HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK FIRST EDITION 1911 A REPORT BY THE CONSTRUCTION SERVICE GO- TO THE BUCYRUS COMPANY PRICE $1.50 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Extracts from this publication, which is copyrighted, may be made on condition that its title, the name of the Bucyrus Company, and page reference be given. Copyright 1911 The Bucyrus Company Construction Service Company HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK CHAPTER I NATURE OF THE PROBLEM The steam shovel effected a revolution in the cost of loading earth and other excavated material from the date of its introduction, and it is to-day the standard machine for handling economically such materials in large quanti- ties. It is a highly specialized machine, requiring many accessories in the way of plant for the transportation process. Its efficiency depends upon the skill of its operators, the co-operation of many different men, and the ability with which the general operating scheme of which it is a part, has been designed. Many a steam shovel has been considered inefficient when it had not half a chance to do its work, and many excavating jobs could have been handled advantageously with steam shovels instead of by hand had the con- tractors known how to bring them into play.4 Up to this time no effort has been made, within our knowledge, to put into available shape for ready reference the various quantities and factors which go to make up the cost of steam shovel work, so that it may be determined whether a particular shovel is doing its full duty, and whereby, with careful study of daily performance, a losing contract may be turned into a paying one. To set before the man interested in steam shovel work the necessary data to enable him to work out the economics of his shovel work at the least cost is the problem that we have attempted to solve in this volume. There are so many factors entering into the work that the problem seems at first highly complex; but systematic analysis has. resulted in so simplifying it that any man of field expe- rience ought to be able, with the help of the data contained in these pages, to put his shovel work on a scientific basis. To determine what work is costing day by day is half the problem ; to determine what it ought to cost is the other half. 238181 ;.. * * * * r r " i * % * ' * * * * \ "- HANDBOOK O*F **S* f A*M SHOVEL WORK To establish these factors it was necessary to observe a large number of shovels in operation, and an elaborate description of the work observed has been necessary in order to afford an adequate statement of the result. These appear in Chapters V to IX inclusive. Wherever possible, the observations have been made by our men. On questions of coal and oil consumption and the like we have had to take the statements of shovel runners, checked more or less by our own observations, and in the items of repair cost, etc., we have had to rely on the statements of others. Where such statements have seemed not to be accurate, we have discarded them. PROCESS OF LOADING The process of loading con- sists in seizing the material after it has been reduced to a fit condition and placing it either in its ultimate position or upon a vehicle for the purpose of transportation. With hand shovels, unless the material be sand or gravel or very soft loam, it is essential that it be broken in order that the workmen may be able to handle it. W 7 ith a steam shovel, however, much of the breaking can be done by the power of the shovel itself aided by teeth which are fastened to the dipper, so that, in many instances, rock which has been imperfectly blasted is further reduced by the crushing and tearing up of the teeth driven by the steam power of the shovel's mechanism. The steam shovel then is frequently called upon to perform not only its proper function of loading, but to a large extent the other process of breaking the material. THE STEAM SHOVEL VERSUS HAND LOADING It needs no argument to establish the superiority of machine work over hand labor wherever the amount of work to be done justifies the use of the plant. It is a general rule that, if many foot pounds of work have to HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK be performed, the horse is more economical than the human engine, and the steam engine far more than the horse. Thus, loading into wagons by teams and scrapers may be done a little more economically than by hand, while the efficiency of a steam shovel above that of a horse team is far more than that of the horse team above that of the man with the hand tool. COST OF WORK BY HUMAN POWER EXPENSIVE IN PROPORTION TO THE UNITS OF WORK TO BE DONE The unit cost of loading by hand will be nearly the same, field conditions being equal, whether the job is a large one or comparatively small, the so-called prepara- tory costs, which will be referred to later, being almost negligible. Thus we know that a man can load by hand into an ordinary wagon, at a cost of from 10 cents to 20 cents per cubic yard, on the basis of 15 cents an hour for wages, the cost varying between these limits according to the condition and weight of the material and the size and kind of shovels and the efficiency of the organization. This performance ought to be feasible whether digging cellars, building a railroad embank- ment, dam, or any other general type of work, small or large. GREAT VARIATION IN STEAM SHOVEL EFFICIENCY In contrast to the above, the steam shovel is depend- ent for its work upon so many factors, any one of which may very greatly help or hinder it, that there is a far greater diversity of results than in the case of the hand work. Thus, on the standard basis for labor that we have assumed in this report, the direct labor cost alone for loading varies from ^ cent to nearly 13 cents per cubic yard, as observed. HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK TRAINED LABOR NECESSARY For the most econom- ON STEAM SHOVEL WORK i ca l operation it is necessary not only that the shovel runner and craneman be skillful men, but that they shall have been accustomed to work together, and that the other men on the work .who are engaged in co-ordinate processes be properly trained to work with the shovel crew ; otherwise the work will not run smoothly and the cost will be correspondingly high. Bad co-ordination on such work will inevitably cost more than correspondingly bad co-ordination in hand work. CO-OPERATION OF OTHER PROCESSES When a shov- WITH THE STEAM SHOVEL WORK e l is loading rock, for in- stance, its own efficiency is very dependent upon the manner and thoroughness with which the rock has been broken. The blasting must be of such quality as to break up the rock so that the shovel can easily handle it without leaving ridges that prevent the laying of the shovel track to grade. We have had experience with work where, because the blasting charge was not con- centrated in the bottom of the holes, the ridges were so pronounced that the shovels were unable to operate more than 50 per cent of the working day, the rest of the time being spent in waiting while the rock was "mud capped." Here inefficiency of shovel work was due entirely to improper blasting. HOW MUCH WORK MUST THERE BE TO ECONOM- ICALLY JUSTIFY THE USE OF A STEAM SHOVEL? This question is vital on a large percentage of all excavation contracts. To answer it, simply calculate the total cost, including the cost of installing the plant, HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK and divide this total by the cubic yards of material to be handled. A comparison of the quotients for the different methods will indicate which one should be followed. A list of the various items that are usually included in a contractor's cost is given in Chapter IV. Fig. i. 95-Ton Bucyrus Shovel Digging Ore on the Mesabi Range See page 236 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK CHAPTER II GENERAL CONDITIONS AND FORMULAS REPAIRS The cost of repairs should be apportioned to the work turned out rather than con- sidered as a function of the age of the shovel. It will be higher for rock than earth work and higher for badly broken rock than for well blasted material. Thus, in a given material, the repair bill for a season's output of 500,000 cubic yards may be expected to be twice that in which the shovel loaded only 250,000 yards. Time alone does not affect the unit cost of repairs. The reverse of this proposition obtains in the case of DEPRECIATION If the machine be kept in proper repair the depreciation in its value is affected by time alone, regardless of the work that it is doing. Many concerns cla'ss the depreciation and repairs under one account, but this practice is inaccu- rate and misleading. There is great disagreement among accountants as to how depreciation should -be figured, and there are many so called depreciation formulas and "curves." The simplest to use, and one which for steam shovel work is satisfactory if proper allowance be made for repairs, is the " right line for- mula," which is as follows: (a b) -j X = , where a = original value, a b value on removal or sale, c = time in use, d = estimated life, X = % of depreciation. Then X divided by the output for the period c will be the cost of depreciation per unit of performance. The working life of a steam shovel may safely be assumed at 20 years, and taking the first cost at, say, 10 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK $150 per ton, and its scrap value at $10 per ton, the value for X, with a ten-year old shovel, would be ($150 $10) - _ =46.67% in the ten years, or 4^$ per $15 year. To estimate the depreciation per unit of output it is necessary to distribute this amount over the working time. The method of doing this is indicated in the latter part of this chapter, under typical Standard Steam Shovel Work. INTEREST The interest on all the money invested in this work must be included as part of its cost. We have assumed this at the uniform rate of 6 per cent. HEIGHT OF BANK In different classes of steam shovel work, the height of the face to which the shovel can work has an important bearing upon costs. The reason for this is that the higher the bank, the larger the amount that the shovel can load