US3456983A

US3456983A - Guide for a swordless coal plough

Info

Publication number: US3456983A
Application number: US697073A
Authority: US
Inventors: Christoph Rassmann
Original assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia GmbH
Current assignee: Gewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia GmbH
Priority date: 1967-04-01
Filing date: 1968-01-11
Publication date: 1969-07-22
Anticipated expiration: 1986-07-22
Also published as: GB1171510A; FR1559697A

Description

July 22, 1969 c. RAssMANN GUIDE FOR A SWORDLESS COAL PLOUGH Filed Jan. 1l, 1968 /NVENoR v cHmsmPH nAssMANN ATTO /VEYJ United States Patent Ov 3,456,983 GUIDE FOR A SWORDLESS COAL PLOUGH Christoph Rassmann, Lunen, Westphalia, Germany, as-

signor to Gewerkschaft Eisenhtte Westfalia, Wethmar, near Lunen, Westphalia, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Jan. 11, 1968, Ser. No. 697,073 Claims priority, application Germany, Apr. 1, 1967,

Int. ci. Ein: 9/00 U.S. Cl. 299-34 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF 'IHE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to coal ploughs. It more particularly refers to such a coal plough `which is chain driven and which has a guide rail and a conveying means associated therewith.

Coal ploughs are known which are chain-driven along a guide rail. The guide rail bears with its outer edge on the mine oor and on the coal face and forms a covering for a passage in which the chain which pulls the plough passes. Usually, there are two passages, a lower passage which guides the positive pulling chain, and an upper passage which guides the return run, the two chain passages being separated from one another by distance pieces or spacers. The passages are usually covered by a hoodtype plate on the coal face side, which plate is connectable through and with the distance piece by means of bolts or screws which join the conveying means, the distance pieces and the hood.

In such a coal plough, it is known to clamp the upper chain passage cover detachably to the distance piece by means of the screws or bolts which engage through the distance piece. The lower chain passage, which guides the pulling run of chain, is formed by the portion of the guide rail resting on the mine floor, which is appropriately bent into an almost closed tubular guide. In such a plough guidance system, one particular disadvantage which is readily apparent is that the pulling chain is not easily accessible for location and repair of chain breakage or the like. In order to get at the lower pulling run chain, it has been necessary, rstly, to open the upper chain passage in order to permit access to the lower chain passage. Then, after release of the screw which connects the chain passages with the conveying means, the lower passage Abecomes accessible.

In a plough, the sword of which engages beneath the conveying means over its whole width and which is guided on the goaf side with a guide rod in a chain passage, it is further known to cover the chain passages on the goaf side by detachable flaps.

These passages serve only to conduct the pulling and return runs of the chain; they do not serve directly to guide the plough body.

It is an object of this invention to develop a guide for a plough of the type described in which the tilting and thrust forces, which act upon the guide on the coal face side in the case of swordless construction of the plough, are transmitted to the guide so that despite the requisite Patented July 22, 1969 ICC movement, the largest possible bearing surfaces are provided between plough and plough guide. Another object is to provide a plough guide adapted to house chain drive passages so constructed as to provide good accessibility to both chain passages, whereby tting, dismantling or repair of the chain is readily possible.

Other and additional objects of this invention will become apparent upon consideration of this entire specification, including the claims and drawing hereof.

In accord with and fulfilling these objects, one aspect of this invention resides in a guide for a plough of the type described above, wherein the mine-face directed hood or cover for the chain passages is articulatably hinged to the back plate of the guide means along the top hereof.

The hinge is formed as a tubular guide rail for the plough, extending over the length of the working range of the plough.

This tube-type guide rail, to a certain extent, constitutes the upper enclosure of the upper chain passage, so that the plough can rest on it. At the same time, the plough can grip over this guide rail with an extension directed towards the goat` side, and thus is non-tiltably guided. The formation of this guide rail as a hinge renders it possible now for the cover plate to be turned over completely to the goaf side, so that both the upper and the lower chain passages are exposed. To permit hinged articulation, it is only necessary to first release the outer nuts from connecting .bolts or screws and then carry out the hinge movement. Because of the hinge, no parts are taken off the guide to expose the chain passages and, in contrast to known devices, it is also not necessary to withdraw the cover plate over the threading of the connecting bolts. Therefore, these threads are not damaged by such removal since the cover plate is xed in its position yby the hinge.

According to a further aspect of this invention, the lower chain passage is covered on the mine face side thereof by a tube extending over the working range of the plough. This tube is advantageously adapted to take up the forces occurring in the region of the guide blocks.

In development of the invention, the hinge bolt of the tubular guide rail can be made fast by means of a clamping sleeve. In this case, two opposite openings are provided in the wall of the tubular guide rail to receive a clamping sleeve. One of the openings is circular, and the other is an elongated hole. If the clamping sleeve has been driven in through the guide tube in the direction towards the elongated hole by an amount corresponding at least to the thickness of the Wall of the giant tube, the hinge bolt can be displaced so far in an axial direction that the entire covering hood can be removed should the need of such removal arise. This development of the invention facilitatesthe installation and repair of the device.

Furthermore, it is advantageous to provide a web plate attached to the cover plate on the side thereof directed away from the mine face in the vicinity of the bolt and the distance pieces. The web plate is further attached to the lower tube referred to above and serves both as a bending-resistant connection between the cover plate and the lower tube and as a means for the connection of the cover plate with the distance piece. For this purpose, according to a further feature of the invention, the web plate possesses bores adapted to engage a tapered washer which Washer acts to center the connecting screw or bolt.

The invention will be further explained with reference to the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation partially in section through the guide according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a front view of the cover plate, seen from the coal face.

Referring now to the drawing, a plough is shown fastened to a conveyor 26 and to a plough guide. The lower part of the plough guide comprises a rail 2, which bears with its outer edge 3 on a mine lloor 4 and on a coal face 5. A chain passage 7 is shown, containing a pulling run of chain 6 and a chain passage 9 is shown contaming a return run of chain 8. Distance pieces r spacers 10 are provided between the two chain passages, which distance pieces are attached, by bolts 12, both with the plough guide and with the conveyor 26. A hood like plate 11 is provided on the coal face side of the plough guide. The plate 11 has, at its lower outer edge, a tube 17 and, at its upper outer edge, a tubular guide rail 15. The upper guide rail is hinge 14 and has a plate 13 articulated therefrom which forms the goat-side enclosure of the chain passages 7 and 9.

The individual sections of the cover plates 11 are connected by hinge bolts 16 which can be made fast by clamping sleeves 18. The clamping sleeves here engage through a circular opening 20 provided in a wall 19 of the guide rail and an opening 21, formed as an elongated hole, which lies opposite to this circular opening 20.

In order to obtain -access to the chain passages 7 and 9, it is merely necessary to release the outer nut 27 and hinge the cover plate 11 upwards. If such a cover plate is to be removed completely, it is only necessary to drive the clamping sleeve 18 inwards by the wall thickness of the tube 1'5 and to shift the hinge bolt 16 in the elongated hole -until the cover plate is removable.

For reinforcement of the tube 17 and for connection of the cover plate 11 to the distance piece 10, web plates 22 with bores 23 are provided in which there are positioned compensating washers 24 which center the connection bolts 12. These compensating washers 24 are provided with a centering taper 25.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coal plough assembly having a coal plough means and a guide rail assembly operatively associated therewith, which guide rail assembly contains two passages therein adapted to house pulling and return run chain means respectively, which pulling run chain means is operatively connected to said plough means; the improvement which comprises providing said return run chain passage above the pulling run chain passage and said hinge/guide rail extends the length of said plough means.

5. The improved assembly claimed in claim 1, including hinge bolt means associated with said hinge/guide rail and clamping sleeve means adapted to make said hinge bolt means fast.

6. The improved assembly claimed in claim 5 wherein two opposite openings are provided in said hinge/ guide rail, one of which is substantially circular, and the other of which is elongated.

7. The improved assembly claimed in claim 1, wherein said passages are separated by spacer means, which spacer means is bolted to said cover plate.

8. The improved assembly claimed in claim 7 wherein said cover plate has web plate means affixed thereto abutting said spacer means and is bolted thereto.

9. The improved assembly claimed in claim 8, including conveyor means bolted to said web plate means through said spacer means.

10. The improved assembly claimed in claim 8, wherein said web plate has apertures therein aligned with bolt means and including tapered washer means associated with said apertures and said `bolt means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,305,269 2/ 1967 Lobbe et al 299-34 3,363,946 1/ 1968 Willner et al. 299-43 ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner