Coal-gathering assembly for a continuous miner

Abstract

A coal-gathering assembly for a continuous miner in which a platform is disposed behind a rotatable cutter, and a coal-transporting conveyor is located adjacent the platform for delivering coal rearwardly of the miner. The assembly includes a base plate rotatively mounted on the platform on each side of the coal-transporting conveyor. A plurality of bars are carried by each base plate, each bar extending across its associated base plate intermediate the rotative axis of the base plate and the base plate periphery. Each bar has one end adjacent the next angularly adjacent bar and has the other end extending beyond the base plate periphery. Each angularly adjacent pair of bars provide a substantially inwardly closed pocket. More particularly, each bar extends across the base place and is spaced from and intermediate the rotative axis and the base plate periphery, and extends substantially transverse to a radial line passed through the rotative axis and intermediate the ends of the bar. Each bar includes a leading edge facing in the direction of base plate rotation and extending substantially between its ends, and includes a trailing edge facing in the opposite direction and extending outwardly from the leading edge of the next angularly adjacent bar. The leading edge of each bar pushes the coal outwardly onto the conveyor as the associated base plate rotates.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.