US2677535A - Mine roof support beam with wall drilling end - Google Patents

Description

May 4, 1954 P. V. MALLOY ET AL A MINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END Filed Feb. 17, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet l KKY INVENTORS 341/: V- Macy BY 840: MT M440 W MI74-W Army/vars May 4, 1954 P. v. MALLOY ET AL MINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END Filed Feb. 17, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 1NVENTOR5 PM V Mngay 84114 J'- M4440) $Mq% Aflvg/vsys P. v. MALLOY ET AL 3 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR5 BM 1 Muwy BY P40: .73 Many W- I g l ATTORNAE'XS May 4, 1954 MINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END Filed Feb. 17, 1950 May 4, 1954 P. v. MALLOY ET AL MINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END Filed Feb. 17, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 5 INF]. 1 mo w u I! M NM.-- Q wk 2 I Arnqmsys May 4, 1954 P. v. MALLOY ET AL MINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END Filed Feb. 17, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ex. I

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' firmwysys 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS V. M; 4 0y Arum s P. V. MALLOY ET AL MINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END 1/ Aw; .2 Manor Mqr-7 May 4, 1954 Filed Feb. 1'7, 1950 P. V. MALLOY ET AL MINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END May 4, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Feb. 1'7, 1950 I INVENTORS 8404 l M4440) By 840: .ZMAuoY Arm/ways y 1954 P. v. MALLOY ET AL 2,677,535

MINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END Filed Feb. 17, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet a Patented May 4, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END Paul V. Malloy and Paul J. Malloy, Lakewood, Ohio Claims.

This invention relates to the mining of coal or other materials and, as one of its objects, aims to provide novel apparatus by which such materials can be mined more safely and in a more rapid, economical and satisfactory manner than has heretofore been possible. The invention is applicable to various kinds of materials to be mined, but being especially suitable and practical for th mining of coal, it is described herein as applied to that use but without any intention of limiting the invention to that particular material.

Another object of this invention is to provide novel apparatus for mining in which roof supports of the so-called boring beam type are employed and form a roof-supporting canopy over a work area at which the material is being removed from a mine wall.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel form oi roof-support beam which is adapted to be supported at one end thereof on a mine wall and which has drill means associated therewith enabling the beam to form its own support opening in the mine wall.

Still another object is to provide novel apparatus for mining in which time roof-support beams form a protective canopy over a work area adjacent a mine wall and have drilling ends supported on such wall by engagement in openings thereof and in which the drilling ends produce a deepening of said openings, while the beams remain engaged therein, for progressively advancing the canopy and maintaining the same continuously over the work area.

Yet another object is to provide a novel roofsupport beam having drill means at one end thereof for forming or deepening a supporting opening in a mine wall and such beam also having conveyor means extending along the same in a direction away from the drill means for expelling the drillings from the opening.

As a further object this invention provides novel minin apparatus comprising a roof-support in the form of a boring beam adapted to form its own supporting opening in a mine wall and mechanism adapted for detachable connection with the boring beam for imparting drilling movement thereto.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a novel boring beam actuating mechanism adapted for detachable driving connection with a boring beam and including a carriage supported on the mine floor for movement of such actuating mechanism from one to another of a plurality of such boring beams.

Still another object is to provide boring beam actuating mechanism having bearing means adapted for supporting engagement with a boring beam adjacent its outer end and also having means adapted to form a detachable driving connection with the boring beam.

A further object is to provide novel boring beam actuating mechanism which includes a traverse device for imparting rotary and longitudinal drilling movement to the boring beam.

As still another object this invention provides boring beam actuating mechanism which includes elevator means for moving the traverse device and bearing means into and out of cooperating engagement with the boring beam to which drilling movement is to be imparted.

The invention can be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the claims hereof.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

Figs. 1 and 2 are complemental plan views of contiguous portions of a mine and illustrate the mining apparatus of the present invention;

Figs. 3 and 4 are complemental elevational views showing the same contiguous portions of the mine as are illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively;

Fig. 5 is a perspectiv view of the drilling end of a mine roof-support of the so-called boring beam type provided by this invention;

Fig. 6 is an end view of such drilling end;

Fig. 7 is a similar end view but with the drilling bits removed;

Fig. 8 is an edge view showing the central drilling bit in detached relation;

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of a boring beam actuating mechanism or operating machine, the same being shown with its bearing means and transverse device in operative engagement with one of the boring beams;

Fig. 1D is a View of the boring beam actuating mechanism showing the same partly in vertical section, the View being taken substantially as indicated by section line lill ll of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a top plan View of the boring beam actuating mechanism;

Fig. 12 is a partial end elevation of the boring beam actuating mechanism and showing the traverse device thereof on a larger scale;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary plan View of the traverse device;

Fig. 14 is a partial vertical section taken through the traverse device substantially on sec-- tion liine I l-M of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is an end elevation of a roof propping and subsidence control device forming a part of the mining apparatus of this invention;

Fig. 16 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through the roof propping and subsidence control device, as indicated by section line l5-li3 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a top plan view of a towing device for imparting advance movement to the roof propping and subsidence control device; and

Fig. 18 is a vertical section taken through a mine having a thin seam of the minable material and illustrating the application of the present invention thereto.

In proceeding with a more detailed description of this improved mining apparatus, the various units of the apparatus will be first referred to in a general way and will be subsequently described herein in greater detail. These units include a main conveyor Ill, a loading unit l l, a cutting unit l2 and a drilling unit l3. Additionally, the improved mining apparatus of this invention includes a plurality of spaced-apart roof supports M of the so-called boring beam type, a boring beam actuating machine 5, a roof propping and subsidence control unit it and a towing unit ii.

The various units just referred to are located in a mine chamber or tunnel it having a longitudinally extending upright side wall formed by the coal or other material to be mined and from which wall the material is removed by a progressive mining operation. The point at which the coal is being removed from the wall it is referred to herein as the work area and is desig nated by the reference character 2% in Fig. 2. At this work area the coal is removed from the wall I53 by the loading unit H and is delivered by the latter onto the main conveyor it is carried out of the mine room 88. in ing coalfrom the wall til at the work area work section '25 of approprate thickness is open ated upon and the work area is advanced by the progressive removal of the work section 2% from the'face of the wall l9.

supported on the mine wall it by being enga e-a in openings 23 of this wall. The beams are supported attheir outer ends by propping means which'is here shown as being in the form of a vertically extensible column or post 25.

The openings 23 extend into the wail it? at substantially right angles to the outer face thereof and are disposed in a longitudinal row at or adjacent the level of the mine roof i812 so that the beams will be in proper position to provide support for theroof when their ends are supported, respectively, by engagement in these openings and with the posts 25. The openings 23 are preb erably located at or immediately below the level of the mine roof although they can, if desired, be located above the general level of the roof if trenches are provided in the roof to receive the beams or vwhen irregularities in the roof extend above such general level. It should also be understood that when the beams have been located in position close to the mine roof by engagement 4 of their ends with the openings 23 and the posts 25, they can then be moved upwardly to apply supporting thrust to the roof by extension of the posts 25 and by the use of suitable shims (not shown) in the openings 23 if such shims are needed.

As already indicated above in a general Way, it is an important feature of this invention that the mine roof-support beams [4 are adapted to form their own mounting openings 23 in the mine wall I9 and, for that reason, are referred to herein as boring beams. These beams and the drilling means associated therewith will be described in greater detail hereinafter. All of these boring beams are of the same construction and are adapted to be used in the same manner and in interchangeable relation with each other, but to facilitate the detailed description which is to follow, the beams are referred to as being divided into three groups comprising the beams l lo, I 21;- and Ida.

The beams Ma extend into the portion lila of the mine wall which is located in advance of the loading unit I l and in which the openings 23:1. are of a greater depth than the thickness of the work section 2|. The beams Ma extend into the deep openings 23a for a distance such that their inner ends will extend inwardly beyond the work section ii. The roof-support beams Mb extend into openings 23b of the wall portion tab. This portion of the mine wall represents the new face or side wall of the mine chamber 18 which is exposed after the removal of the work section 2 i, and the openings 2% whichextend into this wall portion are the portions of these openings which remain in the mine wall after the work section has been removed.

The inner ends of thebeams Mb extend into the openings 23]; for only a short distance, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but which distance is suflicient to provide proper support for these ends of the beams on the mine walls. The roof-support beams l4c engage in relatively deep openings 230 or" the mine wall portion l9?) and extend into these deepopenings for a greater distance than the thickness of a work section Zia. This work section 2 to is similar to the work section 2! and represents thelocation atwhich the loading unit H, or another such unit, will be put into operation for the next progressive mining operation to be performed on the wall iii.

One individual mine roof-support beam Md is shown between the groups of beams ii -b and Me. The beam Md represents the individual beam on which the boringbeam actuating unit i5 is then operating and by which the-opening 25rd is being deepened from the shallow depth of the support ing openings 23b to the greater depth of the supporting openings 230.

For the purposes of the present invention it is importantto understand that the inner or drill ends22 of the mine roof-support beams M always remain engaged in the openings 23 of the mine wall l9'so that these ends of the beams will always be strongly supported on undisturbed solid material of-the'mine Wall. As the mining operation-progresses, the boring beams I are undisturbed portions of the mine wall and this solid support will remain after the removal of the work sections 2| and 2 la from the mine wall. Reverting now to the individual units which have been referred to only in a general way above, it should be explained that the main conveyor Iii can be a flexible conveyor of any conventional construction and can be driven by any suitable power means for moving the mined coal in the direction indicated by the arrow 26. This conveyor includes a straight portion liia extending adjacent, and in substantially parallel relation to, the mine wall portion Mia and another straight portion lilb extending along the wall portion it?) at a location between this wall and the units iii, it and H. The conveyor also includes an inclined portion lllc connecting the portions iiia and it?) and by which the conveyor portion iiib is diverted or swung in behind the loading machine ii so as to extend adjacent, and in substantially parallel relation to, the wall portion iiib.

The loading unit can be any conventional loading apparatus by which coal can be removed from the work section 2! and delivered onto the main conveyor is. As here shown the loading unit H includes a cutter 2'? and a set of bottom and side conveying members 28, 29 and St for moving the mined coal rearwardly away from the work section 2!. This loading apparatus also includes another set of bottom and side conveying members Iii, 32 and 33 by which the mined coal is moved transversely of the chamber 18 and delivered onto the conveyor Hi. The loading machine i i also includes a suitable frame structure or chassis 3d mounted on tread members 340; for movement along the mine floor 18a to engage the cutter 2'4 with the work section 2! and suitable power devices supported on the frame structure for actuating the tread members 34a and for actuating the cutter 2? and the movable conveyor members.

The units 82 and i3 are located in advance of the loading unit I! for operating on corresponding advance portions of the work section 2 l. The unit l2 comprises a conventional cutting machine having a power driven cutting member 35 for under-cutting the work section 2| of the mine wall portion Eda. The unit I3 is a conventional drilling machine having a power operating drill 36 for forming holes in the mine wall portion lfia and which holes are used in breaking down the work section 2| by explosive charges or other means.

as shown in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, each of the boring beams i4 comprises an elongated structural load-carrying member, preferably in the form of an I-beam 38 as here shown and which includes top and bottom flanges 38a and 38b and an upright connecting web 380. The inner or drill end 22 of the beam I4 is provided with a plurality of drilling bits which, in this instance, include a central hit its and pairs of top and bottom bits. of these pairs consists of a bit 40 having a substantially straight cutting end and a bit 4% having a cutting end provided with a hooklike portion Ma. The boring beam 54 also includes a conveying means for expelling drillings from the opening 23 and which conveying means is here shown as being in the form of a sheet metal member or thread which extends spirally or helically around the beam and in a direction away from the drilling end 22 thereof.

As shown in Fig. 5, the above-mentioned bits are mounted on the beam [4 soas to project from the inner end 22 thereof for drilling cooperation with the mine wall [9 when rotary and axial movement is imparted to the beam. The paired bits 40 and 4! are located adjacent the top and bottom flanges 38a :and 38b of the I- beam 38 and on opposite sides of the web 380 thereof so that when rotary movement is imparted to the beam in a right-hand or clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 5, the thrust reaction of these bits during the drilling operation will be taken mainly in .a lateral direction against the web 330.

Since the inner or drilling ends 22 of the beams i i always remain engaged in the supporting openings 23 of the mine wall l9, it is necessary to provide for the removal and replacement of these bits, from time to time, without disengagement of the beams from the supporting openings. For this purpose the bits are of such length and are so mounted on the beam N that the rear ends of the bits will project from the supporting opening 2% while the inner end of the beam remains suficiently engaged in this opening.

To provide for such a dismountable connection for the central drilling bit 39 with the beam i i, this bit is provided with a substantially U-shaped or hook-like inner end portion 42 (see Fig. 8) adapted for hooked engagement over the inner end of the web 38c, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Shifting of this hook-shaped inner end 42 vertically along the web 380 is prevented by pro viding the end of this web with a notch 13 (see Fig. 7) in which the hook-like portion 42 has seating engagement. The central bit 39 also includes a stem portion 44 which extends outwardly along one face of the web 380 and is anchored to the web by a clamping 'bolt cs extending through the stem adjacent its outer end.

In removing a worn bit 39 from the beam i i, the clamping bolt 45 is removed and the hookshaped inner end 42 is disengaged from the inner end of the web 380, whereupon this bit can be Withdrawn from the opening 23and a new or resharpened bit substituted therefor. To permit such disengagement of the hook-like inner end 42 from the web 38c and the withdrawal of the bit 39, a clearance space 46 is provided in the convolutions of the conveyor 31 and which space will permit the necessary lateral shifting of the bit 39 to disengage its hook-shaped inner end and to then be withdrawn rearwardly along the I-beam 38 through such clearance space.

The paired bits 49 and are held in place adjacent the web 380 by being mounted in 1ongitudinally aligned openings 41 of the convolutions of the spiral conveyor 37 and have the outer ends of their stems anchored on the web' 380 by the clamping bolts 48. In removing the paired bits 48 and M from the beam l4 for replacement by similar new or resharpened hits, the bit id is withdrawn first through the mounting openings :17. The free withdrawal of the'bit so is possible because the cutting means provided on the inner end of this bit does not overhang its side faces. After the bit 40 has been thuswithdrawn the bit 41 can be'shifted in the openings Al in a direction to permit this bit to also be withdrawn without interference "by the hook-like cutting projection In replacing the paired bits ll] and H, the bit is inserted first and shifted to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6, after which the straight bit 40 is inserted. f

The spiral conveyor tlof the boring beam Hi can be formed by a continuous 'sheetmetal strip which extends around and ,along the I- beam 38 in-the mannerofahelical thread and has portions thereof cut out so that this conveyor will fitsnugly-around .the flange and web portions of the I-beam. .The sheet metal strip forming this conveyor can be welded or otherwise suitably attached to the I-beam 33 for mounting the strip thereon. The strip forming the spiral conveyor can be of suitable width so that portions of the conveyor will extend somewhat above andbelow the top and bottom flanges of the I-beam 38. These projecting portions will not ordinarily be required to carry the roof load because such load will beborne by drillings which become packed between the convolutions of the conveyor. During the rotary drilling movement imparted to the beam M, the conveyor 31 propels the drillings from the minewall i9 rearwardly along the opening 23 and ejects the same from this opening. The conveyor 23'! extends along the beam id for a substantial portion of itslength, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that a portion of the conveyor will always project from the .wall opening for .the accomplishment of such discharge of the drillings. facilitate the free passage of the drillings along the beam I4 underthe influence of the spiral conveyor 31, the topand'bottom flangesfifia. and 38b of the I-beam 38 can be notched out, as indicated at 49 in, Fig. 5,between each .pairof adjacent convolutions of the conveyor.

