Abstract: A cutter head for a mining machine includes a drum defining a drum axis with a drum plane extending perpendicular to the drum axis. The cutter head includes a plurality of cutting bit assemblies secured to an outer surface of the drum proximate a first end. Each cutting bit assembly includes a block and a bit. The bit includes a tip configured to engage a mine surface. The bit defines a bit axis, and the bit axis defines a first lean angle relative to the drum plane. The plurality of cutting bit assemblies includes a first series having four first bits, a second series having two second bits, a third series having two third bits, and a fourth series having two fourth bits. Each of the first bits includes a first tip and defines a first bit axis oriented at a first lean angle relative to the drum plane. The first lean angle is between about 60 degrees and about 75 degrees.

Abstract: A longwall shearer mining machine that is mounted on a rail generally includes a first chassis portion with a first cutting arm mounted thereto and a second chassis portion with a second cutting arm mounted thereto. Each of the first and the second chassis portions is slidably coupled to the rail. The first and second chassis portions are coupled at a pivot joint. The pivot joint allows each of the first and the second chassis portions to adjust its respective orientation with respect to a horizontal ground plane when the articulated shearer travels over a hump or a valley, thereby maintaining sufficient headroom.

Abstract: A system and method generating electricity includes converting wave motion into mechanical power. A fluid matter is driven as a function of the mechanical power to a reservoir. The fluid matter is flowed from the reservoir. At least a portion of a kinetic energy of the flowing fluid matter is converted into electrical energy. The fluid matter may be liquid or gas.

Abstract: A mining machine is employed in a mechanized method for removing mineral from a reef in a rock face. The mining machine comprises a first cutting disc rotatably mounted on one side, a second cutting disc rotatably mounted on the machine, at a position off-set from the first disc and a cutting drum The first disc is adapted to remove a portion of the rock face as the machine is traversed along the face; and said drum is mounted upon an arm which is vertically repositionable to allow the cutting drum to remove rock from the roof and floor of the trench formed by the action of the cutting discs.

Abstract: This invention relates to a mining machine, and a mechanised method for removing mineral from a reef in a rock face. The mining machine comprising a first cutting disc (9a) rotatably mounted on one side, a second cutting disc (9b) rotatably mounted on the machine, at a position off-set from the first disc (9a), and a cutting drum (12). The first disc is adapted to remove a portion of the rock face as the machine is traversed along the face; and said drum (12) is mounted upon an arm (11) which is vertically repositionable to allow the cutting drum (12) to remove rock from the roof and floor of the trench formed by the action of the cutting discs (9a, 9b).

Abstract: The subject of the invention is the drive mechanism especially of the combined cutter loader in which the indirect toothed wheel (4) is placed between the toothed wheel (3) and the drive wheel mechanism (5) and is mounted on axis (8), which is mounted in hubs (8) and (9), in which eccentric bushes (11) and (12) are found, whereas hub (9) and the eccentric bush (11) placed in it are mounted in housing of holder (1), and hub (10) and the eccentric bush (12) mounted in the housing (2) of holder (1).

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting and breaking rock includes a cutting disc (13) having an attached wedge (11). Cutting disc (13) can be rotated by shaft (16) to cut a groove into rock. After a pre-determined distance, wedge (11) is forced into the cut groove to cause the rock above the groove to be broken away. Shaft (16) is powered by a drive motor, and can include a kick back mechanism to prevent wedge (11) from being trapped in the cut groove. The entire apparatus can be mounted to the three point linkage of a tractor.

Abstract: An accessory for a mining or tunnelling machine comprising a cutting drum is disclosed. The accessory comprises a radial piston pump mountable in the cutting drum, the pump comprising a plurality of piston and cylinder assemblies adapted to supply water under pressure to a nozzle or nozzles mounted in the periphery of the drum.

Abstract: Tunnel boring machine comprising a number of swingable arms (11,12,13,14) provided with boring tools (41,42,43,44) for the working of the tunnel wall outside its normal diameter. The arms may be swung outwardly into an active position or retracted into an inactive position. These tools may be independently actuated and facilitate the insertion of steel supporting arcs into the excavated area.

Abstract: A drum cutter-loader mining machine equipped with an auxiliary debris crushing drum. The machine includes a cutter drum support arm and an auxiliary drum jib which are independently pivotable about a common pivot axis. The device further includes means for driving the auxiliary drum through a gearing communication between the auxiliary drum and the motor used for driving the cutting drum.

Abstract: In order to overcome problems associated with drum cutter-loader mining machines having a cutting drum mounted at one or both ends of the machine on pivotable support arms and further having cutting drum drive motors positioned outside of the machine body, there is provided a unique support arm system for adjusting the height of the cutting drums and their associated drive motors which neither reduces the debris pass-through cross-section of the machine bridge nor impairs the height adjustability of the cutting drums. The support arm system for each cutting drum and drive motor includes a first support arm section pivotally mounted at one end thereof to an end of the machine body and a second support arm section pivotally mounted to an opposite end of the first arm section. The second support arm section carries at least the cutting drum drive motor at one end thereof and the drive motor of each support arm is positionable inside the coal seam winning track.

