Abstract: The roof-engaging assembly of a support frame for a mine roof comprises a main beam having a cantilever extension pivoted to the main beam by pins. In order to pivot the cantilever extension through an angle of about 180.degree.-200.degree. between a stowed position and an operative position, a link is pivoted at one point to the main beam and is pivoted at another point to one end of a double acting jack. The other end of the jack is pivoted to the main beam so that, by extending or retracting the jack, the link member pivots one way or the other. The cantilever extension has a pin which runs in a slot in the link member, the arrangement being such that pivoting of the link member by the jack produces pivoting of the cantilever extension through a much larger angle, e.g., double the angle.

Abstract: A temporary roof support for mounting to a mining vehicle comprising a boom pivotally mounted to the vehicle and positioned in front thereof for rotation in a vertical plane and an extensible standard pivotally mounted to the front of said boom. An extensible hydraulic device secured at one end to the standard and at the other end to the boom adjusts the angular relationship therebetween. A transverse beam is mounted to the top of the standard for restricted angular movement.

Abstract: A system for mounting two operator cabs to a vehicle chassis for transverse extension. At least one large tube is mounted to the vehicle with its axis pointed in the direction of the operator cab movement. Two smaller tubes of different diameters telescopically engage the large tube and each other and project at opposite ends of the large tube. A bushing is fixed in the opening of the large tube from which the smallest tube extends. Two cab brackets slidably engage the outer surface of the large tube. An outer edge of each cab bracket is fixed relative to one of the smaller tubes which is a cantilever support therefor when the cab is extended outwardly of the length of the large tube. The cabs are slidably mounted to the cab brackets for vertical movement relative thereto.

Abstract: A shield timbering frame for timbering mines adjacent a mining face, comprises a horizontal floor-engaging skid and a breaking shield extending obliquely over the skid which is connected to the skid by a pair of longitudinally spaced, lemniscate guide rods. A roof cap member has an inner end which is pivoted to the upper end of the breaking shield and it is also braced by a piston and cylinder combination which is articulated to the breaking shield intermediate the length thereof and to the roof cap intermediate its length. At least one hydraulic ram is mounted on the skid and is engaged with the roof cap between the connection of the roof cap to the breaking shield and the connection to the additional support. The hydraulic ram is madeup of at least three telescopically interengageable extensible and retractable parts and includes pressure valve means to provide a substantially equal support pressure on the roof cap in various positional orientations of the roof cap.

Abstract: A shield type support for use in underground mining comprises a floor construction with one or more pressure operated extensible and retractable rams mounted on the floor and connected at their upper end to a roof-member. The roof-member is articulated at one end to a breaking shield which has an opposite end which is supported by lemniscate guide rods. The lemniscate guide rods are carried on a support which is mounted for adjustable movement on a column supported on the floor. In addition, this support also advantageously carries an additional adjusting element in the form of a telescopically retractable and extensible ram connected between the support and the roof structure at a spaced location from the other rams.

Abstract: A mineral mining installation comprises a longwall structure, such as a conveyor or a winning installation, and a roof support assembly constituted by a plurality of roof support units positioned side-by-side. At least some of the roof support units are provided with hydraulic bracing rams for bracing the longwall structure longitudinally. Each bracing ram is pivotally connected between the longwall structure and the floor sill of a respective roof support unit. Each ram is connected to its floor sill by connection means constituted by a bracket slidably mounted on that floor sill for movement towards, and away from, the longwall structure. Means are provided for securing each of the brackets to its floor sill in any one of a plurality of positions.

Abstract: In a mine roof support in which a roof shield, pressed by hydraulically operated, collapsable and extensible props, arranged between the roof shield and a sole plate, against the roof of a mine gallery, is connected at its rear end to a rear shield, which in turn is connected by links to the rear end of the sole plate and in which a hydraulically operated cylinder-and-piston unit is interconnected between the roof shield and the rear shield for controlling the included angle between these shields, an arrangement for stopping further feeding of pressure fluid into the props when the inclined angle between the shield reaches a predetermined minimum or maximum angle.

Abstract: A mineral mining installation has a longwall scraper-chain conveyor with a machine, such as a plough, guided for movement back and forth alongside the conveyor to win mineral from a longwall face. A roof support system which may be arranged at the ends of the longwall working, i.e., at the so-called stable zones, is composed of several units each with hydraulic props protected within cylindrical telescopic casings. Each support unit may be displaceable as a whole to follow the working progress or else each support unit may be constructed with front and rear frame assemblies which are relatively displaceable. Each support unit has at least five narrow elongate roof bars disposed closely side-by-side in parallelism. The roof bars are guided for longitudinal advancement and hydraulic rams serve to advance the roof bars individually or in groups. A similar arrangement may also be employed as the floor structure of each support unit.

Abstract: A roof support unit for a walking frame roof support assembly is provided with a two part goaf shield. One the goaf shield parts is connected, by means of a link, to the roof cap of the unit; the other goaf shield part being connected, by means of a link, to the floor sill of the unit; and the two parts being hinged to one another. At least one of the links is such as to permit the roof cap to be retracted by an amount sufficient to permit the advance of the unit while preventing the hinged connection between the two goaf shield parts moving towards the goaf side of the mine working.

