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US 4,053,182 AGranted
Mining method and apparatus
AssigneeRay M. Baughman
InventorRodney L. Nelson
Life of this patent
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AssigneeRay M. Baughman
InventorRodney L. Nelson
Estimating the term…
A shaft is formed from ground level downwardly to a subterranean seam of coal or other solids following preliminary survey procedures to locate the seam and establish its dimensions. A passage is cut radially into the coal seam and away from the shaft near the bottom thereof while coal cuttings are removed and delivered to ground level. The seam is then cut on an arcuate path centered on said shaft along the entire length of the radial passage while coal cuttings continue to be removed and delivered through the shaft to ground level. The mining apparatus is modular and comprises plural mining modules to be placed in the coal seam by a placement and advancing unit which is lowered in the shaft. A rotational driving unit is subsequently lowered in the shaft to drive coupled mining modules in unison through the coal seam on said arcuate path. In addition, self-propelled modules can drive themselves radially from the shaft outwardly into the seam and under remote control from ground level can propel themselves on a second path, e.g., an arcuate or, if desirable, a straight path, along one side of the radial cut.
Apparatus for mining solids from a subterranean seam containing minable solids through a prepared shaft extending from ground level into said seam comprising plural mining modules adapted to be placed one at a time in coupled relationship in said seam, a module placement and advancing unit adapted to be lowered through said shaft to said seam with each mining module and to force each module into said seam on a radial path away from said shaft while coupled with a module immediately ahead of it, and a rotational driving unit for all of the coupled mining modules in said seam adapted to be lowered in said shaft into coupled engagement with the rearmost mining module adjacent said shaft for then driving the modules through said seam on an arcuate path centered on said shaft.
Mining apparatus comprising plural mining modules of minable solids adapted to be placed in a subterranean seam of minable solids in end-to-end coupled relationship, means to independently convey said modules to said seam through a prepared shaft and to assemble them in the seam in end-to-end coupled relationship, said means including an additional means for advancing each module from the shaft substantially radially into said seam behind other modules therein, means for providing movement of the coupled modules on a second path within said seam, away from one side of said radial advancement, and means integrally formed in said modules for transporting said minable solids thereby mined to a predetermined destination.
Mining apparatus comprising plural mining modules adapted to be placed individually in a subterranean seam of minable solids to be mined, means to assemble said modules in situ, said modules adapted to be propelled on a first path of movement into the seam one behind the other to thereby form a string of interconnected mining modules in the seam, the modules in said string being adapted to move through said seam on a second path away from one side of the first path to mine the minable solids in an area of said seam, said modules including means for transporting solids mined by said modules outwardly therefrom, and means coupled to said transporting means for conveying the solids mined to ground level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.