Apparatus for continuously conveying coal from a continuous mining machine to a remote floor conveyor

An apparatus for use in a conveyor train for conveying a supply of coal supplied by a machine working at a mine face to a spaced floor conveyor arranged to convey the coal away from the conveyor train, said apparatus comprising:

• a propelled conveyor assembly having a conveying mechanism providing a receiving section and a discharge section, said conveying mechanism being constructed and arranged to convey a supply of coal from the receiving section thereof to the discharge section thereof;
• said propelled conveyor assembly adapted to receive, at said receiving section of the conveying mechanism thereof, a supply of coal which has been supplied by the machine working at the mine face;
• said propelled conveyor assembly including a frame assembly and first and second crawler units disposed below and in supporting relation to said frame assembly, said first and second crawler units being disposed in longitudinally spaced relationship with respect to each other and between said receiving section of the conveying mechanism of said propelled conveyor assembly and said discharge section of the conveying mechanism of said propelled conveyor assembly, the conveying mechanism of said propelled conveyor assembly further including an intermediate section continuous with and disposed rearwardly from said receiving section of the conveying mechanism, said intermediate section of the conveying mechanism of said propelled conveyor assembly being constructed and arranged to pivot vertically about a generally horizontal intermediate pivot axis with respect to said frame assembly and said receiving section of the conveying mechanism of said propelled conveyor assembly being constructed and arranged to pivot vertically about a generally horizontal receiving section pivot axis with respect to said intermediate section of said conveying mechanism,
• each of said first and second crawler units including a crawler frame structure, a pair of longitudinally coextensive parallel endless track assemblies connected with said crawler frame structure, a crawler mounting assembly constructed and arranged to support an associated end of said frame assembly for horizontal rotating movement of each crawler unit about a vertical axis disposed between the pair of endless track assemblies and intermediate the longitudinal extent thereof, and a power operated drive unit constructed and arranged to selectively independently drive each endless track assembly of said pair of endless track assemblies of each crawler unit in either direction so as to permit each crawler unit to be pivoted horizontally about said vertical axis with respect to said frame assembly in response to each endless track assembly being driven at equal speeds in opposite directions to thereby enable the crawler frame structure to be translated from any pivotal position, into which each crawler unit has been pivoted, rectilinearly in either direction in response to each endless track assembly being driven at equal speeds in said direction.

An apparatus for use in a conveyor train for conveying a supply of coal supplied by a machine working at a mine face to a spaced floor conveyor arranged to convey the coal away from the conveyor train, said apparatus comprising:

• a propelled conveyor assembly having a conveying mechanism providing a receiving section and a discharge section, said conveying mechanism being constructed and arranged to convey a supply of coal from the receiving section thereof to the discharge section thereof;
• said propelled conveyor assembly adapted to receive, at said receiving section of the conveying mechanism thereof, a supply of coal which has been supplied by the machine working at the mine face;
• said propelled conveyor assembly including a frame assembly and first and second crawler units disposed below and in supporting relation to said frame assembly, said first and second crawler units being disposed in longitudinally spaced relationship with respect to each other and between said receiving section of the conveying mechanism of said propelled conveyor assembly and said discharge section of the conveying mechanism of said propelled conveyor assembly,
• said propelled conveyor assembly including a conveyor operator's station disposed between said first and second crawler apparatus,
• each of said first and second crawler units including a crawler frame structure, a pair of longitudinally coextensive parallel endless track assemblies connected with said crawler frame structure, a crawler mounting assembly constructed and arranged to support an associated end of said frame assembly for horizontal rotating movement of each crawler unit about a vertical axis disposed between the pair of endless track assemblies and intermediate the longitudinal extent thereof, and a power operated drive unit constructed and arranged to selectively independently drive each endless track assembly of said pair of endless track assemblies of each crawler unit in either direction so as to permit each crawler unit to be pivoted horizontally about said vertical axis with respect to said frame assembly in response to each endless track assembly being driven at equal speeds in opposite directions to thereby enable the crawler frame structure to be translated from any pivotal position, into which each crawler unit has been pivoted, rectilinearly in either direction in response to each endless track assembly being driven at equal speeds in said direction.

An apparatus for use in a conveyor train for conveying a supply of coal supplied by a machine working at a mine face to a spaced floor conveyor arranged to convey the coal away from the conveyor train, said apparatus comprising:

• a propelled conveyor assembly having a conveying mechanism providing a receiving section and a discharge section, said conveying mechanism being constructed and arranged to convey a supply of coal from the receiving section thereof to the discharge section thereof;
• said propelled conveyor assembly adapted to receive, at said receiving section of the conveying mechanism thereof, a supply of coal which has been supplied by the machine working at the mine face;
• said propelled conveyor assembly including a frame assembly and first and second crawler units disposed below and in supporting relation to said frame assembly, said first and second crawler units being disposed in longitudinally spaced relationship with respect to each other and between said receiving section of the conveying mechanism of said propelled conveyor assembly and said discharge section of the conveying mechanism of said propelled conveyor assembly,
• each of said first and second crawler units including a crawler frame structure, a pair of longitudinally coextensive parallel endless track assemblies connected with said crawler frame structure, a crawler mounting assembly constructed and arranged to support an associated end of said frame assembly for horizontal rotating movement of each crawler unit about a vertical axis disposed between the pair of endless track assemblies and intermediate the longitudinal extent thereof, and a power operated drive unit constructed and arranged to selectively independently drive each endless track assembly of said pair of endless track assemblies of each crawler unit in either direction so as to permit each crawler unit to be pivoted horizontally about said vertical axis with respect to said frame assembly in response to each endless track assembly being driven at equal speeds in opposite directions to thereby enable the crawler frame structure to be translated from any pivotal position, into which each crawler unit has been pivoted, rectilinearly in either direction in response to each endless track assembly being driven at equal speeds in said direction,
• at least one of said first and second crawler units including a rotation arresting apparatus constructed and arranged to selectively prevent horizontal rotation of said one of said first and second crawler units with respect to said frame assembly.