Transport apparatus and method of forming same

A method of forming a mobile mining machine including:

• providing an elongate main beam assembly supported at a pair of spaced longitudinal locations therealong by a travel assembly adapted for relatively free longitudinal movement along the floor of the tunnel and a clamping frame which may be selectively clamped to the walls of said tunnel by clamping means and selectively moved longitudinally relative to said main beam by advancing means, said main beam assembly supporting at its front end adjacent said first beam support a boom pivot, the boom axis of rotation of said boom pivot being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said main beam assembly;
• providing a boom assembly attached to said boom pivot for rotational movement thereabout, said boom assembly supporting at its free end portion a wheel pivot, the wheel axis of rotation of said wheel pivot being substantially co-planar with said longitudinal axis and perpendicular to said boom pivot axis;
• providing slewing means attached between said boom assembly and said main beam assembly for controlling rotational movement of said boom assembly about said boom pivot;
• providing a cutting wheel assembly mounted to said wheel pivot for rotation thereabout and having a plurality of roller-cutter assemblies mounted about its periphery;
• providing wheel drive means for rotating said cutting wheel assembly;
• and
• assembling said main beam assembly, said boom assembly, said slewing means, said cutting wheel assembly and said wheel drive means to form said mobile mining machine.

A method of cutting a tunnel, including:

• providing a mobile mining machine comprising an elongate main beam assembly supported at a pair of spaced longitudinal locations therealong by a travel assembly adapted for relatively free longitudinal movement along the floor of the tunnel and a clamping frame which may be selectively clamped to the walls of said tunnel and selectively moved along said main beam, said beam assembly supporting at its front end adjacent said first beam support a boom pivot, the boom pivot axis being substantially vertical and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said main beam assembly, a boom assembly attached to said boom pivot for rotational movement thereabout and supporting at its free end portion a wheel pivot, the wheel pivot axis being substantially co-planar with said longitudinal axis and perpendicular to said boom pivot axis, slewing means attached between said boom assembly and said main beam for controlling rotational movement of said boom assembly about said boom pivot, a cutting wheel assembly mounted to said wheel pivot for rotation thereabout and having a plurality of roller-cutter assemblies mounted about its periphery, and wheel drive means for rotating said cutting wheel assembly;
• energizing said clamping means to force said clamping assembly into frictional engagement with the tunnel walls;
• energizing said advancing means to force said main beam forward along the tunnel relative to said clamping means;
• energizing said wheel drive means to rotate said roller-cutter assemblies about said wheel pivot axis;
• energizing said slewing means to sweep said cutting wheel assembly across the advancing face of the tunnel;
• de-energizing said clamping means to release said clamping assembly from the tunnel walls;
• energizing said advancing means in reverse function to draw said clamping assembly forward relative to said main beam and the tunnel.