US1588563A - Mining machine - Google Patents

Description

June 15 192 7 1588,563

W. J. WILSON MINING MACHINE Filed Dec. 19, N921 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 15,1926.

W. J. WILSON MINING MACHINE Fife Dec. 19, 1921' v sheets sheet 2 June 15,1926. 1,588,563

W. J. WILSQN MINING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1-9, 1921 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 will June 15 1926.

w. J. WILSON MINING MACHINE "7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 19, 1921 I I 1 I J," E ii I M i I I k 46 a M:

walienl ZUZ'ZJWZ June 15 1926. (A

w. J. WILSON MINING MACHINE Filed Dec. 19, 1921 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 ilfqlf er J Wilson June 15 1926."

W. J. WILSON MINING 'MACHINE- Filed Dec. 19, 1921 '7 sh eets sheet 6 June 15 1926. 1,588,563

w. J. WILSON MINING MACHINE Filed Dec. 19, 1921- 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 7 il/alfcrJZUZZS Patented June 15, 1926.

miner in mining coal or the like. Further UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

wanna wmsou, or 5 m, rm'msnvanin.

' me nom- Application ma December 19, 1921. Serial no. 523,453.

This invention relates to a combined minin the principal objects of the invention is to simulate the picking action of an individual objects of the invention are: to provide improved means for carrying the cutters into the material to be mined; to rovide breaking down means between t e cutters; to provide improved means for carrying away the material mined; 'to provide adjustable means for carrying the cutting chains; to provide adjustable means for confining the material mined until it is withdrawn by the loading mechanism; and in general, to pro-' duce the machine herein shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention; Fig; 2 is a side elevation of such a machine; 'Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a top view of one of the cutter arms; Fig. 5 is a side elevation; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the cutter bits and itsvholder; Fig. 7 is a section taken on'the line 77 of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is a modification illustrating a shoe in place of a wheel for supporting the cutter arms; Fig. 9 illustrates a machine like Fig. 2 with a modified form of cutting arm; Fig. 10 illustrates a modification in which the cutting arms are raised by a separate power device; and Fig. 11 is a plan view of the machine shown by Fi 10. a

n this invention the cutting chains of each arm and the cutting bits-of each chain are staggered relatively with respect to the adjacent ones, so that a variable picking action is produced, andin addition, each cutting chain is given a waving movement and also an eccentric oscillating movement so that the chainsas a whole are advanced and withdrawn alternately with respect to the face of the work. 'Each bit link is also provided with a projection which acts as a conveyor pocket to carry the broken-down material to the loading conveyor. The raising or lowering of the cutting arms may be effected by manual or motor power, and

suitable driving means and connections are 7 provided for operating the various mech anisms from a slngle drivingmotor.

and loading machine, and one of carriage in t Referring now more particularlyto the drawmgs, a shdmg mac for supporting 'a roof jack 3 and a machine rack 4. A machine carria e 5 is slidably mounted in the frame, and as a worm gear 6 to en age the rack 4 for moving the e frame. A motor 7 mountedupon the carriage has a geared connection 8 witli a jack shaft 9 upon which is a driv-,

ing. gear 10 connected by a driving chain 11 wlth'a'movable'driver 12 loosely mounted upon a cross shaft 13. A gear 14 is also mounted upon the jack shaft 9 and it is connected by means of a driving chain 15 with a sprocket 16 upon the cutting chain drive shaft .17.' A clutch 18 controls the engagement of the gear 14 with the jack shaft 9. On the cross shaft 13 is a "feed worm 19 engaging with a gear 20 on a shaft 21 upon whlch the worm gear 6 is mounted for movmg the machine carriage with respect to the frame. At one side of the .driver 12 is a driving connection 22 with a winding drum is a clutch collar 24 so that the movement of the driver shaft 23 and at the other side ing it with a driving connection 28" attached to the drum w'indin shaft 23. This connection is for controlhng .the drivin movement of a wmding' drum 29 mounte u on the shaft 23 and having a friction c utch 30. With this constructlon it is obvious that the carriage ma be moved relat vely to the frame 1n eitver direction by reversing the direction of the motor 7, and} also-the carriage 5 may be operated in either direction from the motor without reversing its direction, the gear 19 bein 'driven either directly through clutch co lar 24 or.reverse1y through driving conine frame or pan 1 is provided with a braced cross piece 2 nection 22, shaft 23, driving connection 28,

