Continuous material haulage system and method

Abstract

A material haulage system that transports mining materials, such as but not limited to, coal, ore, etc., from a mine is provided. The material transport system includes a continuous conveyor that transports the mining material, a movable assembly that moves and/or supports the continuous conveyor, and a propulsion assembly attached to the movable assembly that maneuver the continuous conveyor through the mine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A material haulage system that transports mining material from a mine comprising:
 a flexible continuous conveyor that transports the mining material;   a movable assembly that moves and/or supports the continuous conveyor; and   a propulsion assembly attached to the movable assembly that maneuver the continuous conveyor through the mine.   
     
     
         2 . The material transport system of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible continuous conveyor is a flexible belt made from a composite material that folds to partially surround or fully surround the material at various locations along a conveyor path during transport. 
     
     
         3 . The material transport system of  claim 2 , wherein the movable assembly includes a framed support that attaches to the propulsion assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The material transport system of  claim 3 , wherein the framed support has a polygonal shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         5 . The material transport system of  claim 4 , wherein the movable assembly includes mechanical flexors disposed inside the framed structure that fold the flexible belt during transport of the material. 
     
     
         6 . The material transport system of  claim 5 , wherein the propulsion assembly includes a plurality of propulsion units spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals that facilitate turning of the material transport system. 
     
     
         7 . The material transport system of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible continuous conveyor is a flexible tube made from a composite material that facilitates turning of the flexible continuous conveyor. 
     
     
         8 . The material transport system of  claim 5 , wherein material is transported through the continuous tube via an air conveyance. 
     
     
         9 . The material transport system of  claim 5 , wherein the material is transported through the continuous tube via a vacuum conveyance. 
     
     
         10 . A mining system for transporting mining material out of a mine comprising:
 a continuous miner;   a crawler mounted crusher attached to the continuous miner;   a material transport system attached to the crawler mounted crusher that transports the mining material out of the mine and includes a flexible tube made from a composite material; and   a plurality of propulsion units attached to the material transport system that maneuver the continuous conveyor through the mine.   
     
     
         11 . The mining system of  claim 10 , wherein the material transport system includes a framed support that attaches to the plurality of propulsion units, wherein the framed support has a polygonal shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         12 . The mining system of  claim 11  further comprising a fog generator that suppresses dust inside the mine during transport of the mining material. 
     
     
         13 . The mining system of  claim 12 , wherein the material transport system includes mechanical flexors disposed inside the framed structure that fold the flexible tube during transport of the mining material. 
     
     
         14 . The mining system of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of propulsion units spaced are apart from each other at predetermined intervals to facilitate turning of the material transport system. 
     
     
         15 . The mining system of  claim 10 , wherein the mining material is transported through the continuous tube via an air conveyance. 
     
     
         16 . The mining system of  claim 10 , wherein the mining material is transported through the continuous tube via a vacuum conveyance. 
     
     
         17 . A method of mining material comprising:
 providing a flexible continuous conveyor having a material receiving end and a material discharge end;   receiving mining material at the receiving end of the material transport system;   shaping the flexible conveyor into a continuous tubular shape with rollers such that each end of the conveyor overlaps each other; and   conveying the mining material from the material receiving end to the material discharge end,   wherein the flexible continuous conveyor is made from a composite material that facilitates turning of the flexible continuous conveyor.   
     
     
         18 . The material transport system of  claim 17  further comprising providing a plurality of propulsion units attached to the flexible continuous conveyor at predetermined spaced intervals that facilitate turning of the flexible continuous conveyor. 
     
     
         19 . The material transport system of  claim 18 , wherein material is transported through the continuous tubular shape via an air conveyance. 
     
     
         20 . The material transport system of  claim 18 , wherein the material is transported through the continuous tubular shape via a vacuum conveyance.