Mineral mining installation

Claim 2

A mining installation comprising: a. a guide for a mining machine, said guide being adapted to extend along a mineral face, and b. a plurality of movable supports disposed rearwardly of said guide, at least some of said movable supports each having associated therewith: i. a guide bar means supported and guided on said support, said guide bar means terminating forwardly in a connecting piece; ii. a member connected to the guide so as to be rigid therewith with respect to movement about an axis parallel to the guide, said guide bar means being articulated to said member about an axis extending longitudinally of the guide; and iii. at least one thrust producing means pivotably connected to the connecting piece and said member at positions offset from the said axis of articulation, actuation of said thrust producing means serving to tilt the guide.

Claim 3

An installation as claimed in claim 1, including a longwall face conveyor having a face side to which said guide is fitted and a goaf side to which the guide bar means are articulated.

Claim 4

An installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the member has a portion which projects upwardly above the axis of articulation and the thrust producing means is connected to said portion.

Claim 5

A mining installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide bar means is slidable longitudinally of the associated movable support, that is, in the direction of the machine guide and is pivotable in a substantially vertical plane about its rearward end.

Claim 6

A mining installation as claimed in claim 4, wherein said guide bar means comprises two guide bars for each support, and a further thrust producing device, said device being connected between each connecting piece and the associated movable support being disposed between the guide bars.

Claim 7

A mining installation as claimed in claim 5, wherein the movable support has upstanding frames with substantially horizontal guides and the guide bars have sliding pivots at their rearward ends, the sliding pivots cooperating with the guides.

Claim 8

A mining installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the member and connecting piece are articulated together about a horizontal axis.

Claim 9

A mining installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide bar means is guided and supported forwardly of its rearward end by guides on the movable support.

Claim 10

A mining installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide bar means consists of at least two flexible steel parts.

Claim 11

A mining installation comprising: a. a longwall face conveyor, adapted to extend along a mineral face, said conveyor having a goaf side and a face side, b. a guide for a mining machine, said guide being attached to the face side of said conveyor, and c. a plurality of movable supports disposed adjacent the goaf side of said conveyor, said supports having base members, at least some of said supports each having associated therewith: i. a guide bar supporting and guiding means mounted on the base member of said support, ii. a guide bar means guided and supported by said guide bar supporting means, said guide bar means being articulated to the goaf side of the conveyor about an axis extending longitudinally of the guide, iii. thrust-producing means articulated to the conveyor and guide bar means at positions offset from said axis of articulation, actuation of said thrust producing means serving to tilt the conveyor and guide, and iv. a skid articulated to forward end of the base member, the skid extending under the conveyor, the skid having a rearwardly directed arm for contact with a stop on the base member to limit upward movement of the skid.

Claim 12

A mining installation comprising: a. a longwall face conveyor, adapted to extend along a mineral face, said conveyor having a goaf side and a face side, b. a guide for a mining machine, said guide being attached to the face side of said conveyor, and c. a plurality of movable supports disposed adjacent the goaf side of said conveyor, said supports having base members, at least some of said supports each having associated therewith: i. a guide bar supporting and guiding means mounted on the base member of said support, ii. a guide bar means guided and supported by said guide bar supporting means, said guide bar means being articulated to the goaf side of the conveyor about an axis extending longitudinally of the guide, iii. thrust-producing means articulated to the conveyor and guide bar means at positions offset from said axis of articulation, actuation of said thrust producing means serving to tilt the conveyor and guide, and iv. a skid articulated to forward end of the base member, the skid extending under the conveyor, the skid having a rearwardly directed arm for contact with a stop on the base member to limit upward movement of the skid.

Claim 13

A mining installation as claimed in claim 10, wherein the thrust producing means interposed between the machine guide or conveyor and guide bar means extends substantially vertically.