clutch 28, 26 and 25, the latter being connected to the shaft 13 on which gear 19 is mounted. This permits the cutter chain to run in one direction even though the carriage feed is reversed. The cable drum may be wound up by power and payed out, while the motor is stopped, by using the friction clutch. A ratchet 31 and a locking dog 29 are also provided for holding the winding drum in any desired position.

At the forward end of the carriage 5 are a pair of spaced cutting arms 33 mounted to swing upon the cutting chain shaft 17, and a conveyor belt 34 has a driving connection 35 with the cutting chain shaft which causes the conveyor to be operated whenever the cutting chain shaft 17 is operated. This conveyor is provided with flights 36, it is mounted in the carriage 5 and has one or more guide shoes 37 to guide it in its movement. The bottom of the carriage 5 constitutes the surface upon which the conveyor flights 36 remove the broken-down material, and the forward end38 of the bottom of the carrier is turned upwardly to receive material from the cuttin chains and guide it into the path of the conveyor ts 36. ach cutting arm 33 com rises side plates 39 with attached bearing p ates 40 in which the cuttin chain drive shaft 17 is mounted. At the ot ier end of the side plates 39 are bearing plates 41 in which a cross shaft 42 is mounted. There are a plurality of cutting chains 43 for each arm, and each cutter chain is mounted upon a pair of eccentric sprockets 44 and 45 one attached to the cutting chain shaft 17 and the other mounted on the cross shaft 42. A uide plate 46 is attached at the bottom of t e side plates 39 and forms a backin for the cutter chains, and at the top of t e side 1plates is a top plate 47, theupper surface 0 which is wavy or uneven to give the links of the cutter chains an undulating movement as they pass over the plate.

Intermediate the ends of each cutting arm are bearings 48 vertically ad'ustable in open-- ings 49 in the side plates y an adjusting screw 50. A. shaft 51 is mounted in the bearin s and carries a plurality of wheels 52 pre erably disposed between adjacent cutter chains and constituting a means for ad- 'justably sup orting the cutting arms upon the floor of t e mine.

Each cutter chain comprises a plurahty of bit links 53 and intermediate connecting links 54. Each bit link has a socket to receive a cutter bit 55, either straight or inclined to one side, the different bits being alternated in accordance with well known ractice. A fastening device 56 is provided or removablysecuring any bit inia socket. Projecting rearwardly from each bit link is an extension 57, the outer end 58 of which is turned upwardly but below the u ward projection of the bits 55, and the si es 59 of the extension are inclined outwardly from the bits forming pockets or carriers of scoping extension 61, the forward depend in sides being cut away and the front end 62 b6111 bent inwardly, as shown more clearly in Figure 2, so that the extension will engage the uncut material directly over the cutter chains and will be pushed inwardly by such engagement. Resilient means is also provided tending to move the extension 61 for- W wardly. This means may comprise a pair of brackets 63, one mounted on the cover 60 and the other on the extension 61. A red 64 extends through the brackets and has headed extremities for reventing disengagement therefrom, and surrounding the rod between the brackets is an extensible spring 65. The extension 61 is therefore ressed inwardly by engagement with the wall of the mine and is pressed outwardly by the spring 65, so that the cutter chains are substantially covered at all times. This confines the mined material to the covered trough thus provided, reduces the dust and forms a more efficient carrier for depositing the material in the path of the conveyor 34. The extension 61 may also be provided with trap doors or hinged portions '61 at the forward end which may be swung back to provide clearance for the cutter arms.

