PANTECHNICON
Equipment 0 CommentA pantechnicon is a train of sleds carrying the services to the longwall face. It is generally located on the maingate road, along the belt conveyor. It is usually pulled or dragged along the roadway in concert with the advance of the face. The dragging of the system is achieved […]
Read MoreCOAL PLOUGH
Equipment 0 CommentThe coal plough is no longer used in Australian coal mines but the first Australian longwall installation in 1963 used a coal plough in the Illawarra Coalfields. However, the coal plough is still used in Germany and other European coal producing countries but in diminishing numbers. In Germany the coal […]
Read More4 LEG SUPPORT
Powered Supports 0 CommentThis type of shield has two sets of legs inclined forward into the canopy and the other two inclined backwards and connected to the goaf shield. The main features of the 4 leg shield are: The front legs connect the base and the canopy and the rear legs connect the […]
Read MoreCHOCK SHIELD SUPPORTS
Powered Supports 0 CommentChock shields supports always have 4 hydraulic legs and all 4 legs are connected to the canopy of the support. The legs of a chock shield support are either vertical or inclined but the majority of chock shields have inclined legs as this provides better support pressure to the canopy. […]
Read MorePOWERED SUPPORTS
Powered Supports 0 CommentHydraulic powered roof supports are self advancing structures which are interconnected along the length of the longwall face. Each unit along the line is also connected to each pan of the AFC. The function of the powered supports are to: To control strata deformation, fracture and movement around the coal face, To […]
Read MoreARMOURED FACE CONVEYOR
Equipment 0 CommentTo maintain a safe working environment powered supports have to be advanced sequentially. This is achieved by utilising an articulating Armoured Face Conveyor(AFC) which runs along the face with the shearer mounted on it. The AFC is made up of short sections, called pans,which allows it to “snake” along the […]
Read MoreCONTROLS
Shearer 0 CommentMost modern shearers are controlled by a remote control unit so that the machine can be operated from a safe working position. The remote control unit for DBT Electra 3000 shearer consists of a set of keypads to operate the machine and a series of LED’s to indicate the position […]
Read MoreBRETBY CABLE HANDLER
Shearer 0 CommentPower is connected to the shearer via Bretby Cable Handler housed in a channel mounted along the goaf side of the AFC. The bretbly cable handler from DBT Electra 3000 shearer can be seen in the photograph opposite
Read MoreCOWLS
Shearer 0 CommentCowls are fitted to the ranging arm and can rotate 360o around the shearer drum. The function of the cowls is to improve in cleaning up the coal face and assist with dust suppression. The ability of the cowls to be rotated enables them to be positioned according to which […]
Read MoreHAULAGE SYSTEM
Shearer 0 CommentA shearer pulls itself along the face by using a sprocket to engage with the haulage system which is fixed to the length of the AFC. The haulage track of a shearer can be seen in the photo on the left. Generally the shearer traction system is powered hydraulically. There […]
Read More