Highwall mining apparatus
AssigneeJoy MM Delaware, Inc.
InventorJoseph J. Zimmerman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for mining aggregate material from a partially exposed seam adjacent a bench on a surface mine and which extends from the bench at an elevation and angle relative to the bench, The apparatus includes a self-propelled mining machine for dislodging aggregate material from the seam and conveying apparatus that is attached to the self-propelled mining machine for conveying the dislodged material to a location remote from the seam. The apparatus further includes a guidance assembly for selectively orienting the mining machine and the conveying apparatus at a predetermined attack angle that corresponds to the seam angle.
Claims21
Apparatus for mining aggregate material from a partially exposed seam adjacent a bench on a surface mine and extending from said bench at an elevation and angle relative thereto, the apparatus comprising:
- a self-propelled mining means for dislodging aggregate material from said seam;
- conveying means attached to said self-propelled mining means for conveying said dislodged material to a location remote from said seam;
- a deck member supportable on said bench;
- a support assembly sized to engage and guide said self-propelled mining means and each said conveying means as said mining means and each said conveying means enter the seam, said support assembly being attached to said deck member such that said support assembly can be selectively pivoted and extended and retracted relative to said deck member;
- and
- pivot means attached to said deck and said support assembly for selectively orienting said support assembly to a predetermined attack angle that corresponds to said seam angle.
A launching platform for operably supporting and guiding a self-propelled mining machine and accompanying string of conveyors used to mine aggregate material from a partially exposed seam that is adjacent a bench on a surface mine and which extends from said bench at an elevation and angle relative thereto, the launching platform comprising:
- a deck member supportable on said bench;
- a support assembly pivotally attached to said deck member for selectively orienting said self-propelled mining machine and accompanying string of conveyors to a predetermined attack angle that corresponds to said seam angle;
- extension means attached to said deck and said support assembly for selectively extending and retracting said support assembly relative to said deck;
- and
- pivot means attached to said deck and said support assembly for selectively pivoting said support assembly to said predetermined attack angle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.