Abstract: A scraper-chain conveyor comprises a plurality of channel sections joined together end-to-end. Each channel section has a pair of side walls joined together by a floorplate. The floorplates separate upper and lower runs for a scraper-chain assembly which circulates within the conveyor. Each of the side walls has a generally sigma-shaped cross-section defined by a V-shaped recess in that side wall. Each floorplate is connected to the side walls of its channel section at the bases of their V-shaped recesses. Each side wall of each channel section is connected to the adjacent side wall of each adjacent channel section by respective connection means constituted by a pair of coupling elements and a coupling member. One coupling element of each pair is attached to one side wall of a given channel section, and the other coupling element of that pair is attached to the adjacent side wall of the adjacent channel section.

Abstract: A longwall mineral mining installation has a conveyor and a plurality of roof support units positioned side-by-side on the goaf side of the conveyor. Each roof support unit has a roof shield having an advanceable shield extension. Each unit has a first hydraulic ram for extending its shield extension, and a second hydraulic ram for advancing the conveyor. The extension of each first ram is controlled in dependence upon the retraction of one of the second rams (either the second ram of the same unit or that of an adjacent unit). This control is effected by controlling the supply of pressurized hydraulic fluid to the first rams. In one embodiment this is carried out by a control valve which has a spring-loaded plunger which engages with a series of equispaced cams on the movable cylinder of the associated second ram. In another embodiment, the piston rods of the rams are provided with series of equispaced magnets.

Abstract: Hydraulic control means are provided for controlling an auxiliary shield positioned at one side of the roof shield of a mine roof support unit. The auxiliary shield is moved laterally of its roof shield by means of three hydraulic rams and the roof shield is supported by hydraulic props. The hydraulic control means comprises a control valve device and two pilot check valves. One pilot check valve is positioned in a line leading from the control valve device to two hydraulic rams which act in tandem. The other pilot check valve is positioned in a line leading from the control valve device to the other hydraulic ram. The pilot check valves are actuated in dependence upon the pressurization of the hydraulic props whereby the hydraulic rams are depressurised when the props are pressurized and vice versa.

Abstract: A hydraulic coupling device for a multi-line hose comprises a screw cap which houses a plurality of plug pins. The hose has a plurality of hydraulic lines bunched together within a flexible sheath. The hose is connected to the coupling device by means of a sleeve, and the lines are connected to the plug pins. Each of the plug pins has a collar. The collars are held against an apertured holding disc by abutment faces formed respectively on a retainer disc and the sleeve. The plug pins are mounted so as to have a predetermined amount of axial and radial play.

Abstract: Apparatus facilitates the transfer of material from the discharge zone of one mine conveyor onto another conveyor extending perpendicularly to the first conveyor. The transfer apparatus can take the form of a rotatably driven disc disposed beneath the elevated discharge zone of the first conveyor so that the material falls onto the disc. The disc extends over the other conveyor. A scraper lies across the disc to scrape and guide the material into the other lower conveyor. Alternatively, the disc or a modified equivalent component is made stationary while a single scraper or several such scrapers rotate over the disc. The transfer apparatus can also take the form of a curvilinear trough or chute onto which the material falls from the elevated discharge zone of the first conveyor and is guided to the other conveyor. Several driven rollers or paddles or a scraper-chain assembly then impell the material along the chute.

Abstract: A mine roof support has a roof-engaging frame structure supported by hydraulic props on a floor frame and pivotably linked to a goaf shield. The roof frame and goaf shield have L-shaped seal plates at their sides. The seal plates are subjected to a lateral-outwardly-biasing spring force by means of springs and push rods accommodated in guide bores in both the roof frame and goaf shield. To adjust the distance between the plates, there are piston and cylinder units and coupling rods likewise accommodated in guide bores in both the roof frame and goaf shield. The seal plates of the roof frame overlap with those of the goaf shield. The plates are reduced in thickness at their overlapping regions and are pivotably interconnected thereat to correspond to the pivotal connection between the roof frame and the goaf shield. To facilitate assembly in situ, detachable push-in pins are located in bores in the coupling rods and push rods and in lower transverse walls of both the roof frame and goaf-shield.

Abstract: A conveyor and guide assembly comprises a conveyor and a plough guide attached to one side of the conveyor. The conveyor comprises a plurality of conveyor sections joined end-to-end, and the guide comprises a plurality of guide sections positioned end-to-end. Each guide section is associated with, and extends substantially along, a corresponding conveyor section. The guide section has a generally L-shaped guide plate and a ramp-like cover plate which define therebetween upper and lower chain ducts for receiving a plough drive chain. Each section of the cover plate is curved over at the top towards the guide plate thereby delimiting the upper portion of the upper chain duct. Each adjacent pair of cover plate sections overlap in a first zone which extends over at least the curved-over portions thereof. Each pair of adjacent sections of the guide plate overlap in a second zone which adjoins said first zone.

Abstract: A valve device for pressure-relief of, e.g., hydraulic props of mine equipment, has a main hollow housing into which a guide is in screw threaded engagement for adjustment purposes. The guide has a through bore which slidably receives the cylindrical stem of a valve member. The valve member has a domed head with a stop face held against an inner end face of the guide by means of a compression spring located in the housing and bearing on a thrust bushing guided and located on the head of the valve member. The stem of the valve member has a blind axial bore leading to frusto-conical outlets at its periphery via radial borings. The axial bore in the stem receives pressure fluid to be controlled via the guide bore. A sealing ring held in a groove in the guide bore engages on the periphery of the stem of the valve member.

