Tom A Weeks

US Patent:

7980806, Jul 19, 2011

Filed:

Feb 5, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/702274

Inventors:

Robert B Conner - Pulaski VA, US
Tom A Weeks - Beckley WV, US

International Classification:

B66F 11/00

US Classification:

414589, 414680

Abstract:

A vehicle supported mine item positioning apparatus for placing, for example, heavy mining conveyor belt items such as roller assemblies, conveyor frame side rails, frame sections or the like in precise positions for attachment to other conveyor structure, wherein the vehicle can get into cramped quarters in the mine alongside the conveyor and extend, retract, rotate and further manipulate an item pick-up crane mounted on the vehicle, whereby the crane with item pick-up means mounted on an end thereof can pick up and place, e. g. , a roller assembly in a precise position and posture on a conveyor frame for making said attachment, and further in a preferred embodiment, the apparatus is provided with second crane means for lifting a moving conveyor belt off of a roller assembly for replacement of said assembly with or without stopping the belt, whereby worker lifting and manipulation of heavy roller assemblies or other heavy mining structures is eliminated.