Abstract: In a drum cutter-loader underground mining machine, wherein the drum is rotatably carried by an arm arranged adjacent to the coal face side of the machine. The arm is pivotally adjusted by a number of pressure cylinders and carried on an axis arranged between a machine body and a housing of a drive motor for the drum. The cylinders are carried by the machine body on a common axis with their piston rods connected to the housing on a common axis, the pivot axes of the arm, cylinders and the piston rod connections being parallelly arranged.

Abstract: The invention relates to ranging drum shearers having cutting drums driven by electric motors mounted on the respective ranging arms. A coal sizer is pivotably mounted on a shroud of the motor and is maintained at a constant disposition regardless of the position of the ranging arm. The coal sizer is maintained at a constant disposition through a control arm pivotally mounted to the pivot axis of the ranging arm and having a keyway containing a key on the axis of the coal sizer. The key and keyway provide for longitudinal movement of the coal sizer relative to the shearer body whereby on the pivotal movement of the ranging arm, the control arm remains stationary and the distance between the key and the axis of the shroud is maintained by the longitudinal adjustment of the coal sizer in the keyway.

Abstract: A drum cutter mining machine translatable along a longwall conveyor includes an auxiliary cutting drum for breaking up pieces of mineral carried by the longwall conveyor system. The auxiliary cutting drum is supported by a jib and an arm extension affixed in a fixed relationship with a support arm. The auxiliary cutting drum is positioned by the same actuator which pivotally positions the drum-cutter cutting drum at a desired cutting height at the mine roof and other times at the floor. Positioning of the cutting drum at the desired cutting height automatically positioned the auxiliary cutting drum.

Abstract: Excavating apparatus and methods for breaking and removing material away from an upright face of material are disclosed. The apparatus employs a rotary cutter for dislodging material from the face. A collector pan extends transversely across the front end of the apparatus. The cutter is elevationally movable relative to the collector pan in both longitudinal and elevational directions above and below the collector pan front edge, and btween positions located longitudinally outward and rearward of the collector pan front transverse edge. A combination grading and collecting device is mounted at an elevational positon below the collector pan front transverse edge. It functions to both gather material dislodged by the cutter and to form surfaces over which the apparatus travels.

Abstract: Apparatus to advance a multi-unit mining machine along a face conveyor in an underground mine includes a hydraulic unit with an advancing mechanism that extends around a toothed rack. The rack extends over the length of machine movement. The hydraulic unit is an independent unit on a machine body of the mining machine and is used for increasing the advancing force provided by other existing advancing units for the mining machine. The hydraulic unit is narrower than the other units on the machine body and is attached by vertical flanges to adjacent units on the machine body. The hydraulic unit receives a winch casing between oppositely-disposed flanges for guided vertical movement of the casing. The casing has pins extending in the direction of machine movement from opposite top portions thereof to engage with members that slide vertically between guide bars on the flanges for vertical mobility. Clearances between the parts provide limited horizontal mobility.

Abstract: A mining machine 1 of the shearer type comprises an elongate machine body 2 housing inter alia a power unit 11 for powering at least one rotary, mineral cutting head 10, and at least one haulage unit 12 mounted on the outside of the machine body. The haulage unit includes a variable speed motor 16, such as an electric AC motor. The motor is connected via speed reduction gearing 19 to a machine haulage sprocket 13 adapted to progressively engage rack bars 14 or a chain extending along the mineral face 5. A brake unit is also provided in the haulage unit. By locating one or more haulage units outside the machine body, the units can be located at appropriate locations, on either the goaf or face sides of the machine, or both sides, to suit particular operating conditions.

Abstract: A shearer-type mineral winning machine has rotatable cutting drums supported by swinging arms at the ends of its main body. High-pressure water emission nozzles are supported by adjustable carriers in positions generally adjacent the drums to effect preliminary cuts in a mineral face just in advance of the cutting drums.

Abstract: A support arm for a cutter drum carried on a longwall mining machine characterized in being formed from two telescoping parts, at least one of which is movable axially relative to the other to change the length of the arm. This enables the mining machine to cut material from a coal seam with one support arm length and roadways at opposite ends of the seam face with longer support arm lengths without the necessity for raising the mining machine on its support tracks in the roadway areas or otherwise adjusting the vertical heights of the support arms.

Abstract: A gear rack for a longwall mining machine characterized in having a width permitting the arms which carry the cutter drums of the mining machine to move to lower positions relative to a face conveyor such that low seams of coal may be mined. The rack comprises a plate extending along the face conveyor and has driving pin extensions which extend from one face of the plate to engage a driving gear or gears on the mining machine.

Abstract: The machine for the cutting of rocks in underground works comprises a slide way, a carriage on said slide way, a machine frame which is hinged relative to the carriage, an arm which is hinged relative to the machine frame, and a cutting drum mounted relative to said arm. The dimensions of the cutting drum, the arm, the machine frame and the carriage as well as the swinging motions imparted to the machine frame and to the arm are so designed that the single cutting drum can work the machine free at both ends of the slide way.

