Fairchild Incorporated

Fairchild International Inc.

Arnold G Wilcox, Jr

Roger D Plumley

Gopal Shah

A continuous mining machine comprising an elongated conveyor assembly for continuously conveying coal cut from a coal seam rearwardly away from the face of the coal seam being cut having a frame structure associated therewith. A power driven cutting assembly is disposed forwardly with respect to the frame structure for cutting coal from the coal seam for conveyance rearwardly by the conveyor assembly. A pair of power driven endless track units is provided for mounting the cutting and conveyor assemblies for movement between a tramming position wherein the assemblies are supported on power driven endless track units in a generally balanced condition for transport within the mine and an operative cutting position wherein the assemblies are moved forwardly in a generally unbalanced condition. Vertically extensible and retractable jacks are carried by the power driven endless track units for extension into mine roof engagement so as to stabilize the units when the cutting assemblies are moved from the tramming position into the operative cutting position. Power operated units are provided for moving the assemblies from the tramming position into the operative cutting position while the vertically extensible and retractable means is extended into mine roof engagement.

Continuous mining machine

Apparatus for use in conveying coal from the conveyor of a continuous miner to a spaced floor conveyor comprising first, second and third cooperating elongated scraper conveyor assemblies each having a coal receiving end and a coal discharging end. The receiving end of said first conveying assembly has a connection with the miner providing for limited tilting movement and for generally horizontal swinging movement with respect thereto in a position to receive the coal discharging from the conveyor of the miner. First and second mounting members extend in cantilever fashion from the receiving end of the second conveyor assembly and the receiving end of the third conveyor assembly respectively. First and second crawler units are disposed below the first and second mounting members respectively. Each crawler unit includes a frame structure, a pair of longitudinally coextensive parallel power driven endless track assemblies connected with the frame structure and a connection for supporting the associated mounting member on the frame structure for limited tilting movement and for horizontal swinging movement about a vertical axis disposed between the associated pair of endless track assemblies and intermediate the longitudinal extent thereof. A carriage assembly and articulated joint serves to mount the discharge end of the first, second and third conveyor assemblies on the receiving end of the second conveyor assembly, third conveyor assembly and floor conveyor respectively for longitudinal movement thereabove for limited tilting movement with respect thereto and generally horizontal swinging movement with respect thereto.

Apparatus for continuously conveying coal from a continuous miner to a

A continuous mining machine comprising a cutter assembly including a cutter frame, a pair of oppositely pitched independently vertically movable auger cutters having their axes of rotation disposed generally parallel with respect to one another, a mobile assembly disposed rearwardly of the cutter assembly and including a mobile frame having a pair of parallel power driven endless track units mounted thereon for independent pivotal movement of each unit about a common generally transversely extending horizontal axis disposed adjacent to the forward portion of the track units, a yoke assembly between the mobile assembly and the cutter assembly including a yoke frame pivotally interconnected with the mobile frame for pivotal movement about an axis generally parallel with the common pivotal axis of the track units and pivotally interconnected with the cutter frame for pivotal movement about a generally upright axis extending generally perpendicularly to the pivotal axis of the yoke frame with the mobile frame, and conveyor means including a forward section carried by the cutter frame and a rearward section carried by the mobile frame for conveying coal cut by the auger cutters longitudinally rearwardly of the machine, the forward portion of the rearward conveyor section being mounted on the mobile frame for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the common pivotal axis of the track units.

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Shady Spring, WV, United States of America

Arnold G Wilcox, Jr