A connector for coupling a plurality of underground roof supports, each roof support including a canopy. The connector includes a guide configured to be coupled to one of the roof supports, and an actuator having a bore and a rod at least partially positioned in the bore. An end of the rod is slidably coupled to the guide. A cable has a first end coupled to the end of the rod and a second end adapted for connection to another of the roof supports.

An apparatus, system, and method for automated support of a gate entry for underground full extraction mining that includes gathering entry data for a condition of a gate entry by way of a gate entry support. The method also includes determining, by way of the gate entry support, the condition of the gate entry, advancing the gate entry support in response to determining that the condition satisfies an entry condition threshold. The method may also signal a halt condition for a production cycle, if the condition fails to satisfy the entry condition threshold.

An apparatus and method for protecting a person servicing a longwall shear such changing bits on a drum, embodiments relating to a base plate to be secured to an underside of a shield canopy and a slide plate movably connected to the underside of the base plate such that the slide plate can advance out from the shield canopy to allow a person to service a longwall shear while being protected by the slide plate from falling rock and other debris, and the slide plate can then retract back under the shield canopy.

An active temporary roof support apparatus for attachment to a mining machine includes at least one set of support members, each set including at least a first support member and a second support member for supporting the roof of an underground tunnel. A drive assembly is arranged to drive the set of support members, such that the first and second support members are sequentially moved for engaging the roof so that the roof is supported by at least one support member during an excavation operation of the mining machine. A mining machine and a corresponding method is also provided.

An apparatus and method for protecting a person servicing a longwall shear such changing bits on a drum, embodiments relating to a base plate to be secured to an underside of a shield canopy and a slide plate movably connected to the underside of the base plate such that the slide plate can advance out from the shield canopy to allow a person to service a longwall shear while being protected by the slide plate from falling rock and other debris, and the slide plate can then retract back under the shield canopy.

A self-advancing roof support for a longwall mining system includes a base, a hydraulic actuator having one end pivotally coupled to the base, and a canopy portion that is connected to another end of the hydraulic actuator. The roof support also includes a load sensor disposed on the canopy portion. The load sensor generates a signal indicative of an amount of load borne by the canopy portion in abutment with a roof of an underground mine site. A controller is communicably coupled to the load sensor and the hydraulic actuator. The controller determines if the signal from the load sensor is suggestive of a cavity adjacent to a zone above the canopy portion. Based on the determination, the controller actuates movement of the hydraulic actuator such that the canopy portion is displaced into a position underlying the cavity.

Disclosed is a multi-section non-pillar staggered protected roadway for a deep inclined thick coal seam (DITCS) and a method for coal pillar filling between sections. The multi-section non-pillar staggered protected roadway includes a floor, a coal seam, an immediate roof, and a basic roof in a multi-section coal seam, where the floor is disposed below the coal seam, a hydraulic support is disposed in a section between the floor and the immediate roof; a return airway and a transportation roadway are respectively disposed on a left side and a right side of each section; the return airway and the transportation roadway in each section are communicated with each other through a working face; and non-pillar staggered layout is used for a return airway of a next section and a transportation roadway of a current section.

An apparatus, system, and method for automated support of a gate entry for underground full extraction mining that includes gathering entry data for a condition of a gate entry by way of a gate entry support. The method also includes determining, by way of the gate entry support, the condition of the gate entry, advancing the gate entry support in response to determining that the condition satisfies an entry condition threshold. The method may also signal a halt condition for a production cycle, if the condition fails to satisfy the entry condition threshold.

A connector for coupling a plurality of underground roof supports, each roof support including a canopy. The connector includes a guide configured to be coupled to one of the roof supports, and an actuator having a bore and a rod at least partially positioned in the bore. An end of the rod is slidably coupled to the guide. A cable has a first end coupled to the end of the rod and a second end adapted for connection to another of the roof supports.

A roof support includes a base, a canopy for engaging a mine surface, a shield coupled to the canopy, and a link coupled between the base and the shield. The canopy is supported relative to the base and includes an end configured to be spaced apart from a mine face by a distance. The link is movable between a first position and a second position, and movement of the link between the first position and the second position causing the distance to change.