Mining machine having dust collecting means

Claim 2

A mining machine comprising a chassis, a boom mounted on said chassis for vertical movement thereto and projecting forwardly of the forward end of said chassis, rotary mining head means, means mounting said rotary mining head means on the forward end of said boom on an axis transverse to the fore-and-aft centerline of the machine, dust collecting means including first duct means carried by said boom and communicating second duct means carried by said chassis, said first duct means extending adjacent the rearward side of said rotary mining head means and being provided with at least one inlet adjacent and rearwardly of said rotary mining head means for receiving dust entraining air at such location, said first duct means including portions adjacent said rotary mining head means on the opposite sides of the fore-and-aft centerline of the machine, rotary fan means in each of said portions of said first duct means, and drive means connected to said rotary fan means for rotating said rotary fan means each in opposite rotary direction to the other for drawing dust entraining air through said inlet to said first duct means whereby such dust entraining air flows through said first duct means to said second duct means.

Claim 3

A mining machine according to claim 1, further comprising air scrubber means operatively associated with one of said duct means downstream of said rotary fan means for cleaning the air flowing through said duct means.

Claim 4

A mining machine according to claim 2, wherein said second duct means includes ducts extending towards opposite sides of the machine for conveying dust entraining air thereto, and further comprising means operable for preventing flow of dust entraining air through one of said ducts whereby the flow of dust entraining air through said second duct means may be alternatively directed to opposite sides of the machine.

Claim 5

A mining machine according to claim 1, wherein said first duct means is mounted along the upper side of said boom, and said inlet is through the lower side of said first duct means.

Claim 6

A mining machine according to claim 1, wherein said first duct means is mounted for vertical movement relative to said second duct means.

Claim 7

A mining machine according to claim 1, wherein said first duct means comprises a rearward portion adjacent the rearward end of said boom which extends generally along the fore-and-aft centerline of the machine.

Claim 8

In combination, a mining machine comprising a chassis, a boom mounted on said chassis for vertical movement thereto and projecting forwardly of the forward end of said boom, rotary mining head means, means mounting said rotary mining head means on the forward end of said boom on an axis transverse to the fore-and-aft centerline of the machine, dust collecting means including first duct means carried by said boom and communicating second duct means carried by said chassis, said first duct means extending adjacent the rearward side of said rotary mining head means and being provided with at least one inlet adjacent and rearwardly of said rotary mining head means for receiving air carried dust at such location, said first duct means including portions adjacent said rotary mining head means on the opposite sides of the fore-and-aft centerline of the machine, rotary fan means in each of said portions of said first duct means, separate drive means connected to said rotary fan means for rotating said rotary fan means each in opposite rotary direction to the other for drawing air carried dust through said inlet to said first duct means whereby the air carried dust flows through said first duct means to said second duct means, and extensible wall means defining a duct communicating with said second duct means for receiving air carried dust therefrom.

Claim 9

In combination, a mining machine comprising a chassis, a boom mounted on said chassis for vertical movement thereto and projecting forwardly of the forward end of said boom, rotary mining head means, means mounting said rotary mining head means on the forward end of said boom on an axis transverse to the fore-and-aft centerline of the machine, dust collecting means including first duct means carried by said boom and communicating second duct means carried by said chassis, said first duct means extending adjacent the rearward side of said rotary mining head means and being provided with at least one inlet adjacent and rearwardly of said rotary mining head means for receiving air carried dust at such location, said first duct means including portions adjacent said rotary mining head means on the opposite sides of the fore-and-aft centerline of the machine, rotary fan means in each of said portions of said first duct means, separate drive means connected to said rotary fan means for rotating said rotary fan means each in opposite rotary direction to the other for drawing air carried dust through said inlet to said first duct means whereby the air carried dust flows through said first duct means to said second duct means, and extensible wall means defining a duct communicating with said second duct means for receiving air carried dust therefrom.

Claim 10

A mining machine according to claim 7, wherein said extensible wall means is connected to the machine to be variable in effective length by movement of the machine.

Claim 11

A mining machine according to claim 8, wherein said wall means comprises a spring loaded roll brattice.

Claim 12

A mining machine comprising a supporting base, mining head means, means mounting said mining head means on said supporting base for vertical movement thereto, dust collecting means including duct means extending adjacent said mining head means and vertically movable with said mining head means, said duct means being provided with at least one inlet adjacent said mining head means for receiving dust entraining air, fan means vertically movable with said mining head means and operatively associated with said duct means for drawing dust entraining air through said inlet to said duct means whereby the dust entraining air flows through said duct means, and air cleaner means vertically movable with said mining head means and operatively associated with said duct means for cleaning air flowing through said duct means.

Claim 13

A mining machine comprising a supporting base, mining head means, means mounting said mining head means on said supporting base for vertical movement thereto, dust collecting means including duct means extending adjacent said mining head means and vertically movable with said mining head means, said duct means being provided with at least one inlet adjacent said mining head means for receiving dust entraining air, fan means vertically movable with said mining head means and operatively associated with said duct means for drawing dust entraining air through said inlet to said duct means whereby the dust entraining air flows through said duct means, and air cleaner means vertically movable with said mining head means and operatively associated with said duct means for cleaning air flowing through said duct means.

