Disclosed are vehicles used in transporting coarse ore in a mine and systems using the same. The vehicles include a drive mechanism for moving the vehicle along a surface; an inclinable conveyor positioned atop the drive mechanism for moving the coarse ore from a loading position to a discharge position; and vertically extending walls positioned along the longitudinal sides of the conveyor. The loading position of the conveyor being offset from the vertically extending walls and the discharge position of the conveyor extends beyond the vertically extending walls so that one vehicle can be positioned with respect to another to form a continuous walled conveyor. The vehicles and systems described herein do not require rails, so they can be maneuvered within a mine to form a network from the mine face to a coarse ore unloading area.

A jack for a vehicle includes a tube configured to be coupled to a chassis, and a cylinder assembly supported by the tube. The cylinder assembly includes a barrel and a rod at least partially received within the barrel. Actuation of the cylinder assembly causes the barrel to move relative to the tube in a first direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tube while the rod remains stationary relative to the tube. In some aspects, the jack further includes a locking device selectively received within the tube in a locked position. The locking device intersects the barrel's path to inhibit movement of the barrel in a second direction opposite the first direction when the locking device is in the locked position.

In combination a loader unit and haul unit for use in a block caving mining operation. Each of the loader unit and the haul unit comprise a removable bucket, which can be used for loading ore. In use the bucket carrying a load of ore can be transferred from the loader unit to the haul unit so that the haul unit can transport the ore from a loading site to a crusher. The loader unit and haul unit have a respective longitudinal axis extending from the fore end to the aft thereof, and the bucket is elongate with a longitudinal axis. In use when the bucket is mounted to the loader unit the longitudinal axis of the bucket is disposed orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the loader unit. When the bucket is transferred to the haul unit, the bucket is placed upright on the haul unit with the longitudinal axis of the bucket parallel to the longitudinal axis of the haul unit.

A battery changing system includes a grasping assembly and an actuation assembly. The grasping assembly is configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle and to engage a battery box having one or more batteries disposed therein. The actuation assembly is configured to move the grasping assembly away from the vehicle toward the battery box. The actuation assembly also is configured to move the grasping assembly into engagement with a securing assembly of the battery box. The actuation assembly is configured to move the grasping assembly back toward the vehicle while the grasping assembly engages the securing assembly of the battery box to lift the battery box onto the vehicle.

A wheel unit includes a suspension housing having a pin defining a steering axis, a transmission housing pivotable about the steering axis, a wheel rim rotatable about a rotational axis and configured to pivot about the steering axis, and a coupled compound planetary transmission drivingly engaged with the wheel rim. The coupled compound planetary transmission includes an input drive shaft, a sun gear rotatable about the rotational axis, a constant velocity joint coupled between the input drive shaft and the sun gear, a first ring gear fixed relative to the transmission housing, a first planet gear enmeshed with the sun gear and the first ring gear, a second ring gear fixed relative to the wheel rim for co-rotation about the rotational axis, a second planet gear enmeshed with the second ring gear, and a shaft coupling the first planet gear and the second planet gear for co-rotation.

A transport machine is provided with a traveling device, a vehicle body, a vessel, a support device and a load detection device. At least a portion of the vehicle body is arranged above the traveling device. The vessel is provided on the vehicle body. The support device includes a slide mechanism that moves the vessel in a lateral direction with respect to the vehicle body, the lateral direction intersecting with a traveling direction of the traveling device when the transport machine travels straight. The load detection device detects a state of a load on the vessel. The slide mechanism is controlled based on a result of detection by the load detection device.

A method for estimating a level of stress that a mine truck is subjected to. The mine truck includes a frame; a container for carrying payload supported by the frame; and at least one sensor, the at least one sensor delivering signals being dependent on a force acting on the mine truck. The method includes for at least a first position of the frame, estimating a level of stress that said at least a first position is subjected to in response to a force acting on the mine truck, wherein said at least a first position is a position being different from the position of said at least one sensor; and estimating said level of stress utilising a model representation of the level of stress for said at least a first position wherein said model representation output said estimated level of stress utilising sensor signals from said at least one sensor as input signals.

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a system. The system includes a first vehicle, a second vehicle, and an interface between the first vehicle and the second vehicle. The interface is configured to enable the transfer of mechanical power from the second vehicle to the first vehicle when the first vehicle and the second vehicle are stationary.

A mine management system includes a carrying machine that is loaded with ore and travels from a mining area to an earth removal area in underground of a mine, a loading machine that mines ore in the mining area and loads the ore onto the carrying machine, and a management device that sets a work mode in the underground based on an input signal, and changes a work parameter of the carrying machine and a work parameter of the loading machine.

A battery-powered mining machine comprising a battery tray and a plurality of batteries. The battery tray including at least one battery partition, the battery partition made entirely of plastic. The plurality of batteries in the battery tray to provide power to the mining machine, the plurality of batteries held in place by the battery partition.