A method and apparatus for cutting a borehole substantially in the shape of
a bread loaf within a mine includes four cutting systems. The first
cutting system is a pair of three-armed, counter rotating, cutting heads
which remove material from the mine face in a substantially vertical
plane. The second cutting system is a pair of rotating cutting drums which
follow the pair of counter rotating cutting heads. The third cutting
system is a substantially vertical, rotating cutting head which removes
the kerf formed at the ceiling or roof portion of the borehole. The fourth
cutting system is a plow which both removes the kerf at the bottom of the
borehole and directs the mined material to a conveyor system to remove the
mined material from the mine.