Mining machines having parallel auger strings

Claim 1

AN AUGER MACHINE FOR REMOVING MATERIAL FORMING A PASSAGEWAY IN THE OPERATION THEREOF COMPRISING A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, A CARRIAGE MOVABLY SUPPORTED ON SAID STRUCTURE FOR GUIDED RECTILINEAR RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT INTO AND OUT OF SUCH A PASSAGEWAY OF A MINE FACE, PLURAL OUTPUT DRIVE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CARRIAGE FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH, MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH, MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE FOR ROTATING SAID OUTPUT DRIVE MEANS, LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PLURAL SCREW CONVEYING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED AT THEIR RESPECTIVE REAR END PORTIONS TO SAID DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATION THEREBY, SAID CONVEYING MEANS ROTATING ON AXES SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE DIRECTION OF MOTION OF SAID CARRIAGE WHEREIN SAID AXES ARE COPLANAR, A CUTTING HEAD MOUNTED COAXIALLY ON THE FORWARD PORTION OF EACH OF SAID CONVEYING MEANS, A FIRST BEARING GUIDE MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID FORWARD PORTIONS OF SAID CONVEYING MEANS WHEREIN SAID GUIDE MEMBER HAS A LATERALLY EXTENDING PORTION AND DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING PORTIONS, A SECOND BEARING GUIDE MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID REARWARD PORTION OF SAID CONVEYING MEANS HAVING A LATERALLY EXTENDING PORTION AND DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING PORTIONS, AND SAID PORTIONS RESPECTIVELY ENGAGING THE SIDE WALLS OF THE PASSAGEWAY TO GUIDE THE ADVANCE OF SAID CUTTING HEADS WHEREIN SAID LATERALLY EXTENDING PORTIONS OF SAID GUIDE MEMBERS EXTEND IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS.