Abstract: A rack-rail assembly for a mining machine has a pair of relatively long rail sections longitudinally generally aligned with each other and having respective forked ends juxtaposed at a joint location. A relatively short link at this joint location has at each of the forked ends an outwardly projecting pin that engages in elongated holes of the forked ends so that limited relative longitudinal displacement between the rail sections and the link is possible. This link has at least two teeth and each of the rail sections has a plurality of teeth, so that when a mining machine travels along the rail assembly thus formed variations in tooth spacing at the joint location can be compensated for. A damping or spring member is provided between each of the rail sections and the link, normally urging them apart.

Abstract: The driven machine, for example a mining machine having a long drive chain driven by a plurality of sprocket wheels, has a plurality of input shafts, for example the shafts of the plurality of sprocket wheels. A plurality of asynchronous drive motors is provided, each for the driving of a respective one of the input shafts of the machine. A plurality of hydrostatic speed converters is provided, each connected in force-transmitting manner to a respective one of the asynchronous drive motors. The pressure and flow of all the hydrostatic speed converters are equalized, in order to equalize the speeds and loads of all of the asynchronous drive motors.