Claim 14

A mining machine according to claim 10, wherein said air cleaner means is operatively associated with said duct means downstream of said fan means.

Claim 15

A mining machine according to claim 10, wherein said fan means comprises at least one centrifugal fan.

Claim 16

A mining machine according to claim 10, wherein said fan means is adjacent said inlet.

Claim 17

A mining machine according to claim 10, wherein said fan means comprises at least one centrifugal fan adjacent said inlet, and said air cleaner means is downstream of said fan.

Claim 18

A mining machine comprising a chassis, a boom mounted on said chassis for vertical movement thereto, mining head means, means mounting said mining head means on said boom, dust collecting means including duct means carried by said boom extending adjacent said mining head means, said duct means being provided with at least one inlet adjacent said mining head means for receiving dust entraining air, fan means carried by said boom in said duct means for drawing dust entrainiNg air through said inlet to said duct means whereby the dust entraining air flows through said duct means, and air cleaner means carried by said boom operatively associated with said duct means for cleaning air flowing through said duct means.

Claim 19

A mining machine comprising a chassis, a boom mounted on said chassis for vertical movement thereto, mining head means, means mounting said mining head means on said boom, dust collecting means including duct means carried by said boom extending adjacent said mining head means, said duct means being provided with at least one inlet adjacent said mining head means for receiving dust entraining air, fan means carried by said boom in said duct means for drawing dust entrainiNg air through said inlet to said duct means whereby the dust entraining air flows through said duct means, and air cleaner means carried by said boom operatively associated with said duct means for cleaning air flowing through said duct means.

Claim 20

A mining machine according to claim 15, wherein said fan means is adjacent said inlet.

Claim 21

A mining machine according to claim 15, wherein said fan means comprises at least one centrifugal fan.

Claim 22

A mining machine according to claim 15, wherein said fan means comprises at least one centrifugal fan adjacent said inlet, and said air cleaner means is operatively associated with said duct means downstream of said fan.

Claim 23

A mining machine according to claim 15, wherein said air cleaner means is operatively associated with said duct means downstream of said fan means.

Claim 24

A mining machine according to claim 19, wherein said duct means is provided with means operable for directing dust entraining air to the opposite sides of the machine.

Claim 25

A mining machine comprising a chassis, a boom mounted on said chassis for vertical movement thereto, mining head means, means mounting said mining head means on said boom, dust collecting means including duct means carried by said boom extending adjacent said mining head means, said duct means being provided with at least one inlet adjacent said mining head means for receiving dust entraining air, and fan means carried by said boom in said duct means adjacent said inlet for drawing dust entraining air through said inlet to said duct means whereby the dust entraining air flows through said duct means.

Claim 26

A mining machine comprising a chassis, a boom mounted on said chassis for vertical movement thereto, mining head means, means mounting said mining head means on said boom, dust collecting means including duct means carried by said boom extending adjacent said mining head means, said duct means being provided with at least one inlet adjacent said mining head means for receiving dust entraining air, and fan means carried by said boom in said duct means adjacent said inlet for drawing dust entraining air through said inlet to said duct means whereby the dust entraining air flows through said duct means.

Claim 27

A mining machine according to claim 21, wherein said fan means comprises at least one centrifugal fan.

Claim 28

A mining machine according to claim 21, wherein said fan means comprises a plurality of rotary fans, and drive means are connected to said fans for rotatably driving said fans in opposite rotary directions.

Claim 29

A mining machine comprising a chassis, a boom mounted on said chassis for vertical movement thereto, mining head means, means mounting said mining head means on said boom, dust collecting means including first duct means carried by said boom and communicating second duct means carried by said chassis, said first duct means extending adjacent the rearward side of said mining head means and being provided with at least one inlet adjacent said mining head means for receiving dust entraining air at such location, said first duct means including portions adjacent said mining head means on the opposite sides of the fore-and-aft centerline of the machine, rotary fan means in each of said portions of said first duct means, and drive means connected to said rotary fan means for rotating said rotary fan means each in opposite rotary direction to the other for drawing dust entraining air through said inlet to said first duct means whereby such dust entraining air flows through said first duct means to said second duct means.

Claim 30

A mining machine comprising a chassis, a boom mounted on said chassis for vertical movement thereto, mining head means, means mounting said mining head means on said boom, dust collecting means including first duct means carried by said boom and communicating second duct means carried by said chassis, said first duct means extending adjacent the rearward side of said mining head means and being provided with at least one inlet adjacent said mining head means for receiving dust entraining air at such location, said first duct means including portions adjacent said mining head means on the opposite sides of the fore-and-aft centerline of the machine, rotary fan means in each of said portions of said first duct means, and drive means connected to said rotary fan means for rotating said rotary fan means each in opposite rotary direction to the other for drawing dust entraining air through said inlet to said first duct means whereby such dust entraining air flows through said first duct means to said second duct means.