Abstract: A channel section for a scraper-chain conveyor has a lower trough-shaped part and an upper trough-shaped part detachably fixed thereto. The lower part is made of heavy-duty metal plate and supports a plough guide section. The upper part is made of light, rolled metal sections and is easily replaceable. The lower part has a pair of side walls welded to a base plate. The base plate has an extension which projects outwardly of the face-side side wall and toward the face being won. The extension constitutes a guide rail along which the plough can slide. A ramped cover plate is pivotally attached to the free end of one arm of an L-shaped plate. The other arm of the L-shaped plate is welded to the face-side side wall so that the plate overlies the guide rail. The guide rail constitutes the plough guide section together with the cover plate and its support plate.

Abstract: A mineral mining plough for use in asymmetric ploughing, and movable to and fro alongside a conveyor, has a plough body provided with cutter means at its two ends. A first cutter means is arranged to win material when the plough is on the uphill run (that is to say when the plough moves in the opposite direction as the conveyor). A second cutter means is arranged to win material when the plough is on the downhill run. The second cutter means is mounted on the plough body for vertical movement relative to the plough body. This enables the second cutter means to be swung out of its working position (on the downhill run) to lie in a rest position (on the uphill run) in which it is in the path of travel of the first cutter means. This vertical movement of the second cutter means results in a plough of shorter length than known asymmetric ploughs.

Abstract: A tool for a mineral winning machine, more usually a plough, has a flat plate-like body with a bore containing a nozzle insert and preferably a hard metal cutting region or blade is also provided on the body. High pressure water is conveyed through the bore and nozzle insert to discharge as a jet which is directed to impinge against the mineral or coal face to effect a cut therein hydraulically. The nozzle insert has its discharge mouth in a protected position inside the body.

Abstract: A longwall mineral mining installation has a longwall conveyor, a plough guide attached to the face-side of the conveyor, and a main plough movable to and fro along the guide. A respective stable-hole plough is movable to and fro along portions of the plough guide adjacent to each end of the conveyor. Each stable-hole plough is driven by means of a respective endless drive chain which passes round two end sprockets. One end sprocket of each stable-hole plough is positioned at the face-side of the conveyor part way therealong. The other end sprocket of each stable-hole plough is positioned at the adjacent end of the conveyor on the goaf-side thereof. Each drive chain passes round a direction-changing unit positioned at the adjacent end of the conveyor.

Abstract: A mineral mining plough has a plough body provided with a carrier supporting roof-level cutters. The carrier is movable vertically with respect to the plough body so as to adjust the cutting level of the roof-level cutters. A worm mounted on the plough body and a toothed rack attached to the carrier constitute means for adjusting the vertical position of the carrier, the worm meshing with the toothed rack.

Abstract: A mineral winning machine is moved back and forth along a mineral, e.g., coal, face to win mineral by a combination of cutting and wedging actions. To effect this winning mode, the machine has at least one cutting device with a cutting disk rotating in front of a frusto-conical wedging body which revolves in an eccentric manner to detach the mineral previously backcut by the disk. The wedging body and the cutting disk are driven by separate concentric drive shafts, preferably with variable speed regulation with the disk rotating faster than the wedging body. In an alternative construction, a cutting chain equipped with both cutting and wedging tools in differential relationship is circulated and engages the mineral face.

Abstract: A plough for winning material in a longwall working is formed with guide surfaces which co-operate with a guide provided at the face-side of a longwall conveyor. The plough is driven by means of a chain passing round a pair of sprockets positioned at the ends of the conveyor at the goaf-side thereof. The plough is provided with a sword plate which passes underneath the conveyor, and the sword plate is provided with a coupling member for engaging the plough drive chain. the plough includes a plough body provided with cutters at one end thereof. The coupling member is set back relative to said cutters by a sufficient distance to enable the plough to win material up to the appropriate end sprocket when the plough is moving in such a direction that said cutters are leading cutters.

Abstract: A support assembly for a mine working has a floor-sill structure for engaging on the floor of the working and a roof-engaging member or members braced by one or more props against the roof of the working. The floor-sill structure employs one or more slidable skids which can be selectively extended in length at the forward end by fitting an extension component of the same width thereto. The or each skid is recessed to receive rear projections of the associated extension component and securing means, such as spindles or shaped locking elements, are used to secure the extension component to the skid. When the extension component is removed, inserts are located in the recesses of the skid to fill the latter and these inserts can be likewise secured with the same securing means.

Abstract: A tunnel drive shield comprises a cylindrical shell supported by two axially-spaced frames. The two frames are movable, relative to one another, in the direction of tunnel advance. In order to guide the two frames accurately, guide means interconnect the two frames, the guide means permitting movement only in the direction of tunnel advance. The guide means may be constituted by a plurality of telescopic guide devices. A knife shield may constitute the drive shield.

Abstract: A scraper assembly for a scraper chain conveyor includes a scraper and a locking member connected together by bolts. The scraper and the locking member are formed with cooperating shaped parts which define a bed for a link of the chain of the conveyor. The bolts are inclined at an acute angle to the plane of said bed.

Abstract: A sprocket drum assembly is constituted by two complementary, radially-separable sprocket drum assembly parts. The assembly comprises a hollow, cylindrical drum and a sprocket wheel having an odd number of sprocket teeth. The two assembly parts meet along two surfaces. The inner edges of at least those portions of said surfaces associated with the drum lie in a diametrical plane of the assembly. Each of the outer edges of those portions of said surfaces associated with the sprocket wheel lie between a respective pair of sprocket teeth.

Abstract: A drive shield of a tunnelling apparatus employs composite drive members or poling plates supported and guided for advancement in the driving direction on a frame. Each drive member has a front part pivotably connected to a rear part. The connection between the front and rear parts of each drive member is additionally designed to enable the rear part to be positionally adjusted as a whole in relation to the front part to bring their outer surfaces defining and supporting the tunnel wall, into exact alignment.