Transactions of 
 
 THE HUDSON COAL COMPANY 
 
 Vol. 1 Noe 
 
 Discussion of this paper is invited. It will be printed and cir- 
 culated previous to the meetings held in conjunction with the Safety 
 Institute, at which it will be discussed. If this is not possible, then 
 discussion in writing may be sent to the Secretary of the Institute, 
 434 Wyoming Avenue, Scranton, Pa. Unless special arrangement 
 is made, the discussion of this paper will close thirty days after the 
 presentation of the paper, at the Safety Institute Meeting. 
 
 MECHANICAL MINING 
 
 By the Committee on Mechanical Mining 
 
 Heo? KGYYN © RecChairman, 
 
 Assistant to Vice-President and General Manager 
 Jelek. BROWN, 
 
 Assistant to Vice-President and General Manager 
 Pee RETGCHARD; 
 
 Colliery Superintendent. 
 De lavAN HORN, 
 
 Colliery Superintendent. 
 GEORGE MASON, 
 
 Assistant Colliery Superintendent. 
 N. H. RAIBER, 
 
 Special Engineer. 
 
 JAMES LOFTUS, 
 
 Assistant Inside Foreman. 
 
 JOHN D. JONES, 
 
 Machine Mining Foreman. 
 
 69 
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 jis ate 
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MECHANICAL MINING 
 
 IN ER@ DUC ELON 
 CHAPTER 1.—MODERN COAL MINING MACHINES 
 
 1 Percussive Machines 
 
 (a) Punchers 
 
 (b) Radial Percussive Machines 
 PAG Lee 
 
 (b) Disc 
 
 (cya Ghain 
 
 CHAPTER 2—AUXILIARY APPLIANCES 
 (a) Trucks 
 (b) Drills 
 (c) Jackhammers 
 
 (d) Compressors 
 
 CHAPTER 3—LOADING APPLIANCES 
 
 (a) Shovels 
 (b) Conveyors 
 
 (c) Loading Machines 
 
 (da) S5Craper 
 
 CHAPTER 4—-METHODS OF OPERATION 
 (a) Headings 
 (b) Chamber Mining 
 
 (c) Longwall Mining 
 
 CHAPTER 5—ORGANIZATION 
 
 (a) Arrangement of Operations 
 
 (b) Care of Machines 
 
 CHAPTER 6—THE BENEFICIAL RESULT OF MACHINE 
 MINING.TO THE ANTHRACITE INDUSTRY 
 
io) 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 During the year 1917—77,062,787 tons of anthracite coal were 
 produced of which 1,745,735 tons, or 2.3 percent., resulted from 
 machine mine operations. As a contrast, in 1912 a tonnage of 
 64,667,249 was mined and in that year, only 0.34 percent. was mined 
 by machines. The growth of production from 0.34 percent. to 2.3 
 percent. in five years is ample evidence of the importance of this 
 subject. It would hardly be necessary to provide any further in- 
 troduction, were it not for the fact that in the Anthracite Region 
 the progress of machines has not been so rapid as in the Bituminous 
 Fields of Pennsylvania where during 1917—172,448,142 tons of coal 
 were produced, 95,423,140 tons or 55.3 percent. being machine 
 mined, while 1912 had a production of 161,865,488 tons, of which 
 machines produced 82,192,042, or 50.8 percent. Interest, therefore, 
 in the whole question of machine mining does not rest so much on 
 what has been accomplished in the past, as on what it is possible 
 and necessary to do in the future. 
 
 Mining machines were originally designated for cutting in 
 bituminous coal only. Anthracite on account of its hardness, was 
 long neglected as too troublesome a problem, and it has only been 
 during the past few years, comparatively speaking, that the manu- 
 facturers have turned their attention to the possibilities of the hard 
 coal fields. The first machine to operate in anthracite was placed 
 in the Butler Mine of the Hillside Coal & Iron Co., December 23, 
 1910, by the Sullivan Machinery Company. This cutter had not 
 been specially designed to mine this class of coal, but even with 
 that drawback, two thirty-foot chambers were cut five feet deep in 
 three hours, demonstrating beyond a doubt that with heavier equip- 
 ment and some minor changes in design, mining machines would 
 work in hard coal. Growing from this very recent start, there are 
 now about 90 mining machines in the Northern Coal Fields. 
 
 In the 100 years from 1761, over sixty patents were taken out 
 for coal cutting machinery. In the most of them, some form of the 
 miner’s pick was used, but by degrees this primitive idea was de- 
 parted from and other inventors used first, some form of circular 
 saw or disk; second, chisels or bits attached to moving chains; 
 third, cutting by impact. In all these devices the machine was 
 to be driven by hand, water, steam or compressed air. It was 
 not until years after, that electricity came to play its part in machine 
 mining. To its advent and application is due the commencement 
 of a real success in coal mining. 
 
4 
 
 GHA PA Rat 
 MODERN COAL MINING MACHINES 
 Types of Coal Cutting Machines 
 
 In general, coal cutting machines can be divided into the fol- 
 lowing groups: 
 
 1. Percussive Machines 
 (a) Punchers 
 (b) Radial Percussive 
 
 2. Cutting Machines 
 (ayeeisat 
 (b) Dise 
 (c)e Chain 
 
 1. PERCUSSIVE MACHINES 
 Punchers 
 
 Machines of this type work practically in the same manner as 
 the miner does with the pick. It is set on a platform, 3 to 4 feet 
 wide, with a slight pitch toward the face, the operator holding his 
 foot against the wheel to retard the recoil. Owing to the rapid 
 vibration caused by the recoil, this machine is heavy on the oper- 
 ator. Fig. 1 shows the puncher type machine on its platform, the 
 position of the operator, and his helper, who clears the cutting 
 away from the machine. 
 
 
 
 Figure I|—Punching Machine in Actual Operation. 
 
tn 
 
 Radial Percussive Cutters 
 
 In this type the cylinder of the machine is mounted on an 
 extension column, provided with a worm gear, wheel and ratchet 
 around which the cylinder with pick attached, can be revolved 
 through 360 degrees, as shown in Fig. 2. In operation, the cutter 
 is set up in the center of the gangway or chamber and by using a 
 series of lengthening steels, 12-in.—24-in.—36-in. to 8 feet, provided 
 with five prong removable cutters, undercuts a square face giving a 
 six to eight foot undercut about fifteen feet wide. While two cuts 
 are therefore required for a 30-foot chamber, one will cut out a 
 gangway in slightly over an hour. The machine is readily set up, 
 can be carried around rapidly by two men; will undercut in any 
 position in the vein, and can, therefore, be used to eliminate bands 
 of useless material. A speed of cutting equal to 840 square feet 
 in 8 hours has been attained with this type of cutter in soft coal 
 4 foot 6 inches high. This would be equal to four and one-half 
 30-foot chambers with a six foot undercut in eight hours. As the 
 machine is air driven, its efficiency depends largely upon the air 
 pressure maintained. 
 
 
 
 Figure 2—Radial Percussive Coal Cutter. 
 
Disk Machines 
 
 The disk machine was designed for longwall work, and it is one 
 of the heaviest and fastest cutters, cleaning out the kerf by its own 
 action. In principle it is almost identical with a circular cut-off 
 saw ina lumber mill, that is to say, the disk or circular saw is pulled 
 or pushed into the material to be cut, and the cutting is done by 
 means of bits or cutters inserted into the periphery of a wheel. 
 Wheels of different diameters are used so as to undercut from three 
 to six feet in the different sizes made. A disadvantage of this type 
 is the liability of the wheel to get clogged or jammed by coal falling 
 on the wheel or impurities in the bed, in the undercut. 
 
 Chain Machines 
 
 There are a large number of machines operating with a chain 
 cutter, this class being the most universally used appliance in use 
 to-day. The most important types are as follows: 
 
 Shearing Machine 
 
 Chain Breast Machine 
 
 Arc Wall Machines and Overcutters 
 Straight Face Machines 
 
 Short Wall or Continuous Coal Cutters 
 
 Ee me ek eee 
 
 Longwall Machines. 
 
 Shearing Machine 
 
 Shearing is a method of obtaining faces of least resistance that 
 is not practised in the anthracite region. The machine is held in 
 position by three supports which are fastened to the bottom and 
 the roof by extension screws. The machine makes a vertical cut 
 from 5 to 7 feet deep and 3 feet at one setting. It is then raised 
 or lowered by its own power to make another cut directly above 
 or below the first. A truck carries it to the working face. 
 
 Chain Breast Machines 
 
 The introduction of the Chain Breast Machine was an impor- 
 tant change for the better, over the first cutter bar machines. Fig. 3 
 shows one of the latest types of chain breast machines, electrically 
 
N 
 
 driven. In some cases a compressed air motor is provided. The 
 movable arm carrying the chain and the motcr is fed forward at a 
 speed of about one foot per minute, depending of course, upon the 
 nature of the material cut, both ends of the machine being held in 
 place by jacks. These jacks are attached to the machine and are 
 screwed into the roof. The frame carrying the chain is triangular 
 in form, and the front or cutting end of the triangle is three feet six 
 inches long. The speed of the chain is from 250 to 275 feet per 
 minute. 
 
 
 
 Figure 3—Latest Type of Chain Breast Machine. 
 
 In operation the machine is taken off the truck at the face and 
 barred over to the right corner of the chamber or room. The cut- 
 ting end is placed against the face, and the side of the machine is 
 placed close against the rib. In this position the machine is securely 
 jacked—the power turned on and the frame carrying the cutter 
 chain is driven into the coal, making an undercut six feet deep and 
 three feet six inches wide. When the cut is completed, the motor 
 is reversed and the frame carrying the chain is withdrawn. The 
 machine is then barred over three feet six inches and another cut 
 made, this operation being repeated until all the face is undercut. 
 
 There are a number of objections to this type of machine. In 
 the first place, props have been kept back from the face at least 
 twelve feet, which is a dangerous practice unless the roof is very 
 strong. It takes considerable time and labor shifting machinery for 
 each cut. Unless care is used there will be blocks of coal remaining 
 uncut, and on account of the length of time required to make the 
 cuts, there is great danger of the frame being jammed by falling 
 coal. 
 

 
 Figure 4—Arc Wall Mining Machine. 
 
 Arc Wall Machines and Overcutters 
 
 A comparatively new type of coal cutter is called “Arc Wall.” 
 The machine is shown in Fig. 4. As its name implies, the path of 
 the undercut is angarc of a circle, The machine willicut mom 
 two feet to six feet above the floor, and is especially designed to 
 cut out binders. It is self-propelling with a speed travel of 3% 
 niles per hour. No time is lost in loading or unloading the machine 
 from truck, as it is self-contained and ready to make a cut the 
 moment it reaches the face. The machine can be built to cut any- 
 where above the top of the rail, and it is adjustable while in opera- 
 tion, carries a seven foot bar with a twenty foot sweep, and may 
 be used for cutting chambers or headings. 
 
 
 
 Figure 5—Arc Wall Machine Cutting 20-Foot Chamber. 
 
a 
 
 Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the machine in a position 
 for cutting, Fig. 6 illustrates the methods used in cutting heading 
 and in driving 20 foot chambers. 
 
 CCHALL MACHINE CUTTING CUMBERS 6 HEADINGS - 
 
 
 
 ——it_ at 
 READY TO SUMP UNSUMPED 
 CUTTING CHAMBERS 
 
10 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 7—Straight Face Machine Arm in Position for Sumping. 
 
 Straight Face Machine 
 
 The straight face machine, of which the Goodman is a good 
 example, is, in a great many respects similar to the arc wall machine. 
 Fig. 7 is a front view of the machine. The operation is wholly me- 
 chanical, the cutter is self-propelled, remaining on the track while 
 it cuts, with one sweep, a straight face, cutting places. from ten to 
 twenty feet wide at any height. Automatic stops are provided for 
 limiting the swing of cutter arm at any desired point at either side. 
 The base of the machine is a steel casting mounted on four truck 
 wheels. The top surface of the base on which the operating portion 
 of the machine moves is machined. The cutter arm is adjusted by 
 pinions working in racks at the four upright guides. Two motors 
 are used, one for driving the cutter chain and raising and lowering 
 the cutter arm, the other is used for feeding the machine, drilling 
 for an anchor, and propelling the truck from place to place. The 
 cutting element may be changed at any time from a center cutter 
 to a top cutter or vice versa. A trolley pole is supplied for ma- 
 chines running on haulage headings, and a cable reel for chambers. 
 Figure 8 shows the various operations in obtaining a straight face 
 ina heading. When driving a 20-foot place the cutter arm makes a 
 sweep of 180 degrees. Of much the same character is one of the 
 latest Oldroyd types of which some illustrations are given herewith 
 which show quite clearly the range of cutting positions possible 
 with this machine. Fig. 9 shows the chain cutter head lowered to a 
 level with the bottom, or 9 inches below the level of the bottom, 
 if’ the cuttine is not toowhard Mor picks. lhe cuttersncadscaumre 
 lowered so as to raise the front trucks 9 inches above top of rail. 
 This permits machine to lift itself on the track. The cutter head 
 may then be mechanically and quickly raised to any height or posi- 
 tion required. Fig. 10 shows the cutter head adjusted for center 
 cutting. Ifa higher position than this is required, cutter head may 
 be turned over and raised to a maximum height of 6 feet 6% inches, 
 as shown in Fig. 11. 
 
! 
 
 = 7 bo 
 READY TO SUMP 
 
 palit sade : aes 
 FINISHING CUT 
 
 
 
12 
 
 
 
 Figure 9—Oldroyd Chain Cutter Head Lowered Down to the Bottom, Below 
 the Rail. 
 
 
 
 Figure 10—Oldroyd Cutter Head Adjusted for Center Cutting. 
 
 
 
 Figure 11—Oldroyd Cutter Head Raised Horizontally 6 Feet 614 Inches 
 
 from the Bottom. 
 
 
 
 Figure |2—Oldroyd Cutter Head Adjusted About 18 Inches from the Bottom. 
 
 Fig. 12 shows cutter bar brought around to the right hand side 
 of machine and adjusted about 18 inches from the bottom, ready 
 to be brought around from right hand side across the face to under- 
 cut a room 20 feet wide. Fig. 40 also shows very clearly that the 
 machine can be used for slabbing a rib where the track is laid within 
 
1s 
 
 two feet of the face of the coal. The same adjustment can be made 
 in this position, that is from a level with the bottom to a height of 
 6 feet 61% inches. 
 
 
 
 Figure 13—Oldroyd Cutter Arm Brought Over to the Right Side of the 
 Machine Ready to Make a Shearing on the Right-hand Rib. 
 
 Tig. 13 shows cutter arm brought over to the right hand side 
 of the machine, ready to make a shearing on the right hand rib. 
 This shearing can be made by sumping in on a level with the top, or 
 sumping in with the point of the bar on a level with the bottom, 
 that is, the undercut can be made by bringing the bar up, or lowering 
 the same down, aiter cutter bar is sumped under. The cutter bar 
 can be adjusted horizontally across the face so as to make a shear- 
 ing at any point required in an entry 8 feet wide. It will be noted 
 in Fig. 13 that the machine is equipped with an automatic gathering 
 reel to spool 350 or 600 feet of cable. 
 
 Figure 14—Cutter Head Adjusted to the Center of the Track, Ready to Make 
 Center Shearing. 
 
14 
 
 Fig. 14 shows Cutter Head adjusted to the center of the track. 
 ready to make a center shearing with point of bar raised ready to 
 sump under on a level with the roof. 
 
 
 
 Figure 15—Shows Cutter Head Lowered to Floor Ready to Sump Under and 
 Make Shearing Upward. 
 
 Fig. 15 shows cutter head lowered to the floor, ready to sump 
 under and make a shearing upwardly. The point of bar can be 
 brought up to a level with the roof, then the slow feed on the self- 
 propelling track is reversed on a backmotion, drawing the cutter 
 bar from under the coal, leaving a vertical shearing from the bottom 
 to the top at any point required in an entry 8 feet wide. 
 
 
 
 Figure 16—Shows Cutter Bar Adjusted to a Level with the Top of Machine 
 in position to Swing Across a Wide Room, or the Same Position 
 
 Can Be Used for Slabbing. 
 
 Fig. 16 shows cutter bar adjusted to a level with the top of the 
 machine in a position to swing across a wide room, or same position 
 can be used for slabbing. By laying the track within two feet of a 
 rib the bar can be brought around in the coal, or in a parting and 
 machine arm be moved forward or backward along the face of coal. 
 For cutting wide rooms at any width exceeding 20 feet, the track 
 may be laid across the face and an undercut made at any point 
 required from the bottom up to a height of 6 feet 614 inches. 
 

 
 
 
 
 <« 1. Arrow No. 1 points to 
 Worm Gear and Friction Feed. 
 
 <—« 2. Arrow No. 2 shows Eccentric 
 Shaft for tilting point of bar upwardly 
 6” from the center, the same can be 
 lowered 6”. 
 
 Figure |17—Shows Cutter Bar Adjusted as Top Cutter to a Height of 6 Feet 
 614 Inches, ready to Sump Under in Center of the Track. 
 
 Fig. 17 shows cutter bar adjusted as Top Cutter to a height of 
 6 feet 6% inches ready to sump in the center of the track, as Top- 
 Cutter or Over-Cutter. When the bar is sumped under full depth 
 it can be fed across the face from right to left, as may be to the best 
 advantage. Arrow No.1 on this view points to Friction Feed which 
 can be regulated from 12 inches to 36 inches per minute. Arrow 
 No. 2 points to eccentric shaft which is used for adjusting the cutter 
 bar vertically, with the eccentric shaft the point of the cutter bar can 
 be raised upwardly 6 inches, the same adjustment can be made 
 downwardly, so as to take advantage of an entry or room that may 
 be going to the dip or the rise, allowing you always to hold an 
 even top or even bottom. 
 
 
 
 Figure 18—Oil Controllers for 250 or 500 Volts. Note the Accessibility in 
 Getting to Contacts. 
 
16 
 
 
 
 C 
 
 
 
 Figure 18!4—Controller Cylinder and Contacts Raised from Oil Tank Ready 
 to Make Any Repairs. It Will Be Noted When Cylinder Is Closed 
 Down That All Contacts Are Submerged in Transformer Oil. 
 
 Fig. 18 shows Oil Controller for 250 or 500 volts. It will be 
 noted that the cylinder of Controller and Contacts, Fingers, Fuse 
 Wires and automatic Blow-Out Coil is mounted on cover of con- 
 troller. When the cover is raised from oil tank, all the working parts 
 of controller are brought out of the tank, allowing quick adjust- 
 nent without disconnecting any of the cables or Leads from Arma- 
 ture or Fields. 
 
 These machines are equipped with one 50 H. P. motor for 30 
 minutes rating, or 65 H. P. for 15 minutes ratinoeeMotonmaee 
 wound for 250 or 500 volts Direct current. A. C. Motors can be 
 used if desired. The cutter bars are made any length from 5 to 10 
 feet, and the machine is equipped with a powerful handbrake which 
 is used in holding it to the face on heavy grades, and also when 
 propelling on entries. 
 
 Short Wall or Continuous Coal Cutters 
 
 The short-wall mining machine has come nearer solving the 
 problem of mining anthracite by machines than any other device so 
 far invented. It occupies small space thus allowing props to be set 
 close to the face; it accommodates itself to an uneven bottom and 
 an irregular coal face; it unloads and loads itself by its chain or 
 rope feed; it has a rapid cutting capacity and requires no laborious 
 work on the part of the operatives. 
 
 To the Sullivan Machinery Company is due the credit of devel- 
 oping this type of mining machine. After a number of years of 
 
17 
 
 experimenting, the first machine was brought out in 1902. At the 
 present time there are four companies manufacturing continuous 
 cutters. In design, and principle, these machines are similar, but 
 differ from each other in detail. 
 
 The motors have been designed to meet the mining laws, espe- 
 cially where they operate in a gaseous mine, and either direct 
 current or alternating current motors are furnished. The direct cur- 
 rent motors are compound wound. In some machines the armature 
 stands in a vertical position, thus doing away with bevel gearing. 
 Fig. 19 shows the base and gearing of a machine with vertical 
 armature shaft. 
 
 SH OFT 
 
 EIT aS CHAI ORI VE Ge ae 
 
 SES DRIVE SAFETY Of ire £. Vn EMMETT 
 a WOMCH DRIVE GERRI PONION 
 
 PE BT ALOR RS 
 
 
 
 Figure 19—Base and Gearing for Vertical Armature. 
 
 The motors are rated from 30 to 50 H. P. for one hour con- 
 tinuously. For gaseous mines, the motor and all other electrical 
 parts are enclosed in an “explosion-proof” casing, and no machine 
 should be allowed to work in a gaseous mine unless it bears the 
 approval stamp of the Bureau of Mines. With some mining ma- 
 chines the motors may be changed from the open type to the “per- 
 missible explosion proof” type, by alterations that may be made in 
 the field. 
 
 In order to more clearly understand the difference in operation 
 between the continuous cutter and the chain breast machines, Fig. 
 20 is shown and should be compared with Fig. 21, which shows 
 the operation of the chain breast machines. It will be noted that 
 this machine makes the cuts in a series of runs or boards, each about 
 the width of the cutter head. It will also be noted that the props 
 are set from 12 to 14 feet from the face. Now by referring to Fig. 
 20, it will be seen that the continuous cutter makes one clean cut 
 across the face without withdrawing the jib, or cutter bar, and that 
 the props may be set within five to six feet of the face. 
 
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 In the following description of the continuous cutter, the four 
 different makes of machines and a few details are illustrated. 
 
