US1285332A - Mining-machine. - Google Patents

Description

R. E. NOBLE.

MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. 1914.

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R. E. NOBLE.

MINING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. 2o, |9|4 l ,285,332., I Patented N 0V. 19, 1918.

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Patented N 0V. 19, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- R. E. NOBLE.

MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2o, I9I4. 1,285,332., f

: IIII R. E.'NOBLE.

MINING NIIIcIIINIe.

APPLICA-HON FILED APR. 20,1914- l ,285,332. Patented Nov. 19, 1918.-

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v:RALPH E. NOBLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 MORGAN-GARDNER ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MINING-MACHINE.

peotuation of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 20, 1914. Serial No. 833,107.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, RALPH E. NOBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinols, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mining-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to machines of the chain cutter type, which are principally used in connection with coal4 rapid manner and with a relatively small amount of strain tending to move the frame or supporting portion; which is provided with means for readily raising and lowering the cutter arms; and in general, to improve the construction of such machines.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention Figure 1 is a side view, parts being shown diagrammatically, and other parts being y broken away or omitted for convenience in illustration Fig. 2 is a plan view made in a similar manner;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional View on an enlarged scale, taken through the right hand end of Fig. 1, looking toward the right;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sectional details showing a portion of the driving mechanism;

Figs. 7 and 8 are details of certain gear shift and locking devices; and Figs. 9, 10, 11 are details of the adjustable supporting posts.

In order to provide for a convenient movement about the mines and ready setting for operation, the machine is mounted on a truck 12 having driving wheels 13. These wheels are driven by means of a chain 14 and sprockets 15 and 16, from a shaft 17. The sprocket 16 is loosely mounted on the shaft 17, but is provided with a clutch 18 whereby it may be thrown into and out of driving relation with the shaft. rIhe shaft 17 is provided with a gear 19 which meshes with a gear 20, which is driven by means of a vertical shaft 21, joints being provided in this shaft to provide for the relative movement of the truck frame. A gear 22 is mounted on the shaft 21, and is provided with a clutch 23 having a handle 24 for throwing the gear into and out of turning relation with the shaft. rlhe gear 22 is drivenby a gear 25 on the driving shaft of a motor 26. This motor may be supplied with current in any well-known way.

rlhe shaft 21 is also provided with a worm 27 which meshes with a worm gear 28 on a shaft 29, mounted in bearings from the main frame. rIhis shaft is provided with gears 30 and 31, which mesh respectively with gears 32 and 33, these gears being in turn loosely mounted 0n separate shafts 34 and 35. The gears'32 and 33 are provided with clutches 36 and 37 respectively, whereby they may be caused to drive their respective shafts. The shaft 34 is provided with drums 38 and 39 for operating ropes or cables for raising and lowering one unit or portion of the cutting apparatus proper. Ropes or cables 40 and 41 lead from these drums up and over sheaves 42 and 43, and down to a vertically movable frame or platform 44, which carries one section of the cutting apparatus. A second pair of cables 45 and 46 lead down and under sheaves 47 and 48, and up and over sheaves 49 and 50, and down to the platform 44. Turn buckles or adjusting devices 51 are used in connection withthese cables. The platform 44 is provided at the corners with guide members 52, which engage with posts 53 from the main truck frame, as shown in Figs. 9 to 11. rIhe ianges 54 of the platform guides, and 55 of the posts, are provided with slots 56 and 57 for receiving bolts 58, for clamping the latform in adjusted position. The sheaves 4 and 48 are mounted on the bottom of the posts 53. The sheaves 42, 43, 49 and 50 are carried by adjusted slides 59 which engage with the posts 53. These slides or post extensions are provided in order to give a comparatively wide range of vertical adjustment, and yet having the posts made suciently short so that the machine can be taken into low rooms. The slides 59 are provided with ratchet teeth 60, which are engaged by dogs 61 on the posts for holding atented Nov. I9, 1191-8.'

the slides in adjusted position. By means of this arrangement, it will be seen that when the gear is being driven, the clutch 36 may be thrown into engagement, so as to drive the shaft 34 and wind up the cables to raise the platform 44 to the height desired. In order to prevent the platform from accidentally moving downwardly, the shaft 34 is provided with a ratchet wheel 62, which is engaged by a pawl 63, this device also serving to hold the platform in raised position until the clamping bolts 58 are tightened.

The shaft is provided with drums for operating the second set of cables for rais-` ing and lowering the second platform 64. The supporting and operating mechanism for this platform is a duplicate of that just described, and will therefore not need to be described in detail.

The cutting apparatus carried by the platform 44 comprises a cutter arm 65 which may be of any ordinary or preferred form of construction, vand which is provided with a cutter chain 66 having suitable cutting bits. This chain iS driven by means of a sprocket wheel 67, mounted on a shaft 68, this shaft being mounted in bearings in a housing 69, mounted on the platform 44, the shaft and bearings being so arranged that the cutter arm and driving sprocket may be placed at either top or bottom thereof, as indicated in Fig. 6. This shaft is turned by means of a gear 70 which meshes with a ear 71, mounted on a stub shaft 72, whic is provided with a gear 73, meshingvwith a pinion 74 on the driving shaft of a motor 75.

l This motor is also carried by the platform 44.

