Abstract: A light weight, self-contained, portable, intrinsically-safe warning device for providing warning to personnel of an unsafe condition is provided. This warning device is especially adapted for attachment to the roof of a mine to indicate unsupported roof conditions or other unsafe conditions.

Abstract: A teleoperated mining system is provided for remotely controlling the various machines involved with thin seam mining. A thin seam continuous miner located at a mining face includes a camera mounted thereon and a slave computer for controlling the miner and the camera. A plurality of sensors for relaying information about the miner and the face to the slave computer. A slave computer controlled ventilation sub-system which removes combustible material from the mining face. A haulage sub-system removes material mined by the continuous miner from the mining face to a collection site and is also controlled by the slave computer. A base station, which controls the supply of power and water to the continuous miner, haulage system, and ventilation systems, includes cable/hose handling module for winding or unwinding cables/hoses connected to the miner, an operator control module, and a hydraulic power and air compressor module for supplying air to the miner.

Abstract: A method of mining seams is provided for a mineral deposit situated beneath a substantial overburden, such as would be found in a mountaintop ridge formation previously mined by contour mining operations so that roadways exist at the sides of the ridge formation. A continuous loop chain cutting device which extends across the width of the ridge is positioned near the front end of the seam. Vehicles supporting the ends of the device move along the roadways so that the cutting device cuts a thin slot in the seam which remove the mineral deposits yet allowing the remaining mineral deposit and overburden to subside gradually after the cutting blade has passed a given point. At a desired point along the length of the ridge, the vehicles direction and the cutting device continues to cut a thin slot in the seam in the opposite direction. This back and forth movement is continued until the mineral deposit is substantially removed from the ridge.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a bulk material handling system particularly adapted for underground mining and includes a monorail supported overhead and carrying a plurality of conveyors each having input and output end portions with the output end portion of a first of the conveyors positioned above an input end portion of a second of the conveyors, a device for imparting motion to the conveyors to move the material from the input end portions toward the output end portions thereof, a device for supporting at least one of the input and output end portions of the first and second conveyors from the monorail, and the supporting device including a plurality of trolleys rollingly supported by the monorail whereby the conveyors can be readily moved therealong.