Shearing system for longwall mining
AssigneeCaterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH
InventorEuan Russell Kirkhope
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A shearing system includes a pan line having an end stop, a gate end, and a set of consecutively arranged pans extending from the gate end and having one or more pans disposed beyond the end stop. A shearer is stoppable at the end stop, includes a shearer arm, and is positioned on the one or more pans when the shearer arm is disposed between the end stop and the gate end. A first sensor detects an orientation of the shearer, while second sensors detect an orientation of the set of consecutively arranged pans. A control system determines a profile of the pan line between the end stop and the gate end and controls a movement of the shearer arm based on the profile of the pan line when the shearer arm is disposed between the end stop and the gate end.
Claims20
A shearing system for longwall mining, the shearing system comprising:
- a pan line defined by a plurality of interconnected pans, the pan line including an end stop, a gate end, and a set of consecutively arranged pans extending from the gate end and having one or more pans disposed beyond the end stop, away from the gate end;
- a shearer moveable on and along the pan line and configured to stop at the end stop, the shearer including:
- a shearer arm configured to be moved to remove mine material from a mine face, wherein the shearer is positioned on the one or more pans when the shearer arm is disposed between the end stop and the gate end;
- and
- a first sensor configured to detect an orientation of the shearer;
- a set of second sensors each configured to detect an orientation of a pan of the set of consecutively arranged pans;
- and
- a control system configured to:
- determine a profile of the pan line between the end stop and the gate end based on the orientation of one or more pans of the set of consecutively arranged pans and the orientation of the shearer when the shearer arm is disposed between the end stop and the gate end;
- and
- control a movement of the shearer arm based on the profile of the pan line when the shearer arm is disposed between the end stop and the gate end.
A method for operating a shearer of a longwall mining machine, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a control system, data corresponding to an orientation of the shearer moveable on and along a pan line;
- receiving, by the control system, data corresponding to an orientation of a set of consecutively arranged pans extending from a gate end of the pan line, wherein the set of consecutively arranged pans have one or more pans disposed beyond an end stop of the pan line, away from the gate end;
- determining, by the control system, a profile of the pan line between the end stop and the gate end based on the orientation of one or more pans of the set of consecutively arranged pans and the orientation of the shearer when a shearer arm of the shearer is disposed between the end stop and the gate end;
- and
- controlling, by the control system, a movement of the shearer arm based on the profile of the pan line when the shearer arm is disposed between the end stop and the gate end.
A shearing system for longwall mining, the shearing system comprising:
- a pan line defined by a plurality of interconnected pans, the pan line including an end stop, a gate end, and a set of consecutively arranged pans extending from the gate end and having one or more pans disposed beyond the end stop, away from the gate end;
- a shearer moveable on and along the pan line and configured to stop at the end stop, the shearer including:
- a shearer arm configured to be moved to remove mine material from a mine face, wherein the shearer is positioned on the one or more pans when the shearer arm is disposed between the end stop and the gate end;
- and
- an inertial navigation system configured to detect an orientation of the shearer;
- a set of inclinometers coupled to the set of consecutively arranged pans and each configured to detect an orientation of a pan of the set of consecutively arranged pans;
- and
- a control system configured to:
- determine a profile of the pan line between the end stop and the gate end based on the orientation of one or more pans of the set of consecutively arranged pans and the orientation of the shearer when the shearer arm is disposed between the end stop and the gate end;
- and
- control a movement of the shearer arm based on the profile of the pan line when the shearer arm is disposed between the end stop and the gate end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.