Automated stop and shutdown operation of a mining machine

• US 8,807,660 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joy Global Underground Mining LLC (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Joy Mm Delaware Incorporated (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jokonya, Persistence
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOODWIN, MICHAEL ALAN
• Application Number:
  US13/566,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20130033090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 299/1.05, 299/1.1, 299/1.4, 299/1.8, 299/10, 299/31, 299/30
• US Class Current: 299/1.4
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 25/06 Machines slitting solely by one or more cutting rods or cutting drums which rotate, move through the seam, and may or may not reciprocate
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 25/16 Machines slitting solely by one or more rotating saws, cutting discs, or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 31/12 Component parts
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 35/00 Details of, or accessories for, machines for slitting or completely freeing the mineral from the seam, not provided for in groups E21C25/00 - E21C33/00, E21C37/00 or E21C39/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 35/06 Equipment for positioning the whole machine in relation to its sub-structure
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 35/08 Guiding the machine
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 35/10 by feelers contacting the working face
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 35/24 Remote control specially adapted for machines for slitting or completely freeing the mineral control in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: E21D 9/102 by a longitudinally extending boom being pivotable about a vertical and a transverse axis
• CPC Class Codes: E21D 9/108 Remote control specially adapted for machines for driving tunnels or galleries for machines for slitting or completely freeing the mineral E21C35/24
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 13/06 Transport of mined material at or adjacent to the working face

Abstract

Methods and systems for automatically operating a continuous mining machine. One method includes performing an automated cutting operation without requiring manual interaction using a cutterhead included in an arm pivotably coupled to a movable platform and stopping the automated cutting operation without requiring manual interaction. Stopping the cutting operation includes (i) stopping at least one motor driving the cutterhead, (ii) operating a first actuator to retract the platform from a cutting face by a predetermined distance, and (iii) operating a second actuator to swing the arm to a predetermined tramming position.

Claims

1. A method for automatically operating a continuous mining machine, the method comprising:

performing an automated cutting operation without requiring manual interaction using a cutterhead included in an arm pivotably coupled to a movable platform; and

stopping the automated cutting operation without requiring manual interaction by

(i) stopping at least one motor driving the cutterhead,

(ii) operating a first actuator to retract the platform from a cutting face by a predetermined distance, and

(iii) operating a second actuator to swing the arm to a predetermined tramming position.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a command to stop the automated cutting operation from a remote control unit.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising checking at least one operating parameter of the machine.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein stopping the automated cutting operation includes automatically stopping the automated cutting operation when the at least one operating parameter exceeds a predetermined value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein stopping the automated cutting operation includes automatically stopping the automated operation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein automatically stopping the automated cutting operation includes automatically stopping the automated cutting operation when the platform reaches a maximum extension.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein automatically stopping the automated cutting operation includes automatically stopping the automated cutting operation when at least one operating parameter exceeds a predetermined value.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein automatically stopping the automated operation includes automatically stopping the automated cutting operation when at least one failure occurs during the automated cutting operation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the first actuator includes (i) accessing at least one coordinate of the cutting face stored in a computer-readable medium, the at least one coordinate specifying a position of the first actuator, and (ii) operating the first actuator to retract the platform based on the at least one coordinate.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the first actuator including operating the first actuator to retract the platform from the cutting face by approximately 50 millimeters.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising shutting down the machine after stopping the automated cutting operation.

12. A system for automatically operating a continuous mining machine, the system including:

a platform;

an arm coupled to the platform and including a cutterhead;

a first actuator configured to move the platform linearly;

a second actuator configured to swing the arm horizontally; and

a control system configured to perform an automated cutting operation without requiring manual interaction and to stop the automated cutting operation without requiring manual interaction by

(i) stopping at least one motor driving the cutterhead,

(ii) operating the first actuator to retract the platform from the cutting face by a predetermined distance, and

(iii) operating the second actuator to swing the arm to a predetermined tramming position.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the control system is further configured to receive a command to stop the automated cutting operation from a remote control unit.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the control system is further configured to check at least one operating parameter of the machine.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the control system is configured to stop the automated cutting operation when the at least one operating parameter exceeds a predetermined value.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the control system is configured to automatically stop the automated cutting operation.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the control system is configured to automatically stop the automated cutting operation when the platform reaches a maximum extension.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the control system is configured to automatically stop the automated cutting operation when at least one operating parameter exceeds a predetermined value.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the control system is configured to automatically stop the automated cutting operation when at least one failure occurs during the automated cutting operation.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the control system is further configured to access at least one coordinate of the cutting face stored in a computer-readable medium, the at least one coordinate specifying a position of the first actuator, and operate the first actuator to retract the platform based on the at least one coordinate.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the predetermined distance is approximately 50 millimeters.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the control system is further configured to shut down the mining machine after stopping the automated cutting operation.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein the cutterhead includes at least one oscillating disc cutter.

24. A system for automatically operating a continuous mining machine, the system including:

a platform;

an arm coupled to the platform and including a cutterhead;

a first actuator configured to move the platform linearly;

a second actuator configured to swing the arm horizontally; and

a control system configured to receive a shutdown command from a remote control unit when a pump is running and perform an automated shutdown operation in response to the command without requiring manual interaction by

(i) operating the first actuator to position the platform at an advance cutting position,

(ii) operating the second actuator to swing the arm to a swing cutting position after the platform is positioned at the advance cutting position, and

(iii) stopping the pump after the arm is positioned at the swing cutting position.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the advance cutting position is an extension of the first actuator of approximately 1100 millimeters.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the control system is further configured to stop a vacuum system.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the cutterhead includes at least one oscillating disc cutter.