Miner guidance using laser and image analysis

US6203111A · kind A · utility

Inventors

• Mark Ollis · Oil City, US
• Steven Scheding · Red Hill, AU
• Christopher Fromme · Fürth, DE
• Jorgen Pederson · Pittsburgh, US
• John Bares · Pittsburgh, US
• Herman Herman · Gibsonia, US
• Anthony Stentz · Pittsburgh, US
• David Kevin Herdle · Chambersburg, US
• Frank Higgins · Trenton, US
• Bryan G. Campbell · Oil City, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 29, 1999
• Grant date: Mar 20, 2001
• Expiry date: Oct 29, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC E): Fixed Constructions
• CPC primary: E21D9/004
• WIPO field: Civil engineering
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

A mining machine comprising a vehicle body having forward and rearward ends, the vehicle body being movable along a mine floor, a cutter head mounted on the forward end of the vehicle body, and a position sensing and control apparatus including first and second generally vertical, generally parallel surfaces on the vehicle body, an off-board light source emitting a light beam that strikes the surfaces, an imaging device for imaging both of the plates in a single image, and a computer receiving the single image from the camera, the computer using the single image to determine at least one of the roll, yaw and lateral offset of the machine.