Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the movement of a universally swivellable cutting arm of a partial cut cutting machine of the kind including a first hydraulic drive for lifting and lowering the cutting arm in order to preselect the depth of cut and a further hydraulic drive for swivelling the cutting arm transversely relative to the direction of lifting movement and lowering movement, wherein the time interval elapsed for actuating one of the drives and/or the volumetric amount of pressurized fluid supplied to each of the drives is measured and wherein, in dependence on the desired preselected depth of cut and after having attained the time interval of actuating one drive required for the preselected depth of cut or after having attained the volumetric amount for the displacement in direction of the preselected depth of cut, supply of pressurized fluid to the first drive is closed and only the supply of pressurized fluid to the further drive is released.

Abstract: The loading ramp (1) of a heading machine or longwall shearing machine has swivelable loading arms by means of which the cut material is removed onto a conveying means. The surface of the loading ramp (1) can be increased by outwardly swivelling of parts (2). The loading arms (5) are driven by using a pivotal point (6) on a rotary disc (7), noting that a further swivel point (12) is provided outwardly of the circle described by a rotary pivotal point (6) on the rotary disc. The loading arm (5) is guided in a shiftable manner at the swivel point (12) and sweeps when driving the rotary disc (7) over a removal area (15, 18) defined by the relative position of the pivotal point (6) and the swivel point (12). The swivel point (12) is connected with the laterally extendable part (2) and is displaced together with the laterally extendable part (2) thus varying the removal area (15, 18).