Stabilization system for a mining machine

• US 8,979,209 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joy Global Underground Mining LLC (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Joy Mm Delaware Incorporated (Mitsui & Company Limited)
• Inventors: Wade, Colin Anthony, Jonker, Jacobus Ignatius
• Primary Examiner(s): KRECK, JOHN J
• Application Number:
  US13/566,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20130033085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 299/1.3, 299/1.05, 299/31, 299/33
• US Class Current: 299/1.3
• 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

A mining machine including a frame, a cutting head moveably coupled to the frame and pivotable about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to a first mine surface, and a first actuator for stabilizing the frame relative to the first mine surface. The first actuator is coupled to the frame and includes a first end extendable in a first direction to engage the first mine surface. The extension of the first actuator is automatically controlled based on measurements of at least one indicator of the force between the first actuator and the first mine surface.

Claims

1. A method for stabilizing a mining machine relative to a mine surface, the method comprising:

extending at least one actuator toward a mine surface until at least one indicator of the force between the actuator and the mine surface reaches a predetermined value;

retracting the at least one actuator for a predetermined amount of time; and

extending the at least one actuator for the predetermined amount of time plus an additional amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving an extension time required for the at least one actuator to extend to a point at which the at least one indicator of the force between the actuator and mine surface reaches the predetermined value.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising comparing the saved extension time with a maximum permitted extension time;

and

aborting the method for leveling the mining machine if the saved extension time is greater than a maximum permitted extension time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein extending the at least one actuator includes extending the actuator at a predetermined speed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving an extension length required for the at least one actuator to extend to a point at which at least one indicator of the force between the actuator and the mine surface reaches the predetermined value.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising comparing the saved extension length of the at least one actuator with a maximum permitted extension length, and

aborting the method for leveling the mining machine if the saved extension length is greater than a maximum permitted extension length.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein extending at least one actuator toward a mine surface includes extending a hydraulic cylinder toward the mine surface until a pressure within the cylinder reaches a predetermined value.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after extending the at least one actuator toward a mine surface, maintaining multiple actuators at a position at which at least one indicator of the force between each actuator and the mine surface is at the predetermined value,

wherein retracting the at least one actuator includes simultaneously retracting multiple actuators for a predetermined amount of time, and

wherein extending the at least one actuator for the predetermined amount of time includes simultaneously extending multiple actuators for the predetermined amount of time plus the additional amount of time.