The present disclosure relates to rock cutting and excavation machines, and particularly to a cutting head for a longwall shearer.
A conventional shearer drum includes cutting bits positioned within bit holders. The drum includes a spiral vane having a loading fence extending along the outer perimeter of the vane. The fence urges cut material into the space between the vane surfaces, and the vane carries cut material from the mine face to a face conveyor behind the shearer drum. The vane includes notches formed along the loading fence, and bit holders are coupled to the vane in the notches.
In one independent aspect, a cutting head for a mining machine includes a drum, a vane, and a cutting bit assembly positioned adjacent a surface of the vane. The drum includes a first end, a second end, and an outer surface, and the drum is rotatable about a drum axis. The vane is coupled to the outer surface of the drum and protrudes radially away from the drum axis. The vane includes a planar member extending at least partially around the drum axis and at least partially between the first end of the drum and the second end of the drum.
In some aspects, the vane includes multiple planar segments.
In some aspects, the vane is a first vane, and the cutting head further includes at least one additional vane spaced apart from the first vane about the drum axis, the additional vane including at least one planar member.
In some aspects, the drum includes a face plate extending radially outwardly from the outer surface adjacent the first end, and a discharge plate extending radially outwardly from the outer surface adjacent the second end.
In some aspects, the drum has a cylindrical profile as viewed along the drum axis.
In some aspects, the drum has a polygonal profile as viewed along the drum axis.
In some aspects, each of the cutting assemblies includes a bit removably secured within a bit block.
In some aspects, each cutting bit assembly is secured to at least one of the drum and the vane, and each of the cutting bit assemblies is positioned adjacent a surface of the vane to facilitate loading of cut material onto the surface of the vane.
In another independent aspect, a cutting head for a mining machine, the cutting head includes a drum, a vane, and a cutting bit assembly positioned adjacent a surface of the vane. The drum includes a first end and a second end, and the drum is rotatable about a drum axis. The drum includes a plurality of planar walls extending between the first end and the second end. The vane is coupled to an outer surface of the drum and protrudes radially away from the drum axis.
In some aspects, the drum includes a face plate extending radially outwardly from the outer surface adjacent the first end, and a discharge plate extending radially outwardly from the outer surface adjacent the second end, the face plate including a plurality of plates, each of the plates associated secured to an end of an associated one of the planar walls of the drum.
In some aspects, the drum has a polygonal profile as viewed along the drum axis.
In some aspects, the drum has a hexagonal profile as viewed along the drum axis.
In some aspects, the vane includes multiple planar segments.
In some aspects, the vane is a first vane, and the cutting head further includes at least one additional vane spaced apart from the first vane about the drum axis, and the additional vane includes at least one planar member.
In some aspects, the vane includes a planar member extending at least partially between the first end of the drum and the second end of the drum.
In some aspects, each of the cutting assemblies includes a bit removably secured within a bit block.
In some aspects, each cutting bit assembly is secured to at least one of the drum and the vane, each of the cutting bit assemblies is positioned adjacent a surface of the vane to facilitate loading of cut material onto the surface of the vane.
In yet another independent aspect, a cutting device for a rock cutting machine includes an arm supported for pivoting movement, a drum, a vane, and a plurality of cutting bit assemblies secured to at least one of the drum and the vane. The drum includes a first end and a second end. The first end of the drum is supported on the arm, and the drum is rotatable relative to the arm about a drum axis. The drum includes a plurality of planar surfaces forming a polygonal profile. The vane is coupled to the outer surface of the drum and protrudes radially away from the drum axis. The vane includes a planar member extending at least partially around the drum axis and at least partially between the first end of the drum and the second end of the drum. Each of the cutting bit assemblies is positioned adjacent a surface of the vane to facilitate loading of cut material onto the surface of the vane.
In some aspects, the drum has a polygonal profile as viewed along the drum axis.
In some aspects, the vane includes multiple planar segments.
Other aspects will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any embodiments are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof as used herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The use of “including,” “comprising” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Terms of degree, such as “substantially,” “about,” “approximately,” etc. are understood by those of ordinary skill to refer to reasonable ranges outside of the stated relationship, for example, general tolerances associated with manufacturing, assembly, and use of the described embodiments.
Referring again to
In the illustrated embodiment, the drum 54 has a generally cylindrical outer surface 66. The drum 54 has a first end or discharge end 70 and a second end or face end 74, and a drum axis 78 extends between the discharge end 70 and the face end 74. The discharge end 70 is pivotably coupled to the ranging arm 34 (
The vanes 58 are connected to the drum 54 (e.g., by welding) and extend along the periphery of the drum 54 between the discharge end 70 and the face end 74. In the illustrated embodiment, the cutting head 38 includes three vanes 58; in other embodiments, the cutting head 38 may include fewer or more vanes 58. The vanes 58 provide channels for cut material to flow. As the cutting head 38 rotates during the cutting operation, the cut material is driven along the surface of the vane 58 toward the discharge end 70, thereby carrying the cut material away from the cutting head 38. In some embodiments, the cut material is deposited onto a conveyor for further carrying the cut material.
As best shown in
Rather than using helical or spiral shaped vanes which may require multiple bending and fitting steps, the planar shape of the vane 58 simplifies manufacture and assembly of the cutting head 38 and simplifies attachment of the cutting bit assemblies 62 (
The drum 454 has a polygonal profile formed by a plurality of planar walls 466 extending between a discharge end 470 and the face end 474. In the illustrated embodiment, the drum 454 has a hexagonal shape formed by six planar walls 466; in other embodiments the drum 454 may include fewer or more walls. The drum 454 can be formed by connecting multiple flat plates to form a shell, thereby simplifying the manufacture and assembly of the cutting head 438. The vanes 458 may be formed as one or more planar segments, and each vane 458 includes an inner edge 482 connected to the planar walls 466. In the illustrated embodiment, each vane 458 extends across two planar walls 466 as the vane 458 extends between the discharge end 470 and the face end 474, and discharge plates 490 are positioned adjacent the discharge end 470. Furthermore, as shown in
Although the aspects of the cutting head have been described above with respect to a longwall shearer, it is understood that the aspects could be incorporated onto various types of cutting heads and various types of mining machines.
Although aspects are described in detail above with reference to certain embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of one or more independent aspects as described. Various features and advantages are set forth in the following claims.
This application claims the benefit of co-pending, prior-filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/074,835, filed Sep. 4, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63074835 | Sep 2020 | US |