Slow turning drum for a miner
View Patent ↗Methods, systems, and computer-readable medium storing instructions for turning a cutting drum of a mining machine at a maintenance speed. One method includes receiving, at a controller, input signals from an operator interface, the input signals including a signal to initiate turning of the cutting drum at the maintenance speed, and transmitting, in response to the input signals, control signals from the controller to a cutting drum turning mechanism included in the mining machine, the control signals instructing a switch included in the cutting drum turning mechanism to electrically couple a cutter motor and a variable frequency drive.
1. A method for moving a cutting drum of a mining machine at a maintenance speed, the method comprising:
receiving, at a controller, input signals from an operator interface, the input signals including a signal to initiate turning of the cutting drum at the maintenance speed; and
transmitting, in response to the input signals, control signals from the controller to a cutting drum turning mechanism included in the mining machine, the control signals instructing a switch included in the cutting drum turning mechanism to electrically couple a cutter motor and a variable frequency drive.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving second input signals from the operator interface, the second input signals including a signal to initiate turning of the cutting drum at a cutting speed greater than the maintenance speed; and
transmitting, in response to the second input signals, second control signals from the controller to the cutting drum turning mechanism, the second control signals instructing the switch included in the cutting drum turning mechanism to electrically decouple the cutter motor and the variable frequency drive and electrically couple the cutter motor to a power source.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein transmitting the first control signals includes transmitting a control signal instructing the switch to electrically decouple the cutter motor from the power source.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein transmitting the second control signals includes transmitting a control signal instructing deactivation of the variable frequency drive.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the controller, second input signals from the operator interface, the second input signals including a signal to stop the cutting drum; and
transmitting, in response to the second input signals, second control signals from the controller to the variable frequency drive instructing the variable frequency drive to brake the cutter drum.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the control signals includes transmitting a control signal to the variable frequency drive to rotate the cutting drum at approximately 3 rotations per minutes.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the inputs signal includes receiving the input signals from a remote control operated by the operator.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the controller, second input signals from the operator interface, the second input signals including a signal to rotate the cutting drum a predetermined amount; and
transmitting, in response to the second input signals, second control signals from the controller to the variable frequency drive instructing the variable frequency drive to rotate the cutting drum the predetermined amount.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein transmitting the second control signals includes transmitting a control signal instructing the variable frequency drive to rotate the cutting drum approximately ¼ of a rotation of the cutting drum.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein transmitting the second control signals includes transmitting a control signal instructing the variable frequency drive to rotate the cutting drum approximately ⅓ of a rotation of the cutting drum.