without moving up. STANDARD RATES It is of no interest to contractor Jones how much contractor Smith paid his men, or for his coal a year or two ago, and Smith usually dislikes to have these exact rates pub- lished, on account of possible trouble within his own organization ; but it is of importance to be able to compare the efficiencies of different methods in different places, so that any contractor using this volume may be able to estimate the value of any special methods herein described. Such comparison is valuable for making estimates on future work, and it is greatly ii HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK facilitated by giving the data observed in terms of an assumed standard rate of pay for each class of men and materials. We have therefore given our cost data in these "standard" figures. FORMULAS AND DIAGRAMS TYPICAL STANDARD STEAM SHOVEL WORK MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS The following analysis AND CURVES OF COST of steam shovel work and the accompanying curves of cost are useful in enabling a rapid estimate to be made of the approximate cost of steam shovel work in progress or proposed. d = time in minutes to load 1 cubic foot with dipper (place measure). c = capacity of one car in cubic feet (place measure), f = time shovel is interrupted while spotting one car. e = time shovel is interrupted to change trains, g = time to move shovel. L = distance of one move of shovel. N = number of shovel moves. M = minutes per working day less time for accidental delays. A or B = area of shovel section excavated in square feet. R = cost per cubic yard on cars in cents, for shovel work only (place measure). L A N = cubic feet excavated per day. C = shovel expense in cents, one day, not including super- intendence and overhead charges and not including preparatory charges, n =: number of cars in train. (1) Time to load one car = d c. (2) Time to load one train = ndc + nf-|-e. (3) Number of trains for one shovel move = . (4) Time between beginning of one shovel move and begin- ning of next (ndc + nf + e) 1- g. 12 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK M (5) N = T- x L A / e \ L A ( dC+f+ n) + This is the equivalent of the equation R = md 4- b. (7) Where m = ^r and = m VT + ^ + L We have assumed for the typical example a shovel valued at, say, $14,000, and the following daily expense : Per Year Depreciation, 4%$ $653.34 Interest, 6% 840.00 Repairs, when working one shift 2000.00 $3493-34 Per year of 150* working days, or $23.29 per working day, $23.29 Shovel runner . . . . . . . 5.00 Craneman ......... 3.60 Fireman .....'... 2.40 One-half watchman at $50 per month . . . . i.oo 6 pitmen at $1.50 . . . . . . . . 9.00 1 team hauling coal, water, etc., half day, say, at $5 . 2.50 2 ^ tons coal, at $3.50 ....... 8.75 Oil, waste, etc., say .-..-'' . . . . 1.50 $57-04 It appears that the equation: R = md -t- b, is that of a straight line. Now since in this equation m 1Z and b = m ( + + -^-\ all quantities M V c nc LA/ involved in the equation excepting d are, or are as- sumed to be, constant. The data upon the value of these quantities furnished by the accompanying *For various reasons, such as weather, lack of continuous work, transpor- on of plant, etc., we have assumed the average of 150 working days. This, of course, will be greatly 13 tation of plant, etc., we have assumed the average working year as composed tly affected by local conditions. HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK reports have been presented in graphic form with all influencing factors noted on the five plates, A, B, C, D and E, bearing the heading for use with cost curves. See pages 20 to 24 inclusive. Plate A indicates the time to load one cubic yard, place measure, in various kinds of material. Plate B deals with the quantities e, average time shovel is inter- rupted to change trains. For use in plotting the equation above, those average values of e, n, c and f, involved in ordinary contracting work where side dump cars are used, have been tabulated separately on plate C. It will there be seen that the average value for e, the time between trains, is 4 minutes. The average number of cars per train, or n, = 10. The commonest form of contractors' side dump car is of 4 yards water measure, or 2.5 yards place measure capacity*, and we therefore take c = 67.5 cubic feet. The ordinary value of f is zero, since the cars are almost invariably spotted while the shovel is swinging and digging. Plate D deals with the values of M or the working time, including actual shovel time, waiting for trains, and moving up 5 but not accidental delays. Plate E deals with the time of moving up, an average value for which is 8 minutes. The constants having been thus established, three sets of curves have been plotted on the plates headed cost curves, I, II and III, one for each of the three values of L A 1500, 3000 and 6000 cubic feet (L being the average shovel move, 6', and A the area of the dug sec- tion in square feet). Each of these sets of curves has been plotted for values of M, ranging from two hours to ten hours by hourly intervals, between which intervals our observed values (see plate C) fall. We have found it much more convenient to make use of our data when arranged in this manner, both for field work and for the purposes of the estimator, *This is a general average. It varies a good deal with the character of the material handled. 14 . HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK than when expressed in long tabulations. Moreover, when cost data are presented in the detailed form contained in this volume they are applicable to a far wider range of new conditions than when simply given in totals as records of cost. Attempts have been made to discredit cost data on the ground that they are of no use to anyone except him who did the work or made the original observations, or on the ground that to a reader who has perhaps never seen the job at all there will be so many unknown conditions, that when applying the data to his own work he cannot be sure of having conditions sufficiently similar to make com- parisons safe. Moreover, skill in management varies greatly with different organizations, and a reader may not have the same ability in organizing or handling work as some of the people whose performance has been herein described. This is very true, and if the reader can do as well as any one of several of the managers whom we met in getting up these data, he may be proud, as well as wealthy; but cost data on any work, if presented in sufficient detail and with clearness, will be useful to any man, good, bad, or indifferent, who will intelligently study them. If he attempt to proceed with improper study of the data or of the work that he is trying to do himself, he will fail just as he would without the data, which in all cases must be taken with intelligent discrimination. In the formula for steam shovel loading cost are some ten quantities that vary on different pieces of work. Some of these are dependent on the kind of material and equipment, some depend on the efficiency of the management alone, and some few are affected by conditions beyond control or foresight, such as weather. The first two can be "standardized" and the other must be estimated by us for purposes of illustra- tion and by the reader for his own use. Even in the case of weather, there is not as much uncertainty as 15 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK would at first appear, for over a long working season the number of days suitable for operating may be pretty well estimated in most climates by going over the Weather Bureau records for the neighborhood. Because the meaning and general bearing of a mass of data can be grasped by looking at charts much more readily than by any other method known to us, we have used them in this volume. STANDARD ASSUMPTIONS These have been made to facilitate the chart work, and because from our experience they are en- tirely justified in practice. When, for example, we assume that the time to move a shovel is four minutes, though some men take fifteen, and a few two or three, we are justified by a vast number of cases in which the moving was actually done in four minutes. If the reader find that his men are taking eight or ten minutes, an application of the rules given in Chapter X, will save him some money. The assumptions for "A" depend upon the field conditions, and the reader must use the particular plate that most nearly represents the section area of his job, or else must make up his own chart, not a difficult or laborious operation in any event. USES OF COST CURVES There are two important uses to which these curves of cost can conveniently be put. 1 . Estimating the cost of proposed work. 2. Checking up the cost of work under way. In estimating we may proceed as follows : Assuming that the proposed work is to be a railroad cut in rock, with average equipment, there are then only three quantities to decide upon, namely, L A, 2jd and M. The area of the shovel section being- assumed at 250 square feet and the average distance 16 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK of move being 6 feet, L A will equal 1500 cubic feet. Now refer to plate A and select a fair value for the time of loading one cubic yard in rock work. Suppose 30 seconds be chosen. Next refer to plate D for the proper value of M to use for rock work. The average value is 8 hours (80 per cent, of 10 hours). The cost per yard in cents can now be read directly on cost curves, plate i. With abscissa (2yd) as 30 seconds glance upward till the vertical line through 30 seconds intersects the 8 hour, M line. Then on the left opposite this point of intersection read 9^ cents as the cost per cubic yard loaded, place measure. It may be noted here that with respect to the two important items of time to load i cubic yard with dipper and values of M, the cost curves are perfectly flexible. Variation in the value of the constants may be allowed for by proper choice of M. In connection with the formula it is interesting to note the effect of decreasing the carrying capacity of each train, other conditions remaining the same. Suppose the carrying capacity to be decreased from the average, 10 x 2.5 yards = 25 cubic yards to 8 x 2 yards = 16 cubic yards, place measure, what would be the effect upon the cost per cubic yard? The new cost per cubic yard, place measure, would be 10.6 cents against the former 9.5 cents, an increase of i.i cent per yard, or 10 per cent. To use the curves for checking the cost of work in progress proceed as follows : The field operations are few and simple. Find the average time per dipper swing. Knowing the rated capacity of the dipper and the charac- ter of the material, a glance at the tabulation near the top of plate A will give the ratio of dipper capacity, place measure, to dipper capacity, water measure, and by using this factor the average capacity of dipper, place measure, can be obtained, and thence the time to load i cubic foot or yard. Suppose for instance the average 17 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK time per swing to be 25 seconds, material earth, and capacity of dipper 2*^ yards. On plate A, under place measure heading "Ratio ot we rind tor earth water measure place measure the average value tor - - given as O.ZT.. water measure Therefore 2^ x 0.53 1.2 yards per swing or 2.88 yards per minute, or .35 minute per cubic yard. Make some rough measurements to determine the approximate area of the shovel section and multiply this area by the length of move up and get L A, say 3000. Then, from previous observations or by an estimate of M, get the time worked per day, less accidental delays, say 9 hours. Now take cost curves, page 26, and with .21 as abscissa read opposite the line for M = 9 hours, 6 cents as the cost per yard place measure. If the constants in the formula do not agree closely enough with actual con- ditions, allow for this by choosing a suitable value of M. or substitute directly in the equation for cost. Note that the above costs do not include superintend- ence or overhead charges, and cover only the cost of loading. Transportation, dumping, spreading and preparatory costs are not included. These plotted charts have been given to assist the man who is accustomed to charts to use the observed data contained in this volume. By their use it is much easier to pick out the conditions that fit any particular piece of work, or a particular example to fit the condi- tions of the work to be done, and thus make the data available with less time than would be necessary if all the figures were given in tables. It should be particularly noted that for plotting the two co-ordinates certain assumptions are necessary because there are a large number of variables in the theoretical steam shovel formula. Thus, we have made three plates one where the expression LA is 1500 18 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK cubic feet, one where it is 3000, and one where it is 6000. We have also made an assumption of $57.04 for the value of C. Where the shovel differs very much in type from the one mentioned or where the rates of labor are very different from those assumed, it will be necessary to compensate for the difference between the new value of C and the one that we have used iruj:he diagrams. The easiest way to do this is to multiply the figures taken from the diagrams by the ratio between the new value of C and the assumed one. Thus, if the shovel costs per day turned out to be $65 instead of $57.04, and the dia- gram should give a cost per cubic yard for loading of 1 2 cents, we would have for our charge 1 2 cents multiplied by $65 and divided by $57.04, or 13.67 cents per yard. As heretofore indicated, this does not include the cost of overhead charges, superintendence, and preparatory charges, which in all cases must be added for purposes of estimating. It will be well worth while for the man who contemplates doing shovel work to give these diagrams and the formulas most careful study, and to make up for his own work, substituting in the formula the constants that he expects to obtain, diagrams that will be exactly suited to his particular case. HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK r Z ? FOR USE WITH COST CURVES PLATE "A" VALUES OF 270 SHOWN GRAPHICALLY BY BROKEN LINES BELOW. FOR VARIOUS RATIOS OF PM ) IN DIFFERENT KINDS OF MATERIAL VALUES-O-F 270 IN SECONDS MIN. AVG. MAX. "(RON 6.1 10.5 15.4 SAND 5.9 12.1 19.8 -CLAY 10.0 18.3 29.0 _EARTH 10.8 18.4 28.6 DIPPER CAPACITY W.M. IN YDS. WIN. AVG. MAX. 2.25 2.47 2.5 1.22 2.01 2.8 2.00 2.41 3.0 2.00 2..58 3.0 DIPPER CAPACITY__ P.M. IN YDS. iro MIN. 1.75 1.25 1.16 1.02 AVG. 2.33 1.25 1.51 1.26 MAX. 2.67 1.25 ROCK 12.8 30.7 68.0 2.17 2.34 3.44 - RAT| _ QF PLACE MEASURE ( PM) _ OF WAJER MEASURE (WM-)- __ MIN. AVG. MAX.. 0.94 0.56 .26 1.01 l.i NOTE-VALUES OF 27D ARE GIVEN IN SECONDS AND MUST BE REDUCED TO MINUTES FOR USE WITH CURVES OF COST. 20 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK FOR USE WITH COST CURVES PLATE "B' J VALUES OF "e ;J SHOWN GRAPHICALLY AVERAGE TIME TO CHANGE TRAINS HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK FOR USE WITH COST CURVES PLATE "C" Values of e, n, c,f, involved in ordinary contracting work with side dump cars. e Average time shovel is interrupted to change trains. ii = Number of cars per train. c = Capacity of cars in cubic feet (place measure). f = Time to spot one car. c' Capacity of cars in cubic feet (water measure). Values of n Values of c / C' Min. Avg. Max. Min. Avg. Max. Brick yard clay . I 1-2 2 S4 72 8l R. R. borrow pits 7 II '5 83-7 126 2 7 J 5! Rock cuts . . . 7 9 12 54 75 97.2 1 88 Crushed stone quarries . . i 10 10 1 08 124 189 o 162 Earth and glacial N drift .... 10 10-11 13 70 1 08 I 4 I 157 Iron ore . . . 3 7 12 270 540 6 75 540 Sand and gravel pit . . i 7 15 67-5 598 891 General average of C- 5> f t^-^ -fl o 5 M -H O "O * >9 * r-lrflinirTiillfllllili i n niirm ri'TTiTi rn' -y REPORT NUMBERS NOTE Shovel on Report No. 9, Engaged in Sewer Excavation, Averaged 33' 45" to Move Up. It was Moved on Wooden Rolls 24 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK COST CURVES WHERE LA = 1500 CU.FT. EXCAVATION TO EACH SHOVEL MOVE 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 TIME TO LOAD 1 CU.YD., PLACE MEASURE WITH DIPPER WORKING FREELY IN SECONDS FORMULA M M LA; Assume -4 f f i= o, interruption of shovel while spotting cars. j e = 4 minutes of time between trains. n = 10, number of cars per train. c =. 2.5 yards place measure = 67.5 cubic feet. C = 5704 cents, daily cost. M = Actual working time of shovel. g =8 minutes, see Plate D. d = Minutes to load i cubic foot, place measure. HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK COST CURVES DAILY COST "C" AS FOLLOWS Plant depreciation on shovel valued at $14,000, say, 473 per cent ........ Interest, 6 per cent . Repairs . $ 6 53-34 840.00 2000.00 13493-34 WHERE LA = 3000 CU.FT. EXCAVATION TO EACH SHOVEL MOVE 10 20 30 40 50 60 TO 30 90 100 TIME TO LOAD 1 CU.YD., PLACE MEASURE WITH DIPPER WORKING FREELY, IN SECONDS #3493-34 -T- 1 5 da Y s equals Shovel runner Craneman Fireman .... Yz watchman . 6 pitmen, at $1.50 . Teaming one-half day 2^ tons coal . Oil, waste, etc. Per Day $23.29 5.00 3.60 2.40 I.OO 9.00 2.50 8.75 1.50 $57.04 26 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK COST CURVES WHERE LA = 6000 CU.FT. EXCAVATION TO EACH SHOVEL MOVE 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 TIME TO LOAD 1 CD. YD., PLACE MEASURE WITH DIPPER WORKING FREELY, 100 SECONDS Values of f Values of e Values of n Values of c Values of C Values of M Values of Values Same as used on Plates T and 2 ' o g of d HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK CHAPTER III FIELD CONDITIONS EQUIPMENT To do work economically in the field, it is an axiom that the equipment must be proper in condition and suitable in design. It need not necessarily be of the very latest model, with all the new improvements, for it sometimes happens that the high cost of new equipment may render its purchase inexpedient. But, and this point must receive emphasis, the equipment must be of the right kind and in the right condition. Sand is dug with a large dipper and a sand lip, and rock with a smaller dipper and the best of teeth. We had occasion to reorganize a job on which were working a Bucyrus Shovel of a certain size and one of another make that weighed a good many tons more than the Bucyrus. The work was in rock, badly blasted, and taxed both shovels to the utmost. It happened that because of greater power in the lifting and crowding motions the Bucyrus, which was by far the lighter shovel, was able to do more efficient work in the rock, while there was no appreciable difference in performance in clay and loam, for which materials the other shovel was amply strong. It was entirely capable of carrying a dipperful of rock to the car, but it often stopped when attempting to break rock with the teeth. Experience with another shovel in narrow trenches, demonstrated that it was effecting no saving over hand labor. For digging cellars, or trenches of twice the width of those that it had to excavate, or for clay material free from boulders, it would have been highly economical. For each piece of work there is economically one best type (not necessarily one best manufacturer) of equipment, and to handle the job cheaply it is necessary to have that type. 28 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK SUPERINTENDENCE The quality and amount of the superintendence will greatly affect the unit costs on the work ; and by superintend- ence we mean not only the man in charge, but his whole directing organization. The work in the iron ore country is an example of what may be accomplished in the way of skilled organization. It is with increasing force coming to the attention of managers that superin- tendence is a many sided art, requiring study as well as experience, and trained helpers in addition to a time- keeper. Special appliances, such as a stop-watch, record blanks and tally machines, are also necessary for the best of control over the daily conditions. Cost keeping on the job must be applied immediately after perfor- mance, or else it is too late to take advantage of the lessons of cost and to economize the work. Pure observation alone without actual timing, will not show a superintendent whether it is more economical for him to use nine-car or ten-car trains to haul material away from his shovel. Logic alone will tell him whether the shorter or the longer train is the better to use. He will generally favor the use of long ones if his engines will haul them. Yet money has been saved by shortening trains even when the engines could easily haul the longer ones. In this case the key to the situation was the time required to dump and transport. So many conditions of management enter into effi- cient steam shovel work, that it is most sensitive to variations in the superintending organization. GENERAL ARRANGEMENT This feature always receives great attention from skillful managers. The " old line " contractor comes upon the job and looks it over from the seat of his buggy, deciding on the ground where he will begin operations and how he will remove the material from the 29 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK shovels. The modern manager undertakes it much in the manner of a German professor attacking a mathe- matical proposition. Sometimes there is only one place to " cut in " and only one way to handle the earth or rock; but generally there are several places to cut in and many, many ways available for handling the material. If there were only three ways, and there are seldom less than twenty-three, he is a bold man who would decide off hand which is unquestionably the best of the three, until an economic study has conclusively established the facts. To do this it is necessary to consider methods in use in other places and often in other lines of work. It happened that the subaqueous drill operators developed the fact that pumping a jet of water under high pressure into a drill hole would greatly decrease the cost of drilling rock ; and they were led to try the plan because water was just over the side and good force pumps were on board the drill boats. This device in the subaqueous field has saved large amounts of money when applied to drilling on land.j LOST TIME Steam shovel operation is rarely a contin- uous performance, so far as concerns the shovel itself. There are always delays, some of which are due to breakages on the shovel itself and some to interruptions of one of the collateral processes, breaking or transportation. The most costly of these, in our experience, has been where the shovel was loading blasted rock, and because of imperfect breaking the shovel had to stop from time to time to allow drilling and blasting under the dipper. In one case the inter- ruptions from this cause amounted to nearly 50 per cent, which in an eight-hour day allowed the shovel only four hours for actual work. Under such conditions the transportation facilities must be adequate to keep the shovel working full time, so that delays to the shovel increase the cost of transportation correspondingly. 30 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Accidents to the transportation department, due to bad condition of the equipment, rolling stock, or track, cost just as much as delays of the same duration caused by shovel break-downs. Reserve equipment will often save money in such a situation, but the best safeguard is to give to one man the facilities and responsibility for seeing that all equipment be kept in first class repair. It is customary for shovel crews to make their repairs to the shovel out of working hours and on Sundays whenever possible. On heavy rock work, where many repairs are needed, the crews often have to work nearly every Sunday for an entire season, and the consequent lack of rest and recreation is likely to tell on the men's working efficiency. Stopping to " chain out " boulders on heavy rock work in shale or the schist of Manhattan Island is likely to account for a lost time bill of 20 per cent or more, and presents a most aggravating and discouraging obstacle to good work. In such cases several extra chains should be provided, and two or three men con- stantly employed in putting them on the boulders as fast as possible while the shovel is working. Even if these men are often idle for several minutes at a time, the result, in shovel output, of their services is worth more than their pay. After estimating how many cents each dipper swing is worth in pay yardage, it is a simple matter to calculate how much should be spent in keeping the dipper working. Mud-capping the boulders, to save "chaining out," is desirable if it can be done without too much delay. Usually it will be found cheaper in the end to keep a man or two drilling block holes, especially if the facilities permit the use of a small power drill. When thus drilled the boulders can be cracked with small charges and with almost no interruption to the shovel work. With the small drill (like a riveting gun) the holes may be put in on the side of the boulder away from the shovel, if that side can be reached, drilling about 31 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK 6 to 10 inches deep, tamping with blue clay forced in with the thumbs and fired with a fuse. Very small charges of a rather high powder (50 or 60 per cent) should be used. A list of the various causes of delay should be kept by the shovel runner, and reported daily, with the dura- tion of each, so that the relative importance of the different causes may be known, and a standard remedy adopted. Whenever such a remedy is needed, the shovel runner can call for it by a whistle signal. The following is a convenient code for these signals, a long toot being indicated by a dash, a short one by a dot : Pit crew get ready to move shovel. Get ready to mud cap. Get ready to block hole. We need coal. We need water. Waiting for cars (useful to help in spotting cars when dinkey man cannot see hand signals). Stop. - All ready to blast. Fire. Cars off the track. Back up. --- Shovel has broken down. Superintendent's call. A code of these signals in the shovel cab, and one in the hands of each foreman, will be sure to save money by the elimination of the preventable delays. KIND OF LABOR Running a shovel is a highly trained and a highly paid specialty, and as a general thing shovel runners are intelligent and conscientious, but a good deal depends on the way in which a runner and his craneman work together. If they should be of incompatible dispositions it is often better to move one of them to some other shovel than to have 32 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK them work badly together. They must have considerable confidence in each other in order for the attainment of the highest efficiency. We cannot too strongly emphasize the importance of selecting the most skillful shovel runners and cranemen. The loss of money caused by indifferent ability in these positions may easily be several times as much as the wages of the men themselves. We have elsewhere shown the economic effect of efficiency in moving the shovel. For this reason the pit crew should be made up of picked men, one of them getting a little more pay than the others perhaps and having authority over them. Thorough organization here may be worth half of the wages of the pit crew. Of great importance in many classes of work is the dump gang, which usually receives but scant attention. In sandy material there should be no difficulty in dump- ing the cars with great regularity and returning them to the shovel on time, but with clay mixed with boulders a good dump foreman and a lively gang are necessary for good work. The men must realize that they are part of a large machine and that their own delays will impede their fellow workmen. For this reason it is often well to alternate the foreman and some of the men between the different positions. A foreman on the dump will better realize what is expected of him after he has had expe- rience in the pit and on the track laying. Some of the more intelligent men will also be benefited in like manner, while others of less intelligence will not. KIND AND CONDITION OF MATERIAL The kind of material greatly affects the shovel output, as will be seen from the reports which follow. Rock work will generally cost much more to load than earth, and rock that is badly broken may cost three times as much to load as properly blasted rock. In this case, its condition, 33 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK which affects the cost, may be due to the degree of skill used in the preceding process. Clay will vary much in consistency and in the ease with which it can be handled. The higher the face to which the shovel can work, the greater the efficiency, as indicated else- where, if other conditions be equal. The safe height of bank, however, is limited by the condition of the material, heavy slides being dangerous. Some banks are too high to be economically workable on account of slides. Fig. 2. Shovel No. 1108 Cutting-in on D., L. & W. Cut-off. See page 255 34 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK CHAPTER IV ESTIMATING For purposes of estimating, in order not to forget anything and to facilitate a logical arrangement of the various costs that occur on the work, it is important to have some standard classification of expenses. The ordinary costs are included in the following list, which is used by the Construction Service Company as a standard guide, and which will be found useful as a guide to properly subdivide the cost keeping in the field, and as an aid to the bookkeeper. By using the symbols opposite each name they can be readily and easily referred to. We have found that the mnemonic method is much easier to remember and more satisfactory in operation than a numerical system. It has been in use for some time and it is proving very satisfactory. STANDARD CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENSES Classification I. Main Classification of Expenses. O Office X Misce F Field 5 S ffiCe n [-Overhead. X Miscellaneous r TT o u t Direct. U Sub-contract ) Classification II. Distribution of Classification I. L Labor directly productive. Lh Hourly labor. Lw Weekly labor. Lm Monthly labor. Li Incidental labor. F Labor superintending. M Material. S Supplies. X Miscellaneous. Classification III. Distribution of Classification II. R Repairs ] D Depreciation f Maintenance. I Interest S Storage 35 Incidental. HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK H Hire or rent T Transportation O Organization or preparatory X Miscellaneous C Charity or accidents B Bonus or discounts Z Legal and medical P Publicity or advertising A Accident insurance F Fire insurance Q Theft insurance G Bond to guarantee contract j Classification IV. Application of Classifications II and III. E Equipment or plant. T Tools. B Buildings. C Cash capital. X Miscellaneous. Classification V. Field Processes. B Breaking (loosening). C Construction. D Dumping. G Grubbing. L Loading. M Mixing. P Protection. R Ramming and rolling. S Spreading. T Transportation. X Miscellaneous. Classification VI. Type of Work. C Concrete masonry . E Earth. L Liquids. M Brick and mortar. R Rock. W Woodwork. We also give in this chapter some charts made up from our observations, which will be useful in helping to estimate the costs on steam shovel work. Rates of wages must be ascertained for the particular locality in which the work is to be done, and with reference to the 36 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK condition of the labor market. It may be noted that certain report numbers are quoted in those charts, the corresponding reports not being found elsewhere in this volume. In such cases the information is on file, but is not published in detail, owing to objection on the part of the company or individual operating the shovels. SHOWING COST IN CENTS PER CU. YD OF MATERIAL HANDLED, PLACE MEASURE DIRECT SHOVEL LABOR ALONE BEING CONSIDERED TABLE OF RATES OF WAGES. DIRECT LABOR BUCYRUS SHOVELS Occupation No. Obs. Minimum Average Maximum Runner Craneman Fireman Coalman Pitman 41 \ 39 $75.00 per mo. 55.00 per mo. 50.00 per mo. i. 40 per day 1.40 per day $135.00 per mo. 96.00 per mo. 62.00 per mo. 1.47 per day i. 90 per day $175.00 per mo. 125.00 per mo. 87.00 per mo. i. 50 per day 3. 50 per day 37 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT NUMBERS Diagrams of Time in Seconds for Complete Dipper Swing HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK DIAGRAMS SHOWING IDLE TIME OF SHOVELS DUE TO WAITING FOR CARS IN PER CENT TOTAL WORKING TIME tWORK IN SLAG. *ROCK CUT FOR CANAL WIDENING. REPORT NUMBERS 39 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK DIAGRAMS SHOWING ACTUAL SHOVEL WORKING TIME IN PER CENT OF TOTAL TIME REPORT NUMBERS Material Sand and Gravel Earth and Drift Clay Iron Ore Rock Min. 18.2 26.5 2D.O 28.4 20.4 Avg. 40.5 46.0 45.16 47 59 46.3 No. Max. Obs. 67.6 5 67.8 5 63.4 10 69 3 10 73-3 25 40 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK CHAPTER V STEAM SHOVEL WORK IN SAND AND GRAVEL Most of this work is likely to be in a borrow pit, where a large area is to be excavated, and where the installation is of a semi-permanent nature. Many of the banks are very high, requiring few moves of the shovel, and in some cases, especially where there is some cementing material mixed with the sand or gravel, or when the cementing is done by ice in the spring or fall of the year, heavy and dangerous land slides are possible. From an operating standpoint sand is an ideal ma- terial to handle, except when very fine and in heavy winds, in which cases a high pressure stream of water from a hose with spray attachment, if water be plenti- ful, will greatly help to keep the sand out of the eyes of the men. Sand in a freshly dug bank is quite often naturally moist In railroad work a good deal of this material is loaded on flat cars with or without side- boards, and it is often difficult to make close estimates of the amounts handled. We have found it an excellent method to weigh the amount of material that will fill a half cubic yard box, at average dryness, and then weigh several trains of cars of the material, which can easily and conveniently be done. From records obtained in 1898, average gravel used for railroad ballast, fair quality, moderately clean, weighed 3248 pounds per yard, father dry, and the- average flat car without side- boards contained 9.4 cubic yards. The length in a train of such average cars was 36 feet center to center of couplers, so that when dumped from the train the ballast averaged 0.26 cubic yard per foot of track. This was sufficient to raise one track 5 inches. Free running dry sand will not stand up so high in the bucket or on the cars as when it is quite wet or 41 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK contains some little cementing material. Therefore, the best performance can be looked for where there is a little cement or water evenly distributed in the bank. REPORT No. 1 SHOVEL No. 612 INSPECTED SEPTEMBER n, 1909 DUNE PARK, IND. GENERAL CONDITIONS The Knickerbocker Ice Company have this shovel working on some 100 odd acres of sand land at Dune Park, Ind. A large part of this tract has been leveled already. No washing of the material is needed, for it is all of uniform size and exceptionally clean, sharp, white and rather small grained. The bank against which the shovel worked was fully 60 to 70 feet high and sloped at about one on two. The material was loaded upon gondola cars supplied and spotted by the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway. TYPE OF SHOVEL The shovel is of the usual 7 o-ton type with all steel dipper handle and boom, the latter being of the truss type braced on the sides. A 2^ -yard dipper is used. This, instead of teeth, has a long steel lip or " cutter blade," so that when filled its capacity is increased to about 3 ^ yards. Water is taken from the ground by means of a pipe sunk therein and a pump on the shovel, which is digging to water level only. 42 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK COST KEEPING The time sheet is made in duplicate and is sent to the main office, where the payroll is made up and the total amount charged to the job. The steam shovel report also goes to the main office every day. This is made out by the steam shovel engineer, but is copied by the clerk to obtain a clean sheet. A facsimile of such a report blank is given on page 46. At this place is a car repair shop and the work recorded by the use of a system of cards which are made out in duplicate. At the field office the only way to obtain the cost of the repairs for any one car is to go over all the slips and select those pertaining to the car in question. The requisition blank consists of a form about 6x8 inches, similar to that given in " Field System," by Gilbreth. This is in triplicate, one copy for the main office, one for the field, and one for the mechanical engineer at the shop. If the latter have the material wanted on hand he sends it to the job, but if he lack it he copies the requisition, sending it to the purchasing agent, who obtains and ships the goods. OBSERVATIONS Weight . . 70 tons Gauge Capacity of dipper . Height of lift Kind of teeth Number of pitmen Height blocked up Length of boom shipping weight without coal and water Standard 3 27 cu. yds., including lip 9#' . None, but steel lip extended 31" 4 28' Length of dipper handle 18' 6" Height of boom above shovel track .... 24^ Horizontal reach of boom . . . 20 Farthest dipper can reach to dump . . . . 27' Highest dipper can reach to dump t . \ . . 16' Diameter of swing circle '.' . . ... . 7' 6" Height of dinkey tracks above shovel tracks . . . i' 43 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVE I, WORK OBSERVATIONS Continued Depth of dipper (water measure) . . . Distance inside dinkey track to inside shovel track Depth of dipper including lip . . . . Cubic yards excavated (place measure) . . Total distance moved forward during day .. Number of times moved forward .... Maximum distance moved forward in one move Average distance moved forward in one move 3300 43' 7 6' 6" 6' 2" Average time between beginning of one shovel move and beginning of next ..... 74.7 minutes Number of cars to one shovel move .... 16.2 Time shovel is interrupted to change trains 108^ minutes Area of section ....... 1500 sq. ft. Height of face ...... o to about 75' Cubic yards per car (place measure) . average 21.2 yards Coal cost Weather clear. $3.00 per ton (Hocking Valley) TIME STUDY Started work Stopped work Total time worked, i minute. Forenoon Afternoon 7:06 1:19 11:48 4:38 182 + 199 = 481 minutes = 8 hours Minutes Seconds Per Cent. Actual working Spotting cars 325 7O 67.6 o 7 \Vaiting for cars 4C 22 6 Moving shovel Miscellaneous delays, including 8 minutes clearing track 3 2 II 45 6.8 2-3 Total time under observation 481 IOO.O 44 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Direct Labor Distribution Standar d Basis Per Day Loading Spreading Incidental Total i runner . ... 5OO i craneman i fireman 3 pitmen 3 spreaders 3 .60 2.40 4.50 4 SO Watchman Timekeeper 'SO 2 OO Shop engineer .... i machinist 2.OO 3OO i car repairer 2.OO Total cost of labor per day Cost per cu. yd., cts. . . Per cent $15-5 0.47 50.6 $4.50 o. 14 15-0 $IO.5O 0.32 34.4 $3- 5 o.93 100. Process Analysis Time Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost Per Yd. Minutes Seconds Charge to loading i. Actual loading . . 3 2 5 67.6 0.318 2. Delays . (a) Moving up ... 32 45 6.8 0.032 0-35 Charge to transportation and dumping i. Waiting for cars I 12 15 23-3 o. 109 2. Miscellaneous delays II 2-3 0.01 I 0.120 Charge total 4 8l 100. 0.470 Incidental labor Direct labor -=0.525 45 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK ! j S ^ OS n 2 s M % H O BSi o o Cd H O tf H4 * * V. S M 1 a/ a ^ >1 ) 33 MH H ex, S h-) H Q $ 9 w a ^ ^ s CJ 53 | S 2 | w *si H n 0^ H it B W g H M H i M H ^ fi o M = H-t z ! I 1 K/ ^ M - . H ? i | a, M s g j S is**- . I ili ^ < |2 w z z a & - ''i o M **, 46 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK \ II 47 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 3. Bucyrus Shovel No. 612 at Dune Park, Ind. Fig. 4. Bucyrus Shovel No. 1118 at Kent, Ohi HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 2 - - SHOVEL No. 1118 INSPECTED JULY 16, 1909 KENT, OHIO GENERAL CONDITIONS This work was part of that undertaken in the relocation of the Wheeling & Lake Erie R. R., at Kent, Ohio, and was done by John B. Carter, under contract, and under the personal direction of R. G. Hengst, manager, who may be congratulated on the highly efficient manage- ment of this work. The material was uniform in quality, and there was every opportunity to keep the output at its maximum by competition among the men, produced by offering substantial prizes. On the day of inspection a five dollar Panama hat was offered as a prize to the dinkey runner who should average the best time for spotting cars during the afternoon's work. The time was computed from the dumping of the first dipper- ful into an empty train until the latter started on its way to the dump. This of course included the time of loading by the shovel, and the shovel runner could have " pulled " the race by favoring one of the dinkey runners. As far as could be observed, however, every man did his utmost to make the contest fair and to let the best man win. After five hours' work one of the runners was declared winner of the hat by less than 30 seconds, while the actual loading done was far in excess of what would have been accomplished without such incentive. The general result of occasional competitions of this kind was to develop an exceedingly efficient field force. REPAIRS Repairs are anticipated and important parts are kept in duplicate in the storeroom. This shovel and No. 1119 (see page 1 04) are exactly alike. 49 H A N I) B O O K OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK 30' ~H Typical Cross Section OBSERVATIONS Material is fine gravel with occasional strata of sand. Ideal material to handle. Weather fair after heavy rain during night. Standard gauge 70 C On yo-pound short rail sections, 6 16' 6" 6"x8'x8' * l /2 yards New April i, 1909 4^ months 10 hours Type of shovel . Distance of move Height of lift .... Size of ties under shovel Size of bucket Age of shovel Duration of job . Length of shift . Number of shifts per day i Water pipe from pumping station Coal hauled by teams and shoveled into bunkers. Repairs are made by crew, between shifts, or whenever neces- sary. Coal used 3^ tons per 24 hours Water used 300 gallons per hour Boiler is cleaned every 3 or 4 weeks . . Very clear water used Contract price .... 25 cts. per yard in embankment Contract includes embankment. Narrow gauge track 3 , 55-pound rails for cars. Kind and size of cars used K. & J., 4 yards Train is braked by steam on locomotive ; by hand on cars. Kind of signals used, hand by brakeman standing on shovel. Kind and size of dinkey . Vulcan, i6-ton Length of haul . Max. 3500', min. 2300' Number of trains 3 Age of cars and dinkey 4^ months HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK TIME STUDY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 9:32:40 12:02:30 Stopped work 11:32:40 5:02:55 Hrs. Min. Sec. Hrs. Min. Sec. Total time worked 2 o 0+5 0025 = 7 hrs. 25 sec. Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working ...... 247 12 58.9 Waiting for cars 3 1 H 7-4 Moving shovel 20 13.2 Miscellaneous delays (86 39) (20.5) Coaling 5 1.2 Repairing track 4 45 I.I Repairing track 3 50 9 Pulling track on dumps . 72 04 I7.I Minor repairs i .2 Total time under observation . 420 25 100. Average number of cars loaded per day (average of 85 days) = 516 @ 4X yards. Average number of cubic yards loaded per day (average of 85 days) = 2193. Standard Basis Per Day Loading Trans- portation Dump- ing Inci- dental Total i runner $5.00 3 .60 2.40 6.00 $7.80 4-5 i craneman i fireman 3 dinkeymen 3 brakemen 4 pitmen 9 dumpmen dump foreman . . . pipeman . . . . . ' '. smith i smith helper .... watchman $13.50 2.OO $1.50 2. 50 . . . 1-5 l -S Cost of labor per day . . Cost per day per cubic yard, cents $17.00 0.78 33- $12.30 o. 56 23.7 $I5.5 0.7O 29.7 $7 .00 0.32 13.6 $51.80 2. 3 6 IOO.O Per cent . . . 51 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Ti ne Per Cost per Total' Minutes Seconds Cent Cents Per Yd. Charge to loading i. Actual loading 2. Delays . . 247 12 58.9 o.459l (a) Moving up ... (b) Miscellaneous . . Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars . . 2. Miscellaneous . . 55 6 31 80 20 14 39 13.2 1.4 7-4 19.1 0.103 f O.OI I J 0.058 1 0.149 f 0-573 0.207 420 2 5 IOO.O 0.780 Time Study Reductions Number of Obser- vations Minimum Mean Maximum Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Time for moving up, shovel idle . . . Time between moves, shovel working . . Time between trains . Time per train loading Time per dipper . . Number of dippers to move Number of dippers per train 19 20 21 36 21 20 36 432 I 7 'o 2O 35 55 07 16 2 12 I 6 54 23 29 5 2 17 5 H 8 45 5 10 19 24 24 .. .. 42-3 . . 24.2 2. 02 .. 48 26 Number of dippers per car Very interesting light upon one of the competitions, as demonstrating what can be done in uniform material, is given by the following detailed analysis of the above time study. TIME STUDY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 9:32:40 12:02:30 Stopped work 11:32:40 5:02:55 Hrs. Min. Sec. Hrs. Min. Sec. Total time worked 2 oo oo + 5 oo 25 = 7 hours 25 seconds. HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK (Read from left to right) - c a H H !5 *** 0) 1 J-, fl C 1 s 3 O c S, wC 2 j c 2 $ ll 5 1 > e & s, 1 | pitmen $5-00 3 .60 j OO . . . i washer runner $2.OO man at locomotive hopper i so i man at washer . . . 3 carmen $4.50 I SO 1.50 . . . . . . $i . So watchman . . . locomotive engineer ::: 2.6o . . l -5 . . . Total cost of direct labor per day Cost direct labor, cubic yard, cts. . . ' . . . Per cent $i i .60 3- ii 41.1 $8.60 2.31 30.6 $5-00 i-34 17.7 $3- 0.80 10 6 $28.20 7-56 IOO.O Note. By the locomotive hopper is meant the hopper into which the material is dumped from the cars. The bottoms of the cars are lined with hay to hold the sand. HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Process Analysis Time Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost Minutes Seconds Charge to waiting for blasters 3 . . 0-5 0.016 0.016 Charge to loading i. Actual loading 123 15 22.51 -7; 2. Delays a Moving up ... 35 6.4 0.199 -943 b Repairs .... 2 30 -5 0.016 c Miscellaneous . . 5 0.9 0.028 . Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars 379 '5 69.2 2.151 2.151 548 IOO.O 3.110 Fig. 9. i J^ -yard Bucket with 1 8-inch Lip added, Increasing Capacity to about 2 Yards, 45-ton Type, near South Bend, Ind. OS HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK X < HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 5 SHOVEL No. 58 INSPECTED SEPTEMBER 24-25, 1909 JANESVILLE, WIS. LOCATION In addition to its plant at South Bend, Ind. (see p. 64), the Knickerbocker Ice Company has a gravel pit and washer at Janesville, Wis. These two plants present several points of difference, in some instances the conditions being exactly reversed. GENERAL CONDITIONS The pit is located about two miles east of Janesville and on the line of the C., M. & St. P. Railway, which has a siding to the washer. The material consists of a clean coarse cemented gravel containing considerable sand. This is excavated by a 45-ton steam shovel and loaded into three-yard standard gauge steel cars which are hauled to the bottom of an inclined plane by means of horses. Two cars only are used. From the bottom of the incline they are hauled by cable to the hopper in the tower at the top, where the material is dumped from the car automatically. The car is then lowered and hauled back to the shovel by the horse. THE SHOVEL The material is easy to dig, and the shovel had no difficulty in making rapid progress. It is of a very old type, the number 58 indicating that it was one of the first put on the market by the Bucyrus Company. It is now twenty- two years old, but is in good condition and is well adapted for this light work. Like No. 166 at South Bend, the swing circle is at the top of the boom post and the crane consists of a triangular truss. The shovel was not worked to its full capacity, as will be understood when it is stated that it spent but 1 8 per cent, of the day in actual loading, the remainder, 70 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK 82 per cent., being in waiting for cars and making repairs to the washer. COST KEEPING The time cards used here are like those used at Dune Park. The superintendent stated that every Sunday during the season is spent in making repairs to the plant and shovel. The labor cost would therefore be very great, although the material cost is not excessive. GENERAL The operation of turning the hoisting cable on the inclined runway end for end occupied 6 men for 38 minutes at a cost of 69 cents, but the entire plant was shut down in the meantime. OBSERVATIONS Weight 45 tons Gauge Standard Capacity of dipper, 1.22 cubic yards, water measure; i% yards including lip. Height of lift 6' Kind of teeth . . . Steel plate lip square at the corners Number of pitmen Height blocked up 6" Length of boom 22' 6" Length of dipper handle 13' Height of boom above pivot 15' Height of boom above shovel track . 18' 8" Horizontal reach of boom 16' Farthest shovel can reach to dump 22' Highest shovel can reach to dump 13' Shovel can cut below track 3/^' Diameter of swing circle 9' Depth of dipper (water measure) 4/i" Depth of dipper, including lip 65^" Height of boom post 8' 6" Number of cars loaded I2 Cubic yards excavated . . . . . .... about 360 Total distance moved forward during day . . . . . None Number of times moved forward None HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS Continued Area of section Height of face Coal used Water vised Coal cost about 1300 square feet 55' about y 2 ton 74 cubic feet .85 at mines TIME STUDY Forenoon 7:08 Afternoon 12:50^ Started work Stopped work Hr. Min. Hr. Min. Total time worked 4 49^ + 3 59^ = 5 2 9 minutes, nr 8 hours 49 minutes. Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working 9 6 15 18.2 Spotting cars \Vaiting for cars *1"1A 3Q 67 2 Moving shovel JJ^ J^ U j . - Idle Repairing broken strand in hoisting cable on inclined plane 9 15 1.8 Repairing harness .... i O.2 Turning cable on inclined plane end to end 37 45 7- 1 Repairing broken strand in hoisting cable on inclined plane 35 45 6.8 Putting car on track . 5 0.9 Repairing car 9 3 1.8 Total time under observation . 