PLANER MINING INSTALLATION

A mineral mining installation composed of a plough movable along a multi-section conveyor. The plough is constructed from an elongate beam supported in parallelism with and above the mineral face side of the conveyor. The beam is supported at its ends by means of a combination of rigid columns and cutter bit carriers pivotably attached to the beam. The cutter bit carriers engage a guide rail at the mineral face side of the conveyor and the columns are in turn supported on the carriers. The beam and carriers form a parallelogram-type linkage with the guide rail and the carriers pivot to a limited extent as the plough is moved along the conveyor. A further support means extends from the beam over the conveyor and is guided at the goaf side of the conveyor where a drive chain is provided. Sets of cutter bits are attached to the columns and the beam as well as to the cutter bit carriers.