# US 5,720,527 A · Continuous highwall mining machine with armless conveyor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,720,527 A - Document ID: US5720527A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/553,693 - Filed: 1995-11-20 - Granted: 1998-02-24 - Earliest claimed: 1994-10-25 - Assignees: Mining Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: John J. Sartaine; John A. Baird, Jr.; Ian T. Carr; Jon C. Blackstock - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5720527A ## CPC - E21C 27/24: by milling means acting on the full working face {, i.e. the rotary axis of the tool carrier being substantially parallel to the working face (similar machines for tunneling E21D9/1026)} - E21C: MINING OR QUARRYING ## Abstract A continuous highwall mining machine (10) includes a frame (12) and a ground engaging loading shovel (32) that is mounted to extend forwardly from the frame. A cutter (16) for winning aggregate material is mounted to the frame (12) so as to extend above and forwardly of the loading shovel (32). An armless conveyor system (40) conveys aggregate material won from the mineral seam. The armless conveyor system includes twin chains having a forked section (44) at the forwardmost end carried on the loading shovel (32) and an uninterrupted humpless and dipless path extending rearwardly to a discharge end. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mining machine for continuous highwall mining of a mineral seam, comprising: a frame; a loading shovel mounted to extend forwardly from said frame; a cutter for winning aggregate material from the mineral seam, said cutter extending above and forwardly of said loading shovel; and a twin chain flight conveyor driven by a single motor and carried by said frame for conveying won aggregate material rearwardly from said loading shovel to a discharge end, said mining machine being characterized by said conveyor following a pathway having a substantially constant acclivity with an inclination angle of between substantially 3.degree.-7.degree.. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mining machine set forth in claim 1, wherein said twin chain flight conveyor includes a forked secton at a forwardmost end carried on said loading shovel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The mining machine set forth in claim 2, wherein said forked section has a deviation-from-centerline angle of between substantially 1.degree.-60.degree.. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The mining machine set forth in claim 3, wherein each leg of said forked section of said twin chain flight conveyor extends adjacent a forward corner of said loading shovel within substantially 5 inches of a forward lip of said loading shovel and substantially 5 inches of a sidewall of said loading shovel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The mining machine set forth in claim 3 wherein each leg of said forked section of said twin chain flight conveyor extends adjacent a forward corner of said loading shovel within substantially 3 inches of a forward lip of said loading shovel and substantially 5 inches of a sidewall of said loading shovel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The mining machine set forth in claim 2 wherein flights carried on each chain of said twin chain conveyor have a width W and thereby provide a flight width conveying capacity along said forked section of (w+w). ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The mining machine set forth in claim 6, wherein said flights carried on said chains of said twin chain conveyor are interdigitated along said pathway rearwardly of said forked section thereby providing an overall conveyor width of less than (w+w) . ### Claim 8 A mining machine for continuous highwall mining of a mineral seam, comprising: a frame; a loading shovel mounted to extend forwardly from said frame; a cutter for winning aggregate material from the mineral seam, said cutter extending above and forwardly of said loading shovel; and a conveyor for conveying won aggregate material rearwardly from said loading shovel to a discharge end, said mining machine being characterized by said conveyor following a pathway having a substantially constant acclivity with an inclination angle of between substantially 3.degree.-7.degree., said conveyor pathway having a minimum throat opening area of 10 ft.sup.2. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The mining machine set forth in claim 8, wherein said mining machine has a total height of less than 50 inches. ### Claim 10 A mining machine for continuous highwall mining of a mineral seam, comprising: a frame; a loading shovel mounted to extend forwardly from said frame; a cutter for winning aggregate material from the mineral seam, said cutter extending above and forwardly of said loading shovel; and a conveyor for conveying won aggregate material rearwardly from said loading shovel to a discharge end, said mining machine being characterized by said conveyor following a pathway having a substantially constant acclivity with an inclination angle of between substantially 3.degree.-7.degree.; said mining machine further including a boom for supporting said cutter and said conveyor pathway providing a minimum clearance height between said boom and a floor pan of said loading shovel of substantially 12 inches. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The mining machine set forth in claim 10, wherein said mining machine has a total height of less than 50 inches. ### Claim 12 A mining machine for continuous highwall mining of a mineral seam, comprising: a frame; a loading shovel mounted to extend forwardly from said frame; a cutter for winning aggregate material from the mineral seam, said cutter extending above and forwardly of said loading shovel; and a twin chain flight conveyor driven by a single drive motor carried by said frame for conveying won aggregate material rearwardly from said loading shovel to a discharge end, said mining machine being characterized by said conveyor following a pathway having a substantially constant acclivity with an inclination angle of substantially 5.degree.. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The mining machine set forth in claim 12, wherein said twin chain flight conveyor includes a forked section having a deviation-from-centerline angle of between substantially 1.degree.-60.degree.. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The mining machine set forth in claim 13, wherein each leg of said forked section of said twin chain flight conveyor extends adjacent a forward corner of said loading shovel within substantially 3 inches of a forward lip of said loading shovel and substantially 5 inches of a sidewall of said loading shovel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The mining machine set forth in claim 14, wherein each leg of said forked section of said twin chain flight conveyor includes a reversing roller adjacent said front lip and sidewall of said loading shovel, said aggregate material carrying surface of said front lip extending at a tangent to said reversing roller. ### Claim 16 A mining machine for continuous highwall mining of a mineral seam, comprising: a frame; a loading shovel mounted to extend forwardly from said frame; a cutter for winning aggregate material from the mineral seam, said cutter extending above and forwardly of said loading shovel; and a twin chain flight conveyor driven by a single drive motor carried by said frame for conveying won aggregate material rearwardly from said loading shovel to a discharge end, said mining machine being characterized by said conveyor following a pathway opening having a minimum throat opening area of 10 ft.sup.2. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The mining machine set forth in claim 16, wherein said twin chain flight conveyor includes a forked section at a forwardmost end carried on said loading shovel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The mining machine set forth in claim 17, wherein said forked section has a deviation-from-centerline angle of between substantially 1.degree.-60.degree.. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The mining machine set forth in claim 18, wherein flights carried on each chain of said twin chain conveyor have a width W and thereby provide a flight width conveying capacity along said forked section of (w+w). ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The mining machine set forth in claim 19, wherein said flights carried on said chains of said twin chain conveyor are interdigitated along said pathway rearwardly of said forked section thereby providing an overall conveyor width of less than (w+w).