This invention relates to a longwall mineral mining installation having a conveyor and a plurality of roof-support units positioned side-by-side at the goaf side of the conveyor.
The roof support units of such an installation have a number of hydraulic appliances which require feeding with pressurised hydraulic fluid. Thus, apart from their hydraulic props and hydraulic advance rams, roof support units may also have hydraulic control valves, hydraulic alignment devices and hydraulically-controlled gap-sealing devices. It is usual to run the hydraulic supply lines for these hydraulic appliances in channels provided on the goaf side of the conveyor, and to connect the hydraulic appliances to these supply lines by separate flexible hoses. In order to supply the numerous hydraulic appliances of the roof support units, a large number of hoses have to be laid, and these are very difficult to accommodate in the already congested region between the conveyor and the roof support units. In thin seams in particular, these hoses impede movement in an intolerable manner. Moreover, the unprotected hoses are easily damaged.
The object of the invention is to provide a mineral mining installation in which the hydraulic appliances of the roof support units are connected to supply lines running along the goaf side of the conveyor in such a way that there is no need for flexible hoses to cross the region between the conveyor and the roof support units.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds