Water spray system for continuous miner and method of use

Abstract

A continuous miner has a number of specially located water sprays to form a curtain of water spray across at least a portion of the miner width and behind the cutting assembly of the miner to suppress dust that would otherwise be directed to the operator of the miner and cause the miner operation to be out of compliance with safety regulations.

1 . In a miner having a cutting head assembly, a conveyor assembly for removing a material mined by the cutting head, and an operator area located behind the cutting head assembly, the improvement comprising a plurality of water spray assemblies, each assembly adapted to connect to a source of water, with the water spray assemblies located on the miner to form a curtain of water spray across at least a portion of the width of the miner, in a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the miner and between the operator area and the cutting head assembly. 
     
     
         2 . The miner of  claim 1 , wherein the miner has rub rails along sides of the miner and at least one water spray assembly is mounted on each rub rail. 
     
     
         3 . The miner of  claim 1 , wherein the water spray assembly includes a plurality of manifolds, each with at least one spray nozzle to form the water spray curtain. 
     
     
         4 . The miner of  claim 2 , wherein the water spray assembly includes a plurality of manifolds, each with at least one spray nozzle to form the water spray curtain. 
     
     
         5 . The miner of  claim 1 , wherein each manifold has at least one spray nozzle to form the water spray curtain and at least one other spray nozzle to spray water away from the miner. 
     
     
         6 . The miner of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one other spray nozzle directs water spray in direction opposite to the at least one spray nozzle or in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         7 . The miner of  claim 1 , wherein the water spray assemblies are configured such that the water spray curtain extends across the entire width of the miner. 
     
     
         8 . In a method of mining a material using a miner having a cutting head assembly, a conveyor assembly for removing a material mined by the cutting head, and an operator area located behind the cutting head assembly, the improvement comprising forming a curtain of water spray in a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the miner and across at least a portion of the width of the miner and between the operator area and the cutting head assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the water spray curtain extends along an entire width of the miner. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising also spraying water behind the cutting head assembly in a direction opposite the direction of the formed water spray curtain or a vertical direction. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising also spraying water behind the cutting head assembly in a direction opposite the direction of the formed water spray curtain or a vertical direction. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the curtain of water spray is formed by at least one water spray assembly mounted to each side of the miner. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one water spray assembly is mounted to a rub rail on each side of the miner.