5 2 9 IOO.O 72 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Direct Labor Distribution Per Day Standard Basis Loading Trans- porting Spread- ing Inci- dental Total Superintendent $6.00 2.00 I . CO . . . Timekeeper Night watchman . Runner $5 oo Craneman i 60 i car loader .... I ^O i bank caver I CQ Track boss . . . . . Crusherman .... $2.00 $1.50 I CO Towerman 2 drivers 1 OO Fireman i . ;o Screenman 1.50 3 horses 4.5 Total cost direct labor per day Cost direct labor per cubic yard .... Per cent III. 60 3 ,22 3 1.6 $9.50 2.64 2.60 $6.00 1.67 16.4 $9.50 2.64 26.0 $36 . 60 10. 17 IOO.OO Time Per Cost per Yard in Total na ysis Min. Sec. Cent Cents Yard 6r Charge to loading i. Actual loading . . . 9 6 15 18.2 0.586 0.586 Charge to transportation and dumping i. Waiting for cars . . 334 30 63.2 2.035) 2. Repairs for cars . . 55 3 10.6 o.33n 2.634 3. Miscellaneous for cars 42 45 8.0 0.261 J 5 2 9 00 IOO.O 3.220 73 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK DAYS WORKED AND CARS LOADED DURING LAST SIX MONTHS Month Days Cars April May* June Tulv 23 26 ^6 303 2 7 8 354 -JAQ Ausrust 26 ^4.6 September ist to 24th inclusive .... 18 286 Total (average, 13.6 cars per day) .... 141 1916 * There were several washouts during this month, part of the time being spent in making repairs due to this cause. The cars were freight gondolas loaded ready for transportation, and averaged about 20 cubic yards capacity. Loading Trans- porting Spread- ing Inci- dental Total Cost direct labor per day (average, six months) per cubic yard, cents Percentage (six months) . 4.27 31.7 3-49 25-95 2. O2 16.4 3-49 25-95 J 3-45 IOO.O Process Analysis Average of Six Months Time Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost per Yard Min Sec. Charge to loading i. Actual loading . . . 9 6 15 18.2 0.778 0.778 Charge to transportation and dumping i. Waiting for cars . . 334 30 63.2 2.698 } 2. Repairs for cars . . SS 30 10.6 0.452 [ 3-492 3. Miscellaneous for cars 42 45 8.0 0.342 ) 529 oo IOO.O 4.270 74 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK TRANSPORTATION I Shovel to Bottom of Plane At Bottom of Plane Bottom of Plane to Top of Plane At Top of Plane d s > < ft, rt s g > < d c i $ ,e* 84 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK indicate a pebbly layer about ten feet wide with sand on the top and bottom. This stratum in places was very hard, but the sliding of the ground above it several times obviated the necessity of moving forward. A feature of the data given in a following table is the large percentage of time required for handling boulders. The superintendent explained that, as the material was being used for dressing and one of the dumps was along- side the main line tracks, the boulders could not be loaded. On the previous run they had been cast behind the shovel and lined the foot of the embankment, as shown very clearly in Fig. 13. There were some seventy- five of these in front of the shovel after it was moved back, and they, of course, all had to be moved again on the new run. Under " Time Study," second day, is an item of 36^ minutes for clearing track after a blast. The cause of this is distinctly shown in Fig. 15, where it is seen how the blast loosened the earth so that it slid down upon the dinkey tracks. The time for a round trip, given under "Observa- tions," is an average as indicated by the difference in time between the departure of the train and its return to the shovel. In some instances this includes "waiting on the shovel " and in some it does not, but the average will be very nearly the time for a round trip. There are no important grades on this work, the whole area having previously been leveled by steam shovel. At dump No. i it was necessary to break the train, leaving half the cars at the switch, but this was the only place at which any difficulty was experienced. Under "Observations" it will be noted that the average time for one move and to move forward one foot are twice as great on the second day as on the first. This is doubtless due to the fact that the machine was moved further on each move on the first day and that the moves were so frequent that the men moved more 85 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK rapidly, and that there was also less clearing of the tracks, so that more pitmen could stay in the pit. The effect of these frequent moves is shown in the num- ber of cars for one shovel move. On the first day it was only 8.6 (average), while on the second day, with two blasts and the bank caving, it was frequently 49.5, or one move for about every five trains. The rate of trans- portation was about a mile in 16 minutes. Fig. [2. View of Shovel at Work on the New Passenger Storage Yards of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Long Island City 86 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 13 Fig. 14. Views of Shovel at Work on the New Passenger Storage Yards of the Pennsylvania Railroad at Long Island City HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 15. Slide Blocking Dinkey Track OBSERVATIONS Weight 70 tons Gauge 4' 8>^" Height of lift 6' Capacity of dipper 2.66 cu. yds., water measure Kind of teeth Manganese points Height blocked up 20" Capacity of cars, water measure 4 . 1 7 cubic yards Capacity of cars, place measure 3 . 6 cubic yards Number of cars in train 9 and 10 Height of cars above their track 6' Length of haul, approximately 35' Length of runaround, approximately 9000' Weight of dinkeys 18 tons Style of car Side dump on both sides Gauge of track Narrow Number of trains 3 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Average time for a round trip . 27.3 min. (n observations) Grades, level except slight ones near dumps ; on one grade the train was broken Time traveling to dump No. i . . 8 minutes. (See sketch) Time traveling to dump No. 2 6 minutes Time traveling to dump No. 3 . 13 minutes Time to dump cars No i, broke train, 14 minutes for nine cars Time to dump cars No. 2 6 minutes for ten cars Time to dump cars No. 3 ..... 3 minutes for ten cars Time traveling from dump to shovel No. I . . . 8 minutes Time traveling from dump to shovel No. 2 ... 8 minutes Weather, clear First Day Second Day Number of cars loaded . 190 39 6 Average time to load one car 50 sec. 39 sec. Cubic yards excavated 684 1426 Total distance moved forward during day 130' 51' Number of times moved forward 22 8 Total time moving forward . 158^ min. 107 min. Average time for one move . 7.2 min. 13.4 min. Average time to move forward one foot i . 2 min. 2 . i min. Maximum distance moved for- ward in one move .... 8' 3" 8' Average distance moved forward each time 5' ii" 6' 4 1 A" vS wings per minute 3.7(0 3-7(0 Average time for one swing . 16.3 sec. 16.3 sec. Time to load i cubic foot with dipper . . .52 sec. .40 sec. Minutes per working day, less times for accidental delays 540^ min. 574# min. Area of section -j 87 y 2 s. f. (a.m.) 500 s. f. (p. m.) > 500 s. f. Height of face j 3 1^' (a. m.) 25' (p. m.) \ Number times blasted bank . None 2 Coal used < 2. 16 short tons, at 42 Ibs. per cu. ft. 1 7 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK First Day Second Day Pounds of coal per cubic yard excavated 6.32(3) 3-8 Total cost to excavate, transport and spread one cubic yard 1 6. 1 cents (2) 10.81 cents Number of cars for one shovel move 8.64 49-5 Average time between beginning of one shovel move and be- ginning of next .... 16.94 min. 80.3 min. (1) The two days were averaged, 57 observations taken at different times. (2) Does not include cost of moving back. This should be charged to amount taken out before the next move back is made. (3) No deductions made for moving back. TIME STUDY First Day Forenoon Afternoon Started work 6:58 12:49 Stopped work 11:58 5 : 4 2 /^ Min. Min. Min. Total time worked 300 + 293 ^ = 593 ^==9 hours 53^ minutes. Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working Spotting cars \Vaiting for cars J 57 ^8 15 30 1O 26.5 O. I 6 s; Moving shovel (158^ minutes forward, 106 minutes back Idle, repairing boom .... Miscellaneous delays Loosening bank Clearing track Handling boulders .... Setting up, shifting track, etc., after moving back .... 264 53 5 ii 15 48 3 i5 30 " 3 44-5 8.9 0.8 1.9 2.6 8.2 Total time under observation 593 30 IOO.O 90 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Direct Labor Distribution per Day Standard Basis First Day Prep. Charge Load- ing Trans- porting Dump- ing Break- ing Inci- dental Total Runner Craneman . Fireman . i pitman . 7 pitmen . i coalman . 3 locomotive engineers . 3 locomotive brakemen Switchman 2 drillers, l / 2 day 16 laborers, moving back i foreman, mov- ing back . 29 laborers, moving back, Yz day . 2 foremen, mov- ing back, y 2 day 35 laborers, on 3 dumps, Y 2 day 3 foremen, on 3 dumps, !4 day i superintend- ent . . #4 blacksmiths' helpers * i foreman blacksmith . $$ oo 3.60 2.40 . . . J -75 10. so . . . . . . I. SO $7.80 4-5 1.50 . . $1. SO . . . . . . . . . $24.00 2.OO 21.75 2.OO . . . $26.25 ^.00 . . . $6.00 IO.OO 3-5 Total cost of labor per day Cost direct la- bor per cubic yard, cents Percent . $49-75 7.27 35 9 $24.75 3.62 17.9 $13-80 2 O2 IO.O $29.25 4.28 21. I $I. 5 O.22 I.I $19.50 2.85 14.0 $I3 8 -55 2O.26 IOO.O *This large blacksmith force was due to the extra work caused by overhaul- ing machinery as contract neared completion. HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Process Analysis. First Day Time Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost per Yard Min. Sec. Charge to waiting for blast- ers 20 15 3-4 0.123 0.123 Charge to loading i. Actual loading 157 15 26.5 0.960") 2. Delays | a Moving up, 158^'; back, 1 06' 26 4 3 44-5 i . 6 1 o f 3- l8 9 b Repairs 53 8.9 0.322 | c Miscellaneous . 48 3 8.2 0.297 J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars 2 Miscellaneous 39 1 1 6.6 1.9 0-239/ 0.069 f 0.308 593 30 I 00.0 3.620 TIME STUDY Second Day Forenoon Afternoon Started work Stopped work Min. Total time worked 288^ 7:00 12:40 11:48^ 5:50 Min. Min. 310= 598^ =9 hours 58^ minutes Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working Spotting cars 259 Negli 122 107 7 17 36 14 18 9 4 2 3 gible oo 00 oo 00 30 00 3 oo 00 00 oo 43-4 0.0 20.4 17.9 I .2 2.8 6.1 2.3 0.4 3-0 1.5 0.7 -3 Waiting for cars Moving shovel Idle time Rain . Repairing boom . ... Clearing track after blast . Misc. time Clearing bank . Blasting Moving boulders .... Boulder on track .... Loosening bank Jacking up Total time under observation 59 8 3 100. HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Direct Labor Distribution per Day Standard Basis Second Day Load- ing Trans- porting Dump- ing Break- ing Inci- dental Total Runner .... Craneman Fireman .... i pitman .... 8 pitmen .... $5-oo 3.60 2.40 i-75 12. OO i coalman 3 locomotive en- gineers .... 3 locomotive brake- men i switchman . 4 laborers, blasting . i foreman, blasting . 35 laborers, 3 dumps 3 foremen, 3 dumps i superintendent I. 5 $7-80 4. co I. ^O $6.OO 2.OO . . . . . . . . . $52.50 6 oo . . . $6.00 Total cost of labor per day .... Cost of labor per cubic yard, cents . Per cent .... $26.25 1.8 4 23-3 $13.80 0.97 12.3 $58.50 4.10 52.0 $8.00 0.56 7- 1 $6.00 0.42 5-3 $112.55 7.89 IOO.O Process Analysis Ti me Per Cost per Total Second Day Min. Sec. Cent Cents Yard Charge to waiting for blasters 18 6 A. o. 118 0.118 Charge to loading J u y T i. Actual loading . 259 3 43-3 o.79 6 l 2*. Delays 1 a Moving up . 107 17.9 0.329 *. i .205 b Repairs . J 7 0.052 c Miscellaneous . 9 . . i*5 0.028J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars . 122 3 20.5 0.377 I Or T 7 2. Miscellaneous 45 30 7-6 0.140 J J / Total ^98 T.O IOO.O I .840 yy v J w 93 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVE I, WORK From the record which follows : Average cubic yards excavated per day during 1908 .... 1705 Average cost direct labor per day $24.75 Number cubic yards per day . . 1705 1.45 cts.per cu. yd. Process Analysis Second Day's Observation as Basis Time Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost per Yard Cents Min. Sec. Charge to waiting for blasters 38 6.4 0.093 0.093 Charge to loading i. Actual loading 2.S9 30 43-3 0.6281 2. Delays I a Moving up . I0 7 17.9 o. 2 59 r- 0.950 b Repairs . . J 7 2.8 0.041 I c Miscellaneous . 9 1-5 0.022 J Charge to transporting and dumping i . Waiting for cars . 2. Miscellaneous 122 45 30 30 20.5 7.6 0.297 ) O. I 10 f 0.407 Total 598 3 IOO.O i-45 94 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK It is our understanding that the following represents the out- put in cubic yards for the year 1908: jl <-rt H jj 11 i! il ll nj 3 d g ^Q ^H rtf I a fc 6 I |l rt > j "rt uj | g j "rt M ^ IB tj Is > i o 2164 Sun. IO 2765 2060 2 4 1051 9 2419 IO 2765 6 1224 3 t 587 3 8 1543 7 1490 9 2297 9% 2549 Sun. 1721 4 5 547 8 1872 8% 1678 IO 2895 IO 1440 10 2052 5 Sun. 8 1699 4 771 Sun. 5/^ 1138 IO 1800 6 9 I59 1 7 1476 IO 2794 9 1685 10 1483 7 5 1080 8 1843 IO 1469 9 2462 rain Sun. 8 6 1455 1% 1728 Sun. 4% 1210 9 1 A 1930 IO 2268 9 8 2031 Sun. rain IO 2704 10 1908 2 216 IO 8 2160 7 1498 9 2l8 9 8% 1224 Sun. IO 1462 ii 9 2160 7 157 IO 2880 rain 86 IO 2092 IO 2203 12 Sun. iVz MSI 9^ 2808 Sun. 9 1 A 2333 IO 2020 13 6 I 57 8 1804 m 2462 IO 2048 IO 2394 IO l8 94 14 9 2171 7 1440 10 2776 10 2290 7 1 A 1732 Sun. 15 9 2534 3 414 Sun. 9 2160 5 1199 8 I 4 22 16 5 1354 Sun. 9\*2 2862 7% 1836 IO 2167 6 1181 17 ' 8 2354 4 558 5 Iigi 2520 Sun. 10 1976 18 9 2448 9 IO 2491 9 2034 8 1469 T 9 Sun. snow rain Sun. IO 2114 10 1829 rain 20 39i 9 2203 10 2444 9 2106 IO 1728 21 1868 9 2232 9 2056 9 2524 IO 1987 Sun. 22 3 37 1 8% 2153 Sun. 1% 1980 4 770 IO 1800 23 8 1080 Sun. 8 2Ol6 9 2419 IO 8 1609 24 snow 9 2023 10 2794 7 1 A 1987 Sun. IO 1584 25 7 986 9 2160 IO 3000 7 1930 9% 2028 9 1663 26 Sun. 2 461 10 l8 3 6 Sun. IO 2005 IO 1714 27 8 1548 iVi 1854 IO 241 8X2 1552 IO 2081 9 1 A 1512 28 6 1591 5 1 A "95 IO 1814 3 900 IO 2038 Sun 2 9 8 2002 6 1620 Sun. IO 2318 10 1908 IO 1422 30 9 2034 9% 2 635 7 1213 3 173 IO 1584 3* 7 1714 9 2419 Sun Total 41798 36447 ^ 54066 44461 40199 95 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVE I, WORK e S2 to S2 g K^ 3 K^ &1 VH EH u EH OJ EH M 1 |1 >? || 1 1 %> i 2 ^1 1 it 1 13 13 E ^ 13 E O. *rt E o Is ^ o rt 1 2W r 3 y w 3w o W fc l w Q I IO 1512 9/2 I59 1 Sun. 8 3/ 1379 2 I ^/o 205 Sun. 7^i J 35 r 9^2 "73 3 IO 1392 9% 1246 2.% 6 74 8 1114 4 Holiday Sun. 7 I 5 I 9 7^ 1322 5 Sun. l l /2- 1250 6 1337 8 1278 6 IO T 739 Sun. 8 1323 b l /2 1029 Sun. 7 9% 1526 8K 2870 1 1365 8 8 1426 6-43 : 533 Sun. 7 1 A 1278 9 9% 1685 Sun. 7 1287 4^2 952 &% 1728 IO 10 1685 6.4 8H 1148 63/ 4 1728 1 1 S 3 /^ 1743 Sun. 7% 1239 8X 1872 12 Sun. 6 1354 b l A "97 7^2 1683 13 IO 2145 Sun. 7/^ 1862 5% 1015 Sun. 7% 1692 7 1124 6% 120^ 7 1 /? 1944 15 IO 2149 1701 Sun. 8^ 2322 16 IO 2162 Sun. 8X 1708 6 1029 6% 1683 17 8 1940 8 1704 6 1169 6% 1683 18 IO 2315 Sun. 6 K 1386 2^ 7" 19 Sun. 7^ 1694 3/^ 891 8/i 2133 20 9K 1937 Sun. 7^ 1460 6 U34 Sun. 21 10 2189 1641 5 1365 8J^ 2133 22 9 1696 7/^ 1505 Sun. 7/^ 1944 23 1825 Sun. 7% 1537 5% 1614 6^ 1422 24 8% 1692 1885 7 1683 2 5 4/^ 709 8.10 1407 6.40 1851 26 Sun. 9 6^ 1620 27 8 1623 7.20 1235 7-05 1881 28 8 J537 6V4 1393 6.0 I^OO 7 2088 2 9 8% 1714 8 1680 8 2088 3 IO 1811 Sun. 7^ 1687 1150 8 1827 3i 1% 1260 5^4 840 8^ 2349 Total . . 43309 38537 32895 40565 No. of Days Actual ,, ,, Total Days Total Days Month Worked in Month Number of Stormy Days could have Worked Sun. Holiday inc. No. Days forked less all Delays * January . 26 31 ! 26 21. IO * February . 23 29 March . . 21 31 I 3 25 23 l8.I 7 18.73 April . . 25 30 25 20.65 May ... 25 31 i 25 21.58 June ... 25 30 July ... 26 31 o o 26 27 23.28 22.38 August . . i 31 26 September . o 30 26 October. . 25 31 o 27 18.64 November . 25 30 o 25 13.92 *December 24 31 27 17-35 Total . . 246 366 7 308 '<)5.S ( , *0-hour days during January, February and December 96 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 9 - - SHOVEL No. 1121 INSPECTED SEPTEMBER 4 AND 7, 1909 CHICAGO, ILL. SHOVEL This is a 70 C shovel located near Western Avenue and Thirty-fifth Street, Chicago, 111., owned by John W. Farley, and employed in digging a sewer trench. It is new and of the latest design. Its distinguishing features are the location of the operat- ing levers, those being placed about five feet outside the shovel housing, as shown in the sketch ; the long clipper handle ; and the support upon which the shovel rests. The operating levers are placed outside of the shovel house, in order that the operator may have an unobstructed view of the bottom of the trench. The dipper handle is 54 feet long, so that it can reach into the deep trench, which w r as 26x16 feet. Both it and the boom are made of wood and are steel plated. The supporting structure consists of the truss arrangement shown in the Bucyrus catalog. The shovel is taken off its trucks and placed on this structure, rollers being used to move it backward and forward. The shovel crew consisted of engineer, craneman, fire- man and seven rollermen. -There were also employed six trimmers, six bracers and one foreman following the digging. To move the shovel backward or forward, a cable, hauled on by the main engines, was led out to a " dead man." By actual timing the shovel was moved back 416 feet in 3}^ hours. Two days were spent in observing this shovel. On the first day the top soil to a depth of 10 feet was 97 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK removed and on the second day the- remaining depth of 26 feet was taken out. As the shovel excavates the trimmers follow it, trimming down the sides for the bracers who follow with the sheeting. Two I- beams about 50 feet long are placed as shown in the sketch, so that when the next bench is taken out and it is necessary to draw the braces the I-beams hold the sheeting and the shovel works between the jack screws. When the shovel moves forward the jack screws are slightly loosened and the I- beams are attached to the shovel and hauled forward with it, the wooden bracing being placed behind the I-beams. This being a new shovel there have been no repairs. A 3 1 i V STEEL I BEAMS ~~\J- ' s^ 1EETING f _j / JACK SCREW SPACED 20' =t PLANT ARRANGEMENT The sketch shows the ar- rangement. Some cars were hauled out on the main line to a dump some distance away. Therefore both narrow and standard gauge tracks were necessary. On both days of the observation the dump was as indicated on the sketch, this being back- filling. Eighteen-ton dinkeys were used and standard gauge and narrow gauge cars of six and four-yard capac- ity respectively. The average time for a round trip on the first day was 19.8 minutes (28 observations), and on the second day was 16.8 minutes (22 observations). The concrete mixer was on a platform similar to that upon which the shovel was placed. This follows behind the shovel, HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK COST KEEPING The contractor keeps accurate unit costs but does not give outside information, so that these could not be obtained. OBSERVATIONS Gauge Standard Capacity of dipper 2 yards water measure Height of lift . . 35' from bottom of trench to top of cars Kind of teeth Manganese steel Length of boom 36' Length of dipper handle 54' Height of boom above pivot 12.4' Horizontal reach of boom 30^ ' Farthest dipper can reach to dump 50' Diameter of bull wheel 8' Distance inside dinkey track to pivot 24' Depth of dipper (water measure) 42" Depth of dipper including lip 60" Depth of dipper including teeth 70" Number of cars loaded 126 (48, 6- yard; 78, 4-yard) Cubic yards excavated (place measure) 569 Total distance moved forward during day 60' Number of times moved forward 4 Maximum distance moved forward in one move . . . 16' 8" Average time between beginning of one shovel move and beginning of next . 142. 3 minutes. Number of cars to one shovel move 31 Area of section 256 square feet Height of face 16' Weather, clear. TIME STUDY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 7:00 I2: 57 Stopped work 12:00 5:59 Min. Min. Min. Total time worked, 300 + 302 = 602= 10 hours 2 minutes. 99 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Minutes -Seconds Per Cent Actual working 270 30 44-9 Spotting cars i 30 0.3 Waiting for cars 138 . . 22.9 Moving shovel 135 . . 22.4 Time idle Boulder in bucket .... 2 . 0.3 Waiting for men to dig out a little on sides .... 5 . . 0.8 Repairing braces .... 2 . . 0.3 Removing bracing ... 32 . . 5.4 Miscellaneous delay, moving cross bracing 16 Total time under observation 602 . . 100.0 Cost of Direct Labor (Loading) Runner $5.00 Craneman 3. 60 Fireman 2.40 7 rollermen 10.50 $21.50 Cubic yards loaded on day of excavation, 569. Cost of labor per day $21 qo ;r; r r~- r~ \ = ^-=3-78 cts. per cubic yard. Number cubic yards per day 569 Process Analