GB2034370A - Mineral mining installation - Google Patents

Abstract

The installation comprises a series of stools 14 arranged along the length of a working mineral face and a track 16 comprising a generally U-shaped cross section member arranged within the stools with the mouth of the member directed towards the face. A mineral mining machine is fitted in the track and is hauled to and fro across the face by at least one motor in the roadway(s). The track is pivotable to enable the machine to be steered. Preferably a rack 18 is located in the track and a pinion 24 on the machine engages with the rack. The pinion drives the cutting tool 26, either directly or through a gear box. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mineral mining equipment and mineral mining installation This invention relates to mineral mining equipment, and in particular to a longwall mining installation including a mining machine having a cutting tool which is actuated by a rotary drive.

A typical installation for winning a mineral from a longwall face comprises a mining machine arranged on a track, usually an armoured face conveyor, on which it may be traversed to and fro across the face by a haulage system. The track is connected to a series of roof supports by a series of advancing rams. The roof supports comprise a roof abuting member urged into abutment with the roof of the seam by at least two hydraulic rams. The roof abuting member extends beyond the rams towards the face, overhanging the conveyor thereby to protect the conveyor and the machine from damage by rock falling from the roof. The roof supports also provide a space through which operators may pass to supervise the operation of the installation.The advancing rams are used in conjunction with the roof support rams to advance the track towards the face in a manner generally known as ' "snaking".

The machine may be traversed on the track by use of a chain haulage system, either comprising an endless chain driven by a motor in one roadway, tensioned by a device in the other roadway and passing over a pulley system on the machine, or comprising a chain fixedly anchored and tensioned in the roadways, along which the machine hauls itself by use of a motor-driven pulley mounted on the machine. Alternatively the machine may be traversed by use of a chainless haulage system, such as a ram propulsion or rack and pinion system.

Generally the machine has on it a motor which causes a cutting tool on the machine to rotate and cut the mineral. A normal cutting tool, such as a shearer or trepanner cuts a deep web, up to 1 metre deep, of mineral, and is powered by a large motor. The machine also has on it water syrays for suppressing the dust formed during the mineral cutting operations. The machine may also include steering rams which move the cutting tool such that it cuts only into the mineral and not into the surrounding rock strata.

Power is supplied to the machine by hydraulic and/or electric cables which are dragged behind the machine as it traverses the face.

Such an installation has many disadvantages. The roof supports are heavy, bulky and incorporate a number of hydraulic rams. They are therefore difficult to manhandle and expensive. The hoses and/or cables which supply dust suppression water, and electrical and/or hydraulic power to the machine are easily snagged or become kinked and knuckled. They therefore frequently break and need replacing. This increases the amount of productive time lost during a mining operation. The machines themselves are heavy, because they generally carry drive motors both for hauling the machine across the face and for driving the cutting tool.

It has been proposed to reduce the weight of the machine by providing the drive to actuate the cutting tool, where the tool is actuated by a rotary drive, by use of a motor in one of the roadways connected to a spool on the cutting tool by a drive chain or cable.

This sort of tool drive also requires the use of a chain tensioning device in the other roadway. British Patent No.'s 944 882, 986 347 and 1 020 11 3 disclose mining installations incorporating a remote drive for the cutting tool. However this type ot system nas the disadvantage that it requires two drive motors, one for the haulage system and one for the tool drive, in one roadway and two chain tensioning devices in the other roadway.

The face end areas are therefore cramped and working is made difficult. This type of system also has the disadvantages inherent with the use of chain haulages (see later).

An alternative system involves the use of a static chain tool drive. A chain is fixedly secured and tensioned across the face by devices in the roadways. The chain passes over a spool or sprocket connected to the cutting tool on the machine. The machine is traversed across the face by a chain haulage system and as the spool moves along the static chain, the cutting tool is actuated. A system of this type is disclosed in British Patent No. 1 11 8 883. This system also involves the use of chains both for haulage and for actuating the cutting tool. This is disadvantageous because it necessitates the location of drive, anchoring or tensioning device in the roadways, thus reducing available working space. Also, either of the chains may snap during operation and whip about in the face area.This can endanger and injure operatives in the area, damage machinery, and cause long stoppages in the mining operation while the chain or the damaged machinery is required or replaced.

Another disadvantage of presently used longwall mining installations is that it is necessary to have at least one operator along the face, and usually at least two. The operator(s) must supervise the working of the machine, including steering the machine, activate the advancing rams to "snake" the conveyor towards the face and to prevent, as far as possible, any kinking or knuckling of the hoses and/or cables. The operator is therefore exposed to a hazardous and unpleasant environment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mineral mining installation which at least partly overcomes the disadvantages mentioned above.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided mineral mining equipment comprising a series of stools adapted, in use, to be arranged along the length of a working face in a mineral seam, and a track, comprising a generally U-shaped cross section member, adapted, in use, to be arranged within the stools with the mouth of the member directed towards the face so that a mineral winning machine is able to traverse the track to win mineral from the face, at least a portion of the track, in use, being movable relative to at least one of the stools, thereby to steer the machine during at least part of its traverse across the face.

The stools of the present invention are distinct from conventional roof supports in that they do not comprise hydraulic rams, they are light and may be less wide than the roof supports. Preferably a shield assembly is provided on the side of each stool which, in use, is remote from the face. Advantageously, in use, adjacent shields abut one another.

Conveniently each stool comprises an operator passage along which an operator may travel to monitor and control the operation of the installation. However it is envisaged that the installation may be automatically controlled, obviating the need for any operators on the face. If an operator passage is provided it is preferably adapted to receive a sealable carriage in which the operator may travel. The carriage will be supplied with a filtered or selfcontained air supply, thus obviating the need for dust suppression on the face.

Preferably each stool comprises a pair of similar frames connected to each other by one or more cross-members, each pair of frames having an advancing ram and a steering ram (see later).

Preferably a flexible seal such as a rubber strip, is mounted on the top edge of each shield and is adapted, in use, to abut the roof so that won mineral cannot be lost behind the shield.

Preferably, the equipment includes a conveyor, which is advantageously articulated, and which is adapted, in use, to be arranged along the face within the stools.

Preferably the track is articulated and, conveniently one section thereof is mounted within each one of the stools. Advantageously, the track or each section thereof is pivotally mounted and is movable about its pivot point by use of a steering ram connected between each stool and the track or the section thereof.

Advantageously the equipment includes at least one mineral winning machine adapted, in use, to be hauled to and fro across the face and within the track. Preferably the machine includes a rotary cutting tool adapted, in use, to cut mineral from the face.

Conveniently the or each machine is hauled across the face by a haulage motor located in a roadway adjacent the face, the motor being operatively connected to the or each machine by a chain, cable, rope or similar haulage member.

Rope haulage is preferred because it is possible to achieve easily the desired rate of traverse of the machine across the face, which may be at least 70 feet per minute and advantageously will be at least 100 feet per minute. Other haulage systems may be used but these are less preferred because they may not be able to achieve the necessary speeds and they would require a motor on and therefore power cables leading to the machine.

Preferably the machine is mounted on skids or wheels adapted to run along the track.

Conveniently the skids or wheels include bearings for supporting the drive shaft for the cutting tool.

Preferably, the machine has a rotatable pinion adapted, in use, to engage with a rack associated with the track, the pinion being operatively connected to the rotary cutting tool such that, in use, as the machine is hauled to and fro along the track, the interaction of the rack and the pinion causes the actuation of the cutting tool. Advantageously, the rack is located within the track.

The rack generally comprises a series of evenly spaced pockets or abutments formed in or attached to a member, which may be attached to or part of the track. For instance, the rack may comprise a single steel casting or may comprise a series of abutments held in spaced apart relationship between a pair of steel plates. Alternatively, the rack may comprise a series of teeth fixed onto or integrally cast into the member.

The pinion, which in this specification denotes any arrangement adapted to engage with a rack and not just a single wheel, may comprise any of the following, the choice of pinion depending to a certain extent on the type of rack used: A simple toothed wheel, the teeth being adapted to engage with the pockets of the rack. The wheel may be mounted on a shaft with its axis either vertical or horizontal with respect to the face. The pockets in the rack will necessarily be arranged to enable the teeth to engage the rack; An endless armoured chain having on the outside of its links a series of evenly spaced teeth adapted to engage with the pockets in the rack; An endless link chain adapted to engage with the pockets in the rack. In this case the pockets in the rack will have to be shaped so that alternate links in the chain, which necessarily have their planes at right angles, can be accommodated in the rack; or An endless Reynolds chain adapted to en gage with teeth protruding from the track.

