Material handling system for mining machine
First Claim
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1. A mining machine for cutting material from a mine wall, the mining machine comprising:
- a cutting head that is moveable to engage the mine wall;
a vacuum duct coupled to a side of the cutting head, the vacuum duct positioned adjacent an inlet in fluid communication with a suction source and receiving the material that is cut from the mine wall; and
a sizer for reducing the size of material that passes into the vacuum duct, the sizer being positioned within the vacuum duct and proximate the inlet.
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Abstract
A mining machine for cutting material from a mine wall includes a cutting head that is movable to engage the mine wall, a vacuum duct positioned proximate the cutting head and including an inlet for receiving the material that is cut from the mine wall, and a sizer for reducing the size of material that passes into the vacuum duct, the sizer being positioned proximate the inlet.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A mining machine for cutting material from a mine wall, the mining machine comprising:
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a cutting head that is moveable to engage the mine wall; a vacuum duct coupled to a side of the cutting head, the vacuum duct positioned adjacent an inlet in fluid communication with a suction source and receiving the material that is cut from the mine wall; and a sizer for reducing the size of material that passes into the vacuum duct, the sizer being positioned within the vacuum duct and proximate the inlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A material handling system for a mining machine, the mining machine including a cutting head, the material handling system comprising:
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a suction source including a material collector; a vacuum conduit extending between the suction source and the mining machine, the vacuum conduit including an inlet positioned adjacent a trailing side of the cutting head, the inlet receiving material that is cut from a mine wall by the cutting head, the vacuum conduit being in fluid communication with the suction source to transport the cut material from the inlet to the material collector; a vacuum duct positioned proximate the inlet and coupled to the cutting head; and a sizer for reducing the size of material before the material passes into the vacuum conduit inlet, the sizer being positioned within the vacuum duct and proximate the inlet. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for processing material that is cut by a mining machine including a cutting head, the method comprising:
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cutting the material from a mine wall by pivoting the cutting head in a first direction about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to a mine floor such that a leading side of the cutting head engages the mine wall before a trailing side engages the mine wall; applying a suction force on the trailing side of the cutting head to guide the cut material toward an inlet of a vacuum conduit; reducing the cut material to a desired size by impacting the material with a sizer as the cut material is guided toward the inlet of the vacuum conduit, the inlet and the sizer positioned adjacent the trailing side of the cutter head; and transporting the cut material through the vacuum conduit to a material collector. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A mining machine for cutting material from a mine wall and supported on a support surface, the mining machine comprising:
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a cutting head that is moveable to engage the mine wall, the cutting head including at least one oscillating disc cutter for cutting material from the mine wall, the cutting head being pivotable about an axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the support surface, the cutting head including a trailing side and a leading side; a vacuum duct coupled to the trailing side of the cutting head, the vacuum duct positioned adjacent an inlet of a vacuum conduit in fluid communication with a suction source, the inlet receiving the material that is cut from the mine wall; and a sizer positioned within the vacuum duct, the sizer impacting the material before the material passes into the vacuum conduit. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification