Method and apparatus for the winning and conveying of coal and other minerals at a curved face

摘要

717,593. Minerals. RITCHIE, C. Nov. 24, 1952 [Nov. 22, 1951; Jan. 8, 1952; Feb. 11, 1952; Aug. 12, 1952], Nos. 27391/51, 532/52, 3581/52 and 20229/52. Class 68 (1) [Also in Group XXX] In the winning and conveying of mineral at the transition zones from the ends of a longwall face S to the roadways F of a mine, the winning and conveying take place in curves which extend beyond and thereafter run back to the roadways. At each such zone there is provided a fixed frame 22 having a curved face complementary to that of the zone, said face forming an abutment and guide for the winning means 21 and the conveying means 20. The frame is provided with means 23, 24 to secure it against movement and also to advance it over the mine floor as required, In one embodiment planers 21 are guided on the side form of a double-chain single or double-band conveyer 20 provided with articulated trunking at each curved zone. The trunking abuts against the frame about which circulates an endless chain or chains 25. The chain or chains 25 pass through that part of the conveyer trunking adjacent the frame so that arms or teeth 28 on said chain or chains engage the adjacent portion or portions 30 of the chains of the conveyer so as to deflect this portion or portions to an extent sufficient to take up the slack in the portion or portions as it or they pass around the curve. In a second embodiment the innermost ends of the pusher elements of the conveyer are engaged by projections on the endless chain or chains, to be correctly positioned by said projections as the elements pass around the curve. In a third embodiment the working and idle runs of a single-chain conveyer pass around the curved zone on rollers positioned in channels in the frame, and a cam surface is associated with the frame to move the flights of the conveyer through 90 degrees from a horizontal working run to a vertical idle run. In a fourth embodiment interconnected peeler-scraper boxes win and convey the mineral along the face and at a transition zone are guided around the frame either on rollers mounted thereon or by the projections from an endless chain as in the first embodiment.