Cutting assembly

Abstract

This disclose relates to a cutting assembly ( 10 ) for mining comprising a disk cutter ( 18 ), which is moveable between horizontal and vertical cutting orientations.

1 . A cutting assembly for a rock excavation machine comprising:
 a base unit,   one or more moveable support arms extending from the base unit,   a drive spindle rotatably mounted to the or each moveable support arm,   a disk cutter fixed about the drive spindle such that rotation of the drive spindle causes a corresponding rotation of the disk cutter,   the disk cutter comprising a cutter body and one or more cutting elements arranged peripherally around the cutter body,   wherein the or each support arm is configured to be moveable into first and second cutting orientations, in which in the first cutting orientation the drive spindle is horizontal and in which in the second cutting orientation the drive spindle is vertical.   
     
     
         2 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , in which a pair of spaced apart support arms is provided. 
     
     
         3 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the or each support arm is moveable between a first operative position and a second operative position, in each of the first and second cutting orientations, according to the depth of cut required. 
     
     
         4 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , in which each support arm comprises a first arm portion connected to a second arm portion by a joint, each first and second arm portion being independently moveable relative to each other. 
     
     
         5 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , in which a plurality of disk cutters are arranged on the drive spindle. 
     
     
         6 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , in which the plurality of disk cutters are regularly spaced apart along the length of the drive spindle. 
     
     
         7 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , in which the plurality of disk cutters are spaced apart by a gap measuring between 10 cm and 50 cm. 
     
     
         8 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , in which the gap between adjacent disk cutters is adjustable. 
     
     
         9 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , in which at least one disk cutter is mounted perpendicularly about the drive spindle. 
     
     
         10 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , in which at least one disk cutter is mounted non-perpendicularly about the drive spindle. 
     
     
         11 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , the disk cutter further comprising one or more tool holders extending radially outwards from the cutter body, one tool holder for each cutting element. 
     
     
         12 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , in which the tool holders are regularly spaced apart around the cutter body. 
     
     
         13 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , in which the tool holders are irregularly spaced apart around the cutter body. 
     
     
         14 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cutting element comprises a hard material selected from the group consisting of cemented carbide (e.g. tungsten carbide), cubic boron nitride, diamond, diamond like material, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 14 , in which the or each cutting element is a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC). 
     
     
         16 . The cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 15 , each tool holder having a leading face and a trailing face, each cutting element being seated in the leading face of the tool holder, facing the direction of rotation. 
     
     
         17 . A long wall mining system comprising a cutting assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , a conveying system to transport mined rock away from a cutting face, and a gathering arm to collect mined rock from the cutting face and transfer it on to the conveying system. 
     
     
         18 . The long wall mining system as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising a secondary wedge tool.