Cutting assembly for longwall mining system

Abstract

A cutting assembly for a mining machine includes a mount configured to move about a first axis relative to a chassis of the mining machine and a ranging arm coupled to the mount. The ranging arm is moveable relative to the mount. The cutting assembly includes a cutting head having a housing coupled to the ranging arm. The housing is moveable relative to the ranging arm. The cutting head includes a drum supported for rotation relative to the housing about a rotational axis, a plurality of cutting bits coupled to the drum, and at least one motor supported by the housing to drive the drum about the rotational axis.

1 . A cutting assembly for a mining machine, the cutting assembly comprising:
 a mount configured to move about a first axis relative to a chassis of the mining machine;   a ranging arm coupled to the mount, the ranging arm moveable relative to the mount; and   a cutting head including,
 a housing coupled to the ranging arm, the housing moveable relative to the ranging arm, 
 a drum supported for rotation relative to the housing about a rotational axis, 
 a plurality of cutting bits coupled to the drum, and 
 at least one motor supported by the housing to drive the drum about the rotational axis. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cutting assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first axis is a first pivot axis, wherein the ranging arm is moveable relative to the mount about a second pivot axis and about a third pivot axis, and wherein the housing is moveable relative to the ranging arm about a fourth pivot axis. 
     
     
         3 . The cutting assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first axis is a first pivot axis, and wherein the ranging arm is moveable relative to the mount along a first translational axis parallel to the first pivot axis. 
     
     
         4 . The cutting assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the housing is moveable relative to the ranging arm along a second translational axis transverse to the first translational axis. 
     
     
         5 . The cutting assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the housing is moveable relative to the ranging arm about a second pivot axis parallel to the first pivot axis. 
     
     
         6 . The cutting assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting head includes at least two motors supported by the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The cutting assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting head includes at least a four-stage transmission coupled between the at least one motor and the drum to drive the drum about the rotational axis. 
     
     
         8 . A cutting assembly for a mining machine, the cutting assembly comprising:
 a mount configured to move about a first axis relative to a chassis of the mining machine;   a cutting head including,
 a housing, 
 a drum rotatably coupled to the housing about a rotational axis, 
 a plurality of cutting bits coupled to the drum, and 
 at least one motor supported by the housing to drive the drum about the rotational axis; and 
   a ranging arm coupled to the mount and supporting the cutting head for movement about the first axis.   
     
     
         9 . The cutting assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the ranging arm includes a plurality of hollow structural members. 
     
     
         10 . The cutting assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the ranging arm is moveable relative to the mount about a second pivot axis and about a third pivot axis, wherein the second pivot axis is transverse to the third pivot axis, wherein the housing is moveable relative to the ranging arm about a fourth pivot axis, and wherein fourth pivot axis is parallel to the third pivot axis. 
     
     
         11 . The cutting assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first axis is a first pivot axis, wherein the ranging arm is moveable relative to the mount along a first translational axis, wherein the first translational axis is parallel to the first pivot axis, wherein the housing is moveable relative to the ranging arm along a second translational axis, and wherein the second translational axis is transverse to the first translational axis. 
     
     
         12 . The cutting assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first axis is a first pivot axis, wherein the ranging arm is moveable relative to the mount along a first translational axis, wherein the first translational axis is parallel to the first pivot axis, wherein the housing is moveable relative to the ranging arm about a second pivot axis, and wherein the second pivot axis is parallel to the first translational axis. 
     
     
         13 . The cutting assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the cutting head includes at least two motors supported by the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The cutting assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the housing supports at least a two-stage planetary transmission between the at least two motors and the drum to drive the drum about the rotational axis. 
     
     
         15 . The cutting assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the cutting head includes a single motor, wherein the housing supports at least a four-stage planetary transmission between the single motor and the drum to drive the drum about the rotational axis. 
     
     
         16 . A cutting assembly for a mining machine, the cutting assembly comprising:
 a ranging arm configured to be coupled to a chassis of the mining machine; and   a cutting head including,
 a housing coupled to the ranging arm, 
 a drum rotatably coupled to the housing about a rotational axis, 
 a plurality of cutting bits coupled to the drum, and 
 at least one motor supported by the housing to drive the drum about the rotational axis; 
   wherein the cutting assembly is configured to include at least four degrees of movement of the drum relative to the chassis.   
     
     
         17 . The cutting assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising a mount coupled to the ranging arm, wherein the mount is configured to move about a first pivot axis relative to the chassis of the mining machine, and wherein the mount enables movement of the drum about the first pivot axis. 
     
     
         18 . The cutting assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the drum is moveable about a second pivot axis relative to the mount, wherein the second pivot axis is defined between a base of the ranging arm and the mount, wherein the drum is moveable about a third pivot axis relative to the mount, wherein the third pivot axis is defined between the base of the ranging arm and a structural member of the ranging arm, wherein the drum is moveable about a fourth pivot axis relative to the mount, and wherein the fourth pivot axis is defined between the structural member of the ranging arm and the housing. 
     
     
         19 . The cutting assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the drum is moveable along a first translational axis relative to the mount, wherein the first translational axis is defined between the ranging arm and the mount, wherein the drum is moveable along a second translational axis relative to the mount, wherein the second translational axis is defined between the ranging arm and the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The cutting assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the drum is moveable along a first translational axis relative to the mount, wherein the first translational axis is defined between the ranging arm and the mount, wherein the drum is moveable about a second pivot axis relative to the mount, wherein the second pivot axis is defined between the ranging arm and the housing.