Importance

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Abstract

Embodiments of this invention relate to highwall mining, and more particularly to a launch vehicle adapted for use in highwall mining of downward angled seams of mineable material, such as coal. More specifically, the provided launch vehicle includes a lower deck, an upper deck disposed above the lower deck, a launch deck pivotally attached to the upper deck, a first conveyor belt carried on the lower deck and a second conveyor belt carried on the launch deck. A conveyor car is positioned on the launch deck while the launch deck is in a substantially horizontal orientation, then the launch deck is tilted in a vertical place relative to the upper deck to substantially match a dip angle of the seam to be mined. The conveyor car is attached to a conveyor train extending into the seam as the rearmost car in the train. As the conveyor train advances into the seam, the launch deck is returned to a horizontal orientation, an additional conveyor car is added to the launch deck, and the launch deck is again tilted to substantially match the dip angle of the seam to add the additional conveyor car as the new rearmost car in the conveyor train.

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First Claim