Control systems and arrangements for use in mineral mining installations
AssigneeGewerkschaft Eisenhutte Westfalia
InventorHans Theodor Grisebach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a mineral mining installation employing a series of shifting rams for advancing a scraper-chain conveyor provided with a guide for a mining machine a control system with a central control station for transmitting control signals. The control signals serve to actuate local control valves, possibly in time dependence, to cause a selected one or group of metering devices to transfer a pre-determined volume of pressure fluid to one or more of the rams to effect said advancement. This volume of pressure fluid is some fraction of the total capacity of the ram or rams in question so that by repeatedly transmitting control signals the device or devices can perform successive cycles of operation to thereby cause the ram or rams associated therewith to extend in defined increments.
Claims3
A system for controlling the operation of shifting rams in a mine working, said system comprising:
- a. a plurality of apportioning devices each allocated to at least one of the shifting rams, each said apportioning device having a cylinder containing a floating piston, said cylinder having a first working chamber on one side of said piston and a second working chamber on the other side of said piston, first conduit means for normally connecting said first working chamber to a pressure fluid supply, second conduit means for normally connecting said second working chamber to the working chamber of said at least one ram, a connecting valve mounted in parallel across said first and said second conduit means, said connecting valve having two alternative switching positions, the first position permitting said first and second conduit means to remain in their normally connected condition, the second position connecting said first working chamber to the working chamber of said at least one ram, and said second working chamber to the pressure fluid supply;
- b. a stepping mechanism operating said connecting valve;
- and
- c. control signal means for actuating said stepping mechanism to operate said connecting valve to cause a selected apportioning device to perform an operative cycle to transfer a predetermined volume of pressure fluid to the working chamber of said at least one ram, the volume of pressure fluid being a fraction of the total capacity of the working chamber.
A system for controlling the operation of shifting rams in a mine working, said system comprising:
- a. a plurality of apportioning devices each allocated to at least one of the shifting rams, each said apportioning device having a cylinder containing a floating piston, said cylinder having a first working chamber on one side of said piston and a second working chamber on the other side of said piston, first conduit means for normally connecting said first working chamber to a pressure fluid supply, second conduit means for normally connecting said second working chamber to the working chamber of said at least one ram, a connecting valve mounted in parallel across said first and said second conduit means, said connecting valve having two alternative switching positions, the first position permitting said first and second conduit means to remain in their normally connected condition, the second position connecting said first working chamber to the working chamber of said at least one ram, and said second working chamber to the pressure fluid supply;
- b. two valve devices located in series between said connecting valve and the pressure fluid supply, each of said valve devices including a pilot valve which is normally closed and a time-dependent actuating mechanism for opening said pilot valve to allow pressure fluid to flow through said valve device;
- c. actuating means for operating said connecting valve;
- and
- d. control signal means for energizing said time-dependent actuating mechanism and said connecting valve actuating means to cause a selected apportioning device to perform an operative cycle to transfer a predetermined volume of pressure fluid to the working chamber of said at least one ram, the volume of pressure fluid being a fraction of the total capacity of the working chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.