Abstract: A mineral mining machine guide is composed of individual sections joined end-to-end alongside the pans of a scraper-chain conveyor. Each guide section has a side wall component and a web plate component with spacers therebetween dividing upper and lower chain guide passages. An inclined foot plate component projects beneath the web plate component which is itself spaced above the foot plate component to form a slot through which the machine engages with the chain run in the lower passage. A pivotable cover closes the upper passage. Toggle-like coupling pieces fit into pockets in the ends of the web plate components of adjacent sections. Compartments in the web plate components above the pockets and at the level of the upper passage receive extensions of the covers which are hinged in these compartments. The coupling pieces are held in place with detachable locking plates which additionally co-operate with the covers to limit their outward pivotal movement.

Abstract: A guide for a mineral mining machine, such as a plough, is composed of guide structures at the mineral face sides of the pans of a scraper-chain conveyor. Each guide structure defines upper and lower passages through which a chain for driving the machine passes. The passages are closed off from the mineral face side by a side plate or cover and from the top by means of a head plate. The head plate is detachable and is secured to, or located against, the side plate. The head plate and side plate have upstanding projections which form part of a guide rail for the machine. A foot plate projects beneath the lower passage to support the machine on the floor of a mine working. The guide structure preferably has reinforced end pieces fabricated by casting and the head plate lies between corresponding wall portions of these castings.

Abstract: A mineral winning machine in the form of a coal plough has adjustable floor cutters. To set the floor cutters at different heights use is made of arcuate levers as carriers for the floor cutters which are slidably guided as known per se. Eccentric stop members engage on the upper ends of the levers and are rotatable to bring different faces into engagement with the levers. Locking means holds each stop member in its rotational setting and the locking means can be released for re-setting by axial displacement of the stop member against a spring force.

Abstract: A mineral winning plough, such as a coal plough, has a plough body adapted to be moved to and fro alongside a mineral face on a plough guide. The plough body is provided with a pair of vertically-adjustable carriers, each of which is provided with floor cutters. The plough body is provided with setting means for raising and lowering the carriers into rest and working positions respectively. The setting means comprises a slide plate, and an intermediate member. The slide plate is mounted in an aperture in the plough body for limited movement relative thereto. The slide plate is attachable to a plough drive chain. The intermediate member forms a mechanical operative connection between the slide plate and the two carriers. The intermediate member is rotatably mounted on the plough body, and is positioned between the two carriers.

Abstract: A guide for mineral winning machines is composed of assemblies secured to the mineral face side of a conveyor. The assemblies have angle plates secured to the side walls of the conveyor pans and structures, integral or otherwise, which provide spacers at least partly defining elongate upper and lower passages for accomodating a drive chain. Covers are detachably and pivotably mounted to the structures to close off the upper passage. The covers are provided with substantial flat upper surfaces which serves to support and guide a machine. An upper guide rail formed by ribs at the edges of the upper surfaces and a lower guide rail formed by webs or web plates on the structures serve to locate with guide means of a plough supported on the inclined walls of the angle plates and driven by the drive chain. Where the flat support surfaces are not needed, or otherwise in case of need, the covers can be removed or replaced by covers of different design.

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 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 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: An L-shaped device constituting a side or barrier plate for attachment to the side wall of the channel section or pan of a longwall scraper-chain conveyor has connectors at the end regions of a main plate-like body beneath a welded-on upper flange. The connectors have an interengageable projection and recess and possess bores extending parallel to the main plate for receiving fixing bolts. A row of non-circular shaped apertures is provided in the main body and is aligned with the connectors. The row of apertures receive bolts used to secure the device to the channel section or pan. A pair of upstanding webs is fixed to the main body beneath the flange and serve to receive a mounting pin for mounting a guide or shifting ram for example.

