Device for determining the cutting horizon of a mining extraction system, and pan element therefor

• US 8,128,176 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bucyrus Europe GmbH (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Klabisch, Adam, Hesse, Norbert, Duhnke, Klaus, Bettermann, Diedrich, Siepenkort, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): KRECK, JOHN J
• Application Number:
  US12/597,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20100117439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 299/1.1, 299/1.6, 299/1.7
• US Class Current: 299/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 27/34 Machine propelled along the working face by cable or chain
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 35/12 along a conveyor for the cut material
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 35/24 Remote control specially adapted for machines for slitting or completely freeing the mineral control in general G05

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for determining the cutting horizon of a mining winning system, having a movable conveyor which is composed of individual pan elements, and having at least one optical detection sensor which has a sensor head that is received in a sensor carrier and can be pressed with at least one pressure means against a coal/basement rock boundary layer. In order to improve the sensing and working reliability, over the length of the conveyor, a plurality of pan elements are configured as sensor pans which are provided with a protected recess which is open to the basement rock and in which the sensor carrier is arranged or can be arranged such that it can be disassembled together with the sensor head.

Claims

1. A device for determining a cutting horizon of an associated mining winning system comprising:

a movable conveyor including individual pan elements, each pan element having a conveyor pan having an upper run and a lower run, and a guide section installed on a working face side of the conveyor pan as a machine guide for an associated winning machine, and

at least one optical detection sensor having a sensor head which is received in a sensor carrier and can be pressed by at least one pressure means against an associated coal/basement rock boundary layer which is to be sensed,

wherein, the individual pan elements are distributed over a length of the conveyor, at least one pan element is configured as a sensor pan which is provided with a protected recess in the pan which is open to the associated basement rock and in which the sensor carrier is arranged such that the sensor carrier can be disassembled together with the sensor head.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein every pan element of the conveyor is configured as a sensor pan.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein sensor electronics are arranged on a goaf-side side wall of the pan elements, and an optical connecting cable is laid between the upper run and the lower run.

15. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure means consists of at least one spring.

16. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an optical window is connected with the sensor head.

17. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein one of the sensor head and the optical window is assigned a guard strip which points in the direction of movement.

18. The device as claimed in claim 16, further including a pneumatic feed means for an cleaning of the optical window.

19. The device as claimed in claim 1, further including an actuable lifting means which counteracts the pressing force of the pressure means for optionally lifting one of the sensor head and sensor carrier.

20. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein every nth pan element of the conveyor is configured as a sensor pan.

21. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein approximately every fifth to fifteenth pan element of the conveyor is configured as a sensor pan.

22. The device as claimed in claim 20, wherein approximately every eighth to tenth pan element of the conveyor is configured as a sensor pan.

3. A pan element for a conveyor of a mining winning system, comprising:

a conveyor pan with an upper run and a lower run,

a guide section installed on a working face side of the conveyor pan as a machine guide for an associated winning machine, and

a protected recess in the pan open to an associated basement rock for dismantlably receiving a sensor carrier for an optical detection sensor which can be pressed by at least one pressure means onto an associated boundary layer which is to be sensed, for sensing the associated coal/rock boundary layer.

4. The pan element as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sensor carrier is arranged in the recess which is formed near a side profile on the working face side of the upper run and the lower run.

5. The pan element as claimed in claim 3, wherein the recess is formed in one of a side cheek on the working face side of the conveyor pan and a goaf-side connecting wall of the guide section.

6. The pan element as claimed in claim 5, wherein the guide section is configured as a plough guide having chain channels and having a machine track, and the recess being arranged on the goaf-side of the chain channels.

7. The pan element as claimed in any of claim 3, wherein the recess extends in one of the conveyor pan and the guide section from top to bottom and mounting/dismantling of the sensor carrier is from the upper run of the conveyor pan.

8. The pan element as claimed in claim 7, wherein the recess comprises a generally cylindrical cross section and the sensor carrier is configured as a generally cylindrical housing part being insertable into the recess and in the interior of which the pressure means is arranged and the sensor head is mounted displaceable by means of the pressure means.

9. The pan element as claimed in claim 7, wherein an opening for the mounting/disassembling of the sensor carrier is one of sealed and closed by a dismountable side profile piece arranged for that side profile of the conveyor pan upper run which is on the working face side of the conveyor pan.

10. The pan element as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sensor carrier is arranged in the recess with an open edge on the underside of one of the guide section and conveyor pan, the sensor carrier being displaceable relative to one of the guide section and conveyor pan by the at least one pressure means.

11. The pan element as claimed in claim 10, wherein a connecting wall of the guide section forms at least partially a profile limb for scrapers in the lower run and comprises a welding point for a lower run base, and wherein the recess for the detection sensor is formed below the lower run base and on a goaf-side of the connecting wall.

12. The pan element as claimed in claim 11, wherein the conveyor pan comprises a support rib below the lower run base, on which support rib the sensor carrier is mounted displaceably.

13. The pan element as claimed in claim 3, wherein sensor electronics for optoelectronic signal conversion are arranged directly in the recess.