Mining machine automation
First Claim
1. An improved automated coal mining system, comprising:
- a rotating cutterhead drum fitted with bit blocks and replaceable bit picks;
a set of strain gauges configured to measure a series of mechanical forces experienced by at least one replaceable bit pick mounted to a bit block on a cutterhead drum for operation during coal cutting; and
a resonant microwave patch antenna (RMPA) mounted on a top surface shoulder of the bit block and configured to take impedance measurements of a coal face having a boundary layer of rock;
the improvement comprising;
a smart coal cutting drum processor connected to the RMPA and set of strain gauges, and configured to calibrate said impedance measurements according to strain gauge indications that a replaceable bit pick has encountered a boundary layer of rock, wherein the rotating cutterhead drum is thereafter enabled to automatically avoid encountering boundary layer of rock again because calibrated impedance measurements are available to provide a warning signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automated coal mining system outfits rotating cutterhead drums with bit blocks and replaceable bit picks according to a lacing pattern. A set of strain gauges are configured to measure the mechanical forces experienced by the bit picks during coal cutting. Measurements are taken that can be processed for indications that the replaceable bit picks have encountered a boundary layer of rock during coal cutting operations, or they are working harder than necessary to cleave coal, or that a better lacing pattern is possible. A resonant microwave patch antenna is mounted on a top surface shoulder of the bit blocks to take impedance measurements of the coal face. The impedance measurements are calibrated according to indications that the replaceable bit picks have encountered a boundary layer of rock. The rotating drum sensor data is wirelessly transmitted back to the machine for analysis and control purposes.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. An improved automated coal mining system, comprising:
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a rotating cutterhead drum fitted with bit blocks and replaceable bit picks; a set of strain gauges configured to measure a series of mechanical forces experienced by at least one replaceable bit pick mounted to a bit block on a cutterhead drum for operation during coal cutting; and a resonant microwave patch antenna (RMPA) mounted on a top surface shoulder of the bit block and configured to take impedance measurements of a coal face having a boundary layer of rock; the improvement comprising; a smart coal cutting drum processor connected to the RMPA and set of strain gauges, and configured to calibrate said impedance measurements according to strain gauge indications that a replaceable bit pick has encountered a boundary layer of rock, wherein the rotating cutterhead drum is thereafter enabled to automatically avoid encountering boundary layer of rock again because calibrated impedance measurements are available to provide a warning signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for automated coal mining, comprising:
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outfitting a mining machine and its rotating cutterhead drums with bit blocks and replaceable bit picks according to an empirically predetermined lacing pattern; measuring the mechanical forces experienced by the bit picks during coal cutting with bit pick strain gauges; processing the bit pick strain gauge measurements for indications from prior measurements that the replaceable bit picks have encountered a boundary layer of rock during coal cutting operations, or that the force necessary to cleave coal is unusual, or that other lacing patterns have required less mechanical force; and mounting and operating a resonant microwave patch antenna on a top surface shoulder of the bit blocks to take impedance measurements of a coal face; wherein, the impedance measurements are range calibrated according to corresponding indications that the replaceable bit picks have encountered a boundary layer of rock. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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Specification