Mining machine with multiple cutter heads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10876399-B2
Application number	US-201916572507-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2019
Priority date	Jan 27, 2016
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A mining machine includes a frame, a boom supported for pivoting movement relative to the frame, and a cutter head pivotably coupled to the boom. The cutter head includes a housing, a cutter shaft coupled to the housing, a cutting disc, and an excitation mechanism. A second portion of the cutter shaft extends parallel to a cutter axis. The cutting disc is coupled to the second portion of the cutter shaft and is supported for free rotation relative to the cutter shaft about the cutter axis. The cutting disc includes a plurality of cutting bits defining a cutting edge. The excitation mechanism includes an exciter shaft and a mass eccentrically coupled to the cutter shaft. The excitation mechanism is coupled to the first portion of the cutter shaft. Rotation of the exciter shaft induces oscillating movement of the second portion of the cutter shaft and the cutting disc.

First claim

We claim:

1. A mining machine comprising:
a frame;
a boom supported for pivoting movement relative to the frame;
a cutter head supported on the boom, the cutter head including,
a housing pivotably coupled to the boom,
a cutter shaft coupled to the housing and secured against rotation about a longitudinal axis of the cutter shaft, the shaft including a first end, a second end, a first portion positioned adjacent the first end and a second portion positioned adjacent the second end, the second portion extending parallel to a cutter axis,
a cutting disc coupled to the second portion of the cutter shaft and supported for free rotation relative to the cutter shaft about the cutter axis, the cutting disc including a plurality of cutting bits defining a cutting edge, and
an excitation mechanism including an exciter shaft and an eccentric mass supported on the exciter shaft for rotation about an exciter axis, the exciter shaft driven for rotation relative to the cutter shaft about an exciter axis, rotation of the exciter shaft inducing oscillating movement of the second portion of the cutter shaft and the cutting disc.

2. The mining machine of claim 1 , wherein the excitation mechanism further includes a motor for driving the exciter shaft relative to the cutter shaft.

3. The mining machine of claim 1 , further comprising a yoke supported for movement relative to the frame, the boom pivotably coupled to the yoke, wherein movement of the yoke advances the cutter head toward a rock face.

4. The mining machine of claim 3 , wherein the yoke is supported for translational movement relative to the frame in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the frame, and the yoke is also supported by pivoting movement relative to the frame about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the frame.

5. The mining machine of claim 1 , wherein the exciter axis is aligned with the cutter axis.

6. The mining machine of claim 1 , wherein the frame including a chassis and a sumping frame that is movable relative to the chassis, wherein the boom and the cutter head are supported on the sumping frame.

7. The mining machine of claim 1 , further comprising a gathering head coupled to a base of the frame and including a deck having a forward edge, wherein when the cutter head is in a lowermost position, the cutting edge is positioned adjacent the forward edge of the deck.

8. The mining machine of claim 1 , wherein the boom is a first boom and the cutter head is a first cutter head, the mining machine further comprising,
a second boom supported for pivoting movement relative to the frame, the second boom movable independent of the first boom; and
a second cutter head pivotably coupled to the second boom, the second cutter head movable though a range of movement that overlaps with a range of movement of the first cutter head.

9. The mining machine of claim 1 , wherein the boom including a first portion and a second portion pivotably coupled to the first portion, the cutter head coupled to the second portion of the boom, wherein the first portion is pivotable about a first axis and the second portion is pivotable about a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis.

10. The mining machine of claim 1 , further comprising at least one fluid actuator operable to position the cutter head in a desired orientation relative to the boom and also operable to exert a spring or biasing force on the cutter head to react to cutting forces exerted on the cutting disc.

11. A cutter head for excavating rock, the cutter head comprising:
a housing;
a cutter shaft coupled to the housing and secured against rotation about a longitudinal axis of the cutter shaft, the shaft including a first end, a second end, a first portion positioned adjacent the first end and a second portion positioned adjacent the second end, the second portion extending parallel to a cutter axis;
a cutting disc coupled to the second portion of the cutter shaft and supported for free rotation relative to the cutter shaft about the cutter axis, the cutting disc including a plurality of cutting bits defining a cutting edge; and
an excitation mechanism including an exciter shaft and an eccentric mass supported on the exciter shaft for rotation about an exciter axis, the exciter shaft driven for rotation relative to the cutter shaft about an exciter axis, rotation of the exciter shaft inducing oscillating movement of the second portion of the cutter shaft and the cutting disc.

12. The cutter head of claim 11 , wherein the excitation mechanism further includes a motor for driving the exciter shaft relative to the cutter shaft.

13. The cutter head of claim 11 , wherein the exciter axis is aligned with the cutter axis.

14. The cutter head of claim 11 , wherein the cutter head is positioned in a desired orientation by at least one fluid actuator, the fluid actuator also operable to exert a spring or biasing force on the cutter head to react to cutting forces exerted on the cutting disc.

Assignees

• Joy Global Underground Mining Llc

Inventors

• Lugg Peter A
• Keech Geoffrey W
• Neilson Bradley M
• Daher Nagy
• Boyd Ric

Classifications

• E21D9/102

  by a longitudinally extending boom being pivotable about a vertical and a transverse axis · CPC title

• E21C35/20

  General features of equipment for removal of chippings, e.g. for loading on conveyor · CPC title

• E21C31/04

  imparting both a rotary and reciprocating motion · CPC title

• E21C27/02

  solely by slitting (rods, drums, for same E21C25/10; saws, discs, wheels E21C25/18; chains, chain guides, for same E21C25/28) · CPC title

• E21C25/18 Primary

  Saws; Discs; Wheels · CPC title