Coal plough chain drive for sloping face - uses face side driving wheel adjacent to return wheels giving sloping upper strand

摘要

The operating system for a coal plough, suitable for a coal face which slopes at an angle in plan view, has the scraper conveyor at an angle to the coal face, in this view. At right angles to the conveyor is a horizontal driving shaft carrying a wheel (21) adjacent to the side of the conveyor towards the cutting face, around which travels the chain (23) which hauls the coal plough. The two strands of the chain leaving this driving wheel then pass round upper and lower return wheels (29,30). The chassis form an arc of contact with the return wheels which is about 180 degrees. The upper return wheel (29) can slope at an acute angle to the lower return wheel (30). In an alternative system, the upper return wheel can also be horizontal, and the chain passing round it then travels under a pressure wheel to keep it parallel to the strand around the lower return wheel for most of its path.