Mining machine steering equipment

Mining machine steering equipment for use with a mining machine including a cutter drum or head mounted for movement between two operational positions, comprising a component pivotable about a mounting for the cutter drum or head having two operational modes associated with the two operational positions of the cutter drum or head, respectively, for sensing rock or mineral profiles formed by the cutter drum or head in one operational position, actuator means for urging the component towards one or other of the rock or mineral profiles into one or other of the two operational modes, said component having two abutment formations for engaging the sensed rock or mineral profile associated with the two operational modes, respectively, and being adapted to abut a rock or mineral profile formed by the cutter drum or head on a previous traverse along the working face, and sensor means for sensing the position of the component and for deriving a signal indicative of the sensed component position.

Mining machine steering equipment for use with a mining machine including two cutter drums or heads each mounted on a ranging arm for movement between two operational positions, the equipment comprising two components associated with the cutter drums or heads, respectively, and each having two operational modes associated with the two operational positions of the associated cutter drum or head, respectively, actuator means for urging each of the components into one or other of its operational modes, and sensor means for sensing the angular position of each of the components with respect to the associated ranging arm and for deriving signals indicative of the sensed angular position of the component.

Mining machine steering equipment for use with a mining machine including two cutter drums or heads each mounted for movement between two operational positions, the equipment comprising two components associated with the cutter drums or heads, respectively, and each having two operational modes associated with the two operational positions of the associated cutter drum or head, respectively, at least one component in one operational position being adapted to sense a rock or mineral profile formed by the cutter drum or head associated with the other of the components on a previous traverse of the mining machine along the working face, actuator means for urging each of the components into one or other of its operational modes, and sensor means for sensing the position of each of the components and for deriving signals indicative of the sensed component positions, wherein each component has two abutment formations for engaging the sensed rock or mineral profile associated with the two operational modes respectively.

A mining machine comprising a body adapted to traverse to and fro along a working face, a boom or arm pivotally mounted on the body, a cutter drum or head mounted on the boom or arm and movable between two operational positions on pivotal movement of the boom or arm, and machine steering equipment comprising a component having two operational modes associated with the two operational positions of the cutter drum or head respectively, actuator means for urging the component into one or other of the two operational modes, and sensor means for sensing the angular position of the component with respect to the boom or arm and for deriving a signal indicative of the sensed angular position of the component.

A mining machine comprising a body adapted to traverse to and fro along a working face, two booms or arms pivotally mounted on the body, two cutter drums or heads mounted on the booms or arms, respectively, and each movable between two operational positions on pivotal movement of the associated boom or arm, and machine steering equipment comprising two components associated with the cutter drums or heads, respectively, and each component having two operational modes associated with the two operational positions of the associated cutter drum or head, respectively, actuator means for urging each of the components into one or other of its operational modes, and sensor means for sensing the angular position of each of the components with respect to the associated boom or arm and for deriving signals indicative of the sensed angular position of the component.