A roadheader is a self-propelled digging machine used in mining, tunneling, and road construction. It has a cutting head on a pivoting extension arm that removes debris onto a chain conveyor, making it precise and safe. Roadheaders are available in various sizes, with the largest weighing 120 tons and powered by motors exceeding 600 horsepower.
A roadheader is a self-propelled digging machine that combines cutting and rubble removal in one vehicle. Driven by a pair of track-type tracks, the road header consists of a cutting head mounted on a pivoting extension arm. The arm is mounted above a chain conveyor assembly fronted by a paddle shaped paddle. The shovel features two rotating pick-up arms that drag the cut debris that falls from the cutting head onto the conveyor, which then carries it to the rear of the machine and onto a waiting transport. These machines are used in a variety of excavation applications including mining, tunneling and road construction.
Most roadheaders are electrically powered, driven by tank-like tracks. They feature a large rotating cutting head mounted on a hydraulically operated extension arm at the front of the machine. The cutting heads can be spiral, cone or ball shaped and all feature concentric rows of hardened and removable cutting teeth. As the cutting head rotates, it abrades or rips material away from the work surface, constantly advancing the cut.
The roadhead cutting arm can extend along its axis, ascend or descend, or rotate in an arc along its axis. This makes the machines among the most flexible excavators in terms of cutting areas. The roadheader also features a cut that disturbs very little, if any, adjacent material, making cutting precise and safe. They are also ideal for applications where frequent direction changes are required to cut side tunnels.
An inclined chain conveyor, which runs from the front of the machine in the shape of a dustpan, much like a household dustpan, is located under the cutting head and arm. On either side of the paddle are two rotating picking arms that ride with the conveyor. As the head cuts, debris falls under the head and is pulled onto the headstock and into the conveyor channel by the arms. The hauler then carries the rubble to the rear of the machine, where it is unloaded onto a truck, shuttle or other hauler for removal from the work area. The carrier’s arm is often articulated, allowing it to twist almost like a scorpion’s tail to fit the tight confines of the face.
Roadheaders are available in a variety of sizes to fit all applications. The largest machines feature cutting heights of 26 feet (8 meters) and cutting widths of 30 feet (10 meters) and weigh approximately 120 tons and are powered by motors exceeding 600 horsepower (400 kW). The smallest specimens are not much bigger than a Bobcat loader, with 40 horsepower (30 kW) engines.
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