METHOD FOR CONTINUOUS OPERATION OF A SURFACE MINER
A surface miner operates in a first direction to remove material from a mining face with its rotational axis of the cutting drums oriented substantially perpendicular to the mining face. Upon reaching an end of the mining face, the surface miner turns such that the axis is oriented substantially parallel to the mining face. The surface miner then operates in a second direction to cut a first channel from the mining face. To withdraw the cutters from the first channel, the surface miner reverses. The surface miner repositions to cut a second channel from the mining face in the second direction. The first and second channels together define a cut out. The surface miner is positioned in the cut out with the axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the mining face facing in a direction substantially opposite the first direction. The surface miner then continues to remove material in that direction.
1 . A method for continuous operation of a surface miner, the surface miner including a forwardly extending and vertically ranging cutting arm supporting a plurality of cutters rotating about a substantially horizontal axis, the method comprising:
operating the surface miner in a first direction to remove material from a mining face with the axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the mining face;
reaching an end of the mining face;
turning the surface miner such that the axis is oriented substantially parallel to the mining face;
operating the surface miner in a second direction to cut a first channel from the mining face;
reversing the surface miner to withdraw the cutters from the first channel;
repositioning the surface miner to cut a second channel from the mining face, the second channel adjacent and substantially parallel to the first channel;
operating the surface miner in the second direction to cut the second channel from the mining face, the first and second channels together defining a cut out;
positioning the surface miner in the cut out with the axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the mining face and the surface miner facing in a third direction substantially opposite the first direction; and
operating the surface miner in the third direction to remove material from the mining face.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the surface miner to remove material from the mining face includes rotating the cutters and moving the cutting arm through a vertical range of motion.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting material removed from the mining face in a tray positioned generally below the cutting arm.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising conveying material from the surface miner to a face conveyor.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein conveying material from the surface miner to a face conveyor includes conveying material via a bridge conveyor that extends between the surface miner and the face conveyor.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein conveying material via the bridge conveyor includes conveying material during longitudinal extension of the bridge conveyor and pivoting of the bridge conveyor with respect to at least one of the surface miner and the face conveyor.
7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the face conveyor extends substantially parallel to the mining face, the method further comprising advancing the face conveyor toward the mining face.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein advancing the face conveyor toward the mining face includes advancing individual sections of the face conveyor toward the mining face as the continuous miner operates in at least one of the first and second directions.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein advancing the face conveyor toward the mining face includes advancing the entire face conveyor toward the mining face as a unit.
10 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the surface miner and the face conveyor each include a GPS module, the method further comprising monitoring a position of the surface miner and a position of the face conveyor by receiving signals from the GPS modules.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface miner includes a GPS module, the method further comprising monitoring a position of the surface miner by receiving signals from the GPS module.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface miner includes at least two GPS modules, the method further comprising monitoring an orientation of the surface miner relative to the mining face by receiving signals from the at least two GPS modules.