Narrow bench mining system

1. A launch vehicle for a narrow bench continuous mining system including modular conveyor units that are connected together to form a conveyor train, comprising:

a main frame for supporting a rearmost conveyor unit of said conveyor train, said main frame including a first side over which additional conveyor units are added to said conveyor train and a second side;

a belly conveyor carried on said main frame that conveys aggregate material received from said rearmost conveyor unit of said conveyor train;

a drive assembly for selectively advancing and withdrawing said conveyor train; and

a canopy overlying at least a portion of said main frame, said canopy being mounted on forward and rearward supports longitudinally spaced apart a distance less than substantially the length of a conveyor unit, at least one of said supports comprising a cantilever support extending upwardly adjacent said second side of said main frame and having a base attached to said main frame at a longitudinal position of said second side opposite a longitudinal position on said first side over which additional conveyor units are added to said conveyor train, whereby said first side is left open for adding additional conveyor units to said conveyor train.

2. The launch vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said belly conveyor is a belt conveyor.

3. The launch vehicle, of claim 1 , wherein said at least one cantilever support is of box beam construction.

4. The launch vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said at least one cantilever support is provided adjacent a first end of said main frame.

5. The launch vehicle of claim 4 , wherein said canopy is supported on two vertical support posts adjacent a second end of said main frame wherein a first post of said two vertical support posts is on said first side of said main frame and said second post of said two vertical support posts is on said second side of said main frame.

6. The launch vehicle of claim 5 , further including a discharge conveyor carried on said main frame adjacent said first end, said discharge conveyor receiving aggregate material from said belly conveyor.

7. The launch vehicle of claim 6 , further including a plurality of jacks supporting said main frame on a bench adjacent an exposed highwall.

8. The launch vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said cantilever support is repositionable to allow said first and second sides of said mainframe to be interchanged.

9. A method of reducing the length of a launch vehicle for a continuous mining system including modular conveyor units that are connected together to form a conveyor train while maintaining sufficient clearance to allow a conveyor unit to be placed on said launch vehicle from a side thereof, comprising:

providing a launch vehicle main frame for supporting a rearmost conveyor unit of said conveyor train, said main frame including a first side over which additional conveyor units are added to said conveyor train and a second side; and

supporting a canopy over at least a portion of the main frame of said launch vehicle by means of forward and rearward supports longitudinally spaced apart a distance less than substantially the length of a conveyor unit, at least one of said supports comprising a cantilever support having a base attached to said main frame at a longitudinal position of said second side opposite where additional conveyor units are added to said conveyor train.

10. The launch vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said launch vehicle is less than about 90 feet in length.

11. The launch vehicle of claim 10 , wherein said launch vehicle is about 45 feet in length.

12. The launch vehicle of claim 11 , wherein said conveyor unit is about 30 feet in length.

13. The launch vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said launch vehicle is assembled in modular form and may be assembled such that said first side and second side are reversed.

14. A reduced length launch vehicle for a narrow bench continuous mining system including modular conveyor units that are connected together to form a conveyor train, comprising:

a main frame for supporting a rearmost conveyor unit of said conveyor train, said main frame including a first end and a second end;

a belly conveyor carried on said main frame that conveys aggregate material received from said rearmost conveyor unit of said conveyor train;

a drive assembly for selectively advancing and withdrawing said conveyor train; and

a canopy overlying at least a portion of said main frame, said canopy being supported on a cantilever support toward said first end and vertical support posts toward said second end;

wherein said cantilever support and said vertical support posts are longitudinally spaced apart a distance less than substantially the length of a conveyor unit.

15. The reduced length launch vehicle of claim 14 , wherein said cantilever support is located adjacent said first end and said vertical support posts are located adjacent said second end.

16. The reduced length launch vehicle of claim 14 , wherein said main frame includes a first side over which additional conveyor units are added to said conveyor train and a second side, and wherein said cantilever support extends upwardly adjacent said second side of said main frame and having a base attached to said main frame at a longitudinal position of said second side opposite a longitudinal position on said first side over which additional conveyor units are added to said conveyor train, whereby said first side is left open for adding additional conveyor units to said conveyor train.

17. The reduced length launch vehicle of claim 14 , wherein said canopy carries a reel.

18. The reduced length launch vehicle of claim 17 , wherein said vertical support posts are located at a longitudinal position beneath said reel.

19. The launch vehicle of claim 7 , wherein said canopy includes a rock shield capable of engaging said exposed highwall.