Abstract: A mineral winning machine is moved back and forth along a mineral, e.g., coal, face to win mineral by a combination of cutting and wedging actions. To effect this winning mode, the machine has at least one cutting device with a cutting disk rotating in front of a frusto-conical wedging body which revolves in an eccentric manner to detach the mineral previously backcut by the disk. The wedging body and the cutting disk are driven by separate concentric drive shafts, preferably with variable speed regulation with the disk rotating faster than the wedging body. In an alternative construction, a cutting chain equipped with both cutting and wedging tools in differential relationship is circulated and engages the mineral face.

Abstract: A safety wall treating method employed in the coal mining operation at the long wall face of a coal mine comprises shearing the long wall face leaving safety wall(s) at one or both side(s) of the face but shearing through the safety wall(s) at regular intervals to form intake or exhaust openings communicating with intake or exhaust tunnels.

Abstract: An end cutting unit for a mining machine comprises a cutting unit body, a ranging arm carrying a drivable cutting device, said ranging arm being carried by the cutting unit body at a location towards a first end thereof, and a transmission for transmitting drive to the cutting device. In order that the end cutting unit may be adaptable to advance and retreat mining uses as required, transmission is provided with two drive couplings respectively at said first end and at the opposite second end of the cutting unit body to enable rotary drive to be transmitted to the cutting device from a selected one of said drive couplings, and the ranging arm is capable of being set in a position, about which the arm can be ranged, in which the arm extends generally away from the end of the cutting unit body at which is located whichever drive coupling has been selected to impart rotary drive to the cutting device.

Abstract: A shearing drum of a shearing-loader type mining machine includes nozzles distributed about the periphery thereof for the delivery of high-pressure liquid from only an arcuate segment of the drum while directed for working a mine face. Conduit members extend radially in the shear drum to communicate with nozzle members. A shaft or tube about which the shearing drum rotates has at least one internal opening to conduct liquid in a direction generally parallel to the rotational axis of the shearing drum. The shaft or tube includes a valve formed by one or diametrically-opposite valve recesses at the longitudinal center within the periphery thereof. The size and configuration of the valve recess are selected to correspond to the period of time for which liquid is discharged from the individual nozzles. Liquid passed from the valve recess is delivered by radial conduit lines formed in a member that rotates with the shear drum while in sealed communication with the valve recess.

Abstract: A drum cutter mining machine includes a machine frame with a winch having a drive wheel to engage a rack or chain which extends along the path of travel by the mining machine to propel the machine along a mine face. The mining machine is made up of discrete units which include a machine body and machine housings joined to opposite sides of the machine body. The winch is either coupled through a drive train with a feed drive motor or coupled to the drive motor for cutter drums. The machine housings each support a pivot shaft coupled by an arm to a drum cutter. One of these housings includes a removable end cover and a recess adapted to receive a support housing for a spur gear system used to transmit torque from a feed drive motor to a reduction gear system which is, in turn, coupled to the drive wheel of the winch. In one embodiment, a removable end cover on the machine housing provides access to the feed drive motor.

Abstract: A longwall mining machine incorporates breaking apparatus comprising an underframe which may be an integral extension of the main underframe of the machine and which is mounted on the conveyor for movement therealong, such that the breaking apparatus is rigidly secured to, and comprises an integral part of, the mining machine. The breaking apparatus also comprises a rotary breaking element drivably carried by the breaker underframe and a reaction plate, for example, on the same underframe, which is spaced from an adjacent periphery of the breaking element. In use, material, such as coal and rocks, on the conveyor passing between the rotary element and the reaction plate is broken against the reaction plate by the rotating breaking element. In this way, the coal and rocks are broken down to a sufficiently small size that they will not become jammed under the main underframe of the mining machine.

Abstract: A longwall mining machine traverses to and fro along an articulated track assembly which includes an armoured face conveyor and which is engaged by a driven pinion on the machine body to haul the machine along its path.

Abstract: A drum cutter includes a machine body having at the opposed ends, pivot shafts extending parallel to the mine floor at right angles to the direction of travel by the machine body along a coal face. Two support arms each include two laterally-spaced bores at one end thereof to selectively receive a projected portion of a pivot shaft extending toward the mine face. A lever is mounted onto each of the support arms adjacent the bores in the end thereof. A cutter drum projects from the free ends of the support arms at the coal side of the machine body. Hydraulic jacks, supported by the machine body, are coupled to the levers for pivoting the arms to position the cutter drum supported thereby. A motor is supported within a casing attached to the stow side of each support arm. The motor is coupled through gearing to the cutter drum. The projected end of the casing is supported by a bearing member secured to the extension of the machine body and provided with a bore to receive the pivot shaft.

Abstract: A ranging arm mining machine traversable to and fro along a fixed guide extending along a working face is provided with a bracket assembly secured to a support trunnion for a ranging arm carrying a cutter drum such that in use the machine is trapped or captivated to the guide.

Abstract: A coal mining machine intended to be used in a pit having a long-walled pit face and having a mechanism in which two cutting drums are attached to the main ranging arm of a ranging drum shearer through a sub-ranging arm and the position of said cutting drums is defined by the cooperation of said main- and sub-ranging arms.