Apparatus for mining a seam, in particular of coal

A mining apparatus for working a horizontally and longitudinally extending seam having a vertical face formed by an upper hanging wall and a lower foot wall, the apparatus comprising:

• a longitudinal row of walking props extending along the face and each having
• a roof-engaging cap, and
• a floor-engaging foot;
• a lower longitudinally extending long-wall mining machine having a predetermined height substantially less than the distance between the mine roof and floor and juxtaposed with the lower foot wall, the lower machine being mounted on the floor-engaging feet and being provided with
• an endless lower drive chain having a forward reach extending along the lower foot wall and a rear reach extending parallel to the forward reach between the forward reach and the row of props,
• a conveyor trough underneath the rear reach and extending longitudinally along the face, and
• cutters and scrapers on the chain for scraping material from the lower foot wall, depositing it in the trough, and pushing the material longitudinally along the trough;
• and
• an upper long-wall mining machine having a predetermined height substantially less than the distance between the mine roof and floor and juxtaposed with the upper hanging wall above the lower machine, the upper machine being mounted on the roof-engaging caps and being provided with
• an endless upper drive chain having a forward reach extending along the upper hanging wall and a rear reach extending parallel to the respective forward reach between the respective forward reach and the row of props, and
• cutters on the chain for scraping material from the upper hanging wall and depositing it in the trough of the lower mining machine, the trough being positioned below the upper machine to catch material scraped from the face thereby.