Abstract: An improved drum-cutter mining machine design which transmits force exerted upon a drive wheel during translation of the mining machine along a rack structure to the machine. A protective housing encloses gears and a drive wheel in a manner such that feed forces exerted upon a drive wheel are transmitted through the housing to the mining machine.

Abstract: A long wall mining machine includes a drum cutter-loader and face conveyor wherein the drum cutter-loader is overhung and is supported by a support arm adjacent to the mine face. Nozzles direct high pressure liquid jets against the forward edge of the support arm to cut away the mining face and permit the face side support arm to advance as the mining machine advances. In one embodiment the nozzles are provided along an inclined cutting edge at the forward end of the support arm. Such nozzles may be fixed or oscillating. In an alternative embodiment the nozzles are provided in the cylindrical edge zone of the shearer drum and direct the high pressure fluid jets against the cutter edge at the forward end of the support arm.

Abstract: A hollow gearwheel has internal teeth that mesh directly or through an intermediate gear with the teeth of a drive gear of a machine drive on a drum cutter mining machine. External teeth on the hollow gearwheel mesh with the teeth of a rack extending over the distance traversed by the mining machine along the face of a longwall mine. A plate pivots about the rotational axis of the drive gear while the plate forms a closure to the side of the hollow gearwheel facing the mining machine. The plate carries a bearing support for the arbor shaft of the hollow gearwheel and forms a seal along the outer peripheral edge of the hollow gearwheel. A carrier includes a bearing to support the outer end of the arbor shaft. The carrier is moved along a recess in a housing for the hollow gearwheel to adjust, by pivotal positioning, the hollow gearwheel.

Abstract: Drive gears with unique teeth profiles drivingly couple the output shaft of a drive on a drum-cutter mining machine to a rack extending along the course of travel of the mining machine. A prime mover on the mining machine is coupled to a drive gearwheel having gear teeth with tooth flanks defined by segments of a hypocycloid. These gear teeth mesh with a rack drive gearwheel having gear teeth with tooth flanks defined by segments of an epicycloid. The gear teeth of the rack drive gearwheel have a slender profile to penetrate into the spaces between pins forming part of a guide rail rack.