American Longwall Mining Corporation

American Longwall Face Conveyors, Inc.

Other

Eimco LLC

Longwall-Associates, Inc.

Clarence L Bandy, Jr

William J Reid

Gregory Warren Smith

Richard Cocksedge

Kenneth A Neely

Dennis L Heninger

A mining machine having a stabilizing apparatus includes a mining machine and a stabilizing apparatus attached to the mining machine. The stabilizing apparatus includes a stabilizing element and a moving arm attached to the stabilizing element and the mining machine for raising the stabilizing element above and lowering the stabilizing element into contact with a mine floor.

Mining machine having stabilizing apparatus and stabilizing apparatus

A conveyor pan assembly, and a corresponding conveyor line, for an armored face conveyor is provided wherein each pan assembly has a replaceable upper deck plate fabricated of wear-resistant steel. A lower support plate of mild steel is mechanically attached, such as by structural welds, to spaced tabs projecting inwardly from opposed parallel sidewalls. The lateral edges of the deck plate mate with grooves formed in the adjacent sidewalls above the projecting tabs. One or more slots formed in the underside of the support plate receive structural welds that assist in holding the deck plate in place. No structural welds holding the upper deck plate in place are exposed to wear created by the flights, coal or other aggregate material moving along the conveyor feed path. The sidewalls remain separated by the lower support plate when the deck plate is removed during replacement. Along the length of the pan assembly, the upper deck plate is positioned in a longitudinal, offset position such that a projecting lip at one end thereof overlaps with a mating narrow strip of the lower support plate at the other end of the next-in-line pan assembly. A corresponding method of fabricating the conveyor pan assembly and conveyor line is also provided.

Conveyor pan assembly with replaceable deck

An improved coupler assembly for pans in a longwall mining conveyor system for handling coal or the like is provided. The assembly includes a dog-bone coupler having notched ends. A first end of the coupler is received and secured in place by a stop in a first recess formed in one conveyor pan. A cooperating second recess in the mating pan receives the opposite or second end of the coupler. A T-shaped retainer includes a crosspiece which is pivotally received in upper and lower retention holes formed in the second recess to engage the second end. The retainer rotates such that the leg of the T that projects outwardly therefrom is received in a slot that includes opposed resilient inserts for holding the leg and, thus, the retainer, securely in place.

Conveyor pan coupling assembly

A split sprocket and retainer assembly are provided for mounting on the drive shaft of a chain drive system, such as a conveyor drive system. The sprocket is split diametrically into two sections and includes a hub. Cross fixing bolts across the hub secure the two sprocket sections together on the drive shaft. A one-piece retaining ring is positioned over the sprocket hub in snug engagement, and overlying the bolts. The retaining ring absorbs the thrust force generated by the driving torque tending to radially separate the sprocket sections during operation of the drive system. A split outer retainer collar is mounted so as to abut the retaining ring and to secure it in position against axial shifting and backing off the hub.

Split sprocket and retainer assembly

A unidirectional sprocket includes a hub and a series of radially arrayed sprocket teeth. Each of the sprocket teeth include a root at the point of connection with the hub, a radially extending split body and twin outwardly projecting points at the distal or outermost end. Forward and rearward flanks extend from the root radially outwardly, while forward and rearward faces extend radially inwardly from the pitch circle. Each of the sprocket teeth is asymmetrical with a forward offset. Thus, the point is shifted in the drive direction toward the forward face and flank, and shifted away from the rearward face and flank. Each of the teeth also includes a forward landing area formed above the forward flank and a rearward landing area formed above the rearward flank. Together, the forward and rearward faces and landing areas of adjacent teeth define a split chain link seat for engaging the chain being driven. The rearward landing area is longer than the forward landing area due to the forward offset, and the forward landing area is raised with respect to the rearward landing area.

Sprocket with asymmetrical teeth for mining conveyors

A sigma-section profile to constitute one sidewall of a line pan to form a scraper chain conveyor, has the sidewall formed integrally as a casting, with an associated furnishing.

Scraper chain conveyor

A conveyor apparatus includes a drive unit with a drive sprocket assembly of an armored face conveyor having a central drive shaft for rotation within a lubricated bearing. A bearing housing encloses the bearing and includes an array of access ports circumferentially spaced around the perimeter. A split conveyor frame defines semicircular mounting rings for receiving the bearing housing and securely mounting the drive sprocket assembly. A lubricant channel is provided in the surface of one mounting ring, and the surface of the other mounting ring provides a lubricant seal. The lubricant channel aligns with the access ports of the bearing housing, and includes stopper plugs at each end to restrict the lubricant flow. A transfer tube having a lubricant fitting on a first end transversely extends across the conveyor assembly. A lubricant passage in the conveyor frame extends between the lubricant channel and a feed orifice of the transfer tube. Lubricant applied at the fitting is communicated through the transfer tube and lubricant passage to fill the lubricant channel. From the lubricant channel, lubricant is forced through the access ports of the bearing housing to effectively lubricate the internal bearing.

Remote lubrication system for conveyor bearing

A conveyor assembly includes an endless conveyor having ends supported by a drive drum/sprocket and an idler drum/sprocket mounted on respective portions of a split conveyor frame. The frame portions are movable with respect to each other. Dual tensioning cylinders control the movement of the portions and thus the tensioning force acting on the conveyor. A hydraulic circuit for the tensioning cylinders provides a first level of tensioning force to said conveyor upon initial start-up of the conveyor apparatus and a second reduced level of tensioning force after a predetermined time. The first level of tensioning force is sufficient to overcome the breakaway friction between the frame portions while the second level of tensioning force is sufficient for proper and sustained tension during normal operation of the conveyor. A time delay control valve in the circuit includes a movable valve element actuable by a differential hydraulic force through a combination of restrictive orifices, an accumulator, a return spring and operating faces.

Conveyor apparatus with hydraulic tensioning control

A pan assembly for a conveyor line of an armored face conveyor includes an elongated deck plate defining the feed path of the conveyor system and a pair of parallel side members. Spaced keys extend outwardly from the deck plate to fit in corresponding slots in the side members. The slots are open to the outside to expose the keys and welds extend along these outer edges to attach the keys to the side members. The deck plate rests on the lower edge of the slots. The side members are sigma sections with the center portion having the slots being recessed.

Conveyor pan with keyed deck

A reversible sprocket assembly for a chain and sprocket drive system includes a sprocket body having an inner hub portion with a central bore and an outer sprocket drive unit including teeth for engaging a drive chain. A coupling, such as mating splines, is provided along the bore for coupling the sprocket in driving relationship with the drive shaft. The coupling is reversible so that the bore of the hub may be received on the shaft with either end first. A counterbore is provided at each end of the hub adjacent the coupling so as to form end portions of the bore. When mounted on the shaft, one counterbore mates with a first shoulder on the shaft. A removable annular spacer forms a second shoulder to mate with the other counterbore. In this way, the sprocket body is securely supported in driving relationship on the shaft. By reversing the sprocket drive unit as a whole, the trailing faces of the teeth become the new drive faces and the life of the sprocket assembly is essentially doubled.

Growing community of inventors

Glade Spring, VA, United States of America

Clarence L Bandy, Jr