US2670944A - Coal mining and loading apparatus - Google Patents

Description

' Mal -ch 2, 1954 A. LEE

COAL MiNING AND LOADING APPARATUS Filed Dec. '18, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet l WW F //v VENTOR, ARTHUR L. LEE,

March 2, 1954 A. LEE

COAL MINING AND LOADING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 18, 1948 I/NVENTOQ ARTHUR L. LEE, B fl/c/aa AT' K March 2, 1954 A. L. LEE

COAL MINING AND LOADING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 18, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. ARTHUR L. LEE,

ATT'X A. L. LEE

COAL MINING AND LOADING APPARATUS March 2, 1954 Filed Dec. 18, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 /N\/EI \/TOR; ARTHUR L. LEE, BY

ATT

5 Sheerls-Shee'r, 5

Filed Dec. 18, 1948 Patented Mar. 2, 1954 Arthur. L. Lee, Upper Arlington; Ohio, assignor to. The Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, a corporation vof Ohio Application December 18, 1948,.Serial N 03 66,080

3Glaims. (Cl; 262-310),

My: invention relates 1 to: mining apparatus and moreipart-icularly to mining apparatus for: cuttingand loading, coal.

object of. my invention is: to provide. improved: coal cutting. and loading apparatus;

Another object of: my invention is toprovide improved mining apparatus for cutting and-loading: coal wherein there, is acoal:- cuttingmining machine and: a gathering and: loading conveyer disposed: along, one sideof. the cutting machine whichiconveyer loads coal ontoa discharge conveyer. that follows; the cutting machine as it movesb'odilyr aboutethemine room and which preferably; although-not necessarily, travelsalong and discharges: coa-l'into amine conveyer;

Another object. ofmy,- invention is: to provide improved mining apparatus for cutting'and-loading: coal: that. includes a: coal cutting machine adapted to out a kerf in a mine room wall and to discharge kerf cuttings from the machinaand aigatherin'g and. loading: conveyer disposed along one! side of the cutting machine: for gathering loose andflor: semircompact coal which conveyer may be; moved:v to permit. the cutting machine to out:a-.kerf-.in the mine roomrwall-andwhich-loads coal; onto a discharge conveyer that follows the cutting machine as: it: moves about-the mine room and receives the: kerfi cuttings discharged therefrom, the discharge: conveyer preferably, although notnecessarily;v traveling along anddischarging: coal: onto a mine conveyer.

Other objects of the? invention will appear hereinafter the-novelvfeatures and combinations being, set' iorth in the:- appended claims;

In the.- accompanying; drawings,

Rig; 1' is:a view inplan of mining? apparatus that includes features; ofmy invention, the apparatus including; a; kerf. cutting mining machine on lowoverall height for cutting a kerf in the solid: coal. of; a mine room; wall which: machine rests upon and slides over the mineroom floor, a loading; convey-er." also adapted toslide over: the minearoom floor disposed at oneside-of" the kerf cutting; machine: for gathering and loading loose and/or. semi-compactcoaland adischarge conveyen connected. to the rear of the kert cutting machine for discharging kerf cuttings received fromithe cuttingmaohine and ooalireceived' from thagathering and loading conveyer;

Fig. 1a: is-a sectionalview taken on the line lap-la ofFig; 2 ofthedrawings;v

Fig; 2: issa sidexview in: elevationa of themining apparatus seen in: Riga. 1;

Big. 3 is. a SGGtiOIlBli elevational view; in; plan 01 a1 pcrtiom of the, mining; apparatus seen, in Fig: 1 theaview showing; the rear nd of the kerf cutting machine; the front end of the discharge conveyer. that is connectedrthereto and agear box and gear trains through which the gathering and loading conveyer and the dischargeconveyerare driven by the-kerf cutting machine;

Fig. 3a-is a view'in elevation, with parts-omitted and parts-broken away, and showing particularly the str-uctureby which the main frame of the ker-f cutting machine and the discharge conveyer are: pivotallyconnected;

Fig. 4- isa view in section, thesection being taken substantially on. line 4-4' of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5zis'more or less a diagrammatic illustration' of mining apparatus performing difierent mining operations in a mine-room, the apparatus embodying other features of my inventionaand including the mining apparatus seen in Fig. 1 with one end of the, discharge conveyer thereof attached to-follow and discharge co'al-ronto amin'e conveyer as-the discharge conveyer follows the kerfcutting machine about the mine room, the apparatus as: indicated in dot-dash lines illust-rating the gathering and loading conveyer detached from the kerf cutting machine and resting' adjacenta: sidewall of themine roomwhile th'e'kerf cutting. machineis cutting a'kerfi in the solid coal of the mine roomface, and theappara tus as seenm full lines operating to gather: loose and/or semi-compact coal hot after the kerf has-beencut in the mine room walli Referring to-Figs; 1, 2 and 5 of the drawings, there is shown mining apparatus which includes a her-f cuttingmining machine Ii! of the type adapted'torest ona'nd slide-over the minerroom floor as a unit while-cutting a kerf or, in other words; of the well known shortwall type. It is also=of; a. verylow overall height to the end that it may be used in very low seam mines. This kerf cutting: machine [0% is identical, except for certain modifications herein described, to the mining machine which I have shown and described in my co-pending application, Serial No; 536,979; filed April 6; I945, now Patent No. 2,660 r118,v dated November 24', 1953 for a Mining Machine;

