Method for mechanized seam mining

Claim 2

The process of seam mining which comprises: forming within the seam a trench having a sloped surface which extends at an acute angle to the horizontal; placing a broaching tool upon said sloped surface; weighting the broaching tool with a removable parasite load whose weight value is selected with regard to the angle of said sloped surface, the hardness of the material being mined, and the cutting capability of the broaching tool; placing a relatively rigid elongated member having some bending flexibility, within the trench in a position above and generally parallel to said sloped surface; attaching the lower end of said member to said broaching tool; drivingly reciprocating the upper end of said member in a longitudinal direction so as to reciprocate said broaching tool up and down said sloped surface and thereby rob ore from said sloped surface; and collecting the robbed ore from said trench.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 which includes the additional step of adjusting the weight value of said parasite load while the mining operation is in progress.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 which includes the additional step of adjusting the angle of said sloped surface by adjusting the weight value of said parasite load.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 which includes the additional step of adjusting the mining rate by adjusting the weight value of said parasite load.

Claim 6

The process of seam mining which comprises: forming within the seam a trench having a sloped surface; placing a broaching tool upon said sloped surface; weighting said broaching tool with a removable parasite load whose weight value is selected with regard to The angle of said sloped surface, the hardness of the material being mined, and the cutting capability of said broaching tool; placing a relatively rigid elongated member having some bending flexibility within the trench and disposed above and generally parallel to the slope of said sloped surface; attaching the lower end of said member to said broaching tool; placing a reciprocating drive means upon the surface of the ground adjacent the top of said trench; attaching the upper end of said member of said drive means; operating said drive means so so to drivingly reciprocate said elongated member in a lengthwise direction and concurrently reciprocate said broaching tool up and down said sloped surface, thereby to rob ore from said sloped surface; and collecting the robbed ore.

Claim 7

The process of seam mining which comprises: forming within the seam a trench having a sloped surface; placing a broaching tool upon said sloped surface; weighting said broaching tool with a removable parasite load whose weight value is selected with regard to The angle of said sloped surface, the hardness of the material being mined, and the cutting capability of said broaching tool; placing a relatively rigid elongated member having some bending flexibility within the trench and disposed above and generally parallel to the slope of said sloped surface; attaching the lower end of said member to said broaching tool; placing a reciprocating drive means upon the surface of the ground adjacent the top of said trench; attaching the upper end of said member of said drive means; operating said drive means so so to drivingly reciprocate said elongated member in a lengthwise direction and concurrently reciprocate said broaching tool up and down said sloped surface, thereby to rob ore from said sloped surface; and collecting the robbed ore.

Claim 8

The process claimed in claim 5 wherein the weight value of said parasite load is adjusted while the mining operation is in progress.

Claim 9

The process of claim 5 which includes the additional step of adjusting the angle of said sloped surface by adjusting the weight value of said parasite load.

Claim 10

The process of claim 5 which includes the additional step of adjusting the mining rate by adjusting the weight value of said parasite load.

Claim 11

The process of seam mining which comprises: forming within the seam a hole having a sloped surface; placing a broaching tool upon said sloped surface; extending a relatively rigid elongated member into the hole and attaching its lower end to said broach; and drivingly reciprocating the upper end of said member, and at the same time progressively advancing said member in a longitudinal direction; whereby the reciprocating action of said broach robs ore from said sloped surface, and said broach concurrently advances longitudinally of said hole.

Claim 12

The process of seam mining which comprises: forming within the seam a hole having a sloped surface; placing a broaching tool upon said sloped surface; extending a relatively rigid elongated member into the hole and attaching its lower end to said broach; and drivingly reciprocating the upper end of said member, and at the same time progressively advancing said member in a longitudinal direction; whereby the reciprocating action of said broach robs ore from said sloped surface, and said broach concurrently advances longitudinally of said hole.

Claim 13

The process of claim 9 wherein the length of said reciprocating movement is less than the length of said broach.

Claim 14

The process of claim 9 wherein the length of said reciprocating movement is less than the depth of said hole.

Claim 15

The process of claim 9 which further includes the step of placing a removable parasite weight load upon said broach, whereby both the mining rate and the ultimate slope of said sloped surface are determined in part by the value of said weight load.

Claim 16

The process of claim 9 which further includes the step of forcefully circulating a fluid within the hole as a means of collecting the robbed ore.

Claim 17

The process of claim 9 wherein said broach is progressively advanced in one direction in said hole, and the progressively advancing drive action is then reversed in order to widen said hole.

Claim 18

The process of seam mining which comprises: forming within the seam a hole having a sloped surface; placing upon said sloped surface a broaching tool having cutters adapted for cutting in both directions; placing a reciprocating drive means above the hole; extending a relatively rigid elongated member into the hole, attaching its lower end to said broach, and attaching its upper end to said reciprocating drive means; and operating said reciprocating drive means in such manner as to reciprocate said broaching tool through only a portion of the depth of the hole, applying a greater force when lifting said broach then when driving said broach downwardly, thereby robbing ore from said sloped surface; said elongated member having lateral bending flexibility, and said broaching tool having a weight per unit of its cutting area which is at least comparable to the failure strength of the material being mined.

Claim 19

The process of seam mining which comprises: forming within the seam a hole having a sloped surface; placing upon said sloped surface a broaching tool having cutters adapted for cutting in both directions; placing a reciprocating drive means above the hole; extending a relatively rigid elongated member into the hole, attaching its lower end to said broach, and attaching its upper end to said reciprocating drive means; and operating said reciprocating drive means in such manner as to reciprocate said broaching tool through only a portion of the depth of the hole, applying a greater force when lifting said broach then when driving said broach downwardly, thereby robbing ore from said sloped surface; said elongated member having lateral bending flexibility, and said broaching tool having a weight per unit of its cutting area which is at least comparable to the failure strength of the material being mined.

Claim 20

Process of seam mining comprising: forming a pilot hole in said seam; mechanically robbing ore from a sloped surface formed in a side of said pilot hole, whereby said pilot hole is enlarged to form a trench; maintaining said trench substantially full of a fluid which has a specific gravity greater than water; and collecting said robbed ore from said trench.

Claim 21

Process of seam mining comprising: forming a pilot hole in said seam; mechanically robbing ore from a sloped surface formed in a side of said pilot hole, whereby said pilot hole is enlarged to form a trench; maintaining said trench substantially full of a fluid which has a specific gravity greater than water; and collecting said robbed ore from said trench.

Claim 22

The process of claim 16 wherein said ore is mechanically robbed from said sloped surface by the reciprocating action of a weighed broaching tool.

Claim 23

The process of claim 16 wherein the specific gravity of said fluid is greater than that of the ore and the ore is collected from the upper surface of said fluid.

Claim 24

A process of mining comprising: forming a trench; maintaining said trench substantially full of drilling fluid; mechanically robbing ore from a sloping working face of said trench by drawing a weighted broaching tool along said working face, said broaching tool being forced against working face primarily by the force of gravity; circulating a stream of drilling fluid through said broaching tool to flush chips away from said broaching tool; and collecting said robbed ore from said trench.

Claim 25

A process of mining comprising: forming a trench; maintaining said trench substantially full of drilling fluid; mechanically robbing ore from a sloping working face of said trench by drawing a weighted broaching tool along said working face, said broaching tool being forced against working face primarily by the force of gravity; circulating a stream of drilling fluid through said broaching tool to flush chips away from said broaching tool; and collecting said robbed ore from said trench.

Claim 26

The process of claim 19 wherein said drilling fluid is also circulated within said trench as a means of collecting the robbed ore.