Mobile slurry handling system

In an apparatus for transporting product from a mining machine working in a mine having a floor, to a terminal having a source of water with a slurry inlet, and a source of water;

• first and second flexible hose means;
• means for interconnecting one end of said first and second flexible hose means to said slurry inlet of said terminal and to said source of water, respectively;
• means for mixing the product dislodged by said mining machine with said water to form a slurry and having a water inlet and a slurry outlet;
• means for connecting the remaining end of said first and second flexible hose means to said slurry outlet and said water inlet, respectively;
• means for maintaining said product mixing means in position to receive product from the mining machine;
• said first and second flexible hose means each having the same length, and wherein said length is greater than the distance between the terminal and the product mixing means in all but the most remote position of the mining machine with respect to the terminal, an improvement in said first and second flexible hose means comprising:
• means securing said hoses in parallel realtionship along their length;
• means arranging said hoses in a storage section;
• means arranging said hoses in an active section substantially parallel to said storage section at least along the length of said storage section;
• a 180.degree. transition section means extending from said storage means to said active means;
• means attached to and supporting the active section of said hoses off the floor of the mine for lengthwise movement upon movement of said product mixing means;
• and means providing a neutral, or tension force along the length of said active section.