With reference to Figs: I, 2. and 5, andparticularlyto Fig. 1, the cutting machine it may? be described briefly asincluding a mainframe H that has a forward: motor section l2 and a-rearwardmachmery section I3. Attached to the rear end of the. machinery section: l3: of the main frame 'H is a: gummer'or cuttings collecting-and; V

removing: mechanism Mt (see: Fig: 4:) which: dis-'- charges lterfcuttings rearwardly' from the cut-. ting machine It.

Extending? permanently: forwardly from: the

motor section l2 of main frame H is a kerf cutting mechanism 15 including a long thin cutter bar [6 about which there operates an endless kerf cutter chain i1 provided with removable and reversible cutter bits E3. The rear end of the endless kerf cutter chain IT operates over a drive sprocket (not shown) positioned adjacent the gummer or cuttings collecting and removing mechanism It and discharges coal or kerf cuttings into the cuttings removing mechanism It which functions to collect and expel or discharge them from the rear of the cutting machine, as is described in full detail in my Patent No. 2,660,418, above identified.

As is well known, the shortwall type of cutting machine is adapted to be fed as a unit over the mine floor while cutting a kerf, the kerf being cut by first sumping the cutter bar into the solid coal of the mine room face and then feeding the machine bodily laterally across the mine room with the kerf cutting mechanism operating all the while.

To effect feeding of the cutting machine over the mine floor the machine 10 includes a pair of cable or rope feed drums l9 and 20 which are in alignment and one of which is disposed at each side of the machinery section 13 of main frame ll. Drums l9 and 26 are provided with feed ropes or cables 2| and 22, respectively, which are adapted to be reeved about the sheaves of similar right and left hand rear sheave assemblies, one of which is seen at 23 and similar right and left hand front sheave assemblies 25, one of each of which is seen in Figs. 1 and 2. The cutting machine includes a single electric motor which is housed within the motor section i2 of main frame I! and this motor drives all of the power driven mechanisms of the kerf cutter including the gummer or cuttings removing mechanism M, the kerf cutter chain H and the feed drums l9 and 20 and it tends to drive the feed drums l9 and 20 always in the same direction.

The cutting machine Ill may be fed laterally in reverse directions, and to do this it is provided with means (not shown) for permitting slippage between the driving motor and one or the other of the feed drums to permit it to pay on? cable or rope as the other drum winds or reels in its rope. In the lower left hand corner of Fig. 5 of the drawings the machine is illustrated in dotdash lines with rope 2| reeved about the sheave of the rear sheave assembly 23 and rope 22 reeved about the sheave of the front sheave assembly 25 at the opposite side of the machine and anchored at their ends to mine jacks, stakes or the like to eifect lateral feeding of the machine to the left, as viewed from the rear thereof, or downward as viewed from the drawings.

By the mere expedient of reeving rope 2l about the sheave of the other front sheave assembly and reeving the rope 22 about the sheave of the other rear sheave assembly and making the necessary operating adjustments to the machine to cause drum ill to wind or reel in its rope 2i and drum 20 to slip to pay off its rope 22, the machine may be fed to the right, reversely of that illustrated in said Fig. 5 of the drawings.

By extending both of the feed ropes 2| and 22 forwardly to mine jacks, the machine may be sumped into solid coal. By extending the ropes 2| and 22 rearwardly over auxiilary sheaves 26 the machine may be pulled rearwardly away from the mine face.

The mining apparatus of my present invention includes a discharge conveyer 2T having a main frame that includes a pan shaped bottom member 28 which rests upon and slides over the mine floor. The discharge conveyer 21 is attached at its front end to the rear end of the main frame i l of the kerf cutting machine 10 to follow or move with it as the kerf cutting machine moves bodily about the mine room floor through a generally U-shaped bracket or tow-bar 29 (see Figs. 1 and 3).

The legs 30 of the U-shaped bracket or tow-bar 29 are connected to the rear end of main frame H of the kerf cutting machine Hi to pivot or swing about a horizontal axis through spaced brackets 3| and connecting pins 32 while the rear end or member 33 of bracket or tow-bar 29 is pivotally connected at its center to the pan shaped bottom member 28 of the discharge conveyer 27 through a pivot pin as.

Pivot pin as includes a threaded portion 35 of smaller diameter than the body of the pin that extends through an opening in the end member 33 of bracket 29 and receives a nut 24 that secures the pin 34 to the member 33. That portion of the pivot pin 34 which extends below the member 33 is cylindrical and generally of uniform diameter and is provided with a round convex bottom end which rests upon the bottom of a cup member 36 welded to the pan shaped bottom member 28 of discharge conveyer 21. The cylindrical body portion of the pivot pin 34 is grooved circumferentially and into this groove there extends the rounded ends of two pins 31 that extend through and are secured in diametrically opposite openings in the walls of the cup 36. The width of the circumferential groove in the pivot pin 36 is greater than the diameter of the pins 31 to permit pin 34 to oscillate upon its ball-like bottom end.

It will be seen that the tow-bar 29 and discharge conveyer 27 are pivotally connected for universal swinging movement through the pivot pin es and cup 36 and that the tow-bar 29 is connected to the cutting machine H] for swinging movement about the horizontal axis of pins 32. Because of these connections the cutting machine iii and discharge conveyer 21 may each rest generally flatly upon and slide over mine floor surfaces which do not lie in a single plane, that is, the planes of the surfaces upon which the cutting machine in and the discharge conveyer 21 rest and slide need not be parallel and may be at different elevations. It will also be seen that the cutting machine l0 and discharge conveyer 2? may pivot with respect to each other generally about the axis of pivot pin 34 to permit conveyer 21 to swing generally horizontally about its front end while it follows or is pulled and/or pushed about the mine room by the cutting machine [0.

Discharge conveyer 2? is of low overall height and includes spaced side main frame members 38 supported by the bottom pan 28 between which is carried a plate 39 that cooperates with the side members 33 to form a conveyer trough or way 4% through which there slides the upper or working run of an endless chain and flight conveyer element Al and below which the return run of the conveyer element 4| slides. Endless chain and flight conveyer element ll operates over a power driven head or conveyer drive shaft 42 adjacent the front end of conveyer 21 and an idler or tail shaft 43 adjacent the rear end thereof.

Conveyer head shaft 42 carries a sprocket M at one side 9f one of the side members as that is connected witlr theactogm reducer 45! of 'convention'ar construction: through am endless'drive: chair-Mia speedi reducer 45.2 is

carried upon a bed on Base plate: 411 that ex;

tends: later-ally: from the bottom: panl or: the discharge convey-er and it is" drivoit from the driving-motor of the cutting m'a'chin'e lllthrough gearing that is more fully; described hereinafter: When speed reducer- 4'5 iedi iuem it drives the endless,- chain and": flight conveyor on through chain E6", sprocket-fland head shat-t 42; to cause the working run or thechain: 4 to travel: rear wardly through" the trough or way 41! to: convey coal thereihrearwardly and discharge it-over" the tail shaft -dlfi The rear 01' tail shaft end of discharge comveyer 2 1 is'elevated andextendsover a-mineroom or receiving: conveyer 4'8 and thisen'd of discharge conveyor is attached through a raclo ortruch @9 to themine conveyer 4'8 ("see Figl- 5-) Rackor truck- 49 may lee-of any suitable: constructionand is carried bythe mine conveyor-48 for-1ongitudinal movement therealong and it oar-=- ries-t'he discharge ortail shaft end of discharge conveyor 2-"! for pivotal swinging movement through a conventional ball and'socketconnector' 49'. Thus the dischargeconveyerfl may follow the: cutting machine? l while the latter' moves about the: mine room or across the mine-roomface; the' conveyor 21-" all the-while discharging coalontothe'mine conveyor 48.

At, one si'd'eofthe" kerf cutting machine I'U- is anelongated endlesschainqtype gathering and loading conveyer' f! the ftont end: of which is suhst'an'tiaily coextensive. with the? kerf" c'utti'ng mechanism l5 and which extends: substantially from thefront ofthe cutter mechanism along" one' side of the kerf' cutting machine" and discharges or l'oads; coal at' its open rear end, onto the discharge conveyor 2:1; The gathering and loading conveyor 59 like the kerf cutting" machine l'iirests'upon and slides:over themine room floorand,. like the discharge conveyer 21; it. is connected" to be moved; that; is,. pushed and/or pulled over. the mine. room floor by the cutting machine It). Gathering and'j loading conveyor. 511 is; connected to the' side" of'ke'rf cutting" mas chine HI". through a pair" of brackets 51' andji: Bracket 51 is formed as apartof'the'main frame of gathering and loading conveyor5'0and"brack= I et 52 is formed as a part of themot'or" section 12 of'the' main frame H of cutting machine I0; Brackets El and 52 are connected" pivotallyby aLreadily' and easily removablev connector or pivot pin 53:.

The main fram'ezo'ft the gatherihgiandlioading conveyor 51 includes a track or way that; extends from adjacent: a drive sprocket at it'slrear. end along one side of the conveyor, around; its. front end and from the front end. back to. adjacent the drive sprocket 5'4. Withinthis tracklor. way there operates an endless chaingath'er-ihg and loading element 55l'thati is driven-By thedriye sprocket" 54" to, circulate through. the described track or way. Endless chaingatheringandll'oade ing1elenienti 55 carries a plurality.of'spacediload er" elements 55; adapted to gather and movecoal that'are attached,tollinkslot'thel-chain fon pivotal movement about horizontal axes:- whereby the loader elements 55L may be swungfromhorizontal or. gathering and loadingpositions occupied by them.- as they travel 7 alongthe loading side; oi the conveyor 5! to; uprightFor non-working; posi tions, as they travel along, the-ncndoading side drive sprocket at 35596;!

thereon which; positions are indicatedzatl 5:1 and; 75

5d, respectivcly l'imli igs 1. Each of: the loader elements 56 includes aniex-tension: orpor tionlfl that'- extendsl rearwardly therefrom, with respect the direction: of; its? travels and: each; of these reanwardlyi extending: portions; 5%} carries. a cutter bit 61h adaptedzto. dig into; out, brealcor tear down coal: as? the; gathering; and loading conve'yer attacks- (2081i to: gather: and; load: it. The extension: or; portion: 59 of each of the loader elements: 56 a'lsoeincludes a; cam 01'151106751 adapt,- e'd to follow and ride: upon a guide bar' or strip 62 carried: by" the? mainframe of the gathering andi loading; conveyor 5.0;. Guide loan 62: extends them: the frontend: Off, the: gathering and? loading conveye'r main= frame: along: its: working; side" to, adia'cent' the:d1 ive:sprockeli-5A: at. the: rear. thereon where it: cams the shoes. 6iof each portion 579i 01 the loader elements; 56.: outwardly as; the loader! elements-travel: around: the drive sprocket 54% The camsiorshoes-18d of'the loader elements 56 bear" against; the guide bar 82? on the Working: side" of: the: gathering and loading conveyor 5m fin: maintaining: the loader: elements 55.:- suhstantially ati rightlanglesito the. path of the ch'ain while they are working to' gather,. convey: and discharge coal? from: the conveyor The main frame: of: the, gathering and: loading; conveyer so also includes an elevating rail 63? that extends f omvardly alongithe'non -loading side'of conveyor 3 503 from: adjacent the drive; sprocket- 54 to the front endzthereof; Rail d3? adjacent the sprocket 5'42 camel. the traveling loader elements 56 up.- W'BFfiGlYWOIlIhElI upright"- ornon-workings positions as; they travel along: the; nonsl'oadingi side ofconveyer. St and asfithe loader: elements fit'appro'ach theafi'ont' en'dlof-l the conveyor tflrthey'arecammed' laterally by a cam 64 carried on the top of" the mainzf-ra-meof conveyer' 5.3130 cause the loader elements: 56% to:- swing outwardly and to be" low;- ered' from their upright or non-working; positions to: gathering: and-loading. positions'as they ride: upon the rail; which is sloped gradually downwardly from: adjacent the leading, end. of the -cam: 64? toe-the forward or front; portion of theiba'se or ground: engaging: plate 65; of" the con veyer-Slli.

Cvonyeyer50 islo'pen alongits workingtsidean'd its: rear portion; includes an upright: side wall fifithat-cooperates wtih' the base orground en'- gaging: plate totform a trough'or waythrough wliichr. gathered? coal is elevated and: conveyed reanwardly'by'the loader: elements 55- and loaded upon;the dischargeconveyer 21 through theropen rear'endifi l'ofrconveyer 59-:

The: driving: sprocket. 5 4: of conveyor 50 is mounted? upon& the: end": of? a. vertically: extending drive shaft of: aconventional ring and pinion type: speed. reducer? $8.. The main frame of the gathering andzloadingacon'veyer 5E3 is-rogeeishaped ati'the rear throughout'the: length ofthe upright side wall 66 (see Fig. 2) in order that. coal'gathe ereda from-i the mine;- room floor by' the: conveyer will: be: elevated and: spilled. upon. the discharge conveyen 2?. The rearend of the mainframe of: conveyor 595 is carried: through the housing ofv speed: reducer 681 which: is: slidably and pivotally carried by as bracket 59* welded: to a side member" 38? of the main frame of discharge conveyer 25L Bracket 69 extendsl horizontally from the side-of: the discharge conveyor 21 and is slotted longitudinally" of; the: discharge: conveyer 2'! to. receive a pin 1i] that ext'endszdownwardly there.- through from the: housing of the speed reducer 68;. Through: this 1nountinga the. rear end of; conveyor- 511; connected. to; the;- discharge conveyor 21 for sliding pivotal movement longitudinally of the discharge conveyer.

