Apparatus and method for continuous mining

An apparatus for mining aggregate material from a seam, comprising:

• mining means for winning aggregate material from the seam;
• means for conveying won aggregate material from said mining means for recovery, said conveying means including individual conveyor units supported for relative movement with respect to an underlying mine floor;
• means for coupling said individual conveyor units together to form a train, said coupling means being sufficiently rigid to prevent buckling of said units during pushing while also allowing angular displacement to accommodate changes in the pitch of the mine floor;
• and
• means for actively pushing said conveying means with said mining means into the seam as aggregate material is being won without interrupting the flow of aggregate material.

An apparatus for mining aggregate material from a seam, comprising:

• self-propelled mining means for winning aggregate material from the seam;
• means for conveying won aggregate material from said self-propelled mining means for recovery, said means for conveying being coupled to said self-propelled mining means so as to follow said mining means into the seam;
• and
• means for actively pushing said conveying means with said self-propelled mining means into the seam as the aggregate material is being won without interrupting the flow of aggregate material.

A method of continuously mining aggregate material from a seam utilizing a mining means and conveying means, comprising the steps of:

• cutting aggregate material from the seam;
• conveying aggregate material cut from the seam to a recovery location;
• advancing the mining means and conveying means into the seam by actively pulling said conveying means from a forward end and actively pushing said conveying means at a rearward end;
• and
• extending said conveying means without interrupting conveying of aggregate material.