National Mine Service Company

Other

Baker International Inc.

Charles R Herron

Maurice K LeBegue

Marvin L Haines

Roger L O'Quinn

An axle assembly has a longitudinal pivotal connection to a vehicle frame enabling it to rock about a longitudinal axis extending generally longitudinally of the direction of movement of the vehicle. One of the fore-and-aft ends of the axle assembly is hinged to the frame by a universal joint connection consisting of a ball and socket enabling completely unrestricted tilting, swinging and rocking movement of the axle assembly in all directions relative to the frame. At the opposite end, the axle assembly is freely tiltable up and down about a connection to the frame enabling free vertical movement of the tiltable end of the axle assembly while restraining horizontal movement. Springs support the vehicle frame at opposite sides of the axle assembly. Shocks applied through wheels on the axle assembly are absorbed by unrestricted rocking movement of the axle assembly about the longitudinal axis accompanied by up and down tilting movement, both of these movements being about the universal joint connection within a range permitted by the springs. The invention is applicable to non-railway vehicles, as well as to the railway type vehicles shown.

Short displacement double acting vehicle suspension system

Headlight comprises a hollow metal housing with a circular rim defining a forward opening. A side outlet socket assembly is provided in the housing, at the rearward end, to receive the transverse pins of a side-pin style bulb. The housing rim has external threads on the outside and a conical, tapered surface on the inside. A separate bulb and lens retainer ring has an external conical, tapered surface, sealingly engageable with the conical surface in the housing rim to provide a tapered flame path in the event of an internal explosion and also allows easy removal of the bulb and lens. The bulb and lens retainer ring has an inner bore with counterbores at the front and rear ends. A rubberlike ring in the rear counterbore provides an elastic seat for a flange on the front of the bulb and cushions it against shock. A heavy lens is potted by epoxy, or otherwise permanently sealed into the front counterbore. A generally U- or V-shaped spring bail has a flat intermediate portion pressed across the rear end of the bulb base and has two transverse tine portions engaged within diametrically opposed holes in the bulb and lens retainer ring to hold the bulb, retainer ring, and lens as a separately removable and replaceable sub-assembly. A front cover ring has internal threads engageable with the external threads on the housing rim and has a radially inwardly extending flange engageable with the front edge of the bulb and lens retainer ring to press the conical surfaces into sealing, explosion-proof engagement when the cover ring is tightened.

Headlight permissible for use in explosive atmospheres

A cutting tool assembly adapted for mounting on a driving mechanism of a mining machine to dislodge solid material in mining operations includes a base member rigidly secured as by welding to the driving mechanism. A cutter member having an elongated shank and a conical head is releasably positioned in a bore through the base member. The conical head extends from the upper end of the shank and supports a hard cutting tip that is operable to dislodge solid material from a mine face upon rotation of the driving mechanism. The shank has a tapered body positioned in a tapered portion of the base member bore. The surface of the tapered body cooperates with the bore tapered portion to form a locking fit of the shank in the base member substantially free of relative movement between the shank and the base member to prevent wear of the base member bore. A securing device engages the lower end of the shank to exert a downward force on the shank and urge the complementary surfaces of the shank and the base member into wedging engagement within the bore. Wear of the base member bore is thus substantially prevented resulting in an extended operating life of the base member and reduced downtime for replacing a worn base member.

Cutting tool assembly

A conveyor assembly extends longitudinally on the body portion of a mining machine. A forward end portion of the conveyor assembly is pivotally connected to the body portion so that a rearward end portion is movable through a vertical arc to facilitate discharge of mined material at a preselected height above the body portion. The rearward end portion is vertically raised and lowered by a piston cylinder assembly that is mounted on the body portion and is connected to the conveyor assembly. Actuation of the piston cylinder assembly positions the conveyor rearward end portion at an elevated position above the body portion. A stabilizing member is positioned between the conveyor assembly and the machine body portion with the upper end portion hingedly connected to the conveyor assembly and the lower end portion positioned for longitudinal movement between vertical sidewalls on the body portion. The lower end portion of the stabilizing member is restrained by the sidewalls from moving laterally on the body portion and thus serves to prevent the conveyor assembly from swaying laterally when positioned at a preselected height above the body portion.

Stabilizer assembly for a mining machine conveyor

A continuous mining machine is propelled on endless crawler tracks and includes a body portion with a boom extending forwardly therefrom. The boom rotatably supports a drum having peripherally extending cutting elements. A boom stabilizer mounted on the boom includes a plate member pivotally connected at one end to the boom rearward of the drum. A piston cylinder assembly is pivotally mounted on the boom member and includes an extensible piston rod that is pivotally connected to the opposite end of the plate member. Extension of the piston rod pivots the plate member upwardly to a preselected height where the plate upper surface lies on a line tangent to the cutting path of the cutting elements at the top of the drum. When the drum is positioned adjacent the mine roof for sumping into the mine face, the stabilizing plate abuts the mine roof with the cutting elements displaced from the mine roof. As the drum is sumped forward the stabilizing plate prevents the drum from climbing the face into the mine roof. Thus, the drum drive motors are not overloaded by the drum simultaneously cutting the mine roof and face, and a preselected mine roof height is maintained during the mining operation.

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Bluefield, VA, United States of America

Charles R Herron