Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material – Hard material disintegrating machines – Cutter shiftable horizontally
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-12
2001-05-01
Bagnell, David (Department: 3673)
Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material
Hard material disintegrating machines
Cutter shiftable horizontally
C299S033000, C299S064000, C299S076000, C299S078000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224164
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable.
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention relates to apparatuses for mining materials from underground seams and, more particularly, to mining machines and detachable mining assemblies for attachment to mobile vehicles.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION BACKGROUND
A variety of methods exist for mining coal and other materials form underground seams. One apparatus which is commonly employed in underground mining operations comprises a continuous mining machine which includes a rotatable cutting drum that is mounted on the front end of the mining machine. As the mining machine is advanced into the seam, the cutting drum dislodges or “wins” the coal from the seam, In some continuous miners of this type, the won material is conveyed rearwardly of the cutter drum by a longitudinally extending conveyor that may discharge into shuttle cars or other mobile conveying apparatuses to transport the won material from the mine face. The continuous mining machine continuously advances into the seam and, as the material is won therefrom, an entry or tunnel is formed in the seam.
Most underground mining machines are either controlled by an operator located remote from the mine face or by an operator that drives the machine from a seat or position provided thereon. In such operator occupied machines, the operator(s) is afforded little or no room to move about when servicing and controlling various machine components. In addition, during the mining process, pieces of mined material are often thrown rearwardly onto the mining machine by the cutting heads as they are advanced into the seam. Such flying debris presents a hazard to the operator(s) located on the machine. Also during the mining process, a considerable amount of dust is usually generated in the area of the cutting heads. Such dust, along with methane and other gases represents other hazards to the operator(s) on the mining machine.
Another shortcoming often encountered with prior machines is associated with the dedicated cutting assembly that is permanently affixed to the machine. Such dedicated cutting apparatuses cannot be easily detached from the vehicle portion of the machine, should the unit be damaged or another type of mining unit be desired.
Thus, there is a need for a mining machine that affords additional room for an operator or operators to safely move about the machine when servicing and controlling machine components.
Another need exists for a mining machine that is equipped with a protective shield arrangement to protect the operators from flying debris, harmful dust and gases during the mining process.
Still another need exists for a mining machine that is equipped with apparatus for safely isolating and evacuating dust and gases that are generated and encountered during the mining process.
There is a further need for various mining assemblies that can be readily detached and attached to the mining machine chassis.
There is still another need for a quick disconnect assembly for facilitating removable attachment of mining assemblies to mining machines and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a particularly preferred form of the present invention, there is provided a mining machine that includes a chassis that has a width and a cutting mechanism that has a cutting width that is greater than the chassis width. The mining machine further includes an actuation assembly that is affixed to the chassis and the cutting mechanism for selectively moving the cutting mechanism forward of the chassis and down across a surface to be mined and retracted to gather and load cut material into the conveyor mechanism.
The present invention may also comprise a detachable mining apparatus for selective attachment to the chassis of a mining machine, The detachable mining apparatus includes a cutting mechanism that has a cutting width that is greater than the width of the mining machine chassis and an actuation assembly that is removably attachable to the chassis and the cutting mechanism for selectively moving the cutting mechanism forward of the frame and down across a surface to be mined and retracted toward the frame.
Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a quick disconnect assembly is for attaching an accessory to the chassis of an apparatus. The quick disconnect assembly includes a first member affixable to the accessory. The first member has at least one lug member protruding therefrom that has a hole extending therethrough, The assembly also includes a second member that is attachable to the chassis and has a cavity therein that corresponds to each lug member. Each cavity is sized to receive a corresponding lug member therein. The second member has an attachment hole corresponding to each cavity that is in coaxial alignment with the hole in the lug member received therein. A pin assembly corresponding to each attachment hole is adapted to selectively pass therethrough into the hole in the corresponding lug member to affix the second member to the first member.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a mining machine that has a protective shield for preventing pieces of mined material from being inadvertently thrown by the mining assembly into the operator area of the machine.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide a vertically and laterally extending shield assembly that can be affixed to a mining machine chassis to prevent pieces of mined material from being thrown by the mining assembly to the operator side of the field.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a shield having the above characteristics and that can isolate and assist with evacuation of dust and gases encountered during the mining process from entering the operator area of the machine.
Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a mining assembly that extends across the face of the machine and which is movable forward, down across and back from the surface to be mined to provide a square roof which can be better supported and bolted.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide a mining apparatus that has reach capabilities that enables the mining machine to remain stationary as a portion of the seam is mined and thereafter be advanced when necessary to bring the mining assembly in contact with the seam.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a mining machine that affords a safe area for an operator to move about within the confines of the machine chassis to facilitate operation and maintenance of machine components.
Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a quick disconnect assembly to facilitate quick attachment and detachment of a cutting, loading, gathering or other accessory to a chassis.
Accordingly, the present invention provides additional advantages over prior mining machines. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate, however, that these and other details, features and advantages will become further apparent as the following detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiments proceed.
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Super Roc-Miner Brochure; Alpine Equipment, 1978 6 pages.*
Bobcat and Bob-tach Brochure; Melroe Corp., undated 8 pages.
Frederick John R.
Hall Kevin R.
Wilson Gregory S.
Bagnell David
Earl Lowe, Jr. James
Edgington Thomas J.
Joy MM Delaware Inc.
Kreck John
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