US 4,548,442 A · Mobile mining machine and method

Abstract

A first mobile mining machine for cutting mining tunnels in hard rock, which includes a horizontally swinging wheel-like cutterhead assembly mounted on a crawler and base frame assembly. The cutterhead assembly consists of a transverse horizontal axis wheel-like drum on which are multiple peripherally mounted rolling cutter units. A second mobile mining machine for cutting mining tunnels in hard rock, which includes a horizontally swinging and vertically ranging wheel-like cutterhead assembly mounted on a crawler and base frame assembly. The cutterhead assembly consists of a transverse horizontal axis wheel-like drum on which are multiple peripherally mounted rolling cutter units. A method of cutting mining tunnels in hard rock which includes the steps of providing a wheel-like cutterhead assembly for cutting the hard rock, rotating the cutterhead assembly about its horizontal axis, plunging the rotating cutterhead forward into the hard rock, sweeping the rotating cutterhead assembly sideward in a first horizontal direction through the hard rock, plunging the rotating cutterhead forward into the hard rock, then sweeping the rotating cutterhead sideward in the other horizontal direction, and then repeating the last four steps.

Claims45

Dependent claims

A method of cutting a tunnel in hard rock, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a wheel-like cutterhead assembly means for cutting said hard rock, said cutterhead assembly means having a substantially horizontal axis of rotation and having multiple peripherally mounted rolling cutter units each rotatable about its own axis, said cutterhead assembly means being supported by boom means, said boom means being supported by frame means;
(b) anchoring said frame means within the interior of said tunnel;
(c) while rotating said cutterhead assembly means about its substantially horizontal axis, plunging said rotating cutterhead assembly means forwardly into the hard rock work face;
(d) while rotating said cutterhead assembly means about its substantially horizontal axis, sweeping said rotating cutterhead assembly across said hard rock work face, the rolling cutter units on the cutterhead assembly means being rotated about their respective axes by contact with the work face and making substantially helical cuts in the work face in the course of transiting the work face, such sweeping action and cutterhead assembly means rotation continuing until the cutterhead assembly means has transited completely across the work face;
(e) while rotating said cutterhead assembly means about its horizontal axis, plunging the rotating cutterhead assembly means forwardly into the hard rock work face;
(f) while rotating said cutterhead assembly means about its substantially horizontal axis, sweeping said rotating cutterhead assembly means back across the hard rock work face, such sweeping action and cutterhead assembly means rotation continuing until the rotating cutterhead assembly means has transited completely across the hard rock work face;
and
(g) repeating steps (c), (d), (e), and (f) above.

5 more elements

A method of cutting a tunnel in hard rock, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a wheel-like cutterhead assembly means for cutting said hard rock, said cutterhead assembly means having a substantially horizontal axis of rotation and having multiple peripherally mounted rolling cutter units each rotatable about its own axis, said cutterhead assembly means being supported by frame means, said frame means having holding means mounted thereon for anchoring said frame means within said tunnel;
(b) extending said holding means against the interior of said tunnel to anchor said frame means within said tunnel;
(c) while rotating said cutterhead assembly means about its horizontal axis, plunging said rotating cutterhead assembly means forwardly into the hard rock work face;
(d) while rotating said cutterhead assembly means about its substantially horizontal axis, sweeping said rotating cutterhead assembly across said hard rock work face, the rolling cutter units on the cutterhead assembly means being rotated about their respective axes by contact with the work face and making a substantially helical cut in the work face in the course of transiting the work face, such sweeping action and cutterhead assembly means rotation continuing until the cutterhead assembly means has transited completely across the work face;
(e) while rotating said cutterhead assembly means about its horizontal axis, plunging the rotating cutterhead assembly means forwardly into the hard rock work face;
(f) stopping the rotation of said cutterhead assembly means and then rotating said cutterhead assembly means in the reverse direction of rotation;
(g) while rotating said cutterhead assembly means about its substantially horizontal axis, sweeping said rotating cutterhead assembly means back across the hard rock work face, such sweeping action and cutterhead assembly means rotation continuing until the rotating cutterhead assembly means has transited completely across the hard rock work face;
and
(h) repeating steps (e), (f), and (g) above.