Abstract: A hydraulic control system is provided for a roof support unit of an underground mining installation. The roof support unit is provided with a roof cap supported by hydraulic props. The control system comprises a valve for controlling the supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid to the props, and an actuator for closing the valve when the props have been retracted by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A walking mine-roof support comprising two roof support units which are to be moved with respect to one another for advancing the support, each of the units including a pair of spaced-apart frames each comprising a pair of hydraulically-extensible props disposed one at each side of the frame connected to a cross-member extending between the props, the two frames of each unit being interconnected by roof-supporting bars connected to the cross-members of the frames, the two roof support units overlapping one another in the direction of advance of the support so that first and third frames form a leading one of the units and second and fourth frames form the other unit which is a trailing unit, the two frames of one unit being connected to a frame of the other unit disposed between the two frames by respective first and second rams, whereby during relative movement between the units one of the rams is extended while the other retracts.

Abstract: A sheltering apparatus for use in the long wall face of mine wherein a plurality of plates are arranged in overlapping manner between a self-advancing support and an adjacent plate, and hung from wires whose ends are fixed to the supports through springs, and an air curtain is fixed at the front open portion of the support, whereby floating dust and falling dusty materials can be repelled from entering the inner space of the supports.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the position of a mineral mining machine, such as a plough, movable along a main guide at one side of a scraper-chain conveyor employs cantilevered beams extending between the conveyor and a series of roof supports. Each beam is preferably resiliently flexible and is connected, for example via a bracket at an opposite side of the conveyor, to the main guide. A device, such as a hydraulic piston and cylinder unit, is used to adjust the inclination between the beam and the guide in generally known manner. The end portion of the beam remote from the conveyor extends alongside a side mounting surface of the floor structure of an associated one of the supports which mounting surface faces the next adjacent support. A further guide means, which may take the form of a tube containing a ball or a similar guide member or a guideway along which a guide member is displaceable, is detachably secured to the mounting surface of the support.

Abstract: The invention relates to an advance mechanism for a roof support unit to be used in a longwall face of a mineral mining working. The advance mechanism comprises a hydraulic advance ram and guide means constituted by a guide rod means and a guide rail. One end of the guide rod means is attached to a conveyor extending along the longwall face, the other end of the guide rod means being attached to a guide element. The guide rail extends slidably through a guide aperture in the guide element and is pivotally attached to the floor sill of the roof support unit for pivotal movement in a vertical plane perpendicular to the longwall face. The hydraulic advance ram is attached to the guide element and acts on a member fixed to the floor sill.

Abstract: A mine roof support assembly comprises three basically similar mine roof support units positioned in a side-by-side relationship along a beam. The central unit is fastened to the beam for movement therewith, and the two outer units are flexibly connected to the beam by respective guide rod assemblies. Each of the outer units is provided with an alignment device, such as a short working stroke hydraulic ram, which acts on the beam in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the beam.

Abstract: A coupling gear for connecting two side-by-side, longitudinally extending shiftable skids of a divided footwall skid of a lemniscate shield timbering frame for actuation by a fluid pressure operated piston and cylinder combination which is adapted to be connected thereto, comprises, a double crank joint which includes first and second outer crank pins extending transversely between the skids with bracket means adapted to be positioned on the respective skids for rotatably supporting the outer crank pins on the respective skids and, wherein, the crank pins have outer ends rotatably supported in the bracket means and opposite inner ends and including first and second longitudinally extending, substantially parallel crank arms, one of which has a first end connected to the inner end of the first outer crank pin and the other of which has a first end freely rotatable on the second outer crank pin and with a central crank pin having a first end freely rotatable in the first crank pin arm opposite end and an opposi

Abstract: A walking mine support includes a roadway support unit and a face-gallery support unit laterally of the same. The two units are linked by one or more four-pivot couplings whose members can tilt both lengthwise and transversely of the elongation of the roadway and permit walking movements of the units with reference to one another without interfering with proper support of either the roadway or the face-gallery.

Abstract: A walking mine support unit has a pair of adjacent supporting frames each having a multi-partite sole plate and a multi-partite roof shield. The sole plate and roof shield of each frame are connected only at their respective leading and trailing ends, by hydraulic rams which permit the roof shields to be raised and lowered relative to the sole plates, and by four-bar linkages which permit length-wise displacement of the roof shields parallel and relative to the sole plates. A multi-section overshield is located above each of the roof shields and connected thereto by adjustable supports. An arrangement is provided for advancing the unit in stepwise manner.

Abstract: Shield apparatus for use in tunnelling or mining employs two spaced-apart arcuate frames each composed of a pair of segmental components interconnected at the roof by means of telescopic guides and a central pivot joint. The roof pivot joint between the components of each frame is disposed inside a hollow support and hydraulic rams connect the components to the support. At their lower ends the components of each frame are supported on floor structures connected together with a floor beam. Pivot joints are again formed between the floor structures and the frame components and further telescopic guides and hydraulic rams are arranged between the frame components and the floor structures. The frame components, which may support elongate drive members on their exterior, are adjustable with the aid of the hydraulic rams about the pivot joints to expand or contract the frames.

