Mining machine longwall guide structure

Claim 1

In a mining machine including a scraper conveyor having channel sections, each channel section having front and rear walls, and a bottom surface; cutting apparatus including chain means located rearward of said rear wall and having upper and lower runs; and chain connectors attached to said lower run and moving along a path parallel to said channel sections, in combination, a guide casing structure having guide casing sections coextensive with said channel sections, respectively, each casing section comprising a casing front wall having a lower portion secured to said rear wall of the respective coextensive channel section and having a bottom edge located above the level of said bottom surface; a top wall secured to said front wall rearward projecting above said upper run; rearward projecting carrier brackets secured to said casing front wall between said upper and lower runs; a casing rear wall detachably secured to said carrier brackets and to said top wall so that said casing front and rear walls are located on opposite sides of said chain means; and parallel front and rear guide rails secured to the lower portions of said casing front and rear walls, respectively, and having rectangular cross sections, said front and rear guide rails forming a gap for guiding said chain connectors along said path.