Where the pinion is in the form of a chain, the chain is arranged around a series of sprockets, one of which has on it a shaft which is operably connected to the cutting tool. Generally the chains are arranged such that they engage with a horizontal rack having vertically orientated teeth or pockets. It is also necessary in these cases to provide a guide means and a retaining means which together ensure that the chain engages correctly with the rack and that it remains operably engaged with the rack.

Where necessary, the pinion may be operably connected to the cutting tool through a gear box, although this may slightly reduce the efficiency of the machine. The gear box may have two functions. Firstly it may increase or decrease the speed of rotation so that the tool rotates faster or slower than the pinion, as the circumstances require. Secondly it may include a reversing device whereby at the end of a traverse of the face the drive to the tool is reversed, thereby ensuring that the cuttting tool is actuated in the same direction irrespective of the direction of movement of the machine. This is necessary where the cutting tool is for instance a shearer wherein power loading and mineral cutting are only achieved if the shearer drum rotates in one direction.

However it is preferred that the cutting tool is driven directly from the pinion. In this case it is necessary to have on the cutting tool two sets of picks arranged so that while the machine is travelling in one direction one set of picks is adapted to cut mineral and the other set is adapted to be disengaged from the mineral, and vice versa.

The picks are preferably mounted on a simple cutting disc which is adapted to cut a shallow web, for instance up to about 1 5 cm deep. The pick tip speed is determined by the speed the machine is hauled across the face, the size of the cutting disc and the size of the pinion. The pick tip speed is generally set for any given installation by selection of a suitably sized pinion. If it is not possible to use a suitably sized pinion, due to the size limitations set by the size of the cutting tool drive shaft, it will be necessary to use a gear box to achieve the required pick-tip speed.

Preferably the equipment includes a beam or other staking member adapted, in use, to be arranged adjacent and parallel to the face and to be connected to advancing rams on the stools so that the stools may be advanced towards the face in a manner known as "snaking". If the winning machine is not a power loader type machine the advance of the stools may also cause the won mineral to be pushed onto the conveyor. The beam may be connected to the conveyor or may be staked in the roadways, but is preferably only connected to the advancing rams.

Advantageously the equipment includes two winning machine as described above joined together by a chain and hauled to and fro across the face by a pair of opposed motors, one being located in each roadway.

Conveniently the track has an inwardly facing flange on the end of each arm of the Ushaped member to maintain the machine in the track.

Preferably the rack is formed in or mounted on the inside of the lower arm of the Ushaped member and the guide for the pinion is mounted on the inside of the upper arm.

Conveniently the equipment includes a sealable carriage in which, in use, an operator may travel to and fro across the face to monitor and control the installation. Preferably the carriage includes an air filter or a selfcontained air supply.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mineral mining installation comprising equipment as described above with reference to the first aspect of the invention.

Preferably the installation includes dust suppression devices. In the case where a sealable carriage is provided, it is only necessary to provide these at the face ends, and they may comprise water sprays or other conventional devices. The installation may also include such other conventional devices as stage loader conveyors, roadway conveyors and chain tensioners as the particular design of the installation requires. However, these are known pieces of equipment and do not form an integral part of the invention.

It is envisaged that the present invention will be of particular, but not exclusive use, in the coal mining industry, although it may also find use in other mining industries.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 shows a plan view partly in two sections, of one end of a mining installation including equipment according to the present invention; Figure 2shows a simplified sectional view along line A-A of Fig. 1; and Figure 3 shows a simplified front view of a part of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the Figures, the mining installation comprises a plurality of stools 1 arranged adjacent a longwall face 2 which has a roadway (only one of which is shown in Fig.

1) 30 at each end thereof. (The installation is symmetrical except that only one stage loader is used). Each stool 1 comprises a shield 3 formed of three steel plates welded onto two frames 4 which are held in spaced apart parallel relationship by cross-members 5. The stools 1 are arranged with adjacent shields 3 abutting. Each shield 3 has on its top edge a flexible rubber strip 6 which tightly abuts the roof of the mine. An advancing ram 7 is mounted on each pair of cross-members 5 and a steering ram 8 is pivotally mounted on a leg of one of each pair of frames 4 of the stools 1.

The frames 4 define a forward path 9 and a return path 10 for a conveyor 11, a track path 12, and an operator passage 1 3. The conveyor 11 is articulated and is arranged in the paths 9 and 10 parallel to the face 2, so that it may collect won mineral from the face floor (in a manner described below) and discharge it onto a stage loader 14 located in the roadway 30. A beam 1 5 is located in the forward path 9 adjacent and parallel to the conveyor 11, and is attached to the advancing rams 7. Although the beam 5 is shown here connected only to the rams 7, it is possible to have the beam 1 5 staked in the roadways or attached to the conveyor 11.

An articulated track 1 6 comprising a substantially U-shaped member having its mouth towards the face 2, is pivotally mounted in the track-path and is pivotally connected to each of the steering rams 8 on the stool 1. An inwardly-facing flange 1 7 is fixed onto the end of each of the arms of the track 16, an articulated rack 1 8 is fixed onto the inside of the lower (as seen in the Figures) arm of the track 16, and a U-shaped pinion guide 1 9 is fixed onto the inside of the upper arm of the track 1 6 parallel and opposed to the rack 18.

The track 16, rack 18 and guide 1 9 all extend parallel to the face 2. The rack 18 comprises a series of evenly spaced pockets 20.

A winning machine, comprising a pair of spaced apart parallel skids 21, 22 is mounted in the track 16. A shaft 23 is rotatably mounted in one of the skids 21 and passes through a bearing in the other 22. A pinion 24 is fixed onto the shaft 23, and a cutting disc 25 is mounted on the free end of the shaft 23. The spacings of the skids 21, 22 and the pinion 24 are such that the skids 21, 22 are disposed on either side of the rack 18 and guide 1 9 and the pinion 24 engages with the rack 1 8. The pinion 24 comprises a toothed wheel, the teeth being spaced so that they can, in use, interact with the pockets 20 in the rack 1 8. The cutting disc 25 has two sets of picks 26 mounted on its periphery and is adapted, in use, to cut a web of up to 1 5 cm. depth.The picks 26 are mounted such that one set of picks only wins mineral as the machine, in use, is traversed in one direction across the face, and vice versa.

Couplings (not shown) are provided on the skid 22 whereby haulage ropes 27, 28 are attached to the machine. The rope 27 is connected to a haulage motor 29 located in the roadway 30, and the rope 28 is connected to a similar motor located in the other roadway (not shown). The haulage motors are adapted to haul the machine to and fro across the face at a speed of about 100 feet per minute, and the spacings of the pockets 20 and teeth and the size of the pinion 18 are related to the diameter of the disc 25, to give the required pick-tip speed.

At each end of the face 2 there is provided a dust suppression water spray (not shown) and various other pieces of conventional equipment (not shown) which will vary with the requirements of a particular face, and will be obvious to any person skilled in the art.

The installation may also include a sealable carriage (not shown) in which an operator may travel across the face in the operator passage 1 3 to monitor and control the installation.

Alternatively the operator may crawl or walk through the operator passage 1 3 (depending on the height of the face). In this case there will need to be dust suppression equipment on the face, or the operator will need to wear a gas mask or air filter so that he does not have to respire dust.

Beginning from the position shown in Fig.

1, the installation is used in the following way to win mineral, for instance coal, from the face 2. The haulage motor 29 is actuated to haul the machine from right to left as seen in Fig. 1 at a speed of about 100 feet per minute. The other haulage motor is set to allow the rope 28 to be drawn out under slight tension to prevent snagging or looping.

As the machine moves, the pinion 24 interacts with the rack 1 8 causing the shaft 23 and therefore the disc 25 to rotate. As the machine moves along, one set of the picks 26 wins mineral from the face 2, the mineral falling either onto the floor or onto the conveyor 11. No mineral can fall behind the shield 3 because of the strips 6. As the machine passes any one of the stools 1 the advancing ram 7 is actuated to retract its piston rod. As it does so the stool 1 moves towards the face 2 because the beam 1 5 is held in place by the remaining stools 1. As the stool 1 moves towards the face 2 won mineral is pushed onto the conveyor 11 and is transported via the stage loader 14 and a roadway conveyor (not shown) either to a storage bunker or out of the mine directly.

When the machine has completed a traverse of the face, all the advancing rams are actuated to extend their piston rods, causing the beam 15, which is no longer anchored by the stools 1, to move towards the face 2. The other haulage motor is the roadway is then set to haul on rope 28 and the first motor 30 is set to allow the rope 1 7 to be hauled out under slight tension. The machine therefore moves in the opposite direction, and the other set of the picks 26 win mineral from the face 2.