6 more elements

A method of cutting mining tunnels in hard rock, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a wheel-like cutterhead assembly means for cutting said hard rock, said cutterhead assembly means having a horizontal axis of rotation and having multiple peripherally mounted disc-like cutter units each rotatable about its own axis, said cutterhead assembly means being supported by boom means, said boom means being supported by frame means, said frame means having holding means mounted thereon for anchoring said frame means within said tunnel;
(b) extending said holding means against the roof and floor of said tunnel to anchor said frame means within said tunnel;
(c) rotating said cutterhead assembly means about its horizontal axis at a selected rotation rate to give a peripheral velocity between about 400 to 800 feet (120 to 240 meters) per minute;
(d) plunging said rotating cutterhead assembly means forward into said hard rock until a plunge depth between about 0.1 to 4 inches is achieved;
(e) sweeping said rotating cutterhead assembly means sideward in a first horizontal direction through said hard rock at a sweep rate between about 5 to 120 inches per minute wherein the ratio between the sweep rate and the cutterhead rotation rate is between about 1.25 to 4.5 inches per revolution, until a selected width of cut is reached;
(f) plunging said rotating cutterhead assembly means forward into said hard rock until a plunge depth between about 0.1 to 4 inches is achieved;
(g) stopping the rotation of said cutterhead assembly means and then rotating said cutterhead assembly means in the reverse direction;
(h) sweeping said rotating cutterhead assembly means sideward in the other horizontal direction through said hard rock at a sweep rate between about 5 to 120 inches per minute wherein the ratio between the sweep rate and the cutterhead rotation rate is between about 1.25 to 4.25 inches per revolution, until a selected cut of width is achieved;
and
(i) then repeating steps (f), (g), and (h).

7 more elements

A mobile mining machine for cutting a mining tunnel in hard rock by horizontal sweeping movements, comprising:

(a) a wheel-like cutterhead assembly means for cutting said hard rock, said cutterhead assembly means having a substantially horizontal axis of rotation and having multiple peripherally mounted rolling cutter units;
(b) rotation means for rotating said cutterhead assembly means about its horizontal axis;
(c) boom assembly means for supporting said cutterhead assembly means;
(d) boom carriage means for supporting said boom assembly means;
(e) sweep means mounted on said boom carriage means for sweeping said boom assembly means and said cutterhead assembly means horizontally from side to side;
(f) base frame means for slidably supporting said boom carriage means;
(g) thrust means mounted on said base frame means for thrusting forward said boom carriage means, said boom assembly means, and said cutterhead assembly;
(h) holding means for holding said base frame means stationary when said thrust means is thrusting forward said boom carriage means and when said sweep means is sweeping said cutterhead assembly means from side to side, said holding means being mounted on said base frame means, said holding means being capable of acting against the interior of said tunnel whereby said base frame means may be anchored within said tunnel;
and
(i) transport means for transporting said base frame means.

7 more elements

A mobile mining machine for cutting a mining tunnel in hard rock by horizontal sweeping movements and vertical ranging movements, comprising:

(a) a wheel-like cutterhead assembly means for cutting said hard rock, said cutterhead assembly means having a substantially horizontal axis of rotation and having multiple peripherally mounted rolling cutter units;
(b) rotation means for rotating said cutterhead assembly means about its horizontal axis;
(c) outer boom assembly means for supporting said cutterhead assembly means;
(d) inner boom assembly means for supporting said outer boom assembly means;
(e) sweep means mounted on said inner boom assembly means for sweeping said outer boom assembly means and said cutterhead assembly means horizontally from side to side;
(f) boom carriage means for supporting said inner boom assembly means;
(g) lift means mounted on said boom carriage means for vertically lifting said inner boom assembly means, said outer boom assembly, and said cutterhead assembly;
(h) base frame means for slidably supporting said boom carriage means;
(i) thrust means mounted on said base frame means for thrusting forward said boom carriage means, said inner boom assembly, said outer boom assembly, and said cutterhead assembly;
(j) holding means for holding said base frame means stationary when said thrusting means is thrusting said forward boom carriage means and when said sweep means is sweeping said cutterhead assembly means from side to side, said holding means being mounted on said base frame means, said holding means being capable of acting against the interior of said tunnel whereby said base frame means may be anchored within said tunnel;
and
(k) transport means for transporting said base frame means.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mobile mining machine and method

Life of this patent

Mobile mining machine and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims45