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.

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.

Systems and methods are provided for detecting face alignment and face steering of a longwall mining system. The system includes a detection device mounted in a maingate roadway and a first indicator device mounted on a shearer of the longwall mining system to indicate a position of the shearer to the detection device. The system further includes a controller coupled to the detection device. The controller determines a shearer path of the shearer as the shearer moves along an ore face. The shearer path is determined based on a signal from the first indicator device received by the detection device. The controller generates an indication of face alignment based on the shearer path.

Systems and methods are provided for detecting face creep of a longwall mining system. The system includes a detection device mounted in a maingate roadway and coupled to the detection device. The controller determines the position of the beam stage loader-armored face conveyor interface based on a signal from the first indicator device, determines a position of a maingate line based on a signal from a maingate indicator device, and determines a position of a belt conveyor based on a signal from a belt conveyor indicator device. The controller further determines a first distance between the position of the beam stage loader-armored face conveyor interface and a maingate line, and a second distance between the position of the belt conveyor and the maingate line. The controller generates an indication of face creep based on the first distance and the second distance.

A monitoring device and method for monitoring a longwall mining system having a plurality of roof supports, each roof support including a pressure sensor to determine pressure levels of the roof support during a monitoring cycle. Pressure data is obtained for the plurality of roof supports. The pressure data includes pressure information for each roof support of the plurality of roof supports over a monitoring cycle. The pressure data is analyzed to determine, for each roof support, whether a first type pressure failure occurred during the monitoring cycle. A fault quantity is generated that represents the number of roof supports determined to have had the first type of pressure failure occur during the monitoring cycle. An alert is generated upon determining that the fault quantity exceeds an alert threshold.

A monitoring device and method for monitoring a longwall mining system having a plurality of roof supports, each roof support including a pressure sensor to determine pressure levels of the roof support during a monitoring cycle. Pressure data is obtained for the plurality of roof supports. The pressure data includes pressure information for each roof support of the plurality of roof supports over a monitoring cycle. The pressure data is analyzed to determine, for each roof support, whether a first type pressure failure occurred during the monitoring cycle. A fault quantity is generated that represents the number of roof supports determined to have had the first type of pressure failure occur during the monitoring cycle. An alert is generated upon determining that the fault quantity exceeds an alert threshold.

The present invention pertains to a method for monitoring operation of a mining machine unit, particularly of a longwall mining system, having a shield unit connected to a material removing unit by means of an actuator for adjusting a distance between the shield unit and the material removing unit, the method comprises the steps of determining a position change of the shield unit during an actuating operation of the actuator; and a step of detecting a malfunction of the mining machine unit based on the determined position change.

A system for controlling a roof support, including a canopy for engaging a mine surface, includes a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a position of an end of the canopy, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive the signal and determine whether a portion of a mining machine will contact a portion of the canopy based on the signal.

A system for controlling a roof support, including a canopy for engaging a mine surface, includes a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a position of an end of the canopy, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive the signal and determine whether a portion of a mining machine will contact a portion of the canopy based on the signal.

A system for navigation detection and inclination measurement of advanced hydraulic supports, including a detection device module, a signal transfer transmission module, connected to the detection device module, and used to integrate ultrasonic signals and inclination signals received from all advanced hydraulic supports and then wirelessly transmit all the signals to an analysis and processing module. The analysis and processing module, connected to the signal transfer transmission module, and used to receive the signals from the signal integration and transmission device for analysis, where if an analysis result shows an abnormal situation, an alarm will b e immediately given to a worker. If the analysis result shows a continuous abnormal situation, or a relatively large value indicating the abnormal situation is generated, a command will be immediately sent to make the advanced hydraulic supports stop operating in a current mode.