Stabilization system for a mining machine

• US 9,951,615 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2017
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• 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: Wade, Colin Anthony, Jonker, Jacobus Ignatius
• Primary Examiner(s): Kreck, John J
• Application Number:
  US15/588,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20170241264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• 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 first mine surface and a second mine surface opposite the first mine surface, the method comprising:

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

retracting the first actuator for a first predetermined amount of time;

extending the first actuator for the first predetermined amount of time plus an additional time;

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

retracting the second actuator by a second predetermined amount of time; and

extending the second actuator by the second predetermined amount of time plus an additional amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving a first parameter value corresponding to the position of the first actuator at which the at least one indicator of the force between the first actuator and the first mine surface reaches a predetermined value.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising comparing the saved first parameter value with a maximum permitted parameter value;

and

aborting the method for stabilizing the mining machine if the saved first parameter value is greater than a maximum permitted parameter value.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein saving the first parameter value includes saving an extension time for the first actuator to extend to the position at which the at least one indicator of the force between the first actuator and the first mine surface reaches the predetermined value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein extending the first actuator includes extending the first actuator at a predetermined speed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is a hydraulic cylinder, wherein the at least one indicator of the force between the first actuator and the first mine surface is a pressure within the cylinder.

7. A method for stabilizing a mining machine relative to a first mine surface and a second mine surface, the method comprising:

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

retracting the first actuator by a first predetermined distance;

extending the first actuator by the first predetermined distance plus an offset distance;

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

retracting the second actuator by a second predetermined distance; and

extending the second actuator by the second predetermined distance plus an offset distance.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising saving a first parameter value corresponding to the position of the first actuator at which the at least one indicator of the force between the first actuator and the first mine surface reaches a predetermined value.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising comparing the saved first parameter value with a maximum permitted parameter value;

and

aborting the method for stabilizing the mining machine if the saved first parameter value is greater than a maximum permitted parameter value.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein saving the first parameter value includes saving an extension time for the first actuator to extend to the position at which the at least one indicator of the force between the first actuator and the first mine surface reaches the predetermined value.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein saving the first parameter value includes saving an extension length for the first actuator to extend to a point at which the at least one indicator of the force between the first actuator and the mine surface reaches the predetermined value.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein extending the first actuator includes extending the first actuator at a predetermined speed.

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