US3795304A

US3795304A - Method and apparatus for conveying material

Info

Publication number: US3795304A
Application number: US00191388A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Poundstone
Original assignee: Consolidation Coal Co
Current assignee: Consolidation Coal Co
Priority date: 1971-10-21
Filing date: 1971-10-21
Publication date: 1974-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 1991-03-05

Abstract

Material dislodged by a continuously advancing mining machine is conveyed rearwardly by a conveyor means on the mining machine and discharged into a movable surge vehicle. At a fixed discharge station a flexible belt has one end portion coiled on a first rotatable spindle and the other end portion coiled on a second rotatable spindle positioned rearwardly of the first rotatable spindle. The intermediate portion of the belt is reeved about an idler pulley mounted on the movable surge vehicle and is movable therewith. The intermediate portion of the flexible belt forms an upper strand portion extending from the coil on the first spindle to the idler pulley and a lower strand portion extending from the second rotatable spindle to the idler pulley. The lower strand is arranged to slide along the mine floor and the upper strand is arranged to slide on the upper surface of the lower strand and convey material from the movable surge vehicle to the fixed discharge station. Drive means rotates the first rotatable spindle to coil the upper strand of the flexible belt thereon and move the successive portion of the upper strand from the surge vehicle toward the fixed discharge station while the lower strand is being uncoiled from the second rotatable spindle. Material is discharged from the surge vehicle onto the moving upper strand and is conveyed to the fixed discharge station where the conveyed material is transferred to a fixed conveyor. In one embodiment, a second coil of flexible belt is positioned on the second spindle when the first flexible belt is uncoiled therefrom. The end of the second flexible belt is spliced to the end of the first flexible belt to form a continuation thereof. When the first flexible belt is coiled on the first spindle the end portion is disconnected from the end portion of the second coil of flexible belt and removed from the first spindle. In another embodiment, when a preselected amount of flexible belt is coiled on the first spindle, the second spindle is rotated to uncoil the belt on the first spindle and coil the flexible belt on the second spindle, thus providing a predetermined length of flexible belt for the upper strand to convey additional dislodged material from the surge vehicle to the fixed discharge station.

Description

nite Sttes Patent 191 Poundstone 1 1 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING MATERIAL [75]. Inventor: William N. Poundstone, Pittsburgh,

[73] Assignee: Consolidation Coal Company,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: Oct. 21, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 191,388

Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-.l0seph E. Valenza [57] ABSTRACT Material dislodged by a continuously advancing mining machine is conveyed rearwardly by a conveyor means on the mining machine and discharged into a movable surge vehicle. At a fixed discharge station a flexible belt has one end portion coiled on a first rotatable spindle and the other end portion coiled on a second rotatable spindle positioned rearwardly of the first rotatable spindle. The intermediate portion of the belt m1 asses Mar-.5, 1974 is reeved about an idler pulley mounted on the movable surge vehicle and is movable therewith. The intermediate portion of the flexible belt forms an upper strand portion extending from the coil on the first spindle to the idler pulley and a lower strand portion extending from the second rotatable spindle to the idler pulley. The lower strand is arranged to slide along the mine floor and the upper strand is arranged to slide on the upper surface of the lower strand and convey material from the movable surge vehicle to the fixed discharge station. Drive means rotates the first rotatable spindle to coil the upper strand of the flexible belt thereon and move the successive portion of the upper strand from the surge vehicle toward the fixed discharge station while the lower strand is being uncoiled from the second rotatable spindle. Material is discharged from the surge vehicle onto the moving upper strand and is conveyed to the fixed discharge station where the conveyed material is transferred to a fixed conveyor. In one embodiment, a second coil of flexible belt is positioned on the second spindle when the first flexible belt is uncoiled therefrom. The end of the second flexible belt is spliced to the end of the first flexible belt to form a continuation thereof. When the first flexible belt is coiled on the first spindle the end portion is disconnected from the end portion of the second coil of flexible belt and removed from the first spindle. in another embodiment, when a preselected amount of flexible belt is coiled on the first spindle, the second spindle is rotated to uncoil the belt on the first spindle and coil the flexible belt on the second spindle, thus providing a predetermined length of flexible belt for the upper strand to convey additional dislodged material from the surge vehicle to the fixed discharge station.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING MATERIAL CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS A co-pending application filed under even date herewith by John D. Russell and assigned to the same assignee is directed to a flexible belt type of conveying mechanism and isentitled Method and Apparatus For Conveying Material. 7

A second c o-pending application filed under even date herewith by John D. Russell and assigned to the same assignee is directed to a flexible belt type of conveying mechanism and is entitled Method and Appa' ratus for Continuous Mining.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of spooled ribbon type extensible support for endless flexible belting is known and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,774,462. With the arrangement disclosed in this United States patent, the extensibility of the conveyor belt is limited by the length of the endless flexible conveyor belt supported on the coiled extensible sup port. v In US. Pat. No. 3,533,660 there is illustrated conveying apparatus for transporting dislodged material from a continuously advancing mining machine to a fixed discharge station. A flexible belt has one end coiled on a spindle mounted on the mining machine and the other end coiled on a spindle'mounted adjacent the fixed discharge station. The dislodged material is deposited on the upper surface of the flexible belt adjacent the first spindle and the flexible belt is coiled about the second spindle adjacent the fixed discharge station to move successive sections of the flexible belting from the continuous mining machine to the fixed discharge station. Periodically, the flexible belt is un coiled from the spindle adjacent the fixed discharge station and coiled on the first spindle mounted on the mining machine. The first spindle mounted on the mining machine limits substantially the size of the coil of flexible belting that can be wound on the spindle mounted on th mining machine. Further, a substantialperiod of time is required to uncoil the belting from the spindle adjacent the discharge station and again coil the flexible belting on the spindle mounted on the mining machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The hereinafter described invention is directed to a method and apparatus for conveying material from a continually advancing loading station to a fixed discharge station and includes a movable surge vehicle at the loading station. A first spindle is mounted adjacent to the fixed discharge station and a second spindle is also mounted adjacent to the fixed discharge station at a location rearwardly of the first spindle. Drive means are provided to selectively rotate the spindles in preselected directions. A flexible belt has one end portion connected to the first spindle so that upon rotation of the first spindle in a preselected direction the flexible belt is coiled on the first spindle. The second end portion of the flexible belt is connected to and coiled on the second spindle so that upon rotation of the first spindle the flexible belt is uncoiled from the second spindle. There is an idler pulley mounted on the movable surge vehicle and an intermediate portion of the belt is reeved about the idler pulley to form a lower strand and an upper strand. Material is discharged from the surge vehicle onto the upper surface of the upper strand and the coiling of the flexible belt on the first spindle moves successive sections of the upper strand toward the fixed discharge station to thereby convey the material deposited thereon toward the discharge station.

A second coil of flexible belt may be positioned on the second spindle after the first flexible belt is uncoiled therefrom. An end portion of the second flexible belt is connected to an end portion of the first flexible belt to provide additional belting for transporting the dislodged material. The first flexible belt, when coiled on the first spindle, may be disconnected from the second flexible belt and removed therefrom as a coil to be positioned on the second spindle when the second flexible belt is uncoiled therefrom.

With the above arrangement the material may be dis charged directly from the surge vehicle onto the upper surface of the upper strand and transported to the fixed discharge station where the conveyed material is removed from the flexible belt upper strand by means of a suitable plow type device. The material is discharged by the plow type device onto a second fixed conveying means at the fixed discharge station.

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for conveying material on the upper surface of the upper strand of a flexible belt.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for conveying material in which the material is discharged directly from the surge vehicle onto the upper surface of the upper strand of flexible belt.

These and other objects and advantages of this inven tion will be more completely disclosed and described in the following specification, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view, partially schematic, illustrating the apparatus for conveying material from a moving surge vehicle to a fixed conveying apparatus on the upper strand of a flexible belL.

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in section taken along the line lllIIl of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated schematically an underground mine generally designated by the numeral 10 that has a main longitudinal haulageway 12 with one of a plurality of laterally extending rooms or entries 14. The room 14 has side walls or ribs [6 and 18 and a front face 20. The room 14 is formed by a continuous mining machine generally designated by the numeral 22 dislodging material from the continually advancing face 20. The.width of the room 14 between the ribs 16 and 18 is substantially the width of the cutting elements 24 extending forwardly from the boring type mining machine 22. The material, such as coal, dislodged from the face 20 is conveyed rearwardly along a rearwardly extending conveyor 26 on v the mining machine 22. The material is discharged from the mining machine conveyor 26 into a surge vehicle generally designated by the numeral 28. The surge vehicle is mounted on pairs of wheels 30 and is arranged to advance with the mining machine 22. The surge vehicle 28 may be self-propelled or, where desired, the surge vehicle 28 may be connected to the mining machine 22 for continuous advancement therewith. The surge vehicle 28 has a longitudinally extending material storage compartment 32 with an endless conveyor 34 therein. The endless conveyor 34 is arranged to move the material discharged from the mining machine conveyor 26 rearwardly in the surge vehicle 28. The surge vehicle 28 has sufficient surge capacity to permit continuous operation of the mining machine 22 and a controlled discharge of the material from the surge vehicle 28 onto the flexible belt conveyor means. as later described.

In the haulageway 12 there is positioned a fixed conveyor 36 onto which the discharged material is deposited from the flexible belt conveyor by a plow device generally designated by the numeral 38. For convenience. the inner section of the main haulageway l2 and the room 14 will be referred to as a fixed discharge station 40 at which material is transferred from the extensible flexible conveyor means to the fixed conveyor 36.

At the discharge station 40 there is a support member 42 on which a first rotatable spindle 44 and a second rotatable spindle 46 are mounted. The second rotatable spindle 46 is positioned-rearwardly within the haulageway l2 from the first rotatable spindle 44. A drive motor 48 is suitably connected to the first spindle 44 to rotate the spindle 44 in a preselected direction. A second motor 50 is suitably connected to the second spindle 46 and is arranged to rotate the second spindle 46 in a preselected direction.

An idler pulley 52 is rotatably supported from the rear portion of the surge vehicle 28 by means of brackets 54. The brackets 54 are suitably hinged at 56 to compensate for undulations in the mine floor 58. A first length of flexible belt generally designated by the numeral 60 has a first end portion coiled about the first rotatable spindle 44 and a second end portion coiled about the second rotatable spindle 46. The intermediate portion of the flexible belt 60 is reeved about idler pulley 52 to form an upper strand 62 and a lower strand 64. The lower strand is arranged to slide on the mine floor 58 in the direction of the arrow 66 in FIG. 2 and the upper strand 62 is arranged to slide on the upper surface of the lower strand 64 in-the direction of the arrow 68 in H6. 2.

The material dislodged by the mining machine 22 is conveyed rearwardly on the mining machine conveyor 26 and discharged into the material haulage compartment 32 of surge vehicle 28. The endless conveyor 34 in surge vehicle 28 moves the dislodged material rearwardly at a controlled rate within the surge vehicle material haulage compartment 32. The conveyor 34 discharges the material from the surge vehicle 28 onto the upper surface of the top strand 62. The motor 48 is energized to coil the upper strand 62 on the first spindle 44 and convey the material discharged onto the upper surface of the upper strand 62 toward the fixed discharge station 40. Simultaneously, the second rotatable spindle 46 rotates in the opposite direction to uncoil the flexible belt therefrom to provide additional belting for the upper strand 62.

At the fixed discharge station 40 the transfer device 38 which includes a conventional shaped plow like member 70 that is arranged to guide the material laterally from the upper surface of upper strand 62 onto the fixed conveyor device 36. Where desired, a suitable cleaning device may be employed to remove the remaining dislodged material from the flexible belt 60 before the belt is wound as a coil on the first rotatable spindle 44. The fixed conveyor 36 may include a receiver portion 72 positioned below the upper strand 62 of the flexible belt to receive the material transferred thereto as illustrated in FIG. 3.

When a predetermined amount of flexible belt 60 remains coiled on the second rotatable spindle 46 the discharge conveyor 34 on the surge vehicle 28 is stopped to permit the material on the upper surface of the upper strand 62 to be conveyed to the fixed conveyor 36. When all of the dislodged material is transferred from the upper strand 62 onto the fixed conveyor 36 little, if any, of the flexible belt 60 remains coiled on the second rotatable spindle 46. To replenish the flexible belt 60 for conveying the dislodged material. the motor 50 associated with the second rotatable spindle 46 is energized to coil the flexible belting thereon and uncoil the flexible belting from the first rotatable spindle 44. After substantially all of the flexible belt 60 has been uncoiled from the first rotatable spindle 44, the endless conveyor 34 in the surge vehicle 28 again commences dislodging material from the material storage compartment 32 onto the upper surface of the upper strand 62. With this arrangement the continuous mining machine continues to advance into the face 20 and dislodge material therefrom and transfer the dislodged material by means of a mining machine conveyor 26 into the surge vehicle 28 while the belt is being uncoiled from the first rotatable spindle 44 and coiled on the second rotatable spindle 46. With the surge vehicle it is possible to replenish the belting in the extensible conveyor without interrupting the mining operation.

Where desired, a second coil of flexible belting generally designated by the numeral 74 may be positioned on the second rotatable spindle 46 when the flexible belt 60 has been uncoiled therefrom. The free end portion of the flexible belt in coil 74 is spliced to the flexible belt 60 to provide additional belting for conveying the dislodged material from the surge vehicle 28 to the fixed discharge station 40. When all of the flexible belt 60 is coiled on the first rotatable spindle 44 the belt is disconnected from the end of the flexible belt in coil 74 and the coil of flexible belting 60 is removed from the first rotatable spindle 44 and positioned on the second rotatable spindle 46 when additional belting is required. It should be noted that the surge vehicle 28 is arranged to receive material dislodged by the continuous mining machine 22 while the coils of flexible belting are being positioned on and removed from the receiver spindle and end portions of the flexible belt connected to each other so that the belt 60 and surge vehi cle 28 permit continuous mining by the mining machine 22 without interrupting for belt change over or replacement belting on the respective spindles. Utilizing the surface of the upper strand 62 eliminates the requirement for separating hopper or conveyor means to feed the material to the lower strand of the conveyor. The undersurface of the upper strand sliding on the upper surface of the lower strand, although the strands are moving in the opposite direction, has a low coefficient of friction therebetween. Fine sized coal particles between the belt strands serve as a friction reducing means between the flexible belt strands.

it is preferred that the flexible belt be metal and fabricated from stainless steel or other high tensile strength steel to permit the belt to be subjected to substantial tensile loads, since the length of the conveying reach and the amount of material deposited on the flexible belt is dependent on the tensile strength of the flexible belt. Although the upper strand 62 is in tension between the idler pulley 52 and the first rotatable spindle 44, when material is being conveyed thereon, the weight of the material maintains the upper strand 62 in substantially the position illustrated in the drawings. Where desired, however, suitable idler pulleys may be positioned to abut the upper surface upper strand 62 to prevent excessive spillage of the material conveyed thereon.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, l have explained the principle, preferred construction and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiments. However,'l desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for conveying material from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station comprising,

a movable material receiving device operable to receive dislodged material discharged from a continuously advancing mining machine, 7

a first spindle mounted adjacent to a fixed discharge station,

a second spindle mounted adjacent to said fixed discharge station rearwardly ofsaid first spindle,

drive means to selectively rotate at least one of said spindles in a preselected direction,

a flexible belt having an end portion connected to said first spindle so that upon rotation of said first spindle in a preselected direction said flexible belt is coiled on said first spindle,

said flexible belt having a second end portion coiled on said second spindle so that upon rotation of said first spindle in a preselected direction said flexible belt is uncoiled from said second spindle,

an idler pulley connected to said movable receiving device,

said flexible belt having an intermediate portion reeved about said idler pulley forming a lower strand and an upper strand, said upper strand positioned in overlying and abutting relation with said lower strand, and

discharge means in said movable material receiving device to discharge material from said movable material receiving device onto the upper surface of said upper strand, said drive means operable to rotate said first spindle and move said upper strand intermediate portion toward said discharge station and convey said dislodged material positioned thereon toward said discharge station.

2. Apparatus for conveying material from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said movable material receiving device comprises a self propelled surge vehicle having a longitudinally extending material receiving compartment with a conveyor means positioned therein,

said surge vehicle arranged to receive dislodged ma terial from said mining machine and said conveyor means in said surge vehicle operable to move said dislodged material rearwardly within said material receiving compartment and discharge said dislodged material at a controlled rate onto the upper surface of said upper strand of said flexible belt.

3. Apparatus for conveying material from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth in claim 1 in which,

said flexible belt upper strand slides on the upper surface of said lower strand as said upper strand intermediate portion moves toward said discharge station.

4. Apparatus for conveying material from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth in claim 1 which includes,

a fixed conveyor means positioned at said discharge station, and

stationary plow means at said discharge station operable to transfer said dislodged material on said flexible belt upper strand onto said fixed conveyor means.

5. A method for conveying materials from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station comprising,

receiving dislodged material from a continuous mining machine in a movable material receiving device spaced from a fixed discharge station,

reeving a length of flexible belting around idler means connected to and movable with said movable receiving device and forming an upper strand portion and a lower strand portion,

connecting said upper strand portion to a first rotat able spindle adjacent to said discharge station and positioning the other end of said flexible belting as a coil on a second rotatable spindle mounted rearwardly of said first rotatable spindle away from said movable material receiving device,

discharging dislodged material at a controlled rate from said movable material receiving device onto the upper surface of said upper strand portion,

rotating said first rotatable spindle to coil said upper strand thereon and convey said material toward said discharge station while uncoiling said flexible belting from said second rotatable spindle, and

sliding said upper strand on said lower strand while conveying dislodged material from said movable material receiving device to said fixed discharge station.

6. A method for conveying materials from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth in claim 5 which includes,

7 Y 8 storing said dislodged material in said movable matestrand while said upper strand is moving in a direcrial receiving device while rotating said second tion toward said discharge station, and spindle to coil said lower strand thereon and uncoil storing dislodged material being discharged by said said flexible belting from said first rotatable spincontinuous mining machine in said material receivdle. ing device while said lower strand is moving toward 7. A method for conveying materials from a movable said discharge station. loading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth 8. A method for conveying materials from a movable in claim 5 which includes, loading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth continuously discharging material dislodged by said in claim 7 which includes,

continuous mining machine into said movable ma- 10 transferring said dislodged material from the upper terial receiving device, surface of said upper strand to another fixed condischarging dislodged material from said material reveying means at said discharge station. ceiving device onto the upper surface of said upper i $32353? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent vNo; 3,795,304 Dated March 5 1974 Inventm-(S) William N Poundstone It is eertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that sald Letters Patent are hereby corrected'as shown below:

In the claims,

Column 8, line 9 "as set forth in claim 7" should read -as set forth in claim 5-- Sign ed and sealed this 2nd day of July 1974' i (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M. FLETCHER,JR. C.MAI RSH1 \LL DANN Attesting Officer I Commlssloner of Patents

Claims

1. Apparatus for conveying material from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station comprising, a movable material receiving device operable to receive dislodged material discharged from a continuously advancing mining machine, a first spindle mounted adjacent to a fixed discharge station, a second spindle mounted adjacent to said fixed discharge station rearwardly of said first spindle, drive means to selectively rotate at least one of said spindles in a preselected direction, a flexible belt having an end portion connected to said first spindle so that upon rotation of said first spindle in a preselected direction said flexible belt is coiled on said first spindle, said flexible belt having a second end portion coiled on said second spindle so that upon rotation of said first spindle in a preselected direction said flexible belt is uncoiled from said second spindle, an idler pulley connected to said movable receiving device, said flexible belt having an intermediate portion reeved about said idler pulley forming a lower strand and an upper strand, said upper strand positioned in overlying and abutting relation with said lower strand, and discharge means in said movable material receiving device to discharge material from said movable material receiving device onto the upper surface of said upper strand, said drive means operable to rotate said first spindle and move said upper strand intermediate portion toward said discharge station and convey said dislodged material positioned thereon toward said discharge station.

2. Apparatus for conveying material from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth in claim 1 in which, said movable material receiving device comprises a self propelled surge vehicle having a longitudinally extending material receiving compartment with a conveyor means positioned therein, said surge vehicle arranged to receive dislodged materiAl from said mining machine and said conveyor means in said surge vehicle operable to move said dislodged material rearwardly within said material receiving compartment and discharge said dislodged material at a controlled rate onto the upper surface of said upper strand of said flexible belt.

3. Apparatus for conveying material from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth in claim 1 in which, said flexible belt upper strand slides on the upper surface of said lower strand as said upper strand intermediate portion moves toward said discharge station.

4. Apparatus for conveying material from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth in claim 1 which includes, a fixed conveyor means positioned at said discharge station, and stationary plow means at said discharge station operable to transfer said dislodged material on said flexible belt upper strand onto said fixed conveyor means.

5. A method for conveying materials from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station comprising, receiving dislodged material from a continuous mining machine in a movable material receiving device spaced from a fixed discharge station, reeving a length of flexible belting around idler means connected to and movable with said movable receiving device and forming an upper strand portion and a lower strand portion, connecting said upper strand portion to a first rotatable spindle adjacent to said discharge station and positioning the other end of said flexible belting as a coil on a second rotatable spindle mounted rearwardly of said first rotatable spindle away from said movable material receiving device, discharging dislodged material at a controlled rate from said movable material receiving device onto the upper surface of said upper strand portion, rotating said first rotatable spindle to coil said upper strand thereon and convey said material toward said discharge station while uncoiling said flexible belting from said second rotatable spindle, and sliding said upper strand on said lower strand while conveying dislodged material from said movable material receiving device to said fixed discharge station.

6. A method for conveying materials from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth in claim 5 which includes, storing said dislodged material in said movable material receiving device while rotating said second spindle to coil said lower strand thereon and uncoil said flexible belting from said first rotatable spindle.

7. A method for conveying materials from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth in claim 5 which includes, continuously discharging material dislodged by said continuous mining machine into said movable material receiving device, discharging dislodged material from said material receiving device onto the upper surface of said upper strand while said upper strand is moving in a direction toward said discharge station, and storing dislodged material being discharged by said continuous mining machine in said material receiving device while said lower strand is moving toward said discharge station.

8. A method for conveying materials from a movable loading station to a fixed discharge station as set forth in claim 7 which includes, transferring said dislodged material from the upper surface of said upper strand to another fixed conveying means at said discharge station.