Patent ID: 7896444
Filing Date: 2011-03-01
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
1. A conveyor pan assembly for use with a shearer with a skid-type shoe in a longwall mining operation, said conveyor pan assembly including: a plurality of adjacent conveyor pans, each conveyor pan including a side member having a surface adapted to be engaged by the shearer skid-type shoe, said side member surface being positioned so that the surfaces of the adjacent conveyor pans form a race upon which the shearer shoe can travel, said side member surface being formed by a piece of said side member that extends horizontally from a vertical guide wall for the entire length of the side member, each piece having a first end and a second end, with the first end of one side member piece being adjacent the second end of another side member piece, each piece end having a top, a rear at the vertical guide wall, a front and an edge extending from said rear at the vertical guide wall to said front, with the first end edge being adjacent the second end edge and forming between them a race junction between two adjacent conveyor pans, said first end edge and said second end edge forming a “V” shaped opening, with the “V” shaped opening being open in the piece end front and closed in the piece end rear, the “V” shape being formed by each edge being between 20 degrees to 60 degrees removed from a vertical plane extending at 90 degrees to the horizontal plane formed by the race and at 90 degrees to the vertical guide wall.