US 5,507,565 AGranted

Method and apparatus for suppressing dust and frictional ignition on a continuous mining machine

AssigneeEimco Coal Machinery, Inc.

InventorsMaurice K. LeBegue, Ronald W. Keen

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Abstract

A boom mounted cutter drum assembly of a continuous mining machine includes an intermediate drum section and a pair of end drum sections. Spray nozzles on the cutting elements of the cutter drum assembly direct liquid spray at the mine face as mine material is dislodged to suppress dust and frictional ignition. Liquid for the spray nozzles is supplied on the mining machine through a stationary housing positioned between the intermediate drum section and the end drum sections. Water is conveyed through ports in the housing to a rotary seal assembly having stationary and rotating components. The ports are sealed by O-rings which communicate with passageways that divert liquid leakage at the rotary seal assembly away from the gearcase. The rotary seal assembly is surrounded by lip seals in the gearcase to separate the liquid passageways to the spray nozzles from the lubricant supplied to the gearcase. The lip seals communicate with the passageways vented to atmosphere so that any liquid leakage is diverted away from the gearcase. The lip seals exposed to the flow of liquid through the rotary seal assembly are also lubricated to maintain the seals operational during periods when liquid is not supplied to the spray nozzles. The lip seals and O-rings surrounding the rotary seal assembly also act as redundant liquid seals to prevent liquid from contaminating the gearcase.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A mining machine comprising,

a body portion,
a boom member extending forwardly from said body portion,
a cutter drum assembly rotatably mounted on said boom member,
cutting elements secured to said cutter drum assembly and extending therefrom,
bearing means for rotatably supporting said cutter drum assembly on said boom member,
power means mounted on said body portion for rotating said cutter drum assembly,
drive means for transmitting rotation from said power means to said cutter drum assembly,
spray devices carried by said cutting elements for directing a liquid spray from said cutting elements during rotation of said cutter drum assembly,
conduit means stationarily positioned on said body portion for supplying liquid to said cutter drum assembly,
liquid passageways extending through said cutter drum assembly and rotatable therewith for directing liquid from said conduit means to said spray devices,
a liquid seal assembly carried by said cutter drum assembly for directing liquid from said stationarily positioned conduit means to said rotatable liquid passageways while preventing leakage of liquid into contact with said bearing means,
drainage means extending from said seal assembly through said cutter drum assembly for diverting liquid leakage away from said bearing means and externally out of said cutter drum assembly,
lubricant passageways extending through said cutter drum assembly to supply lubricant to said liquid seal assembly,
a lubricant seal assembly positioned in said cutter drum assembly in surrounding relation with said liquid seal assembly and in contact with said lubricant passageways for preventing the escape of liquid into said bearing assembly and permitting lubricant to be supplied for lubricating said liquid seal assembly, and
said lubricant seal assembly being positioned between said bearing assembly and said liquid seal assembly and communicating with said drainage means so that liquid leakage from said liquid seal assembly toward said bearing assembly is stopped by said lubricant seal assembly and diverted to said drainage means.

12 more elements

A method for spraying a mine face with liquid during a mining operation comprising the steps of,

rotatably supporting a cutter drum assembly mounted on a boom member extending forwardly of a machine body portion,
securing cutting elements to the surface of the cutter drum assembly,
rotating the cutter drum assembly to dislodge material from the mine face by the cutting elements,
discharging a liquid spray from the cutting elements upon the mine face as the cutter drum assembly rotates,
supplying liquid from the machine body portion to the cutter drum assembly,
directing flow of liquid through liquid passageways from a stationary portion to a rotatable portion of the cutter drum assembly and therefrom to the cutting elements on the cutter drum assembly,
positioning seals of a liquid seal assembly between the stationary portion and the rotatable portion to prevent liquid from coming into contact with bearings for rotatably supporting the cutter drum assembly,
positioning a lubricant seal assembly in surrounding relation with the liquid seal assembly between the liquid seal assembly and the bearings,
supplying lubricant for the lubricant seal assembly and the liquid seal assembly,
venting the lubricant seal assembly and the liquid seal assembly through cavities in the cutter drum assembly to atmosphere,
diverting liquid leakage from the liquid seal assembly away from the bearings and through the cavities to atmosphere, and
backing up the liquid seal assembly by the lubricant seal assembly to prevent liquid leakage to the bearings and divert liquid leakage through the cavities and externally of the cutter drum assembly.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.