A mining machine includes a chassis, a boom, a cutting head, and a shield supported for movement relative to the chassis. The chassis includes a first end and a second end, and defines a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the second end. The boom includes a first end and a second end, and the boom is supported for movement relative to the chassis. The boom translates in a first direction and is pivotable relative to the chassis between first and second positions. The cutting head is coupled to the second end of the boom and is supported for rotation relative to the boom. The cutting head is rotatable about a cutting head axis. The shield is supported for movement relative to the chassis and positioned proximate the cutting head. In some embodiments, the shield is coupled to a sumping frame supported for movement relative to the chassis.

A mining machine includes a chassis, a boom, a cutting head, and a shield supported for movement relative to the chassis. The chassis includes a first end and a second end, and defines a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the second end. The boom includes a first end and a second end, and the boom is supported for movement relative to the chassis. The boom translates in a first direction and is pivotable relative to the chassis between first and second positions. The cutting head is coupled to the second end of the boom and is supported for rotation relative to the boom. The cutting head is rotatable about a cutting head axis. The shield is supported for movement relative to the chassis and positioned proximate the cutting head. In some embodiments, the shield is coupled to a sumping frame supported for movement relative to the chassis.

A mining machine includes a chassis, a boom, a cutting head, and a shield supported for movement relative to the chassis. The chassis includes a first end and a second end, and defines a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the second end. The boom includes a first end and a second end, and the boom is supported for movement relative to the chassis. The boom translates in a first direction and is pivotable relative to the chassis between first and second positions. The cutting head is coupled to the second end of the boom and is supported for rotation relative to the boom. The cutting head is rotatable about a cutting head axis. The shield is supported for movement relative to the chassis and positioned proximate the cutting head. In some embodiments, the shield is coupled to a sumping frame supported for movement relative to the chassis.

A roll of grid material for mine roof support, and a mining machine in combination with such a roll, in which the roll has bands of adhering material injected or otherwise forced into the roll in spaced locations along the roll's width. The adhering material interconnects the overlapped layers within the roll and is sufficiently strong to hold the grid material in the rolled configuration for transport and storage, and yet is readily pulled apart in response to sufficient manual or mechanical pressure applied against the roll, or tension applied to the unwound portion thereof, so as to enable the grid material to be incrementally unwound and installed in the mine. The rolls can be installed using a range of mining machines without need for any specialized dispensing or other apparatus mounted on the machine and without the need for any mechanical device to control unwinding.

A roll of grid material for mine roof support, and a mining machine in combination with such a roll, in which the roll has bands of adhering material injected or otherwise forced into the roll in spaced locations along the roll's width. The adhering material interconnects the overlapped layers within the roll and is sufficiently strong to hold the grid material in the rolled configuration for transport and storage, and yet is readily pulled apart in response to sufficient manual or mechanical pressure applied against the roll, or tension applied to the unwound portion thereof, so as to enable the grid material to be incrementally unwound and installed in the mine. The rolls can be installed using a range of mining machines without need for any specialized dispensing or other apparatus mounted on the machine and without the need for any mechanical device to control unwinding.

A sensor system of underground mining vehicles, which system is arranged to be fastened at a perimeter of an underground mining vehicle, comprising a sensor (1) and a stand (2), wherein the stand comprises a mounting plate (3) for fastening the stand (2) to the underground mining vehicle, a movable plate (4) fastened moveably to the mounting plate (3), a guard member (7a, 7b, . . . ) fastened to the movable plate (4), and a biasing member (9a, 9b, . . . ) fastened between the movable plate (4) and the mounting plate (3). The sensor (1) is fastened to the movable plate (4). The movable plate (4) has two positions: a resting position, and a retracted position, and the biasing member (9a, 9b, . . . ) is biasing the movable plate (4) to the resting position.

A sensor system of underground mining vehicles, which system is arranged to be fastened at a perimeter of an underground mining vehicle, comprising a sensor (1) and a stand (2), wherein the stand comprises a mounting plate (3) for fastening the stand (2) to the underground mining vehicle, a movable plate (4) fastened moveably to the mounting plate (3), a guard member (7a, 7b, . . . ) fastened to the movable plate (4), and a biasing member (9a, 9b, . . . ) fastened between the movable plate (4) and the mounting plate (3). The sensor (1) is fastened to the movable plate (4). The movable plate (4) has two positions: a resting position, and a retracted position, and the biasing member (9a, 9b, . . . ) is biasing the movable plate (4) to the resting position.

A system for detecting a potential collision between an object and a mining machine, the system comprising: a sensor, a first strobe light and a second strobe light, and an electronic processor configured to identify a virtual perimeter around at least a portion of the mining machine, identify a plurality of collision zones, the plurality of collision zones including at least one immediate collision zone and at least one potential collision zone, receive a signal from a sensor indicating detection of the object in one of the plurality of collision zones, determine, based on the signal, whether the object is in the immediate collision zone or the potential collision zone, generate, in response to determining that the object is in the potential collision zone, a first indication, and generate, in response to determining that the object is in the immediate collision zone, a second indication different than the first indication.

A system for detecting a potential collision between an object and a mining machine, the system comprising: a sensor, a first strobe light and a second strobe light, and an electronic processor configured to identify a virtual perimeter around at least a portion of the mining machine, identify a plurality of collision zones, the plurality of collision zones including at least one immediate collision zone and at least one potential collision zone, receive a signal from a sensor indicating detection of the object in one of the plurality of collision zones, determine, based on the signal, whether the object is in the immediate collision zone or the potential collision zone, generate, in response to determining that the object is in the potential collision zone, a first indication, and generate, in response to determining that the object is in the immediate collision zone, a second indication different than the first indication.

A sensor system in a mining vehicle includes at least one sensor configured to scan surroundings of the mining vehicle, at least one computing device configured to execute a plurality of applications, and a managed switch connected to the at least one sensor and the at least one computing device, wherein the managed switch is connected to the at least one computing device from via a first port of the managed switch configured to forward data for a first application of the plurality of applications and from via at least one second port configured to forward data for at least one second application of the plurality of applications. The managed switch is configured to send measurement data of the surroundings from the at least one sensor to the first port and send a copy of the measurement data to the at least one second port.