Patent ID: 8820849

Claim:
A linepan section of a longwall mining machine positioned proximate a mining face and supported on a ground surface, the linepan section comprising: a face-side rail including a first end portion including a first coupling portion for connection to a linepan section adjacent a first end and a second end portion including a second coupling portion for connection to a linepan section adjacent a second end, the first end being opposite the second end, a toe rider flange for supporting the longwall mining machine for movement along the linepan section, a generally horizontal top surface with a top face-side end and a top gob-side end and being at a top surface height, and an angled loading surface extending between the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion, the loading surface extending from the top face-side end toward the mining face and toward the ground surface and being arranged at an oblique angle relative to the top surface, the loading surface defining a plane that does not intersect the toe rider flange, wherein the face-side rail is formed as a casting including the generally horizontal top surface, the angled loading surface, and the toe rider flange; a gob-side rail opposite the face-side rail; and a conveyor pan between the face-side rail and the gob-side rail.