Control of mineral mining machines

A method of controlling the operating position of a mineral winning machine, propelled back and forth alongside a mineral face in a mine working, by adjustment of a floor cutter of the machine in response to comments from a remote control station, said method comprising:

• causing the machine to perform a first run along the mineral face,
• sensing with sensing means on the machine the position of an interface between the mineral face and the floor of the working in relation to the machine.
• storing data signals from the sensing means for subsequent transmission of the data signals when the machine approaches the remote control station and is in proximity thereto,
• transmitting said data signals from the machine and representing the sensing data to the remote control station which also receives other data pertaining to the operation of the machine.
• evaluating said data at the remote control station and deriving command signals,
• transmitting said command signals from the remote control station, derived from evaluation of the sensing and other data, to the machine during a subsequent run, the command signals being transmitted to the machine as the latter is in proximity to the remote control station and these command signals are determined by a control program and
• adjusting the floor cutter of the machine in accordance with said command signals.

A mineral winning machine controlled from a remote station comprising:

• at least one body which is propelled back and forth along a mineral face of a mine working having a floor,
• at least one adjustable floor cutter on the body which can be set to determine the cutting horizon adopted by the machine during its passage along the face,
• an hydraulic actuator on the body for effecting the adjustment of the floor cutter,
• a source of pressure fluid carried by the body,
• pressure and return lines associated with said source,
• sensing means on the body for sensing the position of an interface between the mineral face and the floor,
• a plurality of hydraulic valves on the body, including at least one electromagnetic pilot valve, the valves being operable to selectively connect the pressure and return lines to the actuator,
• electronic control means on the body for controlling the pilot valve and hence the operation of the other valve or valves, and
• a transmitting and receiving device which transmits data signals provided by the sensing means to the remote control station and which receives command signals from the remote control station for effecting the control of said pilot valve by the control means.