As already mentioned above, the mine roofsupport means M .areadapted to be supported. at their outer ends by prop means in the form of the-posts '25 here shown. These posts each comprise an upright column member i having a foot portion 52.at'the lower end thereof adapted to be supported .on the mine floor .iila and also having a threaded portion 54 adjacent its upper end. Thepost also includesa sleeve member 55 telescoping over the column member 5E and a rotatable nut 5'! engaging the thread 54 and providing anadjustable connection be tween the column member and the lowerend of the sleeve member. The upper end of the sleeve member 56 is provided with a cap portion 58 on which the outer endEB of the beam t4 isadapted to rest. When the beam Mhasibeen advanced into one of the openings 2:3 of the mine wall 5'9 for the desired distance, the post @5 13 placed under the outer end 59 of the beamand by rotation of the nut 5'lthe sleeve memberifit is forced upwardly, therebytlifting :the beam into sup porting engagement with the minerroof.

The construction and operation of the boring beam actuating unit !5 will be describedlnext. As shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 1l,-the'unit i5 is provided with a carriage or frame structurefil which comprises a pair of pivotally connected lower and upper frame members 62 and $3. "The lower frame member'GZ is provided :with tread members which, in'this instance, are in the form of endless traction belts '64 so as to adapt the unit [5 for self-propelling.movement along the mine floor Eta. The traction belts es extend around pairs of wheels or sprockets '65 and 56 which are rotatably mounted onthe frame member 62 adjacentthe ends thereof.

The sprockets.65'areoperably connected with a driving motor '6'! through a reduction gearing 5B and a clutch ES to be driven by-this motor for impartingadvance movement to the traotion belts 64. The motorfi'l isalso used-to-d-rive a hydraulic pressure generating unit 70 which is mounted onthecarriage BI and with'which this motor is connected by a clutch H. When ,the motor 6! is not being used to propel the unit IS, the clutch-69 canbe disengaged and the clutch H can be engaged so that this same motor can then be used to drive the hydraulic pressure generating mechanism for a purpose to be explained hereinafter.

The upper frame member 63 extends in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined-relation to the lower frame member 62 and constitutes a carrier or elevator means on which atraverse device 12 is mounted. As will be explained hereinafter, this traverse device forms anoperative connection between the machine [5 and one of the boringbeams, in this instance the boring beam Md, to which a rotary and axial drilling movement is to be imparted. The lower frame member 62 is provided at the forward end thereof with a pair of upstanding arms or ;bracl ets l3 and the upper frame member 63 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 14 which extends transversely of the unit 15 and is journalled in these brackets.

The upper frame member 63 canbe swung relative to the lower frame member for moving the traverse device 12 into and out of driving cooperation with the boring beam Md and this is accomplished by a pair of hydraulic power cylinders 75. At their lower end thesepower oy inders are pivotally connected with the carriage iii by transverse pivot pins 1E5. Piston rods 11 projecting from the cylinders at their upper end are pivotally connected with the upper frame member an intermediate point thereof by the transverse pivot pins 18. The cylinders '15 are double-acting cylinders to which hydraulic pressure fluid can be supplied by the hydraulic pressure generating unit '10 through suitable conduits (not shown).

The traverse device 12 includes alaterally extending guide shafted mounted in the upper end of the frame member or elevator83 and a head 8i which is slidable on this guide shaft for-movement back and forth across the upper end of this frame member. The traverse device also includes a rotary drive shaft 82 whi'ch is journalled in the upper end of the frame member:63 and extends in substantially parallel relation to the guide shaft 89. The head Bl hasan openingthrough which the drive shaft 82 extends and carries a. driving gear d3 whose hub is splined on the drive shaft by a longitudinally extending key 84 and is slidable on this shaft during movements of the head thereon. A second gear Bijournalled on the head 81 is in meshing engagement with the gear 83 to be driven therebyand carries a forked axial extension or yoke member 88 forming a connecting means which is releasably engageable with the outer end 59 of the beam [Ad by beingmoved into straddling relation to the web 380 of this beam, as shown in Figs. 9 and 13. -When rotary moveiinent imparted to the shaft 82, the gear 83 will be driven thereby to impart rotation to the second gear 85 and the connecting fork 36 carried thereby. The rotary movement thus supplied to the connecting fork 86 will be imparted to the outer end of the boring beam [4d when the connecting fork is in engagement with such outer end, as is shown in Fig.9.

The rotary drive shaft 82- of the traverse device 72 adapted to be driven from the shaft 14 and, for this purpose, a chain 19 is provided which extends around sprockets 19a and 19b. The sprocket 19a is mounted on the projecting end of the shaft IA-and the sprocket 19b is mounted 9 on the projecting end of the shaft 82, as shown in Figs. 9 and 11.

When drilling movement is being imparted to the boring beam Md it is necessary to support or journal this beam at a point adjacent its outer end so that the beam will be freely rotatable with such rotation confined to the longitudinal axis of the beam. For this purpose each of the boring beams is provided with a journal member 81 in the form of a short cylindrical sleeve which is mounted on the beam so as to extend therearound, as shown in Figs. 12 and 14. The journal member 87 can be welded or otherwise suitably connected with the beam. The supporting means for the boring beam also includes a bearing member or steady rest 88 which is carried by the head ill of the traverse device 12. As shown in Figs. 12 and 14, the bearing member 88 can be in the form of an upwardly-opening fork member or bracket which is formed as an integral part of the head 3! or is suitably mounted thereon adjacent the connecting fork 86.

The journal member 81 is mounted on the boring beam ltd so that its spacing relative to the outer end 58 of the beam will correspond with the lateral spacing between the connecting fork 86 and the bearing fork 88, such that when the outer end of the beam is drivingly engaged by the connecting fork 86 the journal member 8'! will be straddled and supportingly engaged by the hearing fork lid. Thus it will be seen that when the traverse device '12 is moved upwardly by an upward swinging movement of the frame member to engage the connecting fork 86 in straddling relation to the outer end 59 of the boring beam Md, the bearing fork 88 will at the same time be moved upwardly to straddle the journal member 81' and thereby support the outer end of the beam for rotary movement.

