A double-ended ranging-drum.

Shearer for example, consists of four major

components: electric motors, gearheads, haulage unit (power pack), and
cutting drums.
The electric motor ranging from 300 to 1000 horsepower (223-750kw) is the
power source for the shearer. It provides power to run the hydraulic pumps in
the haulage unit and the gearheads for the cutting drum. The large capacity
shearers are generally equipped with two electric motors: one for the haulage
unit and one gearhead and the other for the other gearhead and other
ancillary equipment. The motors can be remotely controlled.
There are two gearheads, one on the left- and the other on the right-hand side
of the shearer. Each gearhead consists of a gearhead gearbox and a ranging
arm.
The cutting drum is laced with spiral vanes on which the cutting bits are
mounted. Its diameter ranges from 34 to 72 in. (0.86-1.83 m) with rotational
speeds from 30 to 105 rpm. The trends are toward fewer but larger bits and
slower drum speed for better cutting efficiency and less coal dust production.
The drums are also equipped with power cowls to increase the coal loading
efficiency. The power cowl is usually located behind the cutting drum. For
that reason, it can be rotated a full 180°.
The electric motor, haulage unit, and gearhead boxes combine to form the
shearer's body which is mounted on the underframe. The underframe has
four sliding shoes. The face-side shoes are fitted and ride on the face-side top
guide of the face conveyor pan, and the other two gob-side sliding shoes are
fitted on a guide tube to prevent derailment. The tramming speed of the
shearer ranges from 19 to 46 ft/min (5.8-14.0 m/min).
In addition, the shearer is equipped with auxiliary hydraulic pumps and
control valves for operating the ranging arms and power cowls, water
spraying devices, cable, chain anchorage and tensioners, and so on.
Types of Shearer:
Since its first appearance in 1954, the shearer has undergone continuous
changes both in capability and structure. It is now the major cutting
machine in longwall coalfaces. There are two types of shearers, single- and
double drum. In the earlier models, the drum in the single-drum shearer is
mounted on the shearer's body and cannot be adjusted for height.

Therefore it is not suitable

for areas where there are
constant changes in seam
thickness and floor
undulation. Thus the single-
ended fixed-drum shearer is
used mostly for thin seams.
The plow unit consists of the plow head, haulage chain, gearhead gearbox,
guide, chain protection device, and electric motor and control. The bits
mounted on the plow head are mostly knife-shaped. The plow head is
equivalent to the cutting drum in the shearer, but it contains no motorized
equipment.
Through the pulling force of the haulage chain, the plow moves along and
plows the coal face back and forth. In comparison with the shearer, the plow
is simpler and easier to operate; the operator's position is fixed; it produces
larger coal lumps and less airborne dust; and its loading efficiency is high.
The plow unit and the face conveyor integrate as a unit, although a separate
electric motor and gearhead gearbox installed at both face ends is used to
drive them. The plow head is driven along and plows the coal face back and
forth by a round-link continuous chain. Each time, the plowing depth is from
2 to 7 in. (50-180 mm). To prevent the sideway sliding of the plowing unit
and the face conveyor, there are anchorages at both face ends. At the head
entry, two units of the face-end powered supports are equipped with
hydraulic anchors. The electric motor and gearhead gearbox for the plow
head is located on the face end supports.
Types of Plough: There are two types of plough;
1. Hook Plow
The hook plow has several models, Type D, E, G, and S. It consists of a plow
head and base plates. The base plates are the stabilizing unit and laid on the
floor underneath the conveyor. The distance between the conveyor and the
tip of the plow bit is the smallest, approximately 9 in. (225 mm), for Type S.
The plow is heavy, with a minimum weight at 2.46 tons and a maximum at
5.06 tons. It is rather stable during plowing, with little conveyor rebound.
There are various types of knife-shaped bits mounted on the main base plate.
The base plate, which consists of the main, the right, and the left plate, is
placed underneath the conveyor panline. The gob side of the hook is trapped
inside the guide channel of the panline. Both ends of the continuous chain
are tied to the right and left base plate, respectively.
2. Sliding plow:
In comparison with the hook plow, the unique feature for the sliding plow is
that it has no base plate, which eliminates the friction between the floor, base
plate, and panline. The haulage chain is located on the face side, inside a guide
tube. The plow slides along the guiding ramp and foot plate of the face
conveyor. The plow body does not touch the floor. The foot plate and the
limiting block limit the plowing depth. When the mining height is large, the
control (or stabilization) bridge is installed to stabilize the plow body. The
control bridge, which is installed across the conveyor panline, has one end fixed
on the plow body and another end inserted on the guide tube.
The plow head consists of two symmetrical plow bodies connected by bottom
connecting rods and top hinged rods. The swing fan-shaped frames where the
bottom knife bits are mounted are installed on both sides of the plow body.
The adjustment range for the bottom knife bits is from 1.2 in (30 mm) below
to 0.6 in (15 mm) above the base plate. The advancing knife bits are rigidly
mounted. The middle knife bits are mounted on a knifebit frame that can
swing from left to right and vice versa. When one side of the knife bit cuts
into the coal face, the other side will swing away to avoid friction.“
The haulage chain, with size Φ 30 x 108 mm and breaking strength up to
115 Tons, is connected to the middle part of the plow body. The drive units
for both the plow and the conveyor are located on the gob side. During
plowing, one-half of the plow can pass through the drive unit, which
eliminates niching at the face end.
The adjustable mining height is 2.2 ft (660 mm). Of this, 0.9 ft (260 mm) is
by mechanical means and 1.3 ft (400 mm) by hydraulic mechanisms. The
maximum plowing speed is 394 ft/min (2 m/sec). The weight ranges from 2
to 8 Tons.
In longwall coal mining, the coal cut down by the shearer or the plow is
transported by the armored face chain conveyor (AFC), which is laid across
the full face width, to the head-entry T-junction, where it is transferred to the
entry belt conveyor through the mobile stage loader. The armored face chain
conveyor has a large carrying capacity. It is structurally very strong,
bendable like a snake, and low in body height. It serves not only as a guide
rail for the shearer or the plow, but also as the pivot for support advance. If
the conveyor is equipped with a ramp plate, it can also load the coal left on
the mine floor.
Major components of the armored
face conveyor
Drive head: The drive head consists
mainly of the drive frames, drive
units, including the electric motor,
gearbox, fluid coupling, and chain
sprockets. The electric motors range
from 100 to 170 hp (75-125 kw)
with rotational speeds from 1450 to
1480 rpm. The gearboxes are
basically of the same type but vary
in design. Fluid coupling is always
used between the electric motor and
the gearbox.