From the description thus far given it will be seen that the cutting machine In, the discharge conveyer 21, and the gathering and loading conveyer B, of my improved mining apparatus, each rest upon and slide over the mine room floor, and that the entire apparatus is slid or moved about the mine room as a unit solely by the cutting machine H1 through its driving motor and ropes 2i and 22. Because the gathering and loading conveyer 58 is attached pivotally to the main frame I I of cutting machine Hi and its rear end is attached for simultaneous pivotal and sliding movement to the discharge conveyer 21 which in turn is pivoted to the rear end of the kerf cutting machine ID, the entire apparatus, that is, the cutting machine in, the gathering and loading conveyer 5i and the discharge conveyer 21, is an articulated mechanism wherein each, the cutting machine it, the gathering and loading conveyer 50 and the discharge conveyer 21 may move, swing or pivot with respect to each of the others to permit the discharge conveyer to swing as it slides over the mine room floor while following the cutting machine Hl When discharge conveyer 21 swings laterally, the gathering and loading conveyer 50 swings about the pivot pin 53 while its rear end follows discharge conveyer 21 by pivoting and sliding along the bracket 69. Coal spilled upon discharge conveyer 21 together with any kerf cuttings discharged by gummer I 4 will be conveyed rearwardly by the chain and flight conveyer 4i and spilled or loaded upon the mine conveyer 48 which operates to convey the coal from the mine room.

The kerf cutting machine 18, as fully described in my Patent No. 2,660,418 above identified, includes at its rear end a power take-off shaft which occupies a position in the cutting machine indicated at 1: in Fig. 3. The power take-off shaft is driven from the motor of the cutting machine I!) and the gearing which connects the power take-off shaft with the driving motor includes a clutch that is manually operated through a lever 12 on the cutting machine it (see Figs. 1 and 3) whereby the power take-off shaft may be engaged and disengaged from the driving motor. The discharge conveyer 21 and the gathering and loading conveyer 58 are both driven from the power take-oil shaft through gear trains seen in Figs. 3 and 4. The gears which make up the gear trains for driving the discharge conveyer 21 and gathering and loading conveyer 50 are housed within a gear box or housing 13 secured directly to the rear end of the cutting machine Iii by bolts 14. Gear box 13 is positioned between the front end of the discharge conveyer 21, the rear end of the cutting machine l0, and above the tow-bar 29.

There extends from the rear or discharge end of the gummer or cuttings removing mechanism 54 and below the gear box or housing 13 an ogee shaped chute or conduit 15 that forms a way which conveys kerf cuttings discharged from the gumrner or cuttings removing mechanism Hi onto the front end of the discharge conveyer 21. The rear or discharge end of chute or conduit 15 is supported from the top of the gear box or housing 13 by a pair of straps 1B bolted directly to the top of the housing 13.

There are two gear trains within the housing 13, one for driving the speed reducer 45 and consequently the discharge conveyer 21' and the other for driving the speed reducer 68 and consequently the gathering and loading conveyer 50. The gear train which drives the speed reducer 45 of discharge conveyer 21 includes a main pinion shaft 11 provided at its front end with an integral disc that carries two spaced projecting pins 18 adapted to extend into wells or sockets in the power takeoff shaft of the cutting machine it? for drivingly connecting the pinion shaft 11 and the power take-off shaft. Shaft 11 extends through the housing 13 and is carried in suitable spaced antifriction bearings 19 and secured in the housing 13 in a conventional manner as shown in the drawing. Main pinion shaft 11 carries within the housing 13 a main pinion gear 8! that meshes with a reach gear 82 mounted on a shaft 83 through anti-friction bearings 84 and a spacer 85. Endwise movement of shaft 83 is prevented by a shoulder 85 on the shaft and a plate 81 bolted to the rear wall of housing 13. Shaft 83 is retained against rotation in the housing 13 by means of a key 88. Reach gear 82 meshes with and drives a gear 89 that drives a shaft 9!] which carries it. Shaft 90 is carried in the housing 13 through anti-friction bearings 53! and 92. Bearlugs 91 and 92 are mounted in the walls of housing 13 in a manner similar to that by which the bearings 19 and 8B for main power shaft 11 are mounted except that anti-friction bearing 9| at the forward or front end of shaft 96 is received in the bearing cup of a cap or closure member 93 bolted to cover an excess opening in the front wall of housing 73. The rear end of shaft 90 extends through a bearing retaining cap 33 provided with two lubricant, grease or oil seals, one of the friction type and one of the labyrinth type, which surround the hub of a flanged driving member 94 secured by a nut 95 upon and keyed to the tapered rear portion of shaft 99. The flanged driving member 34 carries a universal joint 96 (see Fig. 1) connected to the speed reducer 45 of discharge conveyer 21 through a separable telescoping shaft 91 and a universal joint 98 carried upon the driven or high speed shaft of speed reducer 45.