In the matter of establishing the above explained driving connection between the traverse device i2 and the outer end of the boring beam Md, it should be explained that when the mounting openings 23 are formed in the mine wall is they are always made somewhat deeper, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, than is needed for the supporting engagement of the beams therein. When the boring beams are in their roof-supporting position with their outer ends 59 resting on the posts 25, their inner ends 22 will be retracted somewhat from the extreme inner ends of the mounting openings 23 thus leaving an intervening space 89 therebetween. This intervening space 89 provides for an idle inward movement of the boring beam Md when the driving connection of the traverse device 12 with the outer end of this, beam is to be established.

Preparatory to the forming of this driving connection, the post 25 is slackened oil? by rotation of the nut 57 and the beam ldd is then moved inwardly through the extent of the idle movement afiorded by the intervening space 89. This idle inward movement of the beam can be accomplished either manually or by use of the traverse device i2. At the time that this inward idle movement to be imparted to the beam Md, the post is removed and the outer end of this beam is temporarily supported as by a manually applied propping means (not shown), or is permitted to rest on a portion of: the traverse device it.

To enable the traverse device 12 to impart such inward idle movement to the beam Md, the head 8! of the traverse device is provided with an upstanding driving lug or pair of lugs 90 at a suitable location thereon and which lugs are adapted to be engaged with the outer edge of the journal member 87. When the lugs 90 have been thus engaged with the journal member 3?, longitudinal movement imparted to the head 8! in a right-hand direction as seen in Fig. 12, thereby shifting the beam ltd inwardly through the intervening idle space 69 to engage the drilling bits 3%, it! and ll with the inner end of the opening 23d and at the same time moving the outer end 59 of the beam to the broken line position shown in Fig. 13. By this initial idle movement of the beam l ld, its outer end 59 and the journal member 87 will be brought into position to be engaged respectively by the connecting fork 36 and the bearing fork 313 when the head 8! is elevated by the frame member 63 to establish the above described operating connection with this beam.

For moving the head 8i along the shafts and 82, the traverse device 12 is provided with cables 95 and 92 which are attached to the head and extend over suitable pulleys 93 to a pair of winding drums 9d and 95. These drums are mounted on a transverse shaft 96 which is journalled in the upper frame member 63 and extends in adjacent substantially parallel relation to the shaft it. When the winding shaft $5 is rotated in one direction, the cable 9! will pull the head 8i toward the right, as seen in Figs. 9 and ii, to advance the boring beam l ld simultaneously with the rotary movement being imparted thereto by the connecting fork 86. During this advance movement of the head at, the drum 95 will unwind or pay out the cable 92 at the same rate. Conversely, when the shaft 96 is rotated in the opposite direction the cable 92 will pull the head 8i toward the left, as seen in Figs. 9 11, to retract the same and during this movement the cable ii will be unwound or payed out by the drum 94. To obtain the winding and unwinding functions just explained, the cable 9| passes to the winding drum 94 so as to be tangent to the upper side thereof and the cable 92 passes to the drum 55 so as to be tangent to the underside thereof.

For the purpose of imparting this back and forth movement to the head Bl of the traverse device l2 through the cables 9! and 92, a driving motor 9? is mounted on an overhanging portion es of the frame member 63 and is connected with the transverse shaft it through a reduction gearing 99. The shaft it is, in turn, connected with the winding shaft 96 for actuation of the latter in opposite directions and at two different winding speeds. A driving chain Hill extending around a pair of sprockets Hit and ms of the shafts M and at provides an operating connection for driving the shaft and the winding drum 94 in the proper direction and at a relatively low speed for imparting a corresponding relatively slow advance movement of the head 3! toward the right during the drilling movement being imparted to the boring beam l ld. A pair of gears I03 and Eli l mounted on the shafts M and 95 and disposed in meshing engagement with each other form an operating connection between these shafts by which the shaft 96 and the winding drum 935 will be rotated in the opposite direction and at a relatively higher speed for imparting a more rapid return movement to the head 8!.

For controlling the direction and speed of movement desir d to be imparted to the head ill, a clutch member M35 is splined on the winding shaft 96 and is adapted to be shifted by a lever 5&8 into engagement with either the sprocket member I02 or the gear I04. It will be understood,v of course, that the sprocket NH and the gear S33 are keyed or otherwise connected with the driving shaft 14, but that the sprocket Hi2 and the gear IEl i rotate freely on the shaft 96 except when one or the other of these members is connected to the winding shaft by the clutch collar I65,

The boring beam operating unit I5 can also be provided with a roof propping means for supporting the mine roof I8b at one or more points adjacent to the beam Md to which drilling movement is being imparted. For this purpose a pair of laterally spaced hydraulic pressure responsive cylinders I08 are mounted in fixed relation on the carriage GI and a pair of correspondingly spaced forked supporting members I89 arecarried by the piston rods Hi]. The arms of the forked members IIiEIextend upwardly on opposite sides of the boring beam I4- which is next adjacent to the boring beam I id to which the drilling movement is being imparted. These forked members are provided with rockableand selfaligning pads iII which extend transversely of the unit It in spaced-apart substantially parallel relation and engagethe mine roof ISb on opposite sides of such next adjacent boring beam I4, as shown in Fig. 10. Hydraulic pressure fluid can be supplied to the cylinders I36 from the pressure generating unit I9 through suitable conduits (not shown).

In the functioning of the boring beam actuating unit it it will be understood that this unit will be advanced along the minefioor Ilia from one to another of the boring beams is and, by imparting drilling movement to these boring beams in succession, will drill these beams into the mine wall I9 so that the boring beams Mb will thereby be shifted inwardly to the position of the boring beams i 40. After each beam has been thus drilled into'the mine wall to the extent indice-ted in Fig. 1 for the boring beams I40, it is supported at its outer end by replacing the post 25 thereunder and rotating the nut 51 toextend the post and lift such outer end of thebeam into proper supporting engagement with the mine roof.

The roof propping-and subsidence control unit I6 of Figs. 15 and 16 will be described next. This propping device Hi'comprises a carriage II2 which is movable along the mine floor Illa and is formed by a pair of pivotally connected lower and upper frame members H3 and H4. The lower frame member He is provided at the'rear end thereof with a pair ofv upstanding brackets I I5 on which the rear end oftheupper frame'I I4 is pivotally mounted by the transverse pivot shaft H6. The frame members H3 and II 4 are connected adjacent their forward ends by a pair of hydraulic pressure fluid responsive cylinderdevices II! which serve to spread apart these frame members for causing the upper frame member to exert anupward supporting pressure against the mine roof.

The cylinder devices II'I are provided at the lower end thereof with heads I I8 which are pivotally connected with the lower frame member I I3 by. a transverse pivot shaft I I9. Piston rods I20 projecting from the opposite end of these cylinder devices are pivotally connected with the upper frame member by a-transverse pivot shaft i2I. The cylinder devices I H are double-acting and are adapted to be supplied with pressure fluid from the hydraulic pressure generating unit I of the boring beam actuating machine I or from any other 122 suitable source. The connecting means formed by the hydraulic cylinder devices. III is of such length that theupper frame member I I4 extends in a downwardly andrearwardly inclined sloping relation with respect to-the lower frame member IIS, as'is shown inFigs. 3 and 16.

The'lower and upper frame members H3 and I Ill are provided respectively with movable tread members I22 and I23 which areengageable with the minefloor I8aand the mine roof ifib. The tread member I22is here shown as being an end-- less belt which extends around a plurality of wheels or sprockets I24 which are rotatably mounted on the lower frame member I I3. Similarly. the-upper tread member I23 is an belt which extends around a plurality of wheels or sprockets I25which are rotatably mounted on the upper frame member II-t. With the corn structionjust described above for the propping device IE, it will be'seen that when this device is moved forward inthe mine chamber is the downwardly and rearwardly sloping relation of the upper frame-member I It: will permit the roof material to gradually subside or cave in as the propping device is advanced. During this a-:-.- vance movement of the propping device the tread members I22'and I23'travelaround their mounting wheels I24 and I25 whil the contact portions of these tread: members remain in engagement with the mine floor and roof res cotively. The material; which is thus perml ted to subside from'the-mine roof by the downwardly and rearwardly sloping frame member H 3 and the tread member I23, is carried rearwardly by this tread-member and slides down a ramp men ber I26 which is mounted on the carriage I I2 at the rear thereof. The ramp member 228 also forms a shield for protecting the propping device from damage by the subsiding material.

The advance movement for the propping device It can be imparted thereto by the towing unit I? which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 17, a wheeled vehicle. I28 which is movable along the mine floor I811 inadvance ofv the boring beam actuating unit I5. This towing unit is provided with a'body'or' housing I29 in which a hydraulic pressuregenerating device in the form of a high pressure pump I30:islocated and is adapted to be driven byan electric motor I3I. This towing unit also includes a cylinder I32 located in the housing I29 and to'which pressure fiuid is de livered by the pump I30:

A piston I33 operable in the cylinder it: connected witha piston rod I34 which projv rearwardly from the towing unit IT. This pic ton rod is connected with the propping device It by meansof' a towing bridle I35 so that move-- ment imparted to the piston I33 toward the 1 g t. as seen in Fig. 17 while the towing unit if held stationary, will transmit a strong forward pulling movement to the propping device. For maintaining the towing device I? in a stationary position while the piston I33 is being thus ectuated, the towing device is provided with gripping means I36=which is engageable with a cable 53! extending longitudinally through the mine chamber-I8. After the propping device has been advanced a distance corresponding with one power strokeof the piston I33, the towing device I'I isadvanced toward the right as seen in Fig. 17, in preparation for another power stroke of the piston I33; It will be understood, of course, that the remote end of the cable It'i can be suitably anchored, or can be attached. to a power driving winding drum (not shown), to

permit this towing operation to be carried out as above explained. When the remote end of the cable is anchored in a fixed relation, the gripper iSB will be advanced along the cable with a step by-step movement.

In connection with the operation of the propping device it, it will be obser ed from Fig. i that this device is located in the mine chamber is immediately behind the boring beam actuating unit it and opposite the group of boring beams Me which have already been advanced into the mine wall It by the unit id in preparation for the mining operation to be performed on the work section Zia. With the propping device in this location it will be seen that the roof material which is permitted to subside or cave in by the forward movement of the propping device falls into the space previously occupied by the propping device and since this space is laterally oifset beyond the group of boring beams l lo, the material accumulating therein will not interfere with the progress of the mining operation.

