Cutting apparatus and method of operating

A cutting apparatus suitable for creating tunnels or subterranean roadways and the like comprising:

• a main frame having generally upward, downward and side facing regions;
• a powered sled movably mounted at the main frame and configured to slide in a forward cutting direction of the cutting apparatus relative to the main frame;
• at least one arm pivotally mounted to the sled via an arm pivot axis aligned in a direction extending transverse including perpendicular to a generally upright direction relative to the upward and downward facing regions such that the arm is arranged to pivot relative to the main frame in an upward and downward direction relative to the upward and downward facing regions;
• at least one arm actuator arranged to actuate pivoting movement of the arm relative to the main frame;
• a rotatable cutting head mounted at the arm;
• and
• a plurality of engaging members mounted at the main frame, the engaging members including floor engaging members, roof or side wall engaging members, at least the floor engaging members being extendable and retractable to respectively raise and lower the apparatus in the upward and downward direction, wherein at least one of the roof or side wall engaging members being mounted to the powered sled and configured to extend to wedge the cutting apparatus in cooperation with the other engaging members in a cutting mode of the cutting apparatus between the roof or side wall and the floor.

A method of operating a cutting apparatus for creating tunnels or subterranean roadways and the like, the method comprising:

• providing a cutting apparatus, the cutting apparatus including a main frame having generally upward, downward and side facing regions, at least one arm pivotally mounted via an arm pivot axis aligned in a direction extending transverse including perpendicular to a generally upright direction relative to the upward and downward facing regions to pivot the arm relative to the main frame in an upward and downward direction relative to the upward and downward facing regions, at least one arm actuator arranged to actuate pivoting movement of the arm relative to the main frame, a rotatable cutting head mounted at the arm, a pair of crawler tracks or a set of wheels allowing a forward and rearward movement of the cutting apparatus over ground, and a set of floor engaging members mounted at the main frame;
• a cutting step;
• a non-cutting step including a forward or rearward movement of the cutting apparatus over ground;
• a first transition step from the non-cutting step to the cutting step including an extending of the floor engaging members such that the cutting apparatus rests on the floor engaging members;
• and
• a second transition step from the cutting step to the non-cutting step including a retracting of the floor engaging members such that the cutting apparatus rests on the pair of crawler tracks or set of wheels, wherein the pair of crawler tracks or the set of wheels define a plane inclined relative to the main frame such that the second transition step includes a backward-tilting of the cutting apparatus, causing the rotatable cutting head to be raised away from the ground.

A method of operating a cutting apparatus for creating tunnels or subterranean roadways and the like, comprising the steps of:

• providing a main frame having generally upward, downward and side facing regions, a powered sled movably mounted at the main frame and configured to slide in a forward cutting direction of the cutting apparatus relative to the main frame, at least one arm pivotally mounted to the sled via an arm pivot axis aligned in a direction extending transverse including perpendicular to a generally upright direction relative to the upward and downward facing regions to pivot the arm relative to the main frame in an upward and downward direction relative to the upward and downward facing regions, at least one arm actuator arranged to actuate pivoting movement of the arm relative to the main frame, a rotatable cutting head mounted at the arm, and a plurality of engaging members mounted at the main frame, the plurality of engaging members including floor engaging members and roof or side wall engaging members, at least the floor engaging members being extendable and retractable to respectively raise and lower the apparatus in the upward and downward direction, wherein at least one roof or side wall engaging member is mounted to the powered sled;
• an anchoring step of extending at least the floor engaging members so to wedge the cutting apparatus between the roof or side wall and the floor;
• and
• an operation step including an extending of the at least one roof or side wall engaging member mounted to the powered sled for cooperating with the other engaging members in wedging the cutting apparatus between the roof or side wall and the floor.