The cutter arm 65 is pivotally mounted 011 a bearing concentric with the shaft 68, and is swung in a horizontal plane in making the principal' cutting operations. In order to do this. it is provided with' suitable turning or feeding mechanism.l In the pi'esent instance such mechanism comprises a sprocket wheel 76. which is secured thereto and is engaged by a chain 77, which passes around a second sprocket wheel 78 on a shaft 79 which is also mounted in bearings in the housing The shaft 79 is provided with a worm gear 80 which is engaged by a worm 81 mounted on a shaft 82, which Shaft is provided with a bevel gear 83, which is engaged at times by one or the other of a pair of bevel 'gears 84 and85 mounted on a horizontal shaft 86. This shaft is provided with a worm gear 87 which is engaged by a feather 88, in order to permit the longitudinal movement of thc shaft. The worm gear 87 is driven by means of a Vworm 89 on the ,shaft 68. The shaft 86 is moved longitudinally in order to disengage the gears 84 and 85 from the gear 83, or to cause one or the other of the same to engage with the gear y83, in order to stop the movement of the cutter arm or to cause it to move in one or the other direction. The shifter or locking mechanism for the shaft 86 comprises a laterally projecting yoke or member 90 which is pivotally mounted thereon, between collars, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. This yoke is engaged by an eccentric 91 on a shaft 92, this shaft being provided with a squared end 93 or other suitable means whereby it may be turned to cause the eccentric to move the yoke and shaft 86. In order that the cutter chain may be driven at times without operating the cutter bar feeding mechanism and in order to hold the cutter bar in adjusted position, I provide a clutch and locking device which is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The worm gear 80 is loosely mounted on the shaft 79 and is provided on its lower end with clutch teeth, which are adapted to engage with similar teeth on the upper end of a clutch member 94, this 'member being splined to the shaft. The clutch member 94 is also provided with teeth in its lower end, which are adapted to engage with teeth 95 in the housing 69, the arrangement being such that when these teeth are in engagement, the shaft 79 will be locked in position and will prevent the cutter arm from turning. The clutch member 94 is provided with a shifter yoke 96 on a shaft 97, this shaft being provided with an arm 98 which is connected with a handle 99, leading to the outer end of the machine for operating the clutch.

The platform 64 is provided with a substantially duplicate cutting apparatus, com- 100 prising a cutter arm 100 and a motor 101 l with gearing and controlling device substantially the same as described.

The motor 26 is preferably of the reversible type and a controller 102 is provided for 105 controlling the same. Controllers 103 and 104 are provided for controlling motors 75 and 101, suitable connections being provided, such connections -being omitted in the drawings in order to avoid confusion. A

jack 105 is also provided for holding the machine in workinghposition,

As ordinarily used, the machine will 'run on tracks in a mine, and the motor 26 will supply power for operating the truck.

The cutting apparatus may be operated in various ways. For instance, the cutter arms 65' and 100 may be swung around by their swinging mechanism until they stand at subtantially right angles to the center line of the truck. Then when the inner end of the machine comes close to the face of the coal, the clutch 18 is withdrawn and the jack 105 placed in position to hold the machine. The

motor 26 may then be run to supply power 125 for raising the cutting apparatus proper. Ordinarily, both the cutting arms will be cutting in the same horizontal plane. If the arnis are to be raised to a considerable height,

the post extensions 59 are raised to the de- 130 call sired height, and then the platforms 44 and 64 are raised by means of the gear and ropes heretofore described. When the cutter arms have reached the desired height, the bolts 58 are tightened to hold the platforms or movable frames in raised position. The motors 75 and 101 may then be started and these motors supply power for swinging the cutter arms, as well as driving the cutter chains. The cutter chains are continuously driven, while the motors are in operation, but the feed may be regulated by means ofthe clutch 94 and connected parts heretofore described, and may be reversed by means of the shifting gears 84 and 85, and the controlling mechanism operated by the shaftV 92. rlhe arms 65 and 100 are ordinarily swung toward each other during the cutting operation until their outer ends approach close to each other. Then the cutting may be completed by fixing the arms in this position by depressing the clutch members 94 until they engage with the teeth 95, and then backing the truck away from the face of the coal,

while the cutting mechanism continues in operation.

In some instances one cutting arm may be positioned slightly above the other, so that when they are swung inwardly they may pass each other, and thereby practically complete the kerf, before the machine is moved away from the face. v

In other instances, the cutter bars may be swung until their outer ends are close together before the machine approaches the face of the coal, then the truck will be driven inwardly until the bars have cut into the coal, and then the cutter bars may be swung to complete the kerf.

It will be observed that my improved machine is so arranged that all of the controlling devices may be readily operated by one operator, and it will also be observed that themachine may be quickly brought to cutting' position, and the cutting operation is performed with the cutting strains practibalanced in the machlne. On account of aving the cutting device arranged. on either side of the machine and swinging toward or Vfrom each other during the cutting operation, one of such devices acts, as it were, as a support for the other, so that there is comparatively little tendency toward lateral movement of the truck, and therefore, the machine will be easily held in position.

The provision of independently adjustable coperating cutting mec one support or platform comprises one of the principal features of my invention, and it will be readily seen that the various details of construction may be readily changed without departing from this general idea or the spirit of this invention, and therefore do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction shown and described, except as anisms arranged on v specified in the following claims, in which l claim: v

1. ln a mining machine, the combination of a pairof vertically adjustable horizontally swinging cutter chains carrying arms arranged upon a common support, and means for swinging said arms in opposite directions.

2. In a mining machine, the combination of a support, a cutting apparatus mounted on said'support, means for raising and lowering said apparatus, a secondy cutting apparatus mounted on the same support, means for raising and lowering said second apparatus, each of said cutting apparatus including a swinging arm carrying a cutter chain provided with bits and means for feeding the same, whereby the irst and second named apparatuses will move in opposite directions during the cutting operation.

3. The combination of a support, a vertically movable platform mounted on said support, means for raising and lowering said platform, a horizontall swinging cutter bar mounted on said plat orm, cutting devices comprising bit carrying cutter chains carried by said bar, means for actuating said cutting devices, and means for swinging said bar; a second vertically movable platform mounted on said support, means for raising and lowering said second named platform, a horizontally swinging cutter arm mounted on said second named platform, cutting devices comprising bit carrying cutter chains carried by said last named cutter arm, means for actuating said devices, and means for swinging said arm in an opposite direction from the first-named bar during the cutting operation.

4. A mining machine having a plurality of'independently mounted cutter bars, with cutting apparatus comprising cutteir chains provided with bits carried by each bar, means for independentl adjusting said c utter bars in a vertical irection, and means for swinging said cutter bars horizontally in opposite directions.

5. A mining machine comprising a truck with a plurality of v rtically adjustable cutter bars mounted t ereon, cutting mechanism comprising cutter chains with bits carried by said bars, with means for adjusting said cutter bars vertically, and means for swinging said bars horizontally in .opposite directions for feeding.

6. In a mining machine, the combination of'a main frame, two power driven cutting lapparatuses including cutter chains and bits 7. The combination of a truck, a pair of platforms mounted on said truck, power driven devices for raising said platforms, and power driven cutting apparatus mounted on each of said platforms arranged so'as to feed toward each other during the cutting operation, so that the feeding strains will be equalized.

8. The combination of a truck, verticalv guides on said truck, a pair of vertically movable platforms engaging with said guides, power driven means for raising said platforms, cutting apparatus carried by each j of said platforms, and independent means for operating each of said cutting apparatus including means for feeding the cutting apparatuses in opposite directions.

9. The combination of a truck, a pair of vertically movable platforms mounted on said truck, cutting apparatus including swinging arms with cutter chains and bits carried by each of said platforms, means for feeding said ar`ms in opposite directions, a motor on said truck, connections between said motor and said platforms for raising the platforms, and connections between the motor and the truck for driving the truck.

10. The combination of a truck, a motor,

means for connecting and disconnecting the f motor for driving the truck, vertical guides I on said truck, a pair of frames engaging with said guides, means actuated by said motor for raising said frames, a cutting apparatus comprising swinging arms with cut` 12. A mining machine comprising, in coi'nbination, two cutter bars each provided with its cutter chain and a driving sprocket, pivotal mountings for said cutter bars, having axes coincident with the axes of said driving sprockets, means for contemporaneously swinging said cutter bars on said pivotal mountings in opposite directions while operating both of said cutter chains, and means for vertically adjusting said cutter bars together with the swinging means and chain driving means.

13. A mining machine comprising, in combination, two cutter bars each provided with its cutter chain, means for driving said chains, means for swinging said cutter bars contemporaneously in opposite directions-respectively while operating said cutter chains in opposite directions respectively, and means for vertically adjusting said cutter bars together with the chain driving and arm swinging means.

14. In a mining apparatus, the combina tion of a mining machine having two cutter bars'each provided with its cutter chain, and

means for swinging said cutter bars contemporaneously in opposite directions while operating said cutter chains in opposite directions respectively, with a support A on which said mining machine is adapted to be advanced bodily toward the work, and means for adjusting the machine vertically with respect to the support. 1

15. In a mining machine, the combination of a support, two cutter bars pivotally mounted at the inner end of said support, cutter chains for said bars in opposite directions, means for driving the respective cutter chains in opposite directions, means. for swinging the cutter bars, and means for vertically adjusting said bars together with their chain driving and swinging means, whereby kerfs may be cut at different elevations.

RALPH E. NOBLE.

Witnesses:

F. HEEREN, E. V. GUsTAFsoN.

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