Fig. 18 shows a mining operation in which the present invention is applied to the mining of coal which occurs in a relatively thin seam or stratum l ifi lying over a layer or clay or other such material iii. In this operation, boring beams 242 of the same construction as those previously described herein are shown as extending into a row of openings Hit of the mine wall for supporting the mine roof in the same mannor as explained above. Fig. 18 also shows a main conveyor M extending lon itudinally adjacent the mine wall M5 to receive the coal removed from the seam S ll) after the underlying layer Ml of waste material has been removed. A drilling machine M6 is shown as operating on the underlying layer i l! to remove the same from beneath the coal seam hit. The drilling machine its also includes a conveyor by which the waste material from the layer l ll can be discharged over the main conveyor M5 and .-.eposited on the mine floor in an out of the way lo ation outwardly of the main conveyor. After the underlying layer it! has been thus removed,

the coal can be readily removed from a work section or" the seam ti t in the manner already explained above.

From the foregoing detailed description and the accompanying drawings it will now be readily understood that this invention provides improved apparatus for mining coal by which the mining operation can be carried out continuously as well as more safely, rapidly and satisfactorily than has heretofore been possible. It will also be seen that the use of the boring beams herein disclosed provides a substantially continuous mine roof-supporting canopy over the work area which will insure safe working conditions and will prevent damage to the mining apparatus. It will also be seen that by the use of the improved apparatus of this invention the mining operation can be carried out continuously in a progressive manner with only a relatively small number of rooi supporting beams and that these beams are used over and over again by advancing them into the mine wall as the operation progresses. Additionally, it will be seen that since the boring beams provide a continuous roof-supporting canopy over the working area, it is not necesto leave pillars of coal in the mine for supporting the roof and, hence, the amount of coal heretofore lost in these pillars can now be safely recovered. It will also be seen that since the boring beams are advanced from one position to 14 another and the mine roof is permitted to subide into the mined portions of the chamber is, it is not necessary to leave beams in the mine chamber as has heretofore been necessary for supporting the mine roof and the expense represented by such abandoned beams is avoided.

In addition to the advantages already mentioned, it will be seen that the boring beams support the mine roof so as to minimize the danger of cave-ins and so as to provide a relatively narrow continuously open passage which extends for the length of the conveyor and permits free travel in both directions and a free circulation of ventilating air. By the use of this narrow passage the natural arch is used to advantage in supporting the roof material against cave-in. It will also be seen that this improved mining apparatus is adapted for mining in from an outcrop of coal and for advancing the mining operation into or around a body of coal with the main conveyor having a delivery terminal for the mined coal at the outer entrance of the mine openin Further, it will be seen that the improved apparatus can be used to mine coal from the outer edge of a coal body or, if desired, can be made to extend through such body. Likewise, this apparatus can be used in mining coal by advancing the operation either in a straight direction into a hill containing a body of coal or by advancing the operation along a curved path extending around a hill.

Although the improved apparatus of this invention have been illustrated and described here in to a detailed extent, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope, but includes all changes and modifications coming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A mine roofsupport beam comprising, an elon ated load-bearing member adapted to be supported on a mine wall by engagement of one end thereof in a mounting opening of said wall, said member being of a generally uniform crosssectional size for substantially its full length, and drill means carried by said member at said one end and having forwardly presented cutting portions located at a radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the beam such that said beam is adapted to form its own mounting opening directly and of beam-receiving size in said wall ,during a combined rotary and advance movement of said beam into the wall.

2. A mine roof-support beam comprising, an elongated load-bearing member adapted to be supported on a mine wall by engagement of one end thereof in a preformed opening of a bearnreceiving transverse dimension in said wall, said member being of a generally uniform cross-sectional size for substantially its full len th, drill means carried by said one end of said member and having forwardly presented cutting portions located at a radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the beam such that said drill means is effective for deepening said opening and substantially maintaining said beam-receiving transverse dimension in response to drilling force and movement transmitted through said member while the member remains engaged in said opening, spiral conveying means connected with said member for actuation thereby and being efiective for discharging drillings from said opening.

3. In coal mining apparatus, a plurality of beams disposed in spaced-apart substantially parallel relation and extending laterally outwardly in substantially normal relation to a coal wall .eing worked by the progressive advance of a work area and the removal of a work section of given thickness from. said wall at said work area, said wall having openings therein adjacent the mine roof of a transverse dimension to receive said beams and of a depth in excess of the thickness of said. work section, said beams being supported at one endthereof on said wall by engagement in said openings and adapted to be supported at the other end-by prop means such that said beams form a roof-supporting canopy over said Work area, said. beams extending into said openings for a greater distance than the thickness of said work section so as to remain supported on said wall after the removal of said work section therefrom, drill means carried by the forward end ofsaid beams, said drill means having forwardly presented cutting portions located at a radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the beam such that said drill means is effective for deepening said openings and substantially maintaining the transverse beam-receiving dimension of the deepened openings by a combined rotary and advance movement of the beams while said beams remain engaged in said openings, and metal plate conveying means secured to said beams and extending spirally therealong for actuation thereby and being effective for discharging drillings from said openings.

4. A mine roof-support beam comprising, an elongated load-carrying member formed of longitudinally coextending integrally connected web and flange elements, drill bits mounted on said member to provide forwardly facing cutting ele ments at one end of said beam such that said cutting elements are adapted to be actuated as a drilling means by rotary and longitudinal movement transmitted thereto through the beam, said cutting elements being at a radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the beam such that an opening formed in amine wall by said cutting elements will be of beam-receiving transverse dimension, and a conveying means carried by said member and extending spirally thereof, said conveying means being actuated by the same movement of said beam as that which actuates said drilling means.

