Dust control apparatus for longwall mining machinery

Apparatus for substantially removing dust created during mining by a mining machine, which has an elongated mobile frame and a laterally extending rotating drum at each end thereof for shearing material to be won from a mine face from air moving along the mine face, comprising:

• a housing duct integrally formed in said mobile frame between said rotating drums, said housing duct having an air inlet and outlet, said air outlet being adjacent the side of the frame facing the mine face;
• a screen member attached within said housing between said air inlet and said air outlet;
• a fan member attached to said mobile frame for inducing dust laden air to flow into said housing through said screen member;
• an upstanding barrier attached to said mobile frame for deflecting dust laden air into said inlet of said housing duct;
• a plurality of venturi spray members attached to said mobile frame external to said housing duct for spraying said liquid from said liquid source into the dust laden air as the dust laden air flows along the mine face to thereby substantially direct the dust laden air toward said mine face and into said air inlet of said housing duct, at least one said venturi spray member being adjacent to at least one said laterally extending rotating drum;
• and
• a plurality of spray nozzles mounted within said housing duct and directed to spraying said liquid into contact with said screen member and said dust laden air as it passes therethrough such that when said dust laden air passes through said screen member, said dust is substantially entrained in said liquid and is discharged through said air outlet by said fan member.