 Fig. 22 shows the Goodman Short-Wall machine in cutting 
 position. 
 
 Fig. 23 shows the Jeffrey Short-Wall machine. 
 
 Fig. 24 shows the Morgan Gardner Short-Wall machine with 
 sheaves and guides for carrying the steel feed rope or drag line. 
 
 Fig. 25 shows the Sullivan Short-Wall machine, the upper 
 view of which shows the machine sumping with pan and sumping 
 bar. The bottom view shows the position for making a continuous 
 cut across the face with pan removed. The machine is set to cut 
 from left to right. 
 
 
 
 Figure 22—Goodman DA Short-Wall Machine. 
 
 
 
 Figure 23—Jeffrey 35-A Short-Wall Machine. 
 
20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 24—Morgan-Gardner SA Short-Wall Machine. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 25—Sullivan Iron Clad Short-Wall Machine. 
 
 Top View Shows Machine Sumping With Pan and Sumping Bar. Lower 
 View Shows Machine in Position to Cut from Left to Right. 
 
2A 
 
 Sketches of the Goodman machine are shown in Figs. 26, 27, 28 
 and 29 which give a picture of its construction. On one machine the 
 cutter arm is of solid, built up construction, with top and bottom 
 smooth. ‘This construction has a tendency to prevent the arm 
 from being jammed by the coal or caught by rough bottom. Fig. 
 30 shows cutter arm and chain described above. The other cutter 
 arms are open in the center and are either built up or solid, one 
 piece, castings. Fig. 31 illustrates this type of cutter arm. 
 
 Goodman Type 12-DA Short-Wall Machine. 
 (Reversible) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 26—Goodman Type 12-DA Short-Wall Machine. 
 
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 Goodman Type 12-DA Short-Wall Machine. 
 (Reversible) 
 
 Showing Operating Levers and Places for Oiling Bearings, Gears, Chain, etc. 
 
 GIL CUTTER HEAD 
 SPROCKET HERE 
 
 OL CUTTER CHAIN 
 BE FE. : 
 Feit Sb 
  O1L ARMATURE BE ARIRG 
 HERE 
 
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 tittle TREE 
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 OL BEARING FOR 
 FEED POPE DRUM” 
 HERE 
 
 OV. BEARING FOR 
 FEED SHAFT HERE 
 
 . (EVER G 
 
 Ol. SREAYVES 
 
 Ol SHEAVE 
 
 
 
 Figure 28—Goodman Type 12DA Short-Wall Machine Showing Mechanism. 
 
24 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 54602 LATCH 
 FOR CHAIN ADJUSTING SCREW 
 
 MN 
 
 
 
 
 
 BAR 
 FOR JACK 
 
 
 
 PINION ~ 
 
 WORM SHAFT 
 a GEAR 
 
 
 
 
 54569 
 BUSHING 
 
 
 
 
 YAaIL ROPE 
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 54585. 
 
 
 
 
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 S456 
 
 4O3B2 FEED SHAFT 
 DRUM FOR é 
 HEAD ROPE | VARIABLE FEES 
 f O2um 
 54568 SeS639 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 PINION g7822 
 erin Sek S782tstuo 
 BUSHING STUO 
 : $4490 
 59697 | Nw renee ~ SHEAVE 
 S727 4 $9315 S9506 GEAR WORM SHAF TIC WORM GEAR 
 
 
 
 
 
 SHEAVE Sheave SOLAR $4489 SHEAVE 
 
 SHORTWALL MAGHINE~ PARTLY ASSEMBLED 
 
 
 
 Figure 29—Goodman Type 12-DA Machine Partly Assembled. 
 

 
 
 
 Figure 30—Solid Cast Steel Cutter Arm. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 31—Solid Built-up Cutter Arm. 
 
 Arms are furnished in lengths from 3% to about 10% feet to 
 suit conditions. These arms are narrow, thus reducing the possi- 
 bility of cramping or being caught under the coal, and allowing 
 more freedom for guiding the arm upward or downward when 
 cutting. 
 
 On one make of machine there is a chain guard which covers 
 the cutter arm and chain when being moved from place to place. 
 The guard slides under the machine when the sumping cut is being 
 made. The chain and bits travel around the cutter arm, being 
 driven by a sprocket wheel on the machine end of the arm. The 
 chain is kept in proper tension by an adjusting screw on the arm. 
 In some of the machines the chain is made reversible, that is, the 
 cutter arm will work from right to left or from left to right across 
 tnesdcee Vio 32 shows-a cutter chain, 
 
 The details of design of chains differ somewhat in the various 
 makes of machines. The chain consists of blocks and straps so 
 pitched that they engage with the sprocket wheel on the arm. In 
 the blocks, the bits are held by means of set screws. The blocks are 
 made for single or double bits or a combination of the two. The 
 bits of either pick pointed or chisel pointed or a combination 
 of the two arranged in three to nine positions to suit the cutting 
 conditions. 
 
 In feeding the cutter arm into the coal, a chain or rope is used, 
 running through friction clutches or wound around a drum or 
 
26 
 
 Goodman Type 12-DA Short-Wall Machine. 
 (Reversible) 
 
 Parts for No. 35 Reversible Bushed Cutter Chains. 
 (Seven Positions for Blocks) 
 
 “KEY 68363 
 
 . CHAIN BLOCK 
 te oe 
 (SIDE VIEW? 
 
 # 
 SIDE UP BLOCK 
 AND 
 OUTSIDE DOWN BLOCK 
 
 SE Sra eK 
 SELUNL INS 
 
 ~ oF et £ 
 SIRS) INS Oe RLOCK 
 EI 
 
 FIRST INSID WN BLOCK 
 
 SECTION OF 
 
 NO. 258 oe, on O4267 ECT . 
 CUTTER CHAIN ET SCRE RIVET ‘ous 
 
 (SIDE VIEW) CUTTER CHAIN 
 ig (FRONT VIEW) 
 
 4 POINT BIT 
 
 
 
 Figure 32—Goodman Type 12-DA Short-Wall Machine Reversible Bushed 
 Cutter Chains. 
 
27 
 
 sheave with either a positive feed clutch or a hand controlled fric- 
 tion. The drag line or tail rope is automatically or hand controlled, 
 and governs the angle at which the cutter arm works, thus keeping 
 the machine in proper position for cutting. 
 
 Jib Section. Moter Section. Haulage Section. 
 
 
 
 Figure 33—One of the Latest Types of Long-Wall Machines. 
 
 * Long-Wall Mining Machines 
 
 Fig. 33 shows one of the latest machines of this type. This 
 machine consists of three sections as shown. ‘The first section 
 is the jib and cutter chain mechanism; the second section or central 
 section comprises the motor, which may be either electricity or 
 air. In the figure the air motor is:shown in place, with the electric 
 motor shown above. With a few alterations these motors are inter- 
 changeable. The third or front section contains the hauling 
 mechanism. All of these sections are rigidly held in place on one 
 base plate. This machine is 29 inches wide, about 8 feet long and 
 18 inches high, and the motors are of 30 to 50 H. P. 
 
 The jib is held in position at right angles to the body of the 
 machine by a locking pin. It is reversible, that is to say, it may be 
 turned about 210 degrees so as to cut right or left handed. The 
 jib may also be locked in a central position for transportation from 
 place to place. When sumping, the haulage chain is attached to 
 the jib and slewed under the coal until the locking pin drops in 
 place. 
 
28 
 
 
 
 
 iif Yyy iy Uy Yy 
 Y, EY 
 
 fy Yi Uy 
 
 
 
 Yj 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 NO THRUST 
 NO CONTACT — hn 
 WITH PROPS WEH 
 
 
 
 NO S/DE 7rA/L 
 
 MQ@q 
 \ \ . 
 
 (AKKKRK _ ACOA : WY | 
 Ui 
 Y/7/ ] 77 Yff 7 Ue YY Y/) 
 
 Cross Section through coal seam with Ironclad at face. 
 
 Figure 34—Cross Section of Machine Cutter Arm Under the Coal. 
 
 _ 
 
 al 
 
 oe 
 SS 
 Le 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 cy LY LY hL® 
 SO 
 
 = 
 Q 
 
 
 
 aU 
 
 ©) SS ps ee => 
 
 iE SCs eee ‘mory 
 pease] <6) any 
 feales! | keyer 
 
 LENGTH FFT pales 
 
 Figure 35—Plan of Long-Wall Machine Cutting from Left to Right. 
 
 } 
 Ree 
 
 
 
 y 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 36—Jeffrey Long-Wall Machine—Mounted on Truck. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 37—Jeffrey Long-Wall Machine—Top View With Cover Removed. 
 
30 
 
 
 
 Figure 38—Jeffrey Long-Wall Machine. 
 
 
 
 Figure 39—Jeffrey Long-Wall Machine. 
 
 Fig. 34 shows cross-section of a coal bed with the jib under- 
 cut below the coal, and the body of the machine close to the face. 
 
 It will be noted how close the props may be set to the face when 
 necessary. 
 
 Fig. 35 shows a plan view of the machine in operation. 
 
 Figs. 36, 37, 38 and 39 illustrate the modern Jeffrey Long-Wall 
 Cutter with swinging cutter arm. 
 
31 
 
 GLA Re 
 
 AUXILIARY APPLIANCES 
 Trucks 
 
 In order to keep up with the speed of the mining machine, it 
 is necessary to follow its work with other labor-saving machines 
 or devices. This is especially so at the present time on account of 
 the scarcity of mine workers, and the thinness of the beds being 
 worked. 
 
 For moving the machine from place to place the self-propelled 
 truck is almost indispensable. All of the companies manufacturing 
 continuous cutters furnish self-propelled trucks with their ma- 
 chines. Trucks may be equipped with trolley poles, which is an 
 advantage when the truck is moved long distances over main haul- 
 age roads. Usually they are geared to travel about three and one- 
 half miles per hour. The platforms on which the machine rests had 
 originally, one section, so that under some conditions the rear wheels 
 would be raised off the rails, when the machine was being unloaded. 
 Later the platform was built in two sections, the front section 
 hinged over the front wheels as shown in Fig. 40. This! truck is 
 known as the “drop front truck.” 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 40—Goodman Drop Front Truck. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ae 
 
 
 
 Figure 41—Jeffrey Turntable or Swivelled Drop Front Truck. 
 
32 
 
 Another form of truck is known as the “Turntable truck.” The 
 platform turns to any angle in a horizontal plane but does not tilt 
 or drop, while a second type combines the “drop front” and “turn- 
 table” feature which allows the machine to be unloaded or loaded 
 directly from each corner of the chamber, or the platform may be 
 turned at right angles to the road for the purpose of unloading 
 the machine to cut cross-cuts or open chambers. This form of 
 truck is shown in Fig. 41. In still another type of truck the front 
 wheels of the truck are made smaller in diameter than the rear 
 wheels, thus giving the platform a slight pitch forward. 
 
 
 
 Figure 42—Goodman Machine on Truck With Reel Trailer Attached. 
 
 Cable Reel 
 
 This device is used to automatically pay out or take up the 
 electric cable, thus prolongine the life ot the cable. =item cemic 
 either attached to the truck as shown in Fig. 41, or carried on a 
 separate truck coupled to the machine. In such a case, the device 
 is called a “reel trailer,” and is shown in Fig. 42. 
 
 Electric Drills 
 
 The use of electric drills in the Anthracite Region is not very 
 general on account of these drills not being adapted to all condi- 
 tions as air drills are. 
 
 There are two types of electrical drills; Figs. 43 and 44, namely, 
 a directly driven electrical drill of the auger type, and the other 
 an electrical drill where the electrical part drives a small air com- 
 pressor which in turn runs the drill as a percussion drill. 
 
 Of the first type drill, there are several different makes and 
 sizes. The Fort Wayne drill is a heavy type auger drill mounted 
 either on a tripod or column, and weighs 575 lbs. This drill has 
 given good results in drilling coal, and the average rock in the 
 Northern Anthracite fields. The great disadvantage of this drill 
 is its weight and size, thus limiting its usefulness to operations 
 where four or five men are employed to handle it and space enough 
 to put it in. 
 
oo 
 
 
 
 Figure 43—Electric Drill. 
 
 Also, there is a drill made by the Howell Drill Mfg. Company. 
 This is an auger type drill weighing about 200 pounds, and is more 
 easily handled than the Fort Wayne drill. This drill seems to give 
 good results in coal, and can drill the softer stratas of rock. This 
 drill is also a heavy drill for general mining purposes, as it takes 
 two or three men to handle it and requires room to work it in. 
 
 There is an auger type drill made by the Chicago Pneumatic 
 Company, and also by the Pneumelectric Company of Syracuse, 
 N. Y. These drills weigh about 50 pounds, and from experiments 
 we are making with these drills, they seem to drill the coal satis- 
 factorily. We are making tests on drilling rock which are not 
 complete enough to arrive at a conclusion. If these drills will stand 
 up on both coal and rock, they should be a very good drill for all 
 mine purposes. 
 
 Of the second type or percussion drill, the amount of machinery 
 makes these drills very heavy and cumbersome and restrict their 
 use, and unless considerable improvement is made on them, they 
 are not a practical all around mine drill. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 44—Electric Coal Drill. 
 
 An electrical drill to be a success in the coal regions must be 
 able to compete with a jackhammer air drill which is in general 
 use; that is, a drill not exceeding 55 pounds in weight, to be able 
 to drill either coal or rock at a good speed; to be able to stand 
 the work with a low maintenance cost not to exceed that of the 
 jackhammer, also to be so constructed as to eliminate any possibility 
 of short circuiting and shocking the miner, as one shock from a 
 drill will finish any further use of it by that man, and it must be 
 adapted for work under both dry and wet conditions. 
 

 
 
 
 Figure 45—The Jackhammer. 
 
 Jackhammer Drill 
 
 The jackhammer is an air driven machine capable of being 
 carried by the miner from place to place. It is 18 inches long with 
 a cylinder diameter of 2% inches by a stroke of 2 inches with an 
 air connection for 34 inch hose, and weighs 40 pounds. Fig. 45 
 shows the jackhammer drill with its hose connection to air valve. 
 In construction the machine is very simple. A rifled bar and ratchet 
 are located in the back of the cylinder, and impart rotation to the 
 piston, which in turn imparts rotation to the drill. The spring 
 device on the lower end is used to hold the drill in the machine. 
 The handles on the other end are sometimes rubber covered, making 
 it easier for the operator to hold the machine to its work. These 
 details are shown in Fig. 46, which is a skeleton view of the jack- 
 hammer. Drills may be used in this machine up to 12 feet in length. 
 Twisted drills are being employed generally for drilling coal, and 
 solid hexagonal chisel pointed bits are used in the rock. 
 
 
 
 Figure 46—Jackhammer in Skeleton. 
 
36 
 
 The jackhammer will drill in the coal from 1% to 2 feet per 
 minute actual drilling time. Taking into consideration the time 
 of rigging machine and getting ready to drill, from 9 to 12 inches 
 can be drilled in the coal per minute. ‘The actual drilling time 
 in rock is from 1 minute to 1% minutes per foot, depending, of 
 course, upon the hardness of the rock. 
 
 
 
 Figure 47—Sullivan Electrically Driven Portable Air Compressor. 
 
 Compressors 
 
 While the portable air compressor can hardly be considered an 
 auxiliary mining machine, nevertheless, it plays an important part 
 in driving jackhammers in mines not equipped with a central air 
 compressor plant. Even where there is a central plant, it is some- 
 times economical in remote sections of the mine to install a portable 
 air compressor. The compressor is driven by an electric motor, and 
 is suitable for pressure of from 50 to 100 pounds. The machine is 
 self-contained and mounted on a truck of any gauge to suit condi- 
 
 tions. An illustration of a portable air compressor is shown in 
 Fig. 47. 
 
PA 
 CHAE i Re ; 
 LOADING APPLIANCES 
 
 This class of machinery came into mining partly as a natural 
 sequence to coal cutting and partly to fulfill a field of its own. 
 These appliances in use can be divided as follows: 
 
 (a) Shovels and loading machines. 
 (b) Conveyors. 
 Loy ocraners: 
 
 Figure 48—Thew Electric Shovel Built for Underground Use, 
 
 
 
38 
 
 (a) Mechanical Shoveling 
 
 Mechanical shoveling is largely the outcome of attempts to 
 apply steam shovel methods to underground work. It is only a 
 recent development and has resulted in the design of two distinct 
 types of machines. The first of these types is shown in Fig. 48, 
 and is a steam shovel only slightly altered in its general arrange- 
 ment, so as to be capable of operation in underground chambers, 
 where limitations of space, both horizontally and vertically, have to 
 be overcome. The shovel illustrated is electrically driven, provided 
 with boom and bucket, and moves on a caterpillar track. It is 
 
 Figure 49—Recent Photograph of No. 2 Type Myers-Whaley Company 
 Shoveling Machine in a 4!4 Seam of Coal. 
 
 
 
oh) 
 
 capable of handling 400 tons per day under favorable conditions. 
 The sketch readily illustrates the fact that these machines can only 
 be utilized in very thick beds, their design precluding performance 
 in beds less than 9 feet thick, and for this reason their sphere of 
 usefulness is limited. 
 
 A type of loading machine is the Myers-Whaley Loader. This 
 machine is a relatively low and long machine, self-propelled on the 
 mine tracks, with a special shovel in front and a conveyor at the 
 back. Fig. 49 shows the operation of this machine in a chamber 
 where the vein is only 414 feet in height. The shovel is the most 
 peculiar part of this machine. It is a double revolving scoop, one 
 within and discharging to the other. The first scoop has the thrust 
 motion, picks up its load, turns backward and unloads to the second 
 scoop, which repeating the revolution in time to return below the 
 first scoop, loads on to the conveyor and hence to the car. The 
 machine swings radially two ways, the front end so that it can 
 operate over the width of the room, and the back end with the con- 
 veyor so that loading can be done into the car in practically any 
 position. Where there is a large tonnage to load, this machine can 
 do. considerable work, and has been known to load at the rate of 
 20 to 40 tons per hour. In Virginia, this machine was used in a 
 long-wall face, with the cars following, and loaded 250 tons in 8 
 hours, an average of 30 tons per man employed. The coal was 4 to 5 
 feet thick. A photograph of this type of machine loading culm is 
 shown in Fig. 50. The success of any mechanical loading machine 
 depends on continuity of operation, and when there are only a few 
 tons per place and much loss of time traveling from room to room, 
 their efficiency is low. Further, they are bulky, and awkward to 
 handle in any but the highest and best of mine roads. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 50—No. 4 Size Machine Loading Anthracite Waste Dump. Myers- 
 Whaley Loading Machine Loading Culm. 
 
 (b) Conveyors 
 
 In very thin beds, or where the cost of moving bottom or top 
 rock to obtain height sufficient for the mine car to follow to the face, 
 is prohibitive, the coal is sometimes loaded into the mine cars by 
 
AO 
 
 means of a conveyor line, traveling along the long-wall face to the 
 mine car on the gangway. 
 
 
 
 Figure 51—Perspective View of Complete Jeffrey Chain Conveyor Outfit. 
 
 When mining machines are used in very thin beds, the problem 
 of moving the coal is a serious one. The cost of taking up bottom 
 rock in headings is an enormous item of expense. With main con- 
 veyors in lateral headings and scrapers and conveyors feeding the 
 main conveyors, the coal could be delivered to the main headings 
 and loaded on cars, thus doing away with a great deal of rock work. 
 Next to the mining machine, no improvements in mining thin beds 
 have been more valuable for handling and loading coal than the con- 
 veyor and its later developments. Notwithstanding that the con- 
 veyor is better adapted for long-wall work, and that this method of 
 mining is very much more practiced in European countries than in 
 \\the United States, the conveyor is the invention of an American. 
 There are a number of forms of conveyors used for handling coal 
 in the mines, the chain and trough conveyor, the belt conveyor, 
 consisting of an endless belt of canvas or rubber, and the moving 
 trough conveyor. The first mentioned, or the chain and trough 
 conveyor, is the form mostly used for handling anthracite. ‘The 
 links are from 9 inches to 12 inches wide moving in a steel plate 
 trough with flaring sides, the return run of the chain being made 
 over an angle steel track located under the trough. The trough 
 is made in sections from 12 to 16 feet long, supported on steel legs 
 or stands, and the conveyor is operated by an electric motor placed 
 near the discharge and speed of travel is from 90 to 125 feet per 
 minute. Fig. 51 shows a perspective view of the conveyor. The 
 chain on this conveyor is 9 inches wide, travels 90 feet per minute 
 with a capacity of ten tons per hour. The full length of the con- 
 veyor may be shifted with bars so that it is kept close to the work- 
 ing face at all times. Fig. 96 shows the chain that drives the 
 sprocket wheel, which in turn moves the conveyor line. 
 
 The belt conveyor is similar in action to the trough conveyor. 
 Instead of a chain, however, there is a moving belt running on 
 rollers which carries the material from face to car. 
 
41 
 
 BUMPING TROUGH CONVEYOR INCLINED SEAMS. Fic 52 
 
 DETAIL 
 
 
 
 RNA 
 a 
 
 WE 
 YY I 
 WE WIKS 
 
 Yo Ny 
 
 
 
 A form of conveyor much used in European countries is the 
 moving trough conveyor shown in Fig. 52. The actuating mechan- 
 ism is shown in Fig. 53. The essential details of operation are 
 that one motion of the motor pulls the trough up the pitch for a 
 
42 
 
 few inches (and artificially created by the use of wheels in an in- 
 clined trough) the reciprocating motion releases it. This conveyor 
 thus abruptly falls away after the material has been carried for- 
 ward, and so in this manner shifts its contents along the trough. 
 This*repeats on the next cyclesoisthesmoto: 
 
 ACTUATING MECHANISM OF TROUGH 
 CONVEYOR SYSTEM 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DIRECTICNY 
 OF TRAVEL 
 
 
 
 
 
43 
 
 These appliances have been placed under the head of conveyors 
 and as such they are not loaders in the strict sense of the term. 
 The loader is a machine which mechanically loads the cars, while 
 these appliances do not, as they have to be themselves loaded by the 
 miner or his laborer. 
 
 (c) Scrapers 
 
 In the development of thin coal mining, the application of the 
 scraper has played an important part. This device is more flexible 
 than a conveyor and has the advantage over the conveyor in that it 
 loads itself and is better adapted to chamber mining than the con- 
 veyor where the pavement is hard. At the same time, the scraper 
 may be used advantageously for long-wall mining. 
 
 
 
 Figure 54—Perspective View of Scraper. 
 
44 
 
 A perspective view of the scraper is shown in Fig. 54. In shape, 
 it is similar to the old fashioned snow plow, but it does its work 
 with the wide end foremost. It is built up from steel plates, the 
 bottom plate on the sides being slightly curved inward so as to 
 scoop the coal. The sides are braced with a piece of channel iron. 
 Three sizes are made. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 55—‘‘Pneumelectric’’ Electrically Driven Two Drum Hoist 
 
 
 
 Figure 56—Lidgewood Electrically Driven Portable Four Drum Hoist. 
 
45 
 
 The hoist operating the scoop is either stationary or portable; 
 the stationary hoist has two drums, Fig. 55, and the portable hoist 
 ‘four drums, Fig. 56. The portable hoist is mounted on a self-pro- 
 pelled truck. Two of the drums are used to haul the scraper back- 
 ward and forward, one drum carrying the main rope and the other 
 drum the tail rope. The two drums on the end are used to pull 
 empty and loaded cars in place. 
 
 
 
 
 y GA | 
 
 Y YY | 
 
 Ly ! 
 
 | 
 
 A | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 GY | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 | 
 
 YA i | 
 
 H OC, 
 
 Z| Y | 
 
 Y, i | 
 
 Y ii PILL AL 
 
 Zit | 
 
 Y i Ye | 
 
 i! | 
 
 Y { 
 
 pe LLL“ Da AGL YUN 
 Tete | GANGWAY OF Sferakss)" 
 
 | he eB, | 
 ; : me Fie, FRi@: Fil, _ File) 
 | (a) () | 
 LEO Sp i my 
 
 
 
 
 7 Vs Wht YM. 
 
 and Scraper Line. 
 
 Figure 58—Section of Two Drum Hoist Through Chamber and Gangway. 
 
 Fig. 57 is a plan showing the arrangement for a two-drum hoist, 
 and Fig. 58 is a longitudinal view. The hoist is set in a cross-cut 
 between the gangway and airway for safety, and from this point 
 is able to handle the scraper in at least five chambers. In the figure 
 the hoist is scraping coal from the chamber opposite the cross-cut. 
 In operation with the scraper at the car, the tail rope drum is started 
 and pulls the scraper to the face of the chamber, the tail rope pulley 
 being located at the far end of the chamber. When the scraper 
 reaches the desired point at the face, the engineer is given a signal 
 
46 
 
 to stop. The scraper man then shifts the scraper to the loose coal; 
 the main rope drum is started and the scraper fills itself with coal, 
 the operation being continuous until the scraper discharges its 
 load in the mine car. 
 
 The direction of the travel of the loaded scraper is regulated 
 by snatch blocks fastened to the rib or to the jacks. It requires 
 from four to seven scraper loads to fill a mine car, depending upon 
 Liersize Olrcal. 
 
 
 
 
 
 De YM Yh; 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 PILLAR 
 
 
 
 YY \\ 
 
 
 
 GY Un El 
 Ge NERA LAYOUT Sor ore Deut A 
 
 Yj 
 
 
 
 Zp ZA R&S WY Y 
 Figure 59—Cross Section of Four Drum Hoist, Chamber and Gangway. 
 
 A plan of the arrangement for the four-drum or portable hoist 
 is shown in Fig. 59. The manipulation of the scraper is practically 
 the same as the two-drum hoist. The arrangements of the tracks, 
 however, is different. It will be noted that in front of each chamber 
 there is a double track, and between the chambers there are only 
 three rails. This arrangement of tracks saves the cutting of rock 
 both for height and width. The ropes and pulleys for the manipu- 
 lation of the light and loaded cars are plainly shown. Fig. 60 shows 
 a longitudinal section of the chamber and a cross-section of the 
 gangway, mine car and hoist. 
 
 At “O” is shown a large wood wheel that changes the direction 
 of the scraper when going up the chamber. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 WH VW 
 
 
 
 (OF 
 SHS 
 
 
 
 WAY, Ya 
 ay 
 
 Figure 60—General Layout for Four Drum Hoist. 
 
47 
 
 CHAPTER 5 
 METHODS OF OPERATION 
 
 Methods of operation may be discussed under three heads, viz: 
 
 (a) Headings 
 (b) Chambers 
 (c) Long-wall 
 
 In anthracite mining there are so many different conditions to 
 meet that it necessarily follows that there will be a great many 
 ditferent methods used to meet these conditions. Not all areas 
 in the mines are suitable for machine mining. This is due, in a 
 measure, to the fact that when first laying out the plan of operation, 
 the possibilities of machine mining were not taken into considera- 
 tion. The conditions that tend to make the mining machine emi- 
 nently successful are: ample power, a bed lying practically level, 
 with a good roof, a hard smooth bottom, and wide places free from 
 rolls. On the other hand, the machine will not be a success when 
 a bed pitches over 15 degrees in chamber work, and contains an /~ 
 abnormal amount of sulphur balls or other hard impurities, when 
 faulty rock benches come in the bottom, or the bottom is very 
 irregular. Much the same remarks are applicable to the conveyor, 
 but the scraper being much more flexible, can be used under almost 
 any conditions. 
 
 og 
 
 (a) Headings 
 
 No matter what method of deveolpment is used in mining, it is 
 necessary to maintain headings, or gangways, and airways, and one 
 of the heaviest items of expense in mining is driving these main 
 arteries. It is a common practice to drive headings on a water level, 
 iMate, the heddiueiis dimven in ‘the coal at suchia pitch or grade 
 that the water flows toward the mine opening. This is apt to make 
 a crooked heading and adds considerably to the length. To make 
 a straight heading under conditions of this kind would require the 
 cutting of so much rock that the mining machine would be useless. 
 Owing to the narrowness of headings, which are driven from 12 to , 
 14 feet wide, the short-wall machine is not as efficient as in chamber 
 or long-wall work. Even when the heading is driven straight, it. 
 takes just as much time to unload, making the sumping cut, and 
 reload in a heading as in a chamber, and the undercut is not more 
 than half as long, while the work requires much more attention 
 and consequently takes more time. In all probability the best 
 machine for heading work is the are wall or the straight face ma- 
 chine as described on pages 10 to 13, with the preference given to 
 the straight face machine. The method of operating these ma- 
 chines is shown in Figs. 6 and 8. This machine will cut a head- 
 ing just as straight as the track is laid. If the tracks are on a curve 
 in a crooked heading, the machine will cut on a curve and maintain 
 a normal face. Furthermore, the machine is self-contained and is 
 
48 
 
 ready for cutting the moment it reaches the face, thereby saving the 
 time of unloading and loading as would be the case in a short-wall 
 machine. 
 
 One objection of this type of machine is that the tracks must be 
 kept very close to the face. This sometimes would cause delays, 
 especially where there is heavy bottom rock to be removed. 
 
 (b) Chambers 
 
 Practically all of the anthracite mines are worked by chambers 
 “opened from headings. In the bituminous mines this method is 
 known as “room and pillar” mining. Chambers are driven from 20 
 to 40 feet wide with a pillar between each chamber from 16 to 50 
 feet through. These measurements depend upon the depth of bed 
 under the surface, the nature of the roof, and sometimes the strata 
 underlying the bed. The wider the chamber, the greater will be the 
 efhciency of the mining machine. 
 
 IS2 IE RSL EE tes 
 ° Hf | ‘ ‘ 4 
 LJ Bd s \] “hea etal sr,ane 
 FHF ie ° - fe pebtedn E 
 s 7 ‘ wv for’ < tJe. 
 ‘ 3 a . ° « 
 AY Be oO ‘ 2 
 } Lf Is iL) * 
 is fs | “ 
 ites n AN | | / 
 ae tr Prine, \ ‘s 
 . aZarrs a) : 
 i oe | 
 Be BS © Bur —, 
 3 y i 
 
 
 
 | AG) RT 
 
 
 
 Figure 61—Typical Plan of an Anthracite Machine Mining Place. 
 
 Fig. 61 shows a plan of the method of opening chambers off 
 headings. 
 
 The cycle of operations in undercutting chambers might be 
 classified as follows: 
 
 (1) Unloading and moving machine to the face. 
 (2) Sumping the cutter arm under the coal. 
 
 (3) Undercutting across the face. 
 
 (4) Moving out and loading. 
 
 (5) Traveling to the next chamber. 
 
49 
 
 The percentage of the total time consumed in cutting coal, 
 moving machine, and changing bits, under normal working condi- 
 tions would be approximately as follows 
 
 Sere LOCO dL liprvetr ech eS LANE NS cduct .is co ceo 44% 
 PVLOMRTI OU MACH Tem sen ets Wemete. a tyreig at hie aie voc 36% 
 Co Wg Tea kat egal 8p eos pos ETN Sait 9 ye 1 eee ara 20% 
 
 In conveyor or scraper chambers, the mining machine moves 
 itself from the heading to the working face and when the chambers 
 get to such a length that cross-cuts are opened, the mining machine 
 is taken to the next chamber through the nearest cross-cut, saving 
 considerable travel. 
 
 In order to more clearly show the actual operation of the mining 
 machine, the following illustrations have been taken from photo- 
 graphs made in the mines of a short-wall or continuous cutting 
 machine. The complete cycle of operations is shown in cutting one 
 chamber from the time the machine is being unloaded from the 
 truck until it is on the heading going to another chamber on a self- 
 propelled truck. Beside the figure is shown a plan view of the 
 operation. Then follows the illustration showing the drillers, 
 miners charging the holes fired by electric battery and the results 
 of shot. The chamber in the illustration is 30 feet wide with a 
 thickness of bed of about four feet. The undercut is six feet and 
 thickness of kerf 534 inches. 
 
 
 
 
 DRAELING 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mp, tases 
 en LO): ioe | i 
 ai y a one A 
 
 e e © “4 ‘ 
 @ e = i y 
 
 SS 
 
 
 
 Figure 62—Unloading from Truck. 
 
 Pio o2eeolowss theeauachine leaving the “truck with’ the 
 machine runner at the driving mechanism, and the machine helper 
 resting his hand on the jack to the bottom of which the feed rope 
 has been fastened. The machine runner starts the feed drum and 
 the feed rope drags the machine off the truck with no laborious 
 work of either the machine runner or machine helper. 
 
50 
 
 Fig. 63 shows the machine in a position ready to sump in the 
 right hand corner of the chamber with the machine helper standing 
 close to the forward jack that is set to drag the jib or cutter arm 
 under the coal. The jack to the right of the “figure is known as the 
 
 
 
 
 TELL ROPE SHEAVER 
 DRAGLINE SHOOK. 
 
 
 
 Figure 63—Ready to Sump. 
 
 tail jack and is sed to anchor the tail rope which controls ithe team 
 end of the machine while sumping cut is being made. All of the 
 operations to this point have been made on fast feed, there being 
 two feeds to the machine, one propelling or moving the machine and 
 the other for cutting. The ratiovof the difference insthiestecdam 
 about twelve to one, 
 
 aff’ 
 a V/ 
 HOS 
 
 DRAGLNE 
 
 STZEL Rove 
 
 
 
 Figure 64—Sumped. 
 
tn 
 — 
 
 Fig. 64 shows the cutter bar entirely under the coal a distance 
 of six feet. Up to this point the operation has consumed about 
 twelve minutes. When the sumping is complete, the jacks are 
 re-arranged, the tail jack is set up two or three feet from the face 
 near the right hand rib. The top of the jack is shown in line with 
 the machine runner’s head. The feed rope is unwound from the 
 drum and taken to the left hand rib near the face and anchored. 
 The machine is now ready to begin the cut across the face. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DORAGLNE 
 
 eeneccases rote 
 
 
 
 Figure 65—Machine Half Way Across Chamber. 
 
 Pigs Oo shows the machincrnrthe center ofthe chamber. bhe 
 machine helper is shoveling the cuttings away from the machine, 
 and the machine runner is closely observing the working of the 
 machine. It will be noted thatthe jack has not been moved since 
 commencing the cut, and unless sulphur or some hard material is 
 in the way of the cutter, this jack stays in place until the machine 
 gets to the left hand corner. The two wooden wedges in the kerf 
 to the right of the machine have been placed there to keep the 
 bench immediately above, from falling and thus blocking the under- 
 cut. These wedges will be removed before setting off the shots. 
 
 Fig. 66 shows the machine in the left hand corner of the room 
 with the undercut practically completed, the cut showing very 
 clearly. When the machine approaches the left rib the machine 
 runner watches closely to keep his width of chamber correct, and 
 the rib properly aligned. He does this by the way he draws the 
 
ay 
 
 
 
 
 @SNMIDSeaGd 
 
 
 
 Figure 66—Machine in Left-Hand Corner of Chamber. 
 
 machine from the undercut. If the chamber were somewhat narrow 
 the cutter bar would be swung to the left by holding back the rear 
 end of the machine with the tail jacks =lhesplan at left of picture 
 shows the operation of widening the chamber. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Y Le Li 
 TNUSE EITHER ANCHOR OR JACK. 
 — ‘tes = 
 
 USE SINGLE ROPE WHERE 
 UT 
 
 THE ic Bonvans 18 aco! 
 
 {Ce 
 ra ~ ae | 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 67—Machine Returning to Truck After Completing Cut 
 
 Fig. 67 shows the machine being withdrawn from the completed 
 cut preparatory to reloading on the truck. When dragging the 
 machine around the place the cutter chain does not rev volve, the 
 feed drum working independently of the cutter chain mechanism. 
 
53 
 
 The position of the machine as shown in the figure is about parallel 
 with the face. The machine helper has placed the jack in such a 
 position that the machine will drag itself in a position to be loaded 
 on the truck. All of the above operations have been performed 
 with no hard labor on the part of the operatives. 
 
 The length of time consumed from the time the machine left 
 the heading until it returned to the heading was fifty minutes. 
 
 
 
 Figure 68—Machine on Gangway Going to Next Chamber. 
 
 Fig. 68 shows the machine traveling along the gangway or main 
 road to the next chamber. The machine moves from working place 
 to working place on a self-propelled truck, actuated by direct trans- 
 mission from the motor of the machine itself to the track wheels 
 of the truck. On this machine is a chain guard which slides under 
 the machine when sumping. In the figure the machine helper is 
 ‘sitting directly over the end of the chain guard. The machine 
 runner makes connection with the trolley wire by what might be 
 termed a “hand trolley pole.” This device is well insulated so that 
 there is no danger to the operative. 
 
 It very often happens when the machine is making an under- 
 cut that the bits will come in contact with a deposit of sulphur 
 or some other very hard impurity in the bed, or the bits may be 
 dulled before the cut is completed, necessitating the withdrawal of 
 the machine from the undercut.in order to change and reset the 
 bits. The following figures illustrate the methods used. 
 
 Fig. 69 shows the method of removing a deposit of sulphur, 
 (a) shows the first position of the machine by dotted line. In order 
 to place the machine in this position the drag line is slackened and 
 the feed line pulls the machine ahead, thus cutting partly around 
 the obstruction. The drag line is then tightened and drags the 
 

 
 RAD LIN K 
 
 
 
 Uy a 
 
 Figure 69—Method of Cutting Around a Sulphur Ball. 
 
 head of the machine, with the assistance of the feed line, gradually 
 into the position shown by solid line, thus cutting partly around 
 the other side of obstruction. The machine is then brought to a 
 normal position as shown in (b) and the obstruction is jerked out. 
 
 oe fj Lie y 
 ‘ PRILL HOLE FOR ANCHOR DEEPER if 
 H THAN LENGTH OF ANCHOR. ‘ 
 t TO REMOVE, DRIVE ANCHOR H 
 ‘ IN, BEING TARERED, THIS i 
 H WiLL RELEASE /T. \ 
 ' —Y, : 
 ' d 
 ‘ , Go, H 
 i YY 
 4 ‘ 
 ' 7, ‘ 
 [ ; 1 
 ee NAN t 
 4, v 
 C {] 
 \ 
 Y 7 : aS? ° 
 \ 
 Gung, 
 y 
 Ue a 
 
 
 
 Figure 70—Method Used in Removing Machines to Reset Bits, 
 
 Fig. 70 shows the method used in removing the machine from 
 the undercut in order to renew the bits, (a) shows the machine with 
 the drag line on the left side of the head of the machine pulling the 
 cutter arm free from the kerf. (b) Shows the machine returning 
 to cutting position after the bits have been renewed. ‘The drag 
 line is fastened to the righthand rib and the feed line held stationary. 
 
 
 
 Figure 71—(a) Method of Sumping When Props Are Close to Face. 
 (b) Method of Widening Chamber. 
 
 Fig. 71 (a) shows the manipulation of the machine for sumping 
 when props are set close to the face; (b) shows machine widening 
 a chamber. 
 
 The use of scraper equipments and the elimination of any kind 
 of roadway in the chamber made it necessary to devise some new 
 
5 
 
 tn 
 
 way of handling the mining machine when changing from one 
 chamber to another. It is obvious that the task of moving up to 
 scoop platform level at the gangway, or lowering off at that point 
 would be too toilsome and time consuming to be practical. 
 
 The following system was finally worked out: the chambers 
 set aside for scraper work are driven a distance of about 35 feet. 
 
 METHOD OF MOVING MING MACHINE WITHOUT Th 
 
 ewe ori 088. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CROSS CUT 
 
 N 
 Nigh e 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 CROSS CUT 
 GANG WAY 
 
 
 
 
 
 sLine of Bottom Rock 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CROSS CUT 
 
56 
 
 Cross-cuts are driven between all of them. The machine is placed 
 in the first one and thereafter all change from chamber to chamber 
 is made through cross-cuts. Fig. 72 shows a typical case. At “A” 
 the machine has just been unsumped and a jack set down the cham- 
 ber. The machine is pulled back to “B,” then over to “C,” then to 
 “D,” where it is sumped in and a new cut started. 
 
 After the undercut has been completed, the jackhammer men 
 drill the holes. The holes are started about 18 inches below the 
 roof and the drills are placed at such an angle that when the drill 
 hole is in six feet, the end of the hole will be from four to six inches 
 below the roof. As a general rule, there will be four holes in a 
 thirty-foot chamber. The holes in either corner of the chamber are 
 placed about two feet from the rib. The time consumed in drilling 
 one hole six feet deep.is about four minutes. The total time for 
 drilling the four holes and moving drill to next chamber is about 
 forty minutes. Fig. 73 shows.the drill hole in the left hand corner 
 of chamber. The trestle on which the machine rests gives direction 
 to the drill and also relieves the operatives. Fig. 74. In this figure 
 the jackhammer men are drilling the bottom rock. The rock in this 
 place is about two feet thick. 
 
 
 
 Figure 73—Drilling. 
 
 The holes are started as close to the bottom as possible, the 
 drill resting on a one inch board, which is given a slight elevation 
 at the end by placing a block under the board, as shown in the figure. 
 The jackhammer man sits on the board and holds his feet against 
 the hammer, thus guiding and holding it in place. At the face the 
 trestle is shown that was used to hold the jackhammer. 
 
Sif 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 74—Jackhammer Men Drilling Bottom Rock. 
 
 After the holes are drilled, the machine miner and his helper 
 charge the holes which consists of cleaning out the drill hole, plac- 
 ing the charge, tamping and wiring. From 12 to 15 inches of blast- 
 ing powder is used in each hole, the amount of explosive depending 
 upon the structure of the bed. Before the charge is placed in the 
 drill hole, the miner primes the cartridge with an electric squib. 
 The squibs have two electric wires fastened to them from four to 
 eight feet long. These wires are in turn attached to the lead wire. 
 Fig. 75 shows the miner and his helper charging one of the holes 
 with explosives preparatory to blasting the coal. Fig. 76. The 
 four drill holes have been connected with electric wire, and then 
 to the battery. The figure shows the miner in a safe place pressing 
 down the lever that fires the shot. . Fig. 77 shows the result of the 
 shot. The coal has been brought down in large pieces, so there will 
 be very little waste. The coal in this section is loaded by hand. 
 If this same chamber had been “shot off the solid,’ it would have 
 required from 10 to 13 drill holes with 18 to 30 inches of powder 
 in each hole. With this amount of powder the coal would have been 
 shattered and partly blown in the gob. 
 
 Gathering and loading coal by means of the scraper is probably 
 one of the most practical and simple methods used. ‘The scraper 
 loads itself and does not require hard labor on the part of the opera- 
 tives. 
 
58 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 75—Charging Holes. 
 
 
 
 Figure 76—Miner in Safe Place with Electric Battery Firing Shot. 
 

 
 
 
 Figure 77—Result of the Shot. 
 
 Fig. 78 shows the scraper partly loaded near the face of the 
 chamber. The man with his hands on the back end of the scraper 
 is standing over the tail rope which is used to haul the scraper back 
 after it has deposited its load in the mine car. On the left is shown 
 a large wooden buffer wheel that changes the direction of the rope 
 pulling the empty scraper. It will be noted in the foreground of 
 the ticlreé-thatetherscraper cleans the-floor very well; so that there 
 is not much shoveling. 
 
 
 
 Figure 78—Scraper Starting from Face of Chamber. 
 
60 
 
 Fig. 79 shows the scraper going down the chamber entirely 
 loaded. From the last figure to the point where we see the scraper 
 now, it has gathered sufficient coal to have really placed topping 
 on itself. Note the clean appearance of the chamber. The tail rope 
 is seen traveling around the large wooden wheel. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 79—Scraper Going Down Chamber. 
 
 Fig. 80 shows the scraper unloading into the mine car. Owing 
 to the fact that the scraper has no bottom, the coal begins to drop 
 into the car as soon as the front end of the scraper reaches the end 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 80—Scraper Discharging Its Load in Mine Car. 
 
61 
 
 of the apron. The clevis block fastened to the roof and the bridel 
 chain on the front end of the scraper are distinctly seen, also the tail 
 rope fastened on the rear of the scraper. Some idea of the height 
 of bed may be gained by the man sitting on the floor of bed near 
 the left hand side of the figure. 
 
 Fie. 81. This figure is intended to show the adjustable apron 
 over the car. The apron is made to raise and lower. When the car 
 is empty the apron is lowered, thus preventing the coal from break- 
 ing; as the car is loaded the apron is raised. The snatch block to 
 the right of car is plainly seen. This device changes the direction 
 of the haulage rope. The small wires seen near roof are the elec- 
 trical signal wires connecting the face of the chamber with the 
 engine and the loader at the car. 
 
 
 
 Figure 81—Adjustable Apron. 
 
 Fig. 82. In this figure the apron is shown raised to the highest 
 point and the scraper is placing the last load on the car. The man 
 to the right arranges the lumps of coal on top of the car so that 
 they will not fall from the car when being transported to the breaker. 
 The loader has his thumb on the push button to signal the engineer 
 when the scraper has reached the right point over the car. 
 
 The portable hoist carries four drums and is operated by an 
 electric motor. In operation it is located directly in front of the 
 loading apron, hauling the scraper line in the same way as did the 
 stationary drums. Two of the drums on this hoist are used to shift 
 
62 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 82—Putting Last Scraper Load on Mine Car. 
 
 the loaded and empty cars. In this way most any number of cars 
 may be loaded without depending on mules or any other motive 
 power. When the full trip is loaded, it is hauled to the foot of the 
 shaft by an electric locomotive. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 83—Scraper Operated by Four Drum Hoist. 
 
 The amount of power consumed varies considerably, due to 
 a number of factors. The most important are, the nature of the 
 material cut, condition of floor of bed, pitch of bed and the machine 
 
 ULC Ia 
 
63 
 
 The length of cutter arm and width of kerf have an important 
 bearing on power consumption. Under average cutting conditions 
 (with a cutter arm six feet long and a 534 inch kerf) .06 K.W. hours 
 per square foot undercut would be consumed. In other words, it 
 would require 7.8 K.W. hours to undercut a depth of six feet a 
 chamber 30 feet wide. Added to this is the power consumed in 
 transporting the machine from place to place, unloading, handling 
 the machine at face, and loading, probably making a total con- 
 sumption of power for the full cycle of undercutting a chamber, 
 
 Peatoglo Ke We 
 
 The power consumed in operating scrapers and conveyors de- 
 pends on their size and length and the amount of coal handled some 
 place within the limits of 8 to 20 H.-P. 
 
 The horse-power required for the following machines would be 
 approximately: 
 
 (CTE CRB RSG 2 Ao mee cu ere oe ae 20 to 40 
 SC RNOR: Pept oe eee eee ae roe deeb 
 POntable Air @ampressons 4 44 hice 12 to 24 
 
 To obtain the best efficiency from a mining machine, it should 
 be worked on a long face. This not only applies to the long-wall 
 machine, but also the short-wall, or continuous cutter. 
 
 Jackhammer Mining and Scraper Loading 
 
 It has been found an advantage in the face where no electric 
 current is available for mining machines, to use jackhammers to 
 blow the coal off the solid and load by means of the scraper. In 
 this work a great deal depends upon the miner so that the holes 
 are drilled to the best advantage and the least amount of power 
 used. The miner drills the whole face of the chamber as a rule, 
 taking from 8 to 20 6-foot holes, depending on the nature of 
 the coal and cleavage. The greatest difficulty encountered in this 
 work in thin veins is the firing where squib or instantaneous elec- 
 tric exploders are used, every hole or every two holes having to be 
 fired separately, thus consuming a great deal of time. To overcome 
 this difficulty, the following method was tried and found to work 
 very satisfactorily. The face was drilled with 2 or 4 opening or 
 cut holes (A) as shown in Fig. 84, and then the rest of the holes 
 (B, C, D, E,) were drilled as relief holes. 
 
64 
 
 PLAN OF FACE 
 
 
 
 ae OF FACE 
 Figure 84. 
 
 Holes “A” were fired with instantaneous electric exploders and 
 then holes B, C, D and E were charged, connected and fired by one 
 pull of the battery using electric delay action exploders, each delay 
 being sixeseconds. The exploders placed™in’ holess .@ scomsoussm: 
 seconds later, exploders placed in holes ~D” six vseconds behina 
 “C,” exploders placed in holes “E’™ six seconds behind™ D.” ~ These 
 exploders can be obtained from the Du Pont Company in six differ- 
 ent delays, thus permitting seven delay holes or series of holes by 
 using an instantaneous exploder and the six delays. By means of 
 these exploders two sets of firing will explode an ordinary chamber 
 face and only necessitate the miner going back once in the smoke, 
 reducing the firing time /0% and gre eatly increasing the efficiency 
 of the operation. 
 
 In cate mining for scraper loading, the opening hole 
 shouldepeaplaccdminmitic with the scraper ro adway or chuteway 
 wherever possible as these holes being fired first, the relieving holes 
 will naturally throw the coal toward this opening and then make 
 the scraper work easier and have less tendency to blow coal in the 
 gob. 
 
 The method of loading out coal thus cut is practically the same 
 as described in machine mining. 
 
CN 
 wt 
 
 ROBBING WITH SCRAPER 
 
 \A 
 
 Seat 
 QV) 
 
 Ai.) 
 
 SO a 
 WANA ENS 
 AAW A y Pg 
 VENTA 
 
 = AX 1 
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 KINKY 79 Sy AN 
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 WN SAY 
 
 <— 
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 \ 
 
 wy 
 
 \ Resp r3 
 
 Paar NIN? 
 
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 NAN RFR SAS 
 
 ONUICAR ae 
 QOS AGQUISOS MRL 
 
 AN ac 
 
 BIASES S 
 
 }S > >: VaNy aN LAAN ~ 
 
 Vin a> We 8 4 
 Pay A\\\@~s 
 
 St os 
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 SSR 
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 HOIST ROOM 
 
 Figure 85. 
 
 x 
 4 aN AN VA TOV 
 Li SN eR a aN 
 
 PAZ 
 oo} 
 
 
 
66 
 
 The scraper is being used in pillar robbing in thin veins, the 
 only difference as compared to hand robbing is to keep the robbing 
 of each pillar at any angle, as shown in Fig. 85, wherever possible 
 so as the scoop can get along the face of the-pillar more readily 
 than if the pillar is cut off square, and also to keep the props if 
 possible six to seven feet from the face of the pillar in order to allow 
 the scoop to get in along the face of the pillar. 
 
 (c) Long-wall 
 
 There are two general systems of long-wall mining; long-wall 
 advancing and long-wall retreating. In long-wall advancing, the 
 face is started near the bottom of the shaft, or other mine opening, 
 and advances toward the boundary lines, or out-cropping of the 
 property, the roads being maintained by pack-walls on either side. 
 By this method the mines are opened rapidly. 
 
 In long-wall retreating, narrow headings are driven to the 
 boundary lines of the property and the long-wall faces are started 
 from these points, the coal being mined out completely as the face 
 approaches the mine opening. In either of the systems long faces 
 will be obtained, making an ideal condition for mining machines. 
 The method generally used in anthracite mining might be called a 
 long-wall block system, the blocks being started at almost any con- 
 venient place in the mines, preferably near the boundary of the 
 
 property. 
 
 There are a number of conditions to be taken into consideration 
 before a method of obtaining a long face can be adopted in any 
 bed. The nature of the roof, the nature of the overlying strata for 
 at least fifty feet above the bed, overlying beds, the nearness of the 
 overlying beds, the thickness of the coal, the nature of the coal, 
 strata immediately below the bed, and the pitch and contour of the 
 bed should be taken into consideration. Another important point 
 to be considered is the organization of the operatives. Long-wall 
 mining should not be undertaken unless a few of the operatives are 
 practical long-wall miners. 
 
 Fig. 86 shows the plan of a system of mining somewhat similar 
 to the chamber and pillar mining. The gangways are driven 400 
 to 500 feet apart, with sufficient width so that all impurities in the 
 bed, and the bottom rock, may be packed alongside the road, leaving 
 sufficient space between the back of wall and rib to allow a passage- 
 way for the air. 
 
 From each gangway narrow places are driven in line until they 
 meet near the center between the gangways. ‘These narrow places 
 are numbered 1 to 7 and are generally driven by three shifts per 
 24 hours day. The coal is moved either in buggies or by conveyors. 
 Cross-cuts are driven between these narrow places for ventilation. 
 
69 
 
 Fig. 87 shows a plan of working a long-wall face in which most 
 of the coal is taken out. The airway is driven as a dog hole, and 
 the coal is taken through the cross-cuts to the gangway. The gang- 
 Way 1s driven narrow. 
 
 LATERAL LONGWALL SYSTEM. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Counters are driven up from gangresy to boundry or crop: 
 Qpemngs are driven peretle/ to boundry or crop 
 Machines make Longwall cuts in these openings 
 
 Casal 1s logded into lalera/comyeyors by hand, did defjvered to 
 Conveyors 17 cowtter which take it to cars 11 PINAY. 
 Scengper may be used instead of comeyor: The roofs 
 Supported by cogs. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 WZAZ 
 {HIVE LETS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 BOUNDARY OP OUTCROP 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 88. 
 
70 
 
 The first openings are made in the block by driving places 12 
 feet wide, these places being cut by machine and the coal loaded 
 out by means of buggies or conveyor or scraper. As the coal is 
 undercut and removed, cogs are built from 20 to 30 feet on centers 
 in the direction of the cut and’ from 12 to 20 feet on centerseuar 
 right angles to the cut, the cogs being staggered in adjacent rows. 
 For blasting, holes are drilled from 15 to 20 feet apart. 
 
