Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
_ 2 - ~9675
The invention relates to a device for determining the
position of the cutting head of a drift advarlcing machine
or winning machine (Langley shearing machine or heading
machine). For determining the position of the cutting head
of a drift advancing machine or of a winning machine rota-
live to a nominal profile to be cut it is already known
to arrange on the frame of the cutting machine radiation
receivers which permit to determine in cooperation with
signals of a transmitter stationarily arranged in the
drift to determine the space coordinates of the longitu-
dial axis of the cutting machine. sawed on the space
coordinates of the frame of the cutting machine and, no-
spectively, the longitudinal axis of the cutting machine
determined in this manner, the coordinates of the cutting
head were determined with -the aid of additional signals
and, above all, by using signals of further means for
determining the pivotal position of the cutting arm rota-
live to the cutting machine. It is known to pro-
vise in such machines indicating devices in which the
cutting head was pictured in a spatial or plane represent
station relative -to the nominal profile. It is common or
all known constructions that the position of the cutting
head itself could never be directly determined and-that
the actual space coordinates of the cutting head are con-
eluded from parallel deviations from the horizontal and the vertical direction, from the inclined position and
the inclination relative to the drift axis as well as the
roll angle of the machine with considerable technical
~;''~ \
~L2Z9~;75i
expenditure. On account of the great number of the no-
- squired constructional parts such devices showed a high
sustains to failures.
The invention now alms at directly determining with-
out determining the position of the chassis of the cutting
machine the position of a cutting head and, respectively,
the cutting heads of partial cut cutting machines relative
to the drift. For solving this task, the device according
to the invention is characterized by a receiver oriented
relative to the longitudinal axis of the drift and adapted
to be mounted within the drift, a transmitter for electron
magnetic radiation within the wave range of 1 em to 10 cm
arranged on the cutting head and/or on a cutting arm and
a telemeter for determining the distance of at least one
reference point on the cutting head and/or on the cutting
arm from the receiver as well as, preferably, an India
acting device for the position of the cutting head relative
to a nominal profile to be cut. On account of a trays-
miller for electromagnetic radiation being now provided
on the cutting head or at a reference point on the cutting
arm, the position of the cutting head can exactly be
expressed in polar coordinates by one single determination
of angle with simultaneous consideration of the distance
of said point from the receiver stationarily arranged with-
in the drift, and said position expression can be used inn indicating device and, respectively, as the control
signal for automatically controlling the drift advancing
or winning machine. With consideration of the dust-loaden
~22~67S
-- 4
atmosphere encountered at the area of the drift face and
thus immediately adjacent the cutting head, for this pun-
pose there are selected radiations which are scattered -to
a lower degree than visible light and have a higher penes
treating capacity, i.e. preferably electromagnetic radian
lion within the wave range of 1 jut to 10 cm which includes
longer waves as visible light. In a particularly ad van-
tageous manner, the heat generated during cutting work
can be made use of because the bits and the cutting head
Jo have a substantially higher temperature than their environ-
mint and thus act as transmitters of infrared radiation.
The high temperature difference between the hot bits of
the cutting heads and their environment allows the use of
relatively insensible receivers, noting that, as a rule,
expensive cooling equipment of the receiver can be omitted
Preferably, the receiver is designed as a heat
picture camera being stationarily arranged within the drift
and being oriented relative to the longitudinal axis of the
drift by means of, for example, a conducting ray being a
laser beam commonly used. Such heat picture cameras have
a horizontal line scanning and the video signal thus ox-
twined can directly be used in known electronic equipment,
be made visible on telescreens and/or supplied to a control
equipment. However, the arrangement can also be such,
that the receiver is arranged for swiveling movement and
can, for the purpose of determining the angle between a
line puerilely extending relative to the longitudinal
axis of the drift and (the position vector of) the
967~;
reference point of the cutting head, be oriented against
at least one reference point, formed of the transmitter,
of -the cutting head. Follow-up by means of a servo motor
of such a swivel able receiver and its orientation in
direction to the transmitter directly supplies a dime-
soon figure for the angle to be measured. In combination
with the distance measured in a manner known per so, for
- example by using infrared radiation, the position of the
cutting head can directly be representated.
If only one reference point is used as the transmitter
it is to recommend to arrange same close to the axis of
rotation of the cutting head because then it becomes
possible to determine the exact position of the cutting
arm in any of its pivotal positions on account of the
known size of a cutting head and the known geometry of
the cutting head and in combination with the measured
distance. The distance can also be measured between the
stationarily arranged receiver and the drift face itself
on account of the cutting head engaging the drift face.
Particularly when using a heat picture camera it is
of particular advantage if the transmitter designed as a
transmitter for infrared radiation is formed of the
cutting head itself having attained operating temperature.
In this case, the whole contour of the cutting head is
received by the receiver and telemetering could in this
case be effected by considering the fact that with a
given size of the cutting head its contour gives a
greater or, respectively, smaller picture in the heat
~L%29~;7~:;
-- 6
picture camera with varying distance of the cutting head
from the heat picture camera. Any reduction of the size
of the cutting head contour as measured with fixed focal
length of the heat picture camera corresponds to a greater
distance from the heat picture camera.
In an advantageous manner, the indicating device has .
a telescreen on which the relative position of the cutting
head and the nominal profile can be represented, noting that
the representation of the nominal profile or the represent
station of the cutting head can be changed in size independence on the distance of the cutting head from a no-
sever for infrared radiation or, respectively, the heat
picture camera. In this manner, the scale of the represent
station on the telescreen can remain unchanged. This can,
in a simple manner be realized if the heat picture camera
has a variable-focus lens the focal length ox which is
adjustable in dependence on the distance of the cutting
head.
The preferred embodiment of the device according to
the invention consists in that the heat picture camera is
stationarily arranged within the drift in an oriented
manner, in that the heat picture is in a manner known per
so scanned along lines and in that the video signal thus
obtained is supplied to the indicating device and/or to
a control ecluipment controlling the movement of the cutting
head.
In -the following/the invention is further explained
with reverence to embodiments shown in the drawing.
~ZZ9~7~;
-- 7--
In -the drawing
Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the
device being arranged within a drift,
Figures 2 and 3 show a representation of the geometric
conditions applicable for determining the space coordinates,
Figure 4 schematically shows the device according to
Figure 1 in a side elevation,
Figure 5 shows the picture in an indicating device
being connected to the arrangement of Figure 1 and
Figure 6 schematically shows the circuitry required
for evaluating the received signals.
In Figure 1 there is shown a partial cut cutting
machine 1 within a drift 2. The cutting arm of this partial
cutting machine is designated 3 and has at its end two
rotatable supported cutting heads which are rotatable
supported for rotation around an axis 5 transversely
extending relative to the axis of the cutting arm. A
reference point 6 formed of an infrared transmitter is
arranged in closed proximity to said axis 5 on the cutting
arm 3. A heat picture camera 8 is stationarily arranged on
a consolidating frame 7 and is oriented in suitable
manner relative to a drift conducting ray 9 formed of a
laser beam. The stationary receiver 8 determines the
distance between the receiver 8 and the reference point 6,
formed of an infrared transmitter, on the cutting arm.
The Cartesian coordinates of the reference system of
the receiver are designated x, y and z, and two angles
are measured relative to this coordinate system as
- 122967~
is explained by Figures 2 and 3.
In Figure 2, the Cartesian reference system is shown
as having its origin point at the measuring point of the
heat picture camera 8. The x-y-plane is in a simple
manner oriented in parallel relation to the drift conducting
ray 9. Based on such an orientation of the reference
system of the heat picture camera, the reference point 6
of the cutting arm and, respectively, cutting head is
expressed in polar coordinates by the angles I, y and the
distance r. Two angles and the distance between the point
of origin of the reference system of the heat picture
camera 8 and -the reference point on the cutting head or,
respectively, cutting arm are measured In an equally well
suitable manner also the outer contour, designated 10 in
Figure 1, of the cutting heads can as a whole be scanned
by means of a heat picture camera. In Figure 3 there are
shown the angles to be measured.
Also in Figure 4, the receiver 8 is stationarily
arranged and oriented relative to the lGn~itudinal axis
of the drift, the receiver being fixedly mounted on a con-
solidating frame 7. In this case, the angle is measured
relative to the x-y-plane of the reference system of the
receiver and is therefore reduced for 90 over the-angle
in Figure 3. In an analogous manner, the angle results,
in the top plan view not shown, starting from the x-axis
of the reference system of the receiver. In place of the
distance r between the reference point 6 on the cutting
arm and the measuring point of the receiver 8/there can be
_ 9 _ ~22~6~
measured the distance a between the receiver 8 and the
drift face 11, because this distance is, with a greater
distance of the receiver 8 from the reference point 6,
only insignificantly different from the distance r.
If now, in place of a certain reference point 6 lo-
acted on the cutting arm or on the cutting head and formed
of an infrared transmitter, the whole outer contour I of
the cutting heads 4 is depicted by the heat picture camera,
there can immediately be obtained the representation, shown
in Figure 5, on the telescreen from the video signal of
the heat picture camera. The screen of the monitors 12 is
designated 13 and shows the nominal profile 14 of the drift
to be advanced. The pictures of the cutting heads 4 are
seen within this nominal profile 14, the tracks ox the no-
toting bits being clearly depicted as substantially Yen-
tidal extending strokes.
- A circuitry suitable for scanning the video signal of
the heat picture camera is schematically shown in Figure 6.
The heat picture camera is designated 8 as is the receiver.
Signals for vertical and horizontal beam deflection are
supplied to the camera via conduits 15 and, respectively,
16. The video signal arrives, via a line 17 and a
differential element 18 to a comparator 19 and can immedia-
tell be supplied to the monitor 12.
For the purpose of automatically controlling the
operating movement of the cutting head and, respectively,
the cutting arm, this signal can, however, also be supplied
to a picture evaluating circuit 20. Thus, separate actuating
l 12Z~675
signals for the three space coordinates of the position
- of the cutting head can be derived via lines 21.
