Abstract: A conveyor is composed of a series of L-shaped sections arranged end-to-end to define a conveying floor surface with a side wall at one side opposite the mineral face so as to allow material to fall onto the floor surface. The side wall has a slot or gap therein through which extends entrainment devices capable of extending across the floor surface or being stowed inwards towards the side wall. Where the conveyor is constructed as a shuttle conveyor the entrainment devices are allowed to pivot automatically between these alternate positions as they are driven back and forth along the floor surface by a reciprocating traction means. The traction means runs outside the side wall and the devices are pivotably mounted to the traction means which preferably also performs a guide function.

Abstract: A mine working machine employs a main drive transmission with a vertical driven output shaft carrying a gearwheel which can be interchanged with a chain wheel for effecting a chain drive. For a chainless drive, an auxiliary transmission with a housing covering the gearwheel is attached to the machine body or the housing of the main drive transmission. The auxiliary transmission employs rotatable upstanding shafts located at the goaf side of the machine and in the auxiliary housing. The shafts carry gearwheels at their upper ends meshing with the driven gear wheel and pinions at their lower ends meshing with a multi-part rack extending along the path of movement of the machine.

Abstract: Apparatus for loading material onto a conveyor in a mine working comprises two similar bodies interconnected through a short chain and supported for movement along a guide means at one side of the conveyor. Each body has a shaped base member engaging on the guide means and connected through a plate extending beneath the guide means to a drive chain. This base member has an inclined loading surface extending downwardly towards the floor of the working and in the direction of movement. Additional similarly shaped complementary members can be secured side-by-side with the base members to produce composite loading surfaces of any desired width. Attachments with blades resembling plough shares can be secured to the base members to define a guide surface cooperating with the loading surface to direct material into the conveyor and a number of attachments can be built up one upon another to provide a composite guide surface of any desired height.

Abstract: A longwall conveyor composed of channel sections arranged end-to-end and a scraper-chain assembly moved to transfer material along the channel sections has a main drive station at one end and an auxiliary drive station at the other end. Each drive station has a frame rotatably supporting a drum around which is entrained the scraper-chain assembly. Drive motor and gearing units are carried by the frames and drive the drums. At each drive station there is a housing in which a sprocket wheel drivably engages with a chain used to haul a plough or a similar machine along the conveyor. Drive motor and gearing units are supported by the housings and drive the sprocket wheels. The housing and sprocket wheel at the main drive station is slidably mounted on the frame and a piston and cylinder unit effects slidable displacement of the housing to vary the tension in the drive chain.

Abstract: A scraper-chain conveyor for transporting material at a mine face working has a series of pans and a screen used to screen-off the working zone carried by the sides of the pans remote from the face. The screen is composed of sections with two sections being allocated to each pan. Each screen section is composed of a lower wall secured through U-shaped springs to pivot pins permitting the whole section to be swung outwards of the face to a collapsed position. The pins extend through the bights of the springs and an upper wall is received for slidable movement between the arms of the springs. The upper walls can thus be raised into contact with the roof when the screen sections are upright. To hold the sections upright wedge-like locking members are inserted into brackets supporting the pivot pins to engage on the springs.

Abstract: A mineral mining installation employs a scraper-chain conveyor with separate channel sections each with a floor plate connected between sigma-shaped side walls arranged end-to-end and a scraper-chain assembly is circulated along the channel sections to transport material. L-shaped components are attached to the side walls of the channel sections and these components define or connect with spaced-apart supports projecting beneath the lower flanges of the side walls to produce slots therewith which receive bottom plates closing off the underside of the conveyor. Tongues on these bottom plates serve as a locating and stop means engageable with the supports. A guide for a machine and for receiving the chain used to move the machine is supported by the L-shaped components on the mineral face side and a multi-part displaceable screen is carried by the L-shaped components on the opposite side.