Abstract: An extensible support apparatus for extending the length of an endless conveyor belt system including a set of roller supporting frames arranged in a row with each having a vertically extending framework with rollers for the conveyor rotatably mounted thereon and a horizontally extending elongate frame member. Connectors are mounted on the frame members so that each is movable horizontally along the frame member of an adjacent supporting frame. A loading apparatus is also provided for arranging this support apparatus in the conveyor belt system. The loading apparatus includes a base frame, a loading frame pivotably mounted on one side of the base frame and a horizontally movable supporting frame capable of supporting the extensible support apparatus.

Abstract: A continuous mining machine having a cutter frame with two rotary boring heads mounted on this frame for rotation about axes extending longitudinally of the machine. Each boring head has a plurality of radially extending rotor arms which carry and support cutter bits on the front thereof. A pair of reciprocating pole devices are mounted in each of the rotor arms for movement in the radial direction of the arm. A number of link members are each pivotally connected at opposite ends thereof to respective pair of the pole devices and additional cutter bits are mounted on the link members. There is also a cam mechanism for reciprocating each pair of pole devices as the boring heads are rotated. The cam mechanism causes each pair of pole devices to be pushed radially outwardly at each of the four corners distributed about a circular hole cut by the respective boring head in such a manner that the resulting hole bored by the machine is generally rectangular.

Abstract: A steering system for steering a plurality of conveyor vehicles connected together in the form of a train. The vehicle has a first pair of wheels which can be steered by an operator as the train moves. There are further pairs of steerable wheels connected to the second and subsequent vehicles in the train and supporting same. There are hydraulic cylinders for steering each of the pairs of steerable wheels on the second and subsequent vehicles and a control mechanism for controlling these cylinders in order to set the steering angle of each further pair. This control mechanism includes means for determining the current steering angle of the first pair of wheels and generating an electrical signal indicative thereof and means for storing a series of these electrical signals as the train is travelling.