US3860291A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Continuous cutting and gathering apparatus for a continuous mining machine
Assignee: Dresser Industries Inc
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Filing: 1973-11-05
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Granted: 1975-01-14
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Expires: 1993-11-05
Abstract
Abstract A gathering structure for use on the mining head of a mining machine. The mining head includes a rotary drum having helical auger flights with cutter bits mounted on their periphery. A back up panel is disposed on the mining head just rearward and parallel to the rotary drum. A gathering head is located beneath the mining head. The gathering head includes front, vertical dozer blades on each side of a central conveyor throat. The dozer blades have their bottom edge at the floor and their upper portion extends upwardly to overlap the lower portion of the backup panel. The backup panel and dozer blade cooperate to form a continuous vertical wall behind the helical flights of the rotary drum. The mine face forms a corresponding wall in front of the helical flights. The loading of the cut mined material is achieved by the helical auger flights working in conjuncture with the backup panel and dozer blades and the mine face. The panel and dozer blades are positioned immediately behind the outer helical auger sections so that with the mine face they form the walls of a screw conveyor which moves the coal to the center of the machine and onto a small pitch mat chain conveyor disposed in the central conveyor throat. The mat chain conveys the material rearwardly to conventional flight conveyors. During the mining operation, the backup panel is moved up and down with the rotary drum relative to the dozer blade. To prevent spillage of mined material behind the dozer blade as the rotary drum is moved, the upper portion of the dozer blade is hinged and spring loaded to continuously hold it firmly against the backup panel.
Inventors
- 👤 Glenn A Rauch
- 👤 Robert E Hess
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 00:23
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21C; E21C35/00; E21C35/20; E21C27/00; E21C27/20; E21C27/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
221 words
A mining machine, comprising: a frame mounted for movement toward a mine face; a mining head mounted on the forward end of the frame, the mining head including a shaft mounted for rotation at the forward end of the mining head and disposed transverse to the direction of movement of the frame; a plurality of helical cutter members mounted about the rotatable shaft, the helical cutters being shaped to direct mined material along the axis of the shaft; a back up panel mounted on the mining head just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto to provide a surface against which the helical cutter members may move the mined material; and a gathering structure mounted at the forward end of the frame beneath the mining head including a gathering conveyor throat having a conveyor mounted therein for rearward movement of mined material fed to it; and a substantially vertical dozer blade disposed to one side of the conveyor throat just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto, an upper portion of the dozer blade being pivotable about hinged structures provided at its lower edge, the dozer blade having means tending to pivot the upper portion about the hinged edge to maintain the upper portion in contact with the back up panel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
221 words
A mining machine, comprising: a frame mounted for movement toward a mine face; a mining head mounted on the forward end of the frame, the mining head including a shaft mounted for rotation at the forward end of the mining head and disposed transverse to the direction of movement of the frame; a plurality of helical cutter members mounted about the rotatable shaft, the helical cutters being shaped to direct mined material along the axis of the shaft; a back up panel mounted on the mining head just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto to provide a surface against which the helical cutter members may move the mined material; and a gathering structure mounted at the forward end of the frame beneath the mining head including a gathering conveyor throat having a conveyor mounted therein for rearward movement of mined material fed to it; and a substantially vertical dozer blade disposed to one side of the conveyor throat just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto, an upper portion of the dozer blade being pivotable about hinged structures provided at its lower edge, the dozer blade having means tending to pivot the upper portion about the hinged edge to maintain the upper portion in contact with the back up panel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
265 words
A mining machine, comprising: a frame mounted for movement into a mine face; a mining head mounted on the forward end of the frame, the mining head including a support arm attached near its rearward end to a pivot structure on the frame and at its forward end to a rotatable shaft mounted transverse to the direction of movement of the frame; means for moving the rotatable shaft up and down about the pivot structure; a plurality of helical cutter members mounted about the rotatable shaft, the helical cutters being shaped to direct mined material along the axis to the shaft; a backup panel mounted on the support arm just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto; a gathering head structure at the front end of the frame adjacent the mining head for gathering the mined material including a conveyor throat having a conveyor mounted therein for a rearward movement of mined material fed to it; a substantially vertical front dozer blade disposed to the side of the conveyor throat just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto, the dozer blade having an upper portion overlapping the backup panel and being pivotally connected along its lower edge, the dozer blade having means tending to pivot the dozer blade about the pivot to maintain the upper portion of the dozer blade against the overlapped backup panel during the upward and downwarD movement of the rotatable cutter shaft to continuously provide a contiguous surface against which the helical cutter members may move mined material to the conveyor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
265 words
A mining machine, comprising: a frame mounted for movement into a mine face; a mining head mounted on the forward end of the frame, the mining head including a support arm attached near its rearward end to a pivot structure on the frame and at its forward end to a rotatable shaft mounted transverse to the direction of movement of the frame; means for moving the rotatable shaft up and down about the pivot structure; a plurality of helical cutter members mounted about the rotatable shaft, the helical cutters being shaped to direct mined material along the axis to the shaft; a backup panel mounted on the support arm just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto; a gathering head structure at the front end of the frame adjacent the mining head for gathering the mined material including a conveyor throat having a conveyor mounted therein for a rearward movement of mined material fed to it; a substantially vertical front dozer blade disposed to the side of the conveyor throat just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto, the dozer blade having an upper portion overlapping the backup panel and being pivotally connected along its lower edge, the dozer blade having means tending to pivot the dozer blade about the pivot to maintain the upper portion of the dozer blade against the overlapped backup panel during the upward and downwarD movement of the rotatable cutter shaft to continuously provide a contiguous surface against which the helical cutter members may move mined material to the conveyor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
297 words