At the inner side of each cutting-arm is a projection 66, connectedby a shaft 67 with a cable 68-connected thereto and fastening upwardly over a fixed ulley 69 mounted in upstanding fixed arms 70.. The cable passes rearwardly over the winding drum 29 which may beoperated in either direction as previously explained. In some cases, as for instance when the outer end of the cutter arm is swung upwardly toward the roof of the mine, the extension 61 might prevent the arm from moving upwardly as far as desired and in such case the hinged portion may be swung back to allow for such movement of the arm.

Instead of having elevating wheels 52 for each cutting arm, slidin 'shoes 71 may be provided, as shown in ig. 8, adjustably mounted as previously explained on an adjustable cross bearing.

In the construction shown in Fig. 9 the cutting arm is provided with fixed concentrio sprockets 72 at the underside over which the cutter chains will pass, the end sprockets 44 and 45 being eccentrically mounted as previously explained, and the cutter chains passing over the wavy plate at the top of the cutting arm. This construction makes a triangular or inclined bottom out and the struction of Fig. 9 the machine carriage is. first advanced and then the cutting arm is of the cutter arm. A straight cutter arm' started in at an angle will not cut the proper clearance for the second out. With the conraised by the cable.- In the construction of Fig. 2 the forward movement of the machine carriage causesthe roper cut to be made, the cuttin arm ri ing upwardly in passes over a fixed the cut made b t e cutter chains on wheels 52, or sliding s oes 71.

' In the construction shown by Figs. 10 and 11, a straight cutting arm 73 may beralsed as before explained, by; a cable 68 which ulley 6.9, but instead of heapower operated windi eing connected to t I ly operated winding ing'drum 29, a man drum 74 is mounted between side standards 75 which are carriedby the sliding frame 1 and upon this drum 74 the cable 68 1s wound by means of a hand winding gear 76 which has holdinge dogs 77. A friction drive which may nection with the winding drum 29 controlled by a hand wheel may alsobe provided, to let the cable 68 pay'out as the machine car riage is fed inwardly so that the 'cutting arms 73 will not start to raise until desired or such paying out may be done manually by the manual winding means for the drum 74. The reason for this is apparent as the standards 75 are fixed and the machine carriage as well as the arms 70 are movable,

as the cable 68 passes over the pulley 69 at the top of the arm 70, the forward movement of the carriage will cause the cutting arm 73 to raise which might not be desired at that time although the height of the cut is controlled by the raising or action of the cutting arms.- This is the way the vertical cut is-made in this form, as no sup- .porting wheels are provided for the cutting arms.

The'mounting of the windin drum 74 in the standards 75 'must be at a (tight above all the machinery on the carriage 5 so that the carriage can pass freely between the standards. At the top of each standard a roof jack is commonly provided to give additlonal stability to the machine frame 1.

In the construction thus described, the cutting arms arespaced apart a distance approximately equa to the width of their cut so thatin cutting a passage they are inclined first at one side of the passage, as indicated in Fig. 1, and then at the other, thus makin sufiicient clearance for the machine and or the cutters themselves. -The eccentric mounting of each cutter chain is staggered oralternated with. respect to the adjacent one; the bits of each chain are staggered or alternated with respect to their similar to that shown in con-' thereon engaging the path of cutting; and all of the chains are I h subjected to the wavy movement produced by the top plate of the cutting arms.

The shape of the cuttin arm should be chosen to best accomplish t e feeding action and the angle at which the arm is 'r into the material to be mined willfdtermine the de th of'the out. By having the arm curved at the bottom the number of cutting bits engaged is increased, tending to overbalance t e pressure of those above at the top and end, and in this way to feed or assist in' feeding the arm upward into the material to be mined. The overhanging material'above the top bits is relieved andwill be broken off in large coarse cuttings. The operation is therefore an intermittently contlnuous pickin action and all the material including that etween the cuts is wedged or picked 'by an action which mates that of an individual I- claim:

thus approximmer.

of the carriageand movable in a vertical plane, a conveyor also mounted in the carmega and comprising a bottom plate with an upward extension just below the inner end ofthe arm, a'movable belt with flights plate to move material rearwardly, and cutting means carried by the arm for de ositing mined material at the inner end of t tension of said plate.