Abstract: Mining apparatus comprises a longwall conveyor and tensioning means for tensioning the conveyor in its longitudinal direction. The tensioning means is constituted by a plurality of hydraulic tensioning rams, each of which is mounted, in use, by means of pivot joints at each end thereof directly between the conveyor and a respective roof support unit of a roof support assembly. Each tensioning ram extends at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor. The tensioning rams are positioned in two groups, one in each end zone of the conveyor.

Abstract: An arrangement for tensioning a gateway conveyor in a sloping gateway during longwall working using supports having base frames which are provided with pulling and shifting hydraulic actuators, wherein in a tensioning device is provided at least at one of the supports and is connected at one end to the gateway conveyor and at the other end to a slide member which is slidably guided by the base frame of the support for a movement which is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the gateway conveyor, characterized in that the slide member which is slidably guided for a movement which is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the gateway conveyor consists of a guide frame, which is supported by the base frame against forces acting in the longitudinal direction of the gateway conveyor, the cylinder of the pulling and shifting actuator is axially immovably mounted in the base frame and its piston is connected to said guide frame, which when retracted extends on opposite sides of the pulling and shifting a

Abstract: A hydraulic, walking, roof-support frame comprising a vertically-movable, pivotable control lever pivotally connected at its lower end portion to a rigid inextensible rocker arm pivotally mounted on a floor runner or skid of the frame and guided at a distance therefrom by a second rocker arm disposed nearer the coal-face end of the frame and pivotally connected to the floor runner and to the control lever, the free or coal-face end of the control lever being pivotally connected to a roof bar or plate pivotably born by hydraulic vertically-adjustable props, in which the said second rocker arm is longitudinally adjustable and is so constructed that it can be held at a predetermined intermediate length between pivots at its ends to enable its length to be changed in either direction as a result of a thrust from the roof.

Abstract: A timbering device connected to a longwall conveyor disposed toward the mining face of an excavation for progressively timbering frames from the gobbing side toward the mining face side comprises first and second skids which are adapted to be shifted over the floor. The guide piece is pivoted to one of the skids adjacent the gobbing side thereof and it has a guide slot extending toward the mining face. A push rod has one end connected to the longwall conveyor and an opposite end having a slide portion which is slidable in the guide piece guide slot. A thrust drive piston has a gobbing side end pivotally connected to the slide piece portion of the push rods and has an opposite mounting face end which is pivotally connected to a bracket carried under one of said skids. The sliding plane control device is carried by the pusher rod.

Abstract: The mine roof support system includes a plurality of truss members each having opposite end portions and are operable to be moved into and out of abutting relation with a mine roof by a plurality of prop members. Each prop member includes an upper end portion connected to a respective end of each truss so that a pair of prop members is associated with each truss member. Each prop member includes an extensible portion and a shoe which is adapted to support the prop member for slidable movement on the mine floor. Guide mechanisms connect the extensible portion and shoe of each prop member to prevent relative movement between the upper end of the prop member and the shoe. The truss members are stabilized by a stabilizer device, such as a stabilizer bar secured to and extending downwardly from the end of each truss member and connected to the extensible portion of each prop member.

Abstract: A walking mine roof support has a roof engaging cap element, two supporting units each including a floor engaging plate member and a prop extending between a respective one of the plate members and the roof supporting cap element so as to support the latter, which floor engaging plate members are displaceable in a first direction toward a mine face and are spaced from one another in a second direction transverse to the first direction, and displacing elements for displacing the floor engaging plate members in the first direction and including two guiding elements spaced from one another in the second direction and two hydraulic cylinder-piston units operative independently of one another. Each of the hydraulic cylinder-piston units connects one of the guiding elements with a respective one of the floor engaging plate members so as to displace the latter relative to but independently of one another in the first direction.

Abstract: A mining installation comprises an armoured conveyor made up of a plurality of pans articulated together end-to-end, a plurality of hydraulically powered, self-advancing mine roof supports located side by side along the goaf side of the conveyor, each roof support being connected to a pan by one or more double-acting advancing rams, and each having a base means incorporating a pair of spaced, elongate base members seating on a mine fooor, each support further having a forward end intended to be located, in use, adjacent the goaf side of the conveyor and a rearward end intended to be remote from the conveyor, a rail located between the base members and attached at a forward end thereof to a pan of the conveyor, and a lifting jack carried by the base members at or near the front end thereof and operable on the rail to lift the front ends of the base members from the mine floor and in this condition be advanced towards the conveyor by operation of the one or more double-acting advancing rams.

Abstract: Mining apparatus for use on a mineral face comprising a plurality of roof supports arranged along the face, the roof supports being capable of undergoing advancing movements in sequence, and a manually operable control means on each of at least some of the supports, arranged such that actuation of the control means on one support will enable any other support within a predetermined range of supports adjacent said one support to undergo an advancing movement if the support preceding the said support in the sequence has unergone an advancing movement, the number of supports between any two successive supports which have a control means being less than the number in said predetermined range.