Mining system
AssigneeUnderground Extraction Technologies Pty LTD
InventorsMichael Mapp, Brian MacDonald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a mining system. The system includes a continuous miner for forming plunge tunnels from a roadway. A flexible conveyor system is coupled to the continuous miner for conveying mined material from the plunge tunnels. A controller is provided for controlling the continuous miner and the flexible conveyor system to travel along a predetermined path. Advantageously, the controller may control the drive and steering (including turning maneuvers) of the continuous miner and each conveyor module of the flexible conveyor system along the predetermined path to avoid striking either any adjacent equipment (e.g., another conveyor), or the “ribs” of a plunge tunnel being mined.
Claims20
A mining system including:
- a continuous miner;
- a first conveyor system coupled to the continuous miner for conveying mined material from the continuous miner to a second conveyor;
- and
- a controller coupled to the continuous miner and the first conveyor system, wherein the controller is configured to:
- determine a location of the second conveyor using a location sensor;
- determine formation of a plunge tunnel proximal to the determined location;
- control the continuous miner to form a plunge tunnel based on the determined formation;
- and
- control the first conveyor system to travel in the plunge tunnel formed by the continuous miner.
A computer-implemented method for controlling a continuous miner and a first conveyor system coupled with the continuous miner for conveying mined material from the continuous miner to a second conveyor, the method involving:
- determining a location of the second conveyor using a location sensor, the second conveyor is configured to receive the mined material from the first conveyor system;
- determining formation of a plunge tunnel proximal to the determined location;
- controlling the continuous miner to form a plunge tunnel based on the determined formation;
- and
- controlling the first conveyor system to travel in the plunge tunnel formed by the continuous miner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.