US3879725A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Indicating apparatus for monitoring the operative status of a heading or coal face cutting machine
Assignee: Gebr Eickhoff Maschinenfabrik u Eisengiesserei GmbH
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Filing: 1973-09-18
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Granted: 1975-04-22
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Expires: 1993-09-18
Abstract
Abstract Mining machines, e.g., a coal tunneling machine or a coal face cutting machine, are provided with a sealed indicating apparatus to monitor the operative status of the machine. The indicating apparatus includes a plurality of indicating lamps connected electrically to circuitboards and projecting into openings in a perforated plate. These parts and a symbol plate are sealed within a housing that includes a transparent plate to view each illuminated symbol on the symbol plate representing monitoring locations in the machine. A transparent film with machine function symbols is placed on the outer surface of the transparent plate such that these symbols are aligned with the symbols on the symbol plate within the housing.
Inventors
- 👤 Karl-Heinz Weber
- 👤 Hans Nohendorf
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 02:04
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21D; E21D9/00; E21D9/003; E21C; E21C35/00; E21C35/302; E21C35/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
In a mining machine such as a coal tunneling machine or a coal face cutting machine, an intrinsically safe indicating apparatus to monitor a plurality of different operative conditions and/or operative status of parts of such machines, said indicating apparatus comprising: a plurality of individually energizable lamps for monitoring different operative conditions and status of a mining machine; a plate having spaced-apart openings for individually receiving a lamp of said plurality of lamps; elongated housing means enclosing an internal chamber defined between a wall flange at one end of the housing and a threaded surface at the other end thereof for receiving said perforated plate with said lamps projecting into said openings; a transparent plate supported against said wall flange within said internal chamber for visual observation externally of said housing means, fastening means carried by said threaded surface to extend toward said wall flange for holding said transparent plate in a sealed, gas-tight relation with said wall flange; and means defining symbols upon the surface of said transparent plate externally of said chamber for separate illumination through said transparent plate by a lamp of said plurality of lamps.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
In a mining machine such as a coal tunneling machine or a coal face cutting machine, an intrinsically safe indicating apparatus to monitor a plurality of different operative conditions and/or operative status of parts of such machines, said indicating apparatus comprising: a plurality of individually energizable lamps for monitoring different operative conditions and status of a mining machine; a plate having spaced-apart openings for individually receiving a lamp of said plurality of lamps; elongated housing means enclosing an internal chamber defined between a wall flange at one end of the housing and a threaded surface at the other end thereof for receiving said perforated plate with said lamps projecting into said openings; a transparent plate supported against said wall flange within said internal chamber for visual observation externally of said housing means, fastening means carried by said threaded surface to extend toward said wall flange for holding said transparent plate in a sealed, gas-tight relation with said wall flange; and means defining symbols upon the surface of said transparent plate externally of said chamber for separate illumination through said transparent plate by a lamp of said plurality of lamps.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
189 words
In a mining machine such as a coal tunneling machine or a coal face cutting machine, an intrinsically safe indicating apparatus to monitor a plurality of different operative conditions and/or operative status of parts of such machines, said indicating apparatus comprising: a plurality of individually energizable lamps for monitoring different operative conditions and status of a mining machine; a plate having spaced-apart openings for individually receiving a lamp of said plurality of lamps; elongated housing means enclosing an internal chamber defined between a wall flange at one end of the housing and a threaded surface at the other end thereof for receiving said perforated plate with said lamps projecting into said openings; a transparent plate supported against said wall flange within said internal chamber for visual observation externally of said housing means, fastening means carried by said threaded surface to extend toward said wall flange for holding said transparent plate in a sealed, gas-tight relation with said wall flange; and means defining symbols upon the surface of said transparent plate externally of said chamber for separate illumination through said transparent plate by a lamp of said plurality of lamps.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
189 words
In a mining machine such as a coal tunneling machine or a coal face cutting machine, an intrinsically safe indicating apparatus to monitor a plurality of different operative conditions and/or operative status of parts of such machines, said indicating apparatus comprising: a plurality of individually energizable lamps for monitoring different operative conditions and status of a mining machine; a plate having spaced-apart openings for individually receiving a lamp of said plurality of lamps; elongated housing means enclosing an internal chamber defined between a wall flange at one end of the housing and a threaded surface at the other end thereof for receiving said perforated plate with said lamps projecting into said openings; a transparent plate supported against said wall flange within said internal chamber for visual observation externally of said housing means, fastening means carried by said threaded surface to extend toward said wall flange for holding said transparent plate in a sealed, gas-tight relation with said wall flange; and means defining symbols upon the surface of said transparent plate externally of said chamber for separate illumination through said transparent plate by a lamp of said plurality of lamps.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
70 words
The indicating apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising symbols at the face surface of said transparent plate within said internal chamber of the housing means for separate illumination with one of said symbols on the outer surface of said transparent plate by a lamp of said plurality of lamps, the arrangement being such that each of said lamps concurrently illuminates aligned symbols at opposed sides of said transparent plate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The indicating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means defining symbols comprise a sheet with symbols therein attached to the outer surface of said transparent plate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The indicating apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising a transparent symbol plate held against the inner surface of said transparent plate by said perforated plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The indicating apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said transparent symbol plate includes engraved symbols arranged in an aligned relation with the openings in said perforated plate and the symbols on the outer surface of said transparent plate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The indicating apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said sheet with symbols therein is further defined as a transparent sheet bearing opening defininG said symbols for adhesive attachment to the outer surface of said transparent plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The indicating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said housing means includes a tubular shell having an internal projecting annular flange at one end for forming a sealed relation with said transparent plate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
The indicating apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said tubular shell further includes internal threads extending from the end thereof opposite said internal projecting annular flange, said apparatus further comprising an externally threaded ring engaging said internal threads for urging said transparent plate into sealed relation with said internal projecting annular flange.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The indicating apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising spacer rings between said threaded ring and said transparent plate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The indicating apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said tubular shell further includes an external flange at said one end of the shell for mounting the indicating apparatus onto said mining machine.
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) | 1978-04-21 | 1978-10-21 | 1979-04-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-21 | 1982-10-21 | 1983-04-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-21 | 1986-10-21 | 1987-04-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |