Thomas S Mal

US Patent:

54072530, Apr 18, 1995

Filed:

Jul 6, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/268538

Inventors:

Steven J. Page - Pittsburgh PA
Thomas Mal - Pittsburgh PA

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the
Interior - Washington DC

International Classification:

E21C 3522

US Classification:

299 12

Abstract:

The invention relates to a water spray ventilator system mounted on a continuous mining machine to streamline airflow and provide effective face ventilation of both respirable dust and methane in underground coal mines. This system has two side spray nozzles mounted one on each side of the mining machine and six spray nozzles disposed on a manifold mounted to the underside of the machine boom. The six spray nozzles are angularly and laterally oriented on the manifold so as to provide non-overlapping spray patterns along the length of the cutter drum.