2. In a mining machine, a movable carr1age,-a conveyor on the underside thereof, a cutting arm pivoted for vertical movement at the forward end ofthe carriage,

fcutting means carried by the arm and movable to discharge brokendown material over the upper side of the arm and in the path of the c0nveyor,.and a common drive for the cutting means and the conveyor comprising a drive shaft concentric with the axis of the cutting arm and a double connection therefrom one to operate the conveyor and the other extending to a power operated means on the carriage.

3. In a'mining machine,

able cutting arm ivotally supported at one e arm and on the upward exa vertically mov- I end, a driving shaft concentric with. the v I pivotal support, a cutter chain movable upon the arm, and a driving wheel which is mounted eccentrically on its axis for driving the chalin from a constant movement of the driving shaft.

4. In a'mining machine, a cutter chain, a continuous driver therefor, sprocket Wheel on said driverfor moving the chain, the

pitch line of said sprocket wheel being at different distances it is constantly impelled by the continuous driver. a

5. In a mining machine, an endless cutter chain, an eccentric support therefor, and

from the axis although 70 st fed chain is mounted, and means foropcrating the chain.

7. In a mining machine, a plurality of endless cutter chains, a. separate eccentric mounting for each chain, and a common n'icans for driving the chains.

,8. In a mining machine, a cutter chain, a

pair of sprockets upon which the chain is mounted for irregular movement, and a support for the chain between the sprockets having an uneven surface for engagement by the cham.

said projections will convey the broken down material with the chain through the confining means and deposit the material at the inner end of the arm.

15.- In a mining machine, the combination withdrawing each chain relatively to the 9. In a mining machine, a cutting arm 1 comprising a plurality of cutter chains, a pair of eccentric sprockets for each chain and a support for the chains between the sprockets comprising an uneven surface upon which the chains slide.

10. In a mining machine, an endless cutter chain mounted on the eccentric sprockets, a support for the chain between the sprockets comprising an uneven surface upon 2 which the chain rides.

11. A cutter arm for a mining machine having drivin and guiding wheels, a cutter chain mounted on said wheels. and an undulating track for supporting the chain intermediate of the wheels whereby the chain will begiven an undulating movement as it passes along the track.

12. In a mining machine, a vertically movable arm pivoted at one end, a plurality of cutter chains mounted on the arm for movement in vertical planes, and adjustable supports between the chains and intermediate the ends of the arm for predetermining the height of the cutter chains from the floor at this point.

13. In a mining machine, a cutting arm pivoted at one end, a lurality of endless chains, separate eccentric supports for the chains at each end of the arm, adjustable means intermediate the ends of the arms for supporting and guiding it, a common driver for the chains, and a support at the top of the arm having an uneven surface engaged by the chains for further varying their movement.

14. In a mining machine, a vertically movable arm, an endless chain carried thereby comprising bit links with an upstanding rearward projection, means at the top of the arm for confining broken down material, and

' driving means for the chains whereby the adjacent one.

comprising a plurality of parallel endless chains, means for imparting an intermittent advancing movement to each chain at the end of the arm, and means carried by the arm for independently imparting to each chain an, undulating movement between the extremities of the arm.

18. In a mining machine, a cutting arm pivoted for movement about one end, a plurality of parallel endless chains, means for moving the chains for variable advancing movement at the outer end of the arm, and means for bodily moving the arm.

.19; In a mining machine, a cutting arm comprising a plurality of cutting chains mounted for variablemovement on the arm,

means for moving the arm, a cover for the arm extending over the topof the chains and comprising a spring pressed telescoping section adapted to engage the wall. of the material to be mined at the side of thearm and to substantially cover the upper portion of the chains outside of the cut made thereby.

20. In a mining machine, a frame, a car- 1 carrier and terminating at the bottom there-.

of just below the inner end of the arm, and means in connection with each chain for carrying mined material with the chains through the cover and depositing the material in the path of the conveyor.

WALTER J. WILSON.

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