The machine may be steered, to enable efficient mining of an undulating face, by use of steering rams 8, which are actuated to cause the track 1 6 to pivot about its mounting and vary the angle of attack of the machine.

The rams 7 and 8 may be operated automatically in response to signals from sensors mounted on the machine or on the installation. However, it is envisaged that the control of the installation will be by an operator moving along the operator passage 13, preferably inside a sealable carriage, behind the machine.

The installation may include another similar machine mounted on the track 1 6 and connected to the first machine by a further rope which is just less than half the length of the face 2. The machines would be hauled in tandem across the face to win the coal.

The installation of the present invention has the advantage that it uses a light machine to which no power or dust suppression water supply cables are attached, a simple light inexpensive stool for carrying the track and a shield, and a lightweight conveyor.

CLAIMS (10 Nov 1978) 1. Mineral mining equipment comprising a series of stools adapted, in use, to be arranged along the length of a working face in a mineral seam, and a track comprising a generally U-shaped cross-section member directed towards the face so that a mineral winning machine is able to traverse the track to win mineral from the face, at least a portion of the track being, in use, movable relative to at least one of the stools, thereby to steer the machine during at least part of its traverse of the face.

2. Equipment as claimed in claim 1, and including a shield assembly provided on the side of the stools which, in use, is remote from the face.

3. Equipment as claimed in either claim 1 or 2, further comprising a conveyor adapted, in use, to be arranged within the stools along the face.

4. Equipment as claimed in claim 3, in which the conveyor is articulated.

5. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the track is articulated.

6. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the at least one portion of the track is pivotable relative to the at least one of the stools.

7. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one mineral winning machine adapted, in use, to move within and along the track.

8. Equipment as claimed in claim 7, further including at least one haulage motor adapted, in use, to be located in a roadway adjacent the face and to be connected to the at least one machine by a haulage member, thereby to haul the at least one machine across the face.

9. Equipment according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a stationary rack adapted, in use, to be drivably engaged with a pinion operatively connected to a rotary cutting tool on the at least one machine, whereby as the at least one machine traverses the track the interaction of the rack and the pinion drives the cutting tool.

10. Equipment as claimed in claim 9, in which the rack comprises a series of equally spaced abutments arranged in sequence along the face.

11. Equipment as claimed in either claim 9 or 10, in which the rack is located within the track.

1 2. Equipment as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, further comprising a pinion guide.

1 3. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an elongate staking member adapted, in use, to be arranged along the face within the stools and to be connected to each stool through an advancing ram, whereby the stools are able to be sequentially advanced towards the face.

14. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an operator passage extending along the face within the stools.

15. Equipment as claimed in claim 14, further comprising an operator carriage adapted, in use, to move along the operator passage.

16. Mineral mining equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 7. A mineral mining installation comprising mineral mining equipment according to any one of the preceding claims.

CLAIMS (17 May 1979) 1. Mineral mining equipment comprising, a series of stools for arrangement along a working face in a mineral seam to define a passage extending substantially parallel to the working face, conveyor means for arrangement lengthwise in the passage, a machine track separate from the conveyor means for arrangement adjacent the passage and along which a mining machine is traversable to win mineral from the working face, at least a portion of the track being movable relative to at least one of the stools, thereby to steer the machine during at least part of its traverse of the working face, and a shield assembly carried by the stools.

2. Mineral mining equipment as claimed in claim 1, in which the track is a generally Ushaped cross-section member having its open end directed towards the face.

3. Mineral mining equipment according to claim 1 or 2, in which the conveyor is articulated.

4. Mineral mining equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the track is articulated.

5. Mineral mining equipment according to

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (16)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. The rams 7 and 8 may be operated automatically in response to signals from sensors mounted on the machine or on the installation. However, it is envisaged that the control of the installation will be by an operator moving along the operator passage 13, preferably inside a sealable carriage, behind the machine. The installation may include another similar machine mounted on the track 1 6 and connected to the first machine by a further rope which is just less than half the length of the face 2. The machines would be hauled in tandem across the face to win the coal. The installation of the present invention has the advantage that it uses a light machine to which no power or dust suppression water supply cables are attached, a simple light inexpensive stool for carrying the track and a shield, and a lightweight conveyor. CLAIMS (10 Nov 1978)

1. Mineral mining equipment comprising a series of stools adapted, in use, to be arranged along the length of a working face in a mineral seam, and a track comprising a generally U-shaped cross-section member directed towards the face so that a mineral winning machine is able to traverse the track to win mineral from the face, at least a portion of the track being, in use, movable relative to at least one of the stools, thereby to steer the machine during at least part of its traverse of the face.

