Mining machine with cascading conveyor system and method of conveying

摘要

A mining machine includes a material dislodging mechanism and a cascading conveyor system extending rearwardly on a mobile frame. The cascading conveyor system includes a fixed, main conveyor and a discharge conveyor underlying the main conveyor and pivotally connected to a stabilizer shoe of the machine for lateral swinging movement 90 DEG on either side of the longitudinal axis of the mining machine. The fixed conveyor and the discharge conveyor are in linear alignment in a first mode of operation. The discharge conveyor is also vertically pivotal on the stabilizer shoe to permit lateral and vertical displacement of the discharge conveyor relative to the main conveyor in a second mode of operation. A dust collecting system includes a longitudinal duct extending beneath the fixed, main conveyor with dual inlets extending above the tracks of the mining machine rearwardly of the dislodging mechanism. The duct bifurcates to exhaust oulets at the rearward end of the machine frame adjacent to the stabilizer shoe. Scrubber fans are positioned in each exhaust outlet with a scrubber screen and demister unit positioned in the duct adjacent the exhaust outlets.