The gear train through which the gathering and loading conveyer 5B is driven by the motor of the kerf cutting machine Hi includes a reach gear 99 identical to reach gear 82 and mounted in the same manner upon a shaft 100 identical to shaft 83. Reach gear 99 meshes with and drives a gear ifll mounted upon and secured to a cup or body 32 of a slip or overload clutch which drives the shaft H34 upon which it is carried. Overload clutch N33 is generally of conventional construction and it carries in the cup or body member I02 a plurality of friction discs or plates W5 through which the cup or body Hi2 drives a clutch hub I66 keyed to shaft N34. The friction discs or plates I05 of clutch 183 are pressed together by a friction or pressure ring 101 carried within the cup or body 32 and urged to compress the discs 35 by a plurality of springs Hi8. Overload clutch I93 is always engaged and it is adapted to slip only should the gathering and loading conveyer 59 become overloaded, jammed or stalled as, for example, by the wedging of coal between its parts. Shaft 184 is driven from the main pinion shaft 11 through main pinion 8!, gear 99, gear l0], and clutch Hi3, and it is mounted within an enlarged side portion of the gear box or housing 13. The forward end of shaft [M is carried through an anti-friction bearing ESQ secured on the shaft Hi4 and by a cover H El in a bearing receiving cup formed in the forward wall of the housing 13. The opposite or rear end of shaft Hi4 is carried through an anti-friction bearing Ill mounted in a. cap'or cover II2 which closes the rear end of the enlarged portion of housing 13. Bearing III is carried by the rear end of the shaft I04 and is secured thereon by a nut II3 which clamps its inner race against a thrust washer Il4 that abuts a shoulder on shaft I04. A pinion gear I I5 is carried for free rotation upon shaft I04 through a bushing H6 and gear H5 and bushing IIB are retained upon shaft I 04 against endwise movement by a second thrust washer I I1 that abuts a shoulder I I8 of shaft I04. Shaft I04 between gear H5 and clutch I03 carries and drives the shiftable driving member I I 9 of a jaw type clutch I20 which includes ears or lugs I2I on the driving member H9 adapted to engage similar ears or lugs on the side of gear I I5. Clutch member I I9 receives a shifting yoke I22 by which it is moved along shaft I04 to engage and disengage the clutch I20. Yoke I22 is operated by an arm or yoked member I23 carried for swinging movement by a pivotally mounted rod I24 that is rotated by a manually controlled control lever I25 (see Fig. 4).

Pinion gear I I5 meshes with and drives a gear I26 that is keyed upon and drives a shaft I 21 situated directly below shaft I04. Shaft I 21 is carried at its front end by an anti-friction bearing mounted in the wall in a manner similar to hearing I09 for shaft I04. The rear end of shaft I 21 is carried by an anti-friction bearing retained in the cap or cover II2 by a bearing re tainer and shaft seal I28 similar to the retainer and seal 93' through which the end of shaft I 21 extends. The rear end of shaft I21 receives a flanged driving member I29 (see Fig. 1) like the driving member 94 on shaft 90.

The driving member I29 receives a universal joint I 30 that drives a separabl telescoping drive shaft I3I similar to drive shaft 91. Drive shaft I3I drives the pinion or high speed shaft of speed reducer '68 for the gathering and loading conveyer 50 through a second universal joint I32 (see Fig.2).

From the foregoing description of the cutting machine I0 and the gear trains which drive the conveyors 21 and 50 it will be, seen that when the operating lever 12 of the cutting machine I0 is moved to engage a clutch thereof to connect the power take-off shaft with the motor of the cutting machine and the motor is'energized, the endless chain and flight conveyer 4| of the discharge conveyer 21 will be driven to convey any coal therein rearwardly. It will also be seen that the gathering and loading conveyer 50 cannot be operated unless the discharge conveyer 21 is operated and that. it may or may not be driven when the discharge conveyer 21 is operating because the gearing which connects it with the motor of the cutting machine includes the jaw clutch I20. I

The gathering and loading conveyer 50 may be disconnected or moved from the kerf cutting machine II! by removing the pin 53 which connects thev main frames of the kerf cutter I0 and the gathering and loading conveyer 50 and by disconnecting the rear end of the conveyer 50- from the discharge conveyer 21 by lifting it to disengage the pin from the slot in bracket 69 and then by moving the conveyer 50 bodily to separate the drive shaft I3 I It may be mentioned here that the only modifications to the kerf cutting machine I0 made in connection with my present invention include the additionof the bracket 52 through which the gathering and loading conveyer 50- iscon-- nected to it main. frame II; the addition of a sheave assembly I33 (see Figs. 1 and 2) at a higher elevation than sheave assembly 25 whereby the rope 22 may be caused to extend above the gathering and loading conveyer 50 and over the mine floor at a higher level, the rope 22 being reeved over the sheave of sheave assembly 25 and extending upwardly therefrom and laterally outwardly over the sheave of sheav as sembly I33; and the addition of the brackets 3I through which the tow-bar 29 is secured to the rear end of the kerf cutting machine I0.

It may also be mentioned here that the overall height of the entire apparatus (see Fig. 2) is not greater than the overall height of the kerf cutting machine I0 and therefore my improved apparatus for cutting and loading coal is adaptable for use in any coal seam in which the cutting machine alone may b employed.

When the apparatus of my invention is operated to mine coal the first mining operation to be accomplished by it is the cutting of a kerf into solid coal adjacent the mine floor and-across the mine room face. When the apparatus is used to cut a kerf the gathering and loading conveyer 50 is removed from the cutting machine I0 and the discharg conveyer 21 and it may be placed as indicated in dot-dash outline in Fig. 5 adjacent the Wall of the mine room which is at that side of the kerf cutting machine I0 to which conveyer 50 is attached. The cutting machine I0 is then sumped forwardly into the solid coal of the mine room face, in the manner previously described and well known in the use of shortwall kerf cutting mining machines. When the kerf cutting machine I0 has been sumped into the solid coal of the mine room face the ropes 2| and 22 are connected, as indicated in Fig- '5. to mine jacks or the like positioned adjacent each side wall of the mine room and the kerf cutting machin [0 is fed bodily laterally from the right to the left across the mine room face to a position such as indicated in 'dot-dash lines in the lower left hand corner of Fig. 5. The cutting machin is then Withdrawn from the mine face by connecting the ropes 2| and 22 to other mine jacks to cause its cutter bar I6 to complete the kerf along the dotted line I34. During the sumping and kerf cutting operation above describedthe forward end of the discharge conveyer 21 is drawn or pulled about the mine room, thedischarge conveyer 21 all the While receiving kerf cuttings discharged from the gummer or cuttings removal mechanism I4 through the chute or trough 15. Because the rear or tail shaft end of discharge conveyer 21 follows along and pivots or swings with respect to the mine room conveyer 48 the discharge conveyer 21 will continuously discharge the kerf cuttings upon the mine conveyer G8 to beconveyed from the mine room.

After the mining machine has been moved away from the mine room. face and the kerf out along line I34 has been completed. the gathering and loading conveyer 50 is connected to the kerf cutting machine I0 and the discharge conveyer 21 and the apparatus, namely, the kerf cutter I0, discharge conveyer 21 and gathering and load;-

ing conveyer 50, is moved to the right hand side of the mine room. The undercut portion of themine room, face is. then shot in a manner well understood-in the mining art, which usually causes the coal above the kerf to fall upon the mine room floor in. lumps. as indicated at I35 in Fig. 5', though sometimes th coal remains. in

a semi-compact and/or standing condition. The coal having been shot the mining apparatus is then employed to gather and load the coal.

In order to gather and load the shot coal, the driving connection between the motor of the kerf cutter and the kerf cutter chain I1 is severed so that the chain ll does not circulate about the cutter bar It. The lever 12 is then moved to cause the discharge conveyer 2? to operate and the jaw clutch I20 is engaged to cause the motor of the cutter it! to drive the gathering and loading conveyer 5B. The drive motor of the cutter Iii is now energized and the machine is sumped into the shot coal in a manner similar to that employed when the mining machine is sumped to cut a kerf. Because the conveyer mechanism of the gathering and loading conveyer 58 is capable of digging into and dislodging loose and/or semi-compact coal, the conveyer will gather and move coal rearwardly along the open portion of its working run, which coal Will then be conveyed along the upright side Wall 66 and discharged or loaded onto the discharge conveyer 2! which, of course, discharges the coal onto the mine con veyer 48. After the gathering and loading conveyer Ed is sumped into the shot coal the rope 2:2 is reeved over sheave assembly 133 and the kerf cutter is fed from the right to the left side of the mine room in a manner similar to that described and employed when the kerf cutter is cutting a kerf. Having loaded the shot coal, the apparatus is moved away from the mine face and the gathering and loading conveyer 59 is disconnected therefrom and is again placed adjacent the left hand wall of the mine room whereupon the kerf cutting operation may be repeated.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended and applicant wishes therefore not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of the invention, what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Coal mining apparatus including in combination a coal cutting machine adapted to slide over a mine room T1001 and including a main frame, means for pulling it about the mine room, cutter bar means having endless kerf cutter chain means operating therearound projecting forwardly from said main frame for cutting a kerf in a mine room wall and means for discharging kerf cuttings from the cutting machine, a discharge conveyer including a main frame adapted to slide over the mine room floor, means pivotally attaching one end of said discharge conveyer to the cutting machine whereby said end of the discharge conveyer receives said kerf cuttings and is moved about the mine room by the cutting machine, a mine conveyer, means mounting the other end of said discharge conveyer to said mine conveyer for pivotal and longitudinal movement therealong, a gathering and loading conveyer including a main frame adapted to gather loose and/or semi-compact coal along one side thereof and to he slid over the mine room floor by and at one side of the cutting machine, said gathering and loading conveyer extending substantially from the front of said cutter bar to behind the rear end of the cutting machine and discharging coal at its rear end onto said discharge conveyer, means detachably pivotally connecting the main frames of said gathering and loading conveyer and the cutting machine, means detachably pivotally slidably connecting said gathering and loading conveyer adjacent its rear end to said discharge conveyer whereby said gathering and loading conveyer can be removed from said cutting machine and discharge conveyer thereby permitting the cutting machine to operate to cut a kerf in a mine room wall, said cutting machine, gathering and loading conveyer and said discharge conveyer forming an articulated loading apparatus wherein the cutting machine and conveyers are each movable with respect to the others, and gearing connecting said gathering and loading conveyer and said discharge conveyer with the cutting machine to be driven by the latter.

2. Coal mining apparatus including in combination a coal cutting machine adapted to slide over a mine room floor and including a main frame, means for pulling it about the mine room, cutter bar means having endless kerf cutter chain means operating therearound projecting forwardly from said main frame for cutting a kerf in a mine room wall and means for discharging kerf cuttings from the cutting machine, a discharge conveyer including a main frame adapted to siide over the mine room floor, means pivotally attaching one end of said discharge conveyer to the cutting machine whereby said end of the discharge conveyer receives said kerf cuttings and is moved about the mine room by the cutting machine, a mine conveyer, means mounting the other end of said discharge conveyer to said mine conveyer for pivotal and longitudinal movement therealong, a gathering and loading conveyer including a main frame adapted to gather loose and/or semi-compact coal along one side thereof and to he slid over the mine room floor by and at one side of the cutting machine, said gathering and loading conveyer extending substantially from the front of said cutter bar to behind the rear end of the cutting machine and discharging coal at its rear end onto said discharge conveyer, means detachably pivotally connecting the main frames of said gathering and loading conveyer and the cutting machine, and means detachably pivotally slidably connecting said gathering and loading conveyer adjacent its rear end to said discharge conveyer whereby said gathering and loading conveyer can be removed from said cutting machine and discharge conveyer thereby permitting the cutting machine to operate to cut a kerf in a mine room wall, said cutting machine, gathering and loading conveyer and said discharge conveyer forming an articulated loading apparatus wherein the cutting machine and conveyers are each movable with respect to the others.

3. Coal mining apparatus including a main frame, a motor on said main frame, an endless chain and flight coal gathering conveyor extending forwardly and rearwardly of said main frame and operative to gather coal in front of said main frame and discharge it rearwardly thereof, a discharge conveyor positioned to receive coal from said gathering conveyer, a receiving conveyer positioned to receive coal from said discharge conveyer, means pivotally and slidably interconnecting said discharge and receiving conveyers whereby said discharge conveyer may move rectilinearly and laterally relative to said receiving conveyer While continuing to discharge thereinto, means connecting said motor to drive both said gathering conveyer and said discharge conveyer, means pivotally con- 13 necting said main frame to said gathering conveyer, means pivotally connecting said main frame to said discharge conveyer, and means pivotally connecting said gathering conveyer and said discharge conveyer, one of said last named pivot means also being rectilinearly slidable whereby said pivotally connected main frame, gathering conveyer and discharge conveyer form an articulated unit.

ARTHUR L. LEE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 15 Number Name Date Johnson Apr. 19, 1927 Vogeley Sept. 30, 1930 Morgan Dec. 2, 1930 Degand. June 30, 1931 Evans July 11, 1933 Moore Oct. 10, 1933 Jaggard Oct. 31, 1933 Kraft Dec. 17, 1935 Levin Apr. 28, 1942 Pray Aug. 11, 1942 Tibbals June 10, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Mar. 18, 1938

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