A mining machine, comprising: a frame mounted for movement into a mine face; a mining head mounteed on the frame for movement into a mine face, the mining head including a support arm attached near its rearward end to a pivot structure on the frame and at its forward end to a rotatable cutter shaft mounted transverse to the direction of movement of the frame; means for moving the mining head about the pivot structure such that the rotatable cutter shaft may be raised or lowered; a plurality of helical cutter members mounted about the rotatable shaft, the helical cutters being shaped to direct mined material inwardly of the ends of the shaft; means for rotating the shaft and cutter members mounted thereon; a back-up panel mounted near the forward end of the support arm just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto; a gathering structure near the forward end of the frame beneath the mining head for gathering the material mined and fed to it by the helical cutter members, the gathering structure including a central conveyor throat having a conveyor mounted therein for rearward movement of mined material fed to it, and a substantially vertical dozer blade disposed at each side of the central conveyor throat just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto, each dozer blade having upper and lower portions, the upper portions overlapping the back up panel and being pivotally connected to the lower portions, the dozer blade having means tending to maintain the upper portion against the overlapped backup panel during the raising and lowering of the rotatable cutter shaft to continuously provide a contiguous surface against which the helical cutter members may move mined material inwardly to the central conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
297 words
A mining machine, comprising: a frame mounted for movement into a mine face; a mining head mounteed on the frame for movement into a mine face, the mining head including a support arm attached near its rearward end to a pivot structure on the frame and at its forward end to a rotatable cutter shaft mounted transverse to the direction of movement of the frame; means for moving the mining head about the pivot structure such that the rotatable cutter shaft may be raised or lowered; a plurality of helical cutter members mounted about the rotatable shaft, the helical cutters being shaped to direct mined material inwardly of the ends of the shaft; means for rotating the shaft and cutter members mounted thereon; a back-up panel mounted near the forward end of the support arm just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto; a gathering structure near the forward end of the frame beneath the mining head for gathering the material mined and fed to it by the helical cutter members, the gathering structure including a central conveyor throat having a conveyor mounted therein for rearward movement of mined material fed to it, and a substantially vertical dozer blade disposed at each side of the central conveyor throat just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto, each dozer blade having upper and lower portions, the upper portions overlapping the back up panel and being pivotally connected to the lower portions, the dozer blade having means tending to maintain the upper portion against the overlapped backup panel during the raising and lowering of the rotatable cutter shaft to continuously provide a contiguous surface against which the helical cutter members may move mined material inwardly to the central conveyor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A mining machine as recited in claim 3 wherein the upper portion of the dozer blade is pivoted rearwardly into contact with the backup panel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A mining machine as recited in claim 4 wherein the means tending to pivot the upper portion of the dozer blade rearwardly to maintain the upper portion in contact against the backup panel is a torsional spring.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
330 words
A low seam mining machine, comprising: a main frame provided with endless traction crawlers for propelling the mining machine; a sump frame slidably mounted on the forward end of the main frame; means for sliding the sump frame forward of the main frame; a mining head mounted on the sump frame for movement therewith into a mine face, the mining head including a support arm attached near its rearward end to a pivot structure on the sump frame and at its forward end to a rotatable cutter shaft mounted transverse to the direction of movement of the frame; means for moving the mining head about the pivot structure such that the rotatable cutter shaft may be raised or lowered; a plurality of helical cutter members mounted about the rotatable shaft, the helical cutters being shaped to direct mined material inwardly of the ends of the shaft; means for rotating the shaft and cutter members mounted thereon; a back-up panel mounted near the forward end of the support arm just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto; a gathering structure near the forward end of the frame beneath the mining head for gathering the material mined and fed to it by the helical cutter members, the gathering structure including a central conveyor throat having a conveyor mounted therein for rearward movement of mined material fed to it, and a substantially vertical dozer blade disposed at each side of the central conveyor throat just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto, each dozer blade having upper and lower portions, the Upper portions overlapping the back up panel and being pivotally connected to the lower portions, the dozer blade having means tending to maintain the upper portion against the overlapped backup panel during the raising and lowering to the rotatable cutter shaft to continuously provide a contiguous surface against which the helical cutter members may move mined material inwardly to the central conveyor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
330 words
A low seam mining machine, comprising: a main frame provided with endless traction crawlers for propelling the mining machine; a sump frame slidably mounted on the forward end of the main frame; means for sliding the sump frame forward of the main frame; a mining head mounted on the sump frame for movement therewith into a mine face, the mining head including a support arm attached near its rearward end to a pivot structure on the sump frame and at its forward end to a rotatable cutter shaft mounted transverse to the direction of movement of the frame; means for moving the mining head about the pivot structure such that the rotatable cutter shaft may be raised or lowered; a plurality of helical cutter members mounted about the rotatable shaft, the helical cutters being shaped to direct mined material inwardly of the ends of the shaft; means for rotating the shaft and cutter members mounted thereon; a back-up panel mounted near the forward end of the support arm just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto; a gathering structure near the forward end of the frame beneath the mining head for gathering the material mined and fed to it by the helical cutter members, the gathering structure including a central conveyor throat having a conveyor mounted therein for rearward movement of mined material fed to it, and a substantially vertical dozer blade disposed at each side of the central conveyor throat just rearward of the periphery of the helical cutters and substantially parallel thereto, each dozer blade having upper and lower portions, the Upper portions overlapping the back up panel and being pivotally connected to the lower portions, the dozer blade having means tending to maintain the upper portion against the overlapped backup panel during the raising and lowering to the rotatable cutter shaft to continuously provide a contiguous surface against which the helical cutter members may move mined material inwardly to the central conveyor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-13 | 1978-07-15 | 1979-01-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-13 | 1982-07-15 | 1983-01-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-13 | 1986-07-15 | 1987-01-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |