Track-mounted shoe-supported inclining mining machine

A mining machine which in use traverses to and fro along a track defining a succession of abutments extending along a longwall mineral face in a mineral seam, at least a part of the machine being supported by the track, comprising a body, motor means within the body, a pinion driven by the motor means for sequential drivable engagement with the abutments, cutter means driven by the motor means for winning mineral as the machine traverses along the face, and a number of track engaging shoes for supporting at least a part of the body and adapted to engage the track for movement along the track, at least one of the track engaging shoes comprising a first component for engaging the track adjacent to the abutments to captivate the machine to the track and a second component fixedly connected to the body and pivotally mounted on the first component, at least one further of the track engaging shoes being connected to the body at a location remote from the previously mentioned at least one track engaging shoe and including a ram which in use is actuatable to vary the inclination of the machine body with respect to the track to adjust the cutting horizon of the cutter means to steer the machine within the mineral seam, the said second component pivoting relative to the said first component when the inclination of the machine is varied enabling said at least one of the track engaging shoes to ensure that the pinion is maintained in driveable engagement with the abutments throughout the variation in the machine's inclination.