5. A mine roof-support beam comprising, an

elongated load-bearing member having longitudinal edge flanges and an intermediate longitudinal web integrally connecting said flanges, a drill bit having a stem extending along said web and cutting elements disposed so as to project from one end of said beam, said bit being adapted to be actuated as a drilling means by actuating movement transmitted thereto through the beam, and means detachably mounting said bit on said member including a substantially U-shaped portion on the bit and disposed in hooked engagement with said web.

6. In mining apparatus, a plurality of spacedapart mine roof-support members of the boring beam type having the forward end thereof supported on a mine wall by engagement in openings extending into said wall, said members having drilling means on the forward ends thereof adapting them to deepen there own mounting openings in said wall in response to drilling movement impartedthereto, each of said support members having a first connecting portion on the rearend thereof, a carriage movable along the mine floor from one to another of said support members, connecting means on said carriage adapted for detachable connection with the rear ends of said support members in succession and comprising a second connecting portion, one of said connecting portions having a recess therein and the other of said connecting portions being engageable in said recess, said first and second connecting portions when engaged forming a driving connection between said connecting means and one of said support members for transmitting said drilling movement to the latter, and mechanism on said carriage operable to impart said drilling movement to said connecting means and the support member engaged therewith.

7. In mining apparatus, a plurality of spacedapart mine roof-support beams supported at the forward end thereof on a mine wall by engagement in openings extending into said wall and provided with drilling means on said forward end adapting the beams to deepen their own mounting openings in said wall in response to drilling move ment imparted to the beams, each of said beams comprising connected longitudinal flange and web portions, a carriage movable along the mine floor adjacent said beams, connecting means adapted for detachable engagement with said beams in succession at the rear end thereof to provide a driving connection therewith, said connecting means comprising a yoke member engageable with the web portion of said beamsin straddling relation thereto, mechanism on said carriage and operable to move said connecting means into and out of said engagement with said beams, and other mechanism on said carriage for imparting said drilling movement through said connecting means to the beam engaged by the latter.

8. In mining apparatus, a plurality of spacedapart mine roof-support beams supported at the forward end thereof on a mine wall by engagement in openings extending into said wall and provided with drilling means on said forward end adapting the beams to deepen their own mounting openings in said wall in response to drilling movement imparted to the beams, each of said beams having a first connecting portion on the rear end thereof and an annular journal portion extending therearound adjacent said rear end, a carriage movable along the mine floor adjacent said beams, connecting means adapted for de tachable engagement with said beams in succession to provide a driving connection therewith and comprising a second connecting portion, one of said connecting portions having a recess therein and the other of said connecting portions being engageable in said recess, said first and second connecting portions when engaged forming a driving connection between said connecting means and one of said beams for transmitting drilling movement to the latter, bearing means engageable with said beams in succession and providing support for the same during the drilling movement thereof and comprising a forked bearing member engageable with said journal portion in straddling relation thereto from the underside thereof, mechanism on said carriage and operable to move said connecting means and said bearing means into and out of engagement with a selected one of said beams, and other mechanism on said carriage for imparting said drilling movement to said one beam through said connecting means.

9. In mining apparatus, a plurality of spacedapart mine roof-support beams supported at the forward end thereof on a mine wall by engagement in openings extending into said wall and provided with drilling means on said forward end adapting the beams'to deepen their own mounting openings in said wall in response to drilling movement imparted to the beams, each of said beams comprising connected longitudinal flange and web portions, a carriage movable along the mine floor adjacent said beams, a traverse device on said carriage and including a yoke member adapted for detachable driving connection with said beams in succession at the rear end thereof by straddling engagement of said yoke member with said web portion, elevator means on said carriage and operable to move said traverse device into and out of driving connection with a selected one of said beams, and mechanism on said carriage for imparting rotary and axial drilling movement to said one beam through said yoke member.

10. In mining apparatus, a plurality of spacedapart mine roof-support beams supported at the forward end thereof on a mine wall by engagement in openings extending into said wall and provided with drilling means at said forward end adapting the beams to deepen their own mounting openings in said wall in response to drilling movement imparted to the beams, annular journal means on said beams adjacent the rear end thereof, each of said beams comprising connected longitudinal flange and web portions, a carriage movable along the mine floor adjacent said beams, a traverse device on said carriage and including a yoke member adapted for detachable driving connection with said beams in succession at the rear end thereof by straddling engagement of said yoke member with said Web portion, bearing means engageable with the journal means of said beams and providing support for a selected one of said beams during the drilling movement thereof and comprising a forked bearing member engageable with said journal portion in straddling relation thereto from the underside thereof, elevator means on said carriage and operable to move said traverse device to align said yoke member with said one beam and to bring said bearing member into supporting engagement with the journal means of said one beam, said yoke member being movable by said traverse device into said straddling relation to said web portion at the rear end of said one beam, mechanism on said oarriage for imparting rotary and axial drilling movement to said one beam through said yoke member, and power actuated prop means on said carriage and including beam elements movable into supporting engagement with the mine roof in adjacent coextending relation to said one beam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 18,491 Taber June 14, 1932 1,052,359 McDonald Feb. 4, 1913 1,295,320 Humphryes Feb. 25, 1919 1,588,987 OToole June 15, 1926 1,840,339 Vodoz Jan. 12, 1932 2,090,355 Miller Aug. 1'7, 1937 2,198,163 Gullick Apr. 23, 1940 2,496,694 Brown Feb. 7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 83,575 Austria Apr. 11, 1921 379,975 Great Britain Sept. 8, 1932 512,214 Germany Nov. 10, 1930

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