GB2169941A - Mining machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A mining machine (1) comprising an elongate machine body (2), first and second positionally adjustable ranging arms (23) each pivotally supported at one arm end and at the other arm end carrying a rotary cutting drum (26) with the arms (23) each extending towards opposite ends of the machine body (2), and a transmission extending along each arm (23) to its drum (26) from a drive shaft (17) common to both transmissions and extending laterally with respect to the machine body (2) at a mid-length zone of the machine body (2). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mining machine This invention relates to a mining machine. The machine may be of the shearer type, adapted to be traversed to and fro along a mineral face for mineral winning purposes, but may additionally, in certain circumstances be used to advance a mine roadway.

Conventional shearer type machines comprise a body portion, usually of modular construction, carried on a sub-frame, with one end module in the case of a single-ended machine or both end modules in the case of a double-ended machine constituting a gearhead and being provided with a rotary cutting head carried by a ranging arm. The sub-frame, and hence machine, is mounted on, and/ or guided by, the individual, unit length line pans of an armoured scraper chain conveyor extending along the mineral face, the pans being advanceable, in accordance with the rate of face advance, in the well known manner by means of double-acting advancing rams connected between the pans and a series of hydraulically powered, self-advancing mine roof supports located along the goaf side of the conveyor.

After removing a web of mineral in a cutting run, it is necessary to manoeuvre the machine into position for removal of the next web. It is possible that a single ended machine may be of sufficiently short overall length that it can be located wholly within the width of a previously prepared gate road at an end of the face. Thus, if the machine length, the gate road width and to some extent the gate road height permit, the machine may be simply pushed forwards along the gate road, by a distance corresponding to the web widths being removed, by suitably extending the advancing rams, so that the drum may advantageously attack the buttock of the next web.However, few installations permit this, as double-ended shearers are in more common use, these having overall lengths far exceeding gate road widths, so that a time consuming conveyor manipulation is necessary so that the drum makes an angled and gradual penetration into the next web.

According to the present invention, there is provided a mining machine comprising an elongate machine body, first and second positionally adjustable ranging arms each pivotally supported at one arm end and at the other arm end carrying a rotary cutting drum with the arms each extending towards opposite ends of the machine body, and a transmission extending along each arm to its drum from a drive shaft common to both transmissions and extending laterally with respect to the machine body at a mid-length zone of the machine body.

The machine in accordance with the invention, in its shearer mode, provides a double-drum, bidirectional shearer, which because ofthe machine configuration, can readily be constructed of relatively short length so that the machine can be run across a standard width gate road, for advance bodily along the gate road by a distance corresponding to the web widths being won, with the cutting/trimming action of each cutting drum being independently controllable. In its roadway advancing mode, the machine remains of course within the roadway until the required drivage has been completed, whereupon the machine is returned to mineral winning duties by the leading drum being presented to the next web to be removed.

It is advantageous, for mineral loading purposes, if at least a portion of the leading end of the leading drum is located in advance of the leading end of the machine. It is also advantageous for mineral loading purposes if the leading drum cuts in a floor-to-roof direction. rurthermore, the drums may be rotatable in opposite directions, and to achieve this the two arms may be of differing lengths, with the longer arm incorporating an additional, idler gear. The machine is equally suitable for retreat or advance mining.

Although the ranging arms may be arranged for pivotal movement about a common lateral axis, preferably they are each pivotally attached, also about lateral axes, towards opposite ends of a primary arm, interposed between the ranging arms and the machine body. The primary arm receives the drive shaft and incorporates a transmission from the drive shaft to each ranging arm. The primary arm may also be pivotally mounted with respect to the machine body. Controi of the angular positions of each ranging arm is conveniently effected by a double-acting piston and cylinder unit, which, if a primary arm is present, may be carried by the primary arm and attached to each ranging arm. The transmissions along the ranging arms conveniently comprise a train of spur gears, as does the transmissions of the primary arm.

The machine body preferably incorporates a prime mover in the form of an electric motor, preferably rotatable about a laterally extending axis to avoid the need for a bevel gear set, with a speed reduction transmission extending from the output shaft of the motor to the drive shaft. An additional gearwheel may be in mesh with one pinion of the speed reduction transmission, to power a hydraulic pump, to provide hydraulic pressure fluid for various components on the machine e.g., the ranging arm piston and cylinder units. Primary however, the pump may be employed to drive a hydraulic motor of a machine haulage system. In detail, the motor may drive a haulage sprocket, in mesh with a rack or chain extending along the conveyor, via a mechanical speed reduction unit.

One embodiment of machine in accordance with the invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a portion of a shearertype mining machine in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 is a side view of the arms looking from goaf to face.

In the drawings is illustrated a shearer type mining machine 1 comprising a machine body 2, only partially illustrated, which is slidably mounted on, and guided by an armoured scraper chain conveyor 3 made up from a plurality of individual line pans 4 and seated on a mine floor 5. A mine roof is indicated at 6. A mineral face is indicated at 7 and the goaf area at 8. The machine is removing a web 9 of mineral e.g., coal, and the machine 1 is shown as it is about to complete a cutting run and to enter a roadway 10 having a face 11 and a roof 12.

The machine body 2 is elongate extending longitudinally of the conveyor 3 and having a longitudinal axis 13, within the machine body 2 is housed, inter alia a prime mover in the form of an electric motor 14 having an output shaft driving a geared transmission 15 to a speed reduction gearbox 16. An output shaft 17 from the gearbox 16 projects from the face side of the machine 1 and enters a primary arm 18 to drive a first spur gear 19 of two transmissions 20, 21 each comprising a train of spur gears. Towards each opposite end of the primary arm 18 is pivotally attached, about laterally extending axes 22, a ranging arm 23, pivotable under the control of a double-acting hydraulic piston and cylinder unit 24 carried by the primary arm 18.An output shaft 25 from each opposite end ofthe primary arm 18 drives a first spur gear of a transmission comprising a train of spur gears extending along each ranging arm 23, to drive a pick-armed rotary cutting drum 26 mounted on each ranging arm 23.

In use, the machine 1 is hauled to and fro along the conveyor 3 by an on-board machine haulage system (not shown) of known kind, comprising a motor - electric or hydraulic-- housed within the machine body 2 at the opposite side of the gearbox 16 to the motor 14, usually with a speed reduction gearbox, and tgrminating in at least one haulage sprocket (not shown) engaging a rack 27 carried by and extending along the conveyor 3. The machine 1 illustrated is of course being hauled from left to right, and when removal of the web 9 has been completed, the machine 1 continues into the roadway 10 and is advanced along the roadway, by advancing the conveyor3 in the conventional manner, by a distance corresponding for example to the width of the next web to be removed, thereby to expose a trailing curing drum 26, which in this return direction now becomes the leading cutting drum.

Claims (21)

1. A mining machine comprising an elongate machine body, first and second positionally adjustable ranging arms each pivotally supported at one arm end and atthe other arm end carrying a rotary cutting drum with the arms each extending towards opposite ends of the machine body, and a transmission extending along each arm to its drum from a drive shaR common to both transmissions and extending laterallywith respect to the machine body at a mid-length zone of the machine body.

2. A machine as claimed in Claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the leading end of the leading drum is located in advance of the leading end of the machine.

3. A machine as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the leading drum cuts in a floor-to-roof direction.

4. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the drums are rotatable in opposite directions.

5. A machine as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the ranging arms are of the same length.

6. A machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the ranging arms are of differing lengths.

7. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the ranging arms are arranged for pivotal movement about a common lateral axis.

8. A machine as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the ranging arms are each pivotally.

attached, also about lateral axes, towards opposite ends of a primary arm, interposed between the ranging arms and the machine body.

9. A machine as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the primary arm receives the drive shaft and incorporates a transmission from the drive shaft to each ranging arm.

10. A machine as claimed in Claim 8 or Claim 9, wherein the primary arm is also pivotally mounted with respect to the machine body.

11. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claims, wherein control of the angular positions of each ranging arm is conveniently effected by a double-acting piston and cylinder unit.

12. A machine as claimed in Claim 11, when appendant to any one of Claims 8 to 11, wherein the piston and cylinder units are carried by the primary arm and attached to each ranging arm.

13. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the transmission along the ranging arms comprise a train of spur gears.

14. A machine as claimed in Claim 8 and any Claim appendant thereto, wherein the transmissions of the primary arm comprises a train of spur gears.

15. A machine as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the machine body incorporates a prime mover in the form of an electric motor.

16. A machine as claimed in Claim 15, wherein the electric motor is rotatable about a laterally extending axis.

17. A machine as claimed in Claim 15 or 16, wherein a speed reduction transmission extends from the output shaft of the motor to the drive shaft.

18. A machine as claimed in Claim 17, wherein an additional gearwheel is in mesh with one pinion of the speed reduction transmission, to power a hydraulic pump.

19. A machine as claimed in Claim 18, comprising a machine haulage system incorporating an hydraulic motor drivable by the pump.

20. A machine as claimed in Claim 19, wherein the hydraulic motor drives a haulage sprocket, in mesh with a rack or chain extending along the conveyor, via a mechanical speed reduction unit.

21. A mining machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.