The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 13, 1990
Filed:
Sep. 09, 1988
Gustav Neu, Bochum, DE;
Ernst-Gunter Nerlich, Essen, DE;
Karl-Heinz Berger, Gelsenkirchen-Resse, DE;
Bochumer Eisenhutte Heintzmann GmbH & Co. KG, Bochum, DE;
Abstract
A mining system comprises a laterally deflectable segmented conveyor extending longitudinally along a longitudinal face from which material is to be cut, a mining machine displaceable longitudinally along the conveyor and engageable with the face to cut material therefrom and deposit in the conveyor, and a longitudinal succession of support frames each having a respective actuator connected to a respective segment of the conveyor and each also having a respective a respective retractile roof-engaging flap. The process of this invention comprises bracing the frames and conveyor in a safety zone immediately adjacent the mining machine against the roof with their flaps retracted. The machine is advanced in the safety zone while cutting the face in the safety zone, and the flaps of the frames in a zone immediately downstream of the safety zone are sequentially retracted and the flaps of the frames in a zone upstream of the safety zone are sequentially advanced. The number of frames in the upstream and downstream zone is determined by the stability of the material of the mine roof. The conveyor segments are meanwhile pushed toward the face by extension of the actuators of the frames in a second zone immediately upstream of the upstream zone and the frames are themselves drawn toward the face by contraction of the actuators of the frames in a third zone immediately upstream from the second zone.