 Fig. 88 is a plan of working that approaches Long-wall Mining. 
 In this method, blocks may be opened at any place in the mines 
 where there are no overlying beds, preferably, however, near the 
 boundaries or outcrop. 
 
 Counter headings are driven from the main heading at such a 
 point that the first openings at the face of counter heading will give 
 a long face on either side. In these first openings lateral conveyors 
 are installed which deliver the coal to the main conveyor in the 
 counter heading. This in turn loads the coal on the mine car in 
 the gangway. All of the coal is removed, including the pillars on 
 the counter. 
 
 Fig. 89 shows another method of long-wall machine mining. 
 > fa) > 
 
 A pillar was left along the main heading and then each chamber 
 was widened out to meet the next chamber and hence advancing 
 long-wall face was formed and carried forward, the rock cut in the 
 chamber roadway was used for pack. At the line A. B. very bad 
 roof was struck and it was found to be an advantage to form a 
 chamber and leave good pillar to strengthen the roof. After going 
 about 100 feet, the roof became good again and the chambers were 
 once more connected making a long-wall face, which was carried 
 to the crop, the pillars left in were then robbed out. 
 
 The vein was 32 inches in thickness and fairly level: The coal 
 was undercut by a machine on a 1000 foot face. The cars were kept 
 up to the face in the chamber, rock and coal loaded by hand, each 
 pair of loaders taking half the distance between the roads to load. 
 
 A good system of long-wall which has been adopted at the 
 Hudson Coal Company’s Collieries is shown in Fig. 90. Gangways 
 are first driven about 200 feet apart. A chamber is started off the 
 lower gangway. This chamber is driven up until it meets the other 
 gangway. As the chamber is being driven a line of break props is 
 placed which causes a break in the roof, and timber cogs are built in. 
 The object of the cogs is to take the roof as it gradually settles and 
 ease the pressure down on the rock walls built as the long-wall 
 advances. The long-wall face is started by making machine cuts 
 down the rib of the chamber. After the long-wall face is started, the 
 upper gangway is carried along as a part of the long-wall advance. 
 The lower gangway must be driven separately to provide room 
 for cars. 
 
71 
 
 CHIAMBER-LONGWALL METHOD 
 
 t 
 CROP 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 —f eo ras [=x = 
 t RRR ere oH 
 Q 
 
 SPOS Bt 
 RR i © 
 
 y= 
 Oo 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 BOY ANI 
 MAT Pas Oat? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bing teraz Tee ae EE Sees kr Ky 2 Ae? Os Ayaan = 3S 
 ¢ nA Aer 2 p WZ Sion: ie 
 AOR 3 eh Kear 
 LOS 
 om =f, 
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 M/ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 be 
 PW, 
 
 , 
 SO 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 89. 
 

 
ad 
 
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 OVOY SNOLCG HONOASH[ NOILISS 
 
 NMOG Nav, DOL PERCE eh. avoyu eae 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 SAVOY SNOLS S3ZAO NOILIW ONIHDByY DNIMOHS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 G34uNI90 ot) ba, aaiay 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 OSNANDIO SV ONIAWD sYosag 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ———— 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 PZ, 
 
 my tek 
 PUPS = 
 
 
 
 —— 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DEVELOPMENT OF LONGWALL OperaTiON | 
 
 LTT 
 Aa t Cangway Comed f, 
 ; ° Part or Lo agar 
 
 ee 
 09 
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 Ne) 
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 } ; 
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 I t } + ee y.§ ‘ ; r 
 t t 
 ¢ is} 4 ' 
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 Figure 91—Scoop and Loading Apron of a Long-Wall Face. The Prop at the 
 Top of the Ladder Gives a Good Idea of the Thickness 
 of Coal Worked. 
 

 
 
 
 Figure 93—View at Long-Wall Face. 
 
75 
 
 
 
 Figure 94—View at Long-Wall Face Showing Rock Pack Wall. 
 
 Three stone roads are made by taking down top rock. The 
 object of these stone roads 1s to provide rock for the stone pack walls 
 to take the roof pressure and to provide ready and safe roads of 
 access to the long-wall face. Loading is done by scraper. In order 
 
 to show the thin beds that this system of long-wall is applicable to, 
 reference is made to Figs. 91, 92, 93 and 94. 
 
 Conveyors. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 95—Head of Conveyor Line Over Loaded Mine Car. 
 
76 
 
 Fig. 95 shows the head of the conveyor line with a mine car 
 under the head practically loaded with coal. Owing to the thinness 
 of the bed, it becomes necessary to cut several feet of bottom rock 
 in the gangway in order to give sufficient clearance for the car under 
 the head of the conveyor, when the car is topped with coal. In some 
 cases the roof is taken down directly over the head of conveyor in 
 order to obtain height. In such cases it is not necessary to cut 
 bottom rock. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Figure 96—Conveyor Trough Near Face of Chamber. 
 
 Fig. 96 shows the end of the conveyor near the face of the 
 chamber and a part of the conveyor trough. The top of the con- 
 veyors is built so there will be sufficient clearance between the top 
 ot the trough and roof to allow the coal to be shoveled into the 
 conveyor. In the figure, two laborers are loading the conveyor. 
 Some idea of the height of the bed may be gathered from the stoop- 
 ing position of the laborers. To the left of the conveyor line is 
 shown a mining machine. 
 
 With conveyors, where men have to load into the conveyors, 
 each man has a certain distance of face to load out. Work usually 
 commences, after the coal is blown down, by breaking it at one end 
 of the distance to be covered, and from there on loading out continu- 
 ously until completed. Generally this takes eight hours on a two to 
 three hundred foot face, allowing for various time losses due to 
 want of cars, stoppage of power and other causes. 
 
77 
 
 Shifting of the conveyor is done at night, and with conveyors 
 which stretch the full length of the face, the machine can be either 
 shifted in sections or swung laterally over. Some conveyors are 
 readily taken apart in eight to twelve foot sections, and these sec- 
 tions are shoved bodily over to the new position, timber being cut 
 and reset when necessary. ‘The motor end is taken first and then 
 section by section until the top is reached, where the tightening 
 arrangement comes into play to take up the slack. The other 
 method consists of pinching and pushing over the bottom portion 
 of the conveyor without uncoupling and following the curve so 
 created up to the top. This process is repeated until the conveyor 
 reaches its new line. With conveyors which are shorter than the 
 face and usually run by a rope, this rope is used to haul the con- 
 veyor through the timber into its new line. 
 
78 
 
 - CHAPTER 5 
 ORGANIZATION 
 
 Arrangement of Operations 
 
 Owing to the fact that machine mining in the anthracite region 
 was only started a little more than nine years ago, and then only 
 in a small way, it has been a problem to obtain practical men along 
 this line of work. It is true that good practical men may be found 
 in any anthracite mine, men who can turn their hands to almost 
 any kind of work along mechanical lines, men who are willing and 
 anxious to learn; but no matter how bright or how willing, it takes 
 time to develop them along a line of work that is entirely strange 
 to them. Asa general rule, the Operator has thought it to the best 
 interest of his employes and himself to train the men in his mine to 
 machine mining, rather than to go on the outside for help. The 
 matter of getting efficient organizations to handle the machine min- 
 ing sections has generally been difficult. 
 
 The machine boss has a number of machines under his super- 
 vision. He takes general charge of the machines and sees that they 
 are properly worked and maintained. If possible, the machine boss 
 should inspect each machine daily, and if this is impossible, owing 
 to the number of machines or to the machines being distributed 
 over a large area, he should designate some competent person or 
 persons, preferably the machine runner, to make these inspections. 
 The machine runner in the first place looks after the safety of the 
 working places, sees that props are set, locates the places for drill- 
 ing holes, charges and fires them, sees that the coal is properly 
 loaded and the rock properly stored. The machine miner’s laborers 
 assist the miner in blasting, by setting props, shifting rock and gob 
 and doing other work at the direction of the miner. The machine 
 runner by the aid of his helper operates the machines, and is re- 
 sponsible for its proper working. He should be familiar with every 
 part, and be able to manipulate its movement, whether undercutting 
 or being shifted, with the least possible delay. 
 
 After the coal is shot down, it is loaded in mine cars, and it is 
 the duty of the loaders to see that the car is loaded with clean coal. 
 Where mechanical loading is done, the organization is separate 
 from the mining machine force, with the exception of the machine 
 miner, who looks after the safety of the men. In scraper mining, the 
 scraper boss takes general charge of the work, the scraper engineer 
 operates the drums, mand the scraper man operates the scraper ‘at the 
 working face. 
 
 Care of Machines 
 
 Most of the equipment connected with machine mining is 
 costly equipment, and should be given care, not only on the part of 
 the operator of the machine, but every employ e connected with this 
 
72 
 
 branch of mining; there would then be more efficiency and not so 
 much time lost on account of machine not being up to standard or 
 breakdowns of some part of the equipment. The length of time a 
 machine will be fit for service depends largely on the care it receives. 
 
 Machines should be inspected at least once a week by a com- 
 petent repair man who understands the mechanical and electrical 
 details of the machine. The machine runner should inspect his 
 machine each day as to the operating details. The weekly inspec- 
 tion by repairmen should cover the following points: 
 
 (1) Examine the controller and see that all contacts make 
 good connections and are in good condition. 
 
 (2) Examine the motor, seeing the commutator is clean, 
 brushes working free, all electrical connections tight, motor bearing 
 should be examined, examine armature to see there are no loose 
 binding wires, see spacing is corrected between pole pieces and 
 armature, and see that motor is cleaned. 
 
 (3) On the resistance examine connections seeing they are 
 tight, and that no grids are broken. 
 
 (4) On the mechanical end, examine the friction clutch and 
 see that it is properly oiled. Also examine bearings, and make sure 
 that all the lubrication system is clean and working all right. 
 Examine cutter bar to see that gibs are not badly worn so as not to 
 allow the chain to drop out. Cutter chain should be examined 
 for broken set screw picks, or blocks which should be changed 
 AMOLUCE. 
 
 The machine runner should see each day before running his 
 machine that: 
 
 (1) Vhe cutter chainwias proper tension: 
 
 (2) The bits are right gauge and in good condition, and that 
 all the bits are in the chain. 
 
 (3) Be sure and oil all bearings at least twice a day and make 
 sure oil is running all right. 
 
 In operating the machine, the runner should watch his cutter 
 chain for tension, and should stop and examine his bits after cutting 
 ten feet, and change any bits which are bad. If more than two bits 
 in seven blocks need to be changed, machine should be pulled from 
 under the cut and bits then changed. This will help to reduce many 
 troubles we are now having with our machines, both mechanically 
 and electrically. The runner should watch his cuttings carefully to 
 see that he is not cutting into rock. 
 
 A book of instructions on care and operation is issued by the 
 Machine Mining Companies, and each colliery using machines 
 should have a book. 
 

 
 
 
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4 hi i te 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 
 
 NMC 
 
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