Compact machine for carrying tools

A relatively narrow mining machine for carrying tools in a mine, the machine comprising:

• a chassis supported by tracks or wheels;
• an operator station disposed on the rear of the machine;
• a boom pivotally mounted on the machine;
• a hydraulic cylinder operative connected to the boom for raising and lowering the boom;
• a tool head mounted on a remote end of the boom;
• a tool carrier configured to carry a mining tool and rotatively mounted to the tool head;
• the tool head including a carrier pivot plate configured to support the tool carrier and pivotally mounted about a transverse axis to a remote end of the boom and tiltable up and down about the transverse axis;
• an adjustable link operatively connected between the boom and the carrier pivot plate and configured to adjust and station the carrier pivot plate at various angles with respect to said transverse axis;
• the tool carrier including a tool support structure for supporting and carrying the mining tool,
• a carrier rotation plate secured to the tool support structure and sandwiched between the tool support structure and the carrier pivot plate;
• the tool carrier further including a shaft that is fixed to said tool support structure and extends past the carrier rotation plate and is rotatively journaled in the carrier pivot plate;
• the carrier rotation plate engaged with the carrier pivot plate and rotated about the axis of said shaft and about the carrier pivot plate for varying an angular orientation of the tool support structure;
• and
• retractable fasteners carried by said carrier rotation plate for engaging and disengaging with the carrier pivot plate, wherein when the retractable fasteners are engaged with the carrier pivot plate, the tool support structure is fixed relative to the carrier pivot plate, and wherein when said retractable fasteners are disengaged, the tool support structure and the carrier rotation plate is rotatable about the axis of said shaft.