2. Equipment as claimed in claim 1, and including a shield assembly provided on the side of the stools which, in use, is remote from the face.

3. Equipment as claimed in either claim 1 or 2, further comprising a conveyor adapted, in use, to be arranged within the stools along the face.

4. Equipment as claimed in claim 3, in which the conveyor is articulated.

5. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the track is articulated.

6. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the at least one portion of the track is pivotable relative to the at least one of the stools.

7. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one mineral winning machine adapted, in use, to move within and along the track.

8. Equipment as claimed in claim 7, further including at least one haulage motor adapted, in use, to be located in a roadway adjacent the face and to be connected to the at least one machine by a haulage member, thereby to haul the at least one machine across the face.

9. Equipment according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a stationary rack adapted, in use, to be drivably engaged with a pinion operatively connected to a rotary cutting tool on the at least one machine, whereby as the at least one machine traverses the track the interaction of the rack and the pinion drives the cutting tool.

10. Equipment as claimed in claim 9, in which the rack comprises a series of equally spaced abutments arranged in sequence along the face.

11. Equipment as claimed in either claim 9 or 10, in which the rack is located within the track.

1 2. Equipment as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, further comprising a pinion guide.

1 3. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an elongate staking member adapted, in use, to be arranged along the face within the stools and to be connected to each stool through an advancing ram, whereby the stools are able to be sequentially advanced towards the face.

14. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an operator passage extending along the face within the stools.

15. Equipment as claimed in claim 14, further comprising an operator carriage adapted, in use, to move along the operator passage.

16. A mineral mining installation comprising mineral mining equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 1 5.

16. Mineral mining equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 7. A mineral mining installation comprising mineral mining equipment according to any one of the preceding claims.

CLAIMS (17 May 1979)

1. Mineral mining equipment comprising, a series of stools for arrangement along a working face in a mineral seam to define a passage extending substantially parallel to the working face, conveyor means for arrangement lengthwise in the passage, a machine track separate from the conveyor means for arrangement adjacent the passage and along which a mining machine is traversable to win mineral from the working face, at least a portion of the track being movable relative to at least one of the stools, thereby to steer the machine during at least part of its traverse of the working face, and a shield assembly carried by the stools.

2. Mineral mining equipment as claimed in claim 1, in which the track is a generally Ushaped cross-section member having its open end directed towards the face.

3. Mineral mining equipment according to claim 1 or 2, in which the conveyor is articulated.

4. Mineral mining equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the track is articulated.

5. Mineral mining equipment according to

any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the track is pivotable relative to at least one of the stools.

6. Mineral mining equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising at least one mineral winning machine which is movable along the track.

7. Mineral mining equipment as claimed in claim 6, further including at least one haulage motor for location in a roadway adjacent the face and for connection to the at least one machine by a haulage member thereby to haul the at least one machine across the face.

8. Mineral mining equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a stationary rack for drivable engagement with a pinion operatively connected to a rotary cutting tool on the at least one machine, whereby as the at least one machine traverses the track the interaction of the rack and the pinion drives the cutting tool.

9. Mineral mining equipment as claimed in claim 8, in which the rack comprises a series of equally spaced abutments arranged in sequence along the face.

10. Mineral mining equipment as claimed in claim 8 or 9 when dependent on claim 2, in which the rack is located with the track.

11. Mineral mining equipment as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10 when dependent on claim 2, further comprising a pinion guide.

1 2. Mineral mining equipment as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 11, further comprising an elongate staking member for arrangement along the face within the stools and for connection to each stool through an advancing ram, whereby the stools are able to be sequentially advanced towards the face.

1 3. Mineral mining equipment as claimed in.any one of claims 1 to 12, in which the stools also define an operator passage extending along the face.

14. Mineral mining equipment as claimed in Claim 13, further comprising an operator carriage for movement along the operator passage.

15. Mineral mining equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.