Abstract: A conveyor for use in mineral mining comprises a plurality of channel sections arranged end-to-end, and a guide disposed on one side of the channel sections for guiding a mining machine. The guide is constituted by a plurality of guide sections joined together by detachable connection means. Each guide section is attached to a respective channel section. The guide is provided with upper and lower channels separated by spacers, the channels receiving and guiding a chain for driving the mining machine. Each guide section is provided with a cover plate which is pivotally attached thereto for movement between a first position, in which it covers the guide channels, and a second position, in which the guide channels are accessible from said one side of the channel section. The detachable connection means associated with each adjacent pair of guide sections is constituted by recesses formed in adjacent spacers of that pair of guide sections, and a connector which mates with the recesses.

Abstract: A guide for a mineral winning or loading machine, such as a coal plough, is composed of assemblies secured to the mineral face side of a conveyor. The assemblies have angle plates with upstanding wall portions securable to the side walls of the conveyor and integral foot portions supporting the machine and resting on the floor of the mine working. Spacers separating upper and lower passages for guiding a drive chain are in turn secured to the wall portions of the angle plates and these passages are shielded by cover plates formed with ramp-like inclined guide surfaces for the machine. The cover plates are pivoted to the spacers at their lower regions so that they can be pivoted outwards to allow access to the passages therebehind. The cover plates are locked with releasable devices to the wall portions in their closed position and have recesses accommodating the spacers which have inclined surfaces forming continuations of the guide surfaces of the cover plates.

Abstract: A cutter bit assembly is composed of a carrier or holder secured or integral with a coal plough and a cutter part detachably secured to the holder. The holder has a head piece with opposite plane faces extending transversally to the cutting direction. A bore in the head piece opens to these faces and extends parallel to the cutting direction. The cutter part has a plane face engageable on one of the transverse faces of the head piece and a projection and recess on these engageable faces prevents rotation of the cutter part. A threaded member either integral with or separate from the cutter part extends through the bore in the head piece and receives a nut bearing on the other of the transverse faces and used to detachably secure the cutter part to the head piece.

Abstract: A guide for a mining machine, such as a plough, is constructed from a series of interconnected sections arranged end-to-end and secured with bolts to the mineral face side wall of a conveyor. Each guide section is composed of an L-shaped plate with an upstanding wall engaging on the conveyor side wall and an inclined foot wall supporting the body of the plough. Spacers locating the securing bolts separate upper and lower chain guide passages and a cover plate extends over the mineral face side of the passages. A slot is formed above the foot wall to allow the plough body to be coupled to the chain in the lower passage. The slot is defined at its upper side by channel-like strips assembled to the spacers and these strips have apertures which receive tongues on the cover plate to thereby form a detachable push-in hinge permitting the cover plate to pivot towards the mineral face. The cover plate is detachably secured to the L-shaped plate at its upper end.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for controlling the position of a mineral mining machine such as a plough, movable along guide means such as a scraper-chain conveyor with a guide on one side. The apparatus employs piston and cylinder units coupled between the guide means and connecting devices pivoted to the guide means. A ball-and-socket joint is provided between each of the units and the associated connecting device.Elongate beams are interconnected at one end and are mounted via a head piece and a swivel joint to each connecting device. These beams are pivoted and guided at their other ends on roof support structures so that the units can operate to tilt the guide means about the pivot axes between the connecting devices and the guide means to thereby control the position of the machine.

Abstract: A coal plough is composed of two spaced-apart interconnected bodies which engage on a guide and which are moved along the guide to strip coal from a coal face. Each body is provided with various sets of cutter bits located at both its end regions and a floor cutter adjustable to control the height of cutting. The cutter bits at the inner face end regions of the bodies project further outwards towards the coal face than the other bits. During operation when the bodies move in one direction along the guide, cutter bits at the forward outer end region of the leading body cut into the coal face and the following-up cutter bits at the forward inner end region of the lagging body also cut into the face. The remaining cutter bits do not engage on the coal face.In this way the cutting operation is performed by both bodies and similarly both bodies can assist into transferring the coal detached from the face over the guide and into a scraper-chain conveyor.