coal trade bulletin - Clpdigital.org

52 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
The coal falls from the dumps into a chute.
thence into a clam-shell basket, suspended on
scales, which weighs the coal and lowers it into
a bin. The weigh baskets have an adjustable
drop, by which the weighman can open them at
any desired point, depending on the height of the
eoal in the bin.
From the bin a chute carries the coal to a re­
ciprocating feeder, operated by a 10 H. P. AC
motor, which is adjustable and feeds the coal into
a retarding conveyor, believed to be the first in­
stalled in Pennsylvania. This is driven by a
75 H. P. AC motor, and consists of flights 48 inches
A part of the min;* workings of Furnaee Ri m N'o 1 Mine
wide by 16 inches high, attached to roller chains.
and having a capacity of 500 tons per hour. It
travels at a speed of 100 feet per minute. The
coal slides in a steel-lined trough for a distance
of about 300 feet, to the screen house, over the
railroad tracks below. For a part of this distance
it is straight, on a pitch of 27 degrees, then curves
gradually to the level, and travels horizontally
on to the end of the screen house floor. A trap
door permits coal to be run on to a half-inch
screen, from which the screenings supply boiler
fuel for the plant. A simple but accurate system
of screens and conveyors enables the balance of
the coal to be properly sized for loading into cars,
or for storage, so that any desired size, from run-
of-mine to lump, may be handled to the proper
destination. A 100-ton bin for coaling locomo­
tives is among the storage places provided.
The yard, operated in connection with the screen
house, contains three loading or empty tracks and
a passing track, with yard room on the tracks
above the screen house for 60 railroad cars. A
60-foot platform railroad scale, for weighing the
cars, is placed below the screen house, and a yard
for loaded cars, having a capacity of 60 cars, is be­
low* the scale again. This is parallel to the main
the two main splits.
main line of the railroad,
and easy to serve.
Cross-overs and three
throw- switches are ar­
ranged to permit handling
the ears in the shortest
possible space.
Tlie drift openings in
the No. 1, or Kittanning
seam, mine have at the left
a 10-foot diameter, double-
inlet reversible steel fan.
whieli provides fresh air
tor mine No. 1. This fan
is driven by a 75-H. P. AC
motor, and is at present
running at half-speed.
When the mine reaches its
ultimate capaciiy, an additional
motor will be in­
stalled at the other end of
the fan shaft, to enable the
fan to supply 200,000 cubic-
feet of air per minute.
against a water gauge of
five inches. The drive is
by silent chain from the
motor.
The air drift is 16 feet
wide where it leaves the
fan. and is gradually nar­
rowed to the regular width
of nine feet after passing
The Freeport. or No. 2, mine is ventilated by
an eight-foot disc fan. driven by silent chain, from
a 40-H. P. motor. The picture on the following
page shows the location of this fan at the intersection
of two air drifts, which are at right angles
to each other, owing to the contour of the ravine
at that point. Wooden structures about 100 feet
in length connect the fan with these drifts. The
ultimate capacity of this fan is 95,000 feet against
a water gauge of 1% inches: mine telephones aie
placed along the tram road to the tipple, attached
at intervals to the poles. These telephones are