Fiber optic cable protection in a mining system
AssigneeJoy MM Delaware, Inc.
InventorsEdward F. Niederriter, Shawn W. Franklin, James E. Haughey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A chain link assembly, a cable chain assembly and a mining system. The cable handler individual links may include an enclosed section for the fiber optic cable separate from other services for the machine. A flexible material or other structure may assemble the fiber optic cable in the cable handler in a manner in which it “snakes” about the centerline to provide ample slack in the fiber optic cable to, for example, prevent over tension.
Claims25
A chain link assembly for a cable chain assembly in a mining machine, the cable chain assembly extending along an axis, the chain link assembly comprising:
- a chain link having a plurality of walls cooperating to define a compartment opening in the direction of the axis, a fiber optic cable being supportable in the compartment, a service line being supportable in the compartment;
- and
- a flexible member supported in the compartment and engageable with the fiber optic cable, the flexible member positioning the fiber optic cable toward one of the plurality of walls;
- wherein the chain link further includes an internal wall dividing the compartment into a first compartment and a second compartment, the fiber optic cable being supportable in the first compartment, the service line being supportable in the second compartment,
- wherein the internal wall extends between the one of the plurality of walls and an opposite one of the plurality of walls to define the first compartment on one side of the internal wall and the second compartment on the other side of the wall.
A cable chain assembly for a mining machine, the cable chain assembly extending along an axis, the assembly comprising:
- a plurality of chain links each having a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall and a second side wall cooperating to define a compartment opening in the direction of the axis;
- a fiber optic cable extending through the compartment in each of the plurality of chain links, the fiber optic cable extending generally along a wave-shaped path;
- a service line supportable in the compartment in each of the plurality of chain links;
- a first flexible member supported in the compartment of one of the plurality of chain links and engageable with the fiber optic cable, the first flexible member positioning the fiber optic cable toward the top wall of the one of the plurality of chain links;
- and
- a second flexible member supported in the compartment of a second one of the plurality of chain links and engageable with the fiber optic cable, the second flexible member positioning the fiber optic cable toward the bottom wall of the second one of the plurality of chain links.
A mining system comprising:
- an armoured face conveyor extending along a face to be mined, the conveyor defining a cable trough;
- a shearer supported by and for movement along the conveyor, the shearer being operable to mine material from the face;
- and
- a cable chain assembly extending along an axis generally parallel to the face, the assembly being partially supported in the trough, the assembly including
- a plurality of chain links each having a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall and a second side wall cooperating to define a compartment opening in the direction of the axis,
- a fiber optic cable extending through the compartment in each of the plurality of chain links, the fiber optic cable extending generally along a wave-shaped path, the fiber optic cable being connected to the shearer,
- a service line supportable in the compartment in each of the plurality of chain links, the service line being connected to the shearer,
- a first flexible member supported in the compartment of one of the plurality of chain links and engageable with the fiber optic cable, the first flexible member positioning the fiber optic cable toward the top wall of the one of the plurality of chain links, and
- a second flexible member supported in the compartment of a second one of the plurality of chain links and engageable with the fiber optic cable, the second flexible member positioning the fiber optic cable toward the bottom wall of the second one of the plurality of chain links.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.