a pivot pin 77 to the carriage, and the piston rod 78 connected to the piston, not shown in the drawing, reciprocable in the cylinder is connected at the free end by a chain portion 58' to the slide 50 of the adjacent unit so that by feeding pressure fiuid into and out from the cylinders 76 on the carriages 66 on opposite sides of the row of units S, the plurality of slides 50 connected to each other by chains and the screw conveyor sections 54 rotatably carried thereby will be reciprocated in axial direction. The shafts 54a of the screw conveyor sections at opposite ends of the elongated screw conveyor means SC are connected by a coupling means as above described, respectively, to drive shafts 74 each of which is driven by a motor 70 and a reduction gearing 72 mounted on the respective carriage 66. Each of the motors 70 may be mounted on a slide 70a which is reciprocably guided in a dove-tailed guide groove 66a formed in each carriage 66 and extending parallel to the shaft 74. In this case each shaft 74 has to be connected to its drive motor 70 and the coupling at the adjacent end of the screw conveyor means for simultaneous movement in axial direction. On the other hand, the shaft end cooperating with the reduction gearing 72 may be splined and be connected only with the respective coupling for reciprocation with the screw conveyor means, in which case the drive motor 70 and gearing 72 may be stationarily mounted on the carriage 66. The wheels 68 of each carriage 66 are arranged on rails extending longitudinally through a mine shaft MS, which in turn extends substantially normal to the face F of the coal seam which has to be mined. Removable props 82 support the roof of the aforementioned mine shaft, and as the abovedescribed mining apparatus is advanced against the receding working face F of the coal seam, the props 82 located in the path of the bridging member 64 are removed oneby-one in front of the bridging member and replaced in the rear thereof. An elongated transporting conveyor 80, for instance a band transporting conveyor, extends longitudinally of the mine shaft beneath the bridging members 64 so that the loosened coal transported in axial direction by the screw conveyor SC will drop over a plate 81 onto the band conveyor 80 to be transported to the mouth of the mine shaft MS.

The above-described mining apparatus will be operated as follows. The plurality of units S carrying the elongated screw conveyor means SC are arranged substantially parallel to the face F of a coal seam to be mined, and the plurality of units are simultaneously advanced toward the face F of the coal seam, while the screw conveyor means is rotated about its axis by means of the motors 70 and the gearings 72 connected thereto and simultaneously the screw conveyor means is reciprocated in longitudinal direction by the cylinder and piston means 76. Each of the screw sections may have a length of 1.9 m. and a diameter of 700 mm. and if only a single cutting tool 56 is provided on each screw section, the screw conveyor mean SC is reciprocated through a distance of about 2.2 m. in axial direction. The

screw conveyor means is rotated rather fast about its axis and the speed of the cutting tool may be 4 m./sec. The unit may be advanced toward the receiving mine face with a speed of about 2.5 to 3 m./hour, and the advancing speed is regulated in such a manner that the cut taken by each cutting tool is about 3 cm. A plurality of units may be coupled together to work a mine face of a length of 200 m. and more, and only two men are necessary to operate and service the mining apparatus above described. At the aforementioned speeds and assuming a coal seam of a height of approximately 1 m., an output of about 2000 tons per 6-hour shift will be obtained. Evidently, the mining apparatus may be used with the axis of the screw conveyor means substantially horizontal or inclined at an angle to the horizontal depending on the orientation of the coal seam to be mined. When the axis is inclined at a relatively steep angle the screw conveyor means will brake movement of the cut coal under the influence of gravity.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of mining apparatus diifering from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a mining apparatus provided with a screw conveyor and axially spaced cutting tools projecting from the screw conveyor, in which the screw conveyor is rotated about its axis and reciprocated in axial direction, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

While a preferred embodiment for supporting the screw conveyor turnable about its axis and reciprocable in axial direction has been described, different constructions may 'be used for supporting the screw conveyor in the aforementioned manner.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it to varous applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent and set forth in the appended claims is:

1. A mining apparatus, especially for coal mining, comprising, in combination, screw conveyor means having a longitudinal axis adapted to be arranged substantially parallel to a face to be mined; a plurality of cutting tools fixed to said screw conveyor means projecting therefrom in radial direction beyond the periphery of said screw conveyor means; support means supporting said screw conveyor means turnably about said axis while maintaining said axis in fixed relation to said support means and movable in direction of said fixed axis; and drive means connected to said screw conveyor means for rotating the same about said fixed axis and for reciprocating the same in axial direction.

2. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said drive means are substantially aligned with said axis and connected to at least one end of said screw conveyor means.

3. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 1, and in cluding moving means connected to said support means for advancing the latter and said screw conveyor means carried thereby toward the face of the coal seam.

4. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said screw conveyor means comprises a plurality of screw conveyor sections substantially aligned in longitudinal direction, and coupling means connecting adjacent ends of said plurality of sections for simultaneous rotation 7 and for limited universal tilting movement relative to eacht other.

5. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said coupling means are in the form of tooth couplings.

6. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said support means comprise a plurality of slides respectively arranged at opposite ends of said screw conveyor sections for supporting the latter turnably about their axes, and guide means supporting said slides reciprocable in axial direction.

7. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein each of said screw sections carries at most two of said cutting tools spaced in axial direction from each other, and wherein said drive means includes means connected to said plurality of slides for reciprocating the same in said direction for a distance greater than the spacing between said two cutting tools.

8. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein each of said screw sections carries only one cutting tool and wherein said drive means includes means connected to said plurality of slides for reciprocating the same in said direction for a distance greater than the spacing between the cutting tool on one screw section and the cutting tool on the screw section adjacent said one section.

9. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein each of said slides comprises a substantially vertically arranged plate guided at the top and bottom edge thereof in said guide means, an arm removably connected at one end thereof to said plate, and a bearing fixed to the other end of said arm and operatively connected to the respective screw conveyor section for turnably supporting the latter, whereby said arm may be exchanged against an arm of different configuration to support a screw conveyor section of dilferent diameter in proper relation to said guide means.

10. A mining apparatus, especially for mining coal, comprising, in combination, screw conveyor means comprising a plurality of screw conveyor sections substantially aligned in longitudinal direction and coupling means connecting adjacent ends of said plurality of sections for simultaneous rotation and for limited universal tilting movement relative to each other; at least one cutting tool carried by each of said screw conveyor sections projecting therefrom in radial directions beyond the periphery thereof; support means comprising a plurality of units arranged in a row substantially parallel to said screw conveyor means and linked together for tilting movement about tilting axes substantially normal to the elongation of said screw conveyor means for simultaneous movement in direction of said tilting axes, and means on said units for supporting said screw conveyor sections turnably about their axes and movable in axial direction; and drive means connected to said screw conveyor sections for rotating the same about their axes and for simultaneously reciprocating said sections in axial direction.

11. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said means for supporting said screw conveyor sections on said units comprise a plurality of slides respectively arranged at opposite ends of adjacent screw conveyor sections, bearing means connected to said slides and rotatably supporting said sections, and guide means on each unit for supporting said slides reciprocable in axial directions of said screw conveyor sections.

12. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said guide means are substantially aligned with each other so that said slides may be one-by-one placed in and removed from said guide means from one end of said row of units.

13. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 11, and including connecting means connecting said slides for simultaneous reciprocating movement along said guide means, and wherein said drive means includes means connected to the slide which is located at one end of said screw conveyor means for reciprocating said slide and the other slides connected thereto.

14. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said connecting means comprises chains connecting adjacent slides to each other, and wherein said drive means comprises means arranged at least at one of the opposite ends of said screw conveyor means and connected to the slides at opposite ends of said screw conveyor means for reciprocating the latter.

15. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 14, and including at least one carriage arranged spaced from said one end of said screw conveyor means and being movable in a mine shaft extending transverse to the face of said coal seam, said drive means being carried by said carriage, and including a bridging member extending between said carriage and the one unit at said one end of said screw conveyor means and linked to said carriage and said one unit tiltable about axes substantially normal to the elongation of said screw conveyor means.

16. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said drive means comprises a drive motor and transmission means connecting said drive motor to said one of said screw conveyor means for rotating the latter, and fluid operated cylinder and piston means forming said means for reciprocating said screw conveyor means and connected to the slide at one end of said screw conveyor means.

17. A mining apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein a pair of carriages are arranged respectively spaced from opposite ends of said screw conveyor means, each linked to the respective unit at opposite ends of the screw conveyor means by a bridging member and each carrying a drive motor and transmission means connecting the respective drive motor to the respective end of the screw conveyor means and fluid operated cylinder and piston means respectively connected to the slides at opposite ends of said screw conveyor means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,823,023 2/ 1958 Hlinsky 29987 X 3,128,998 4/1964 Sibley 299-71 X 3,314,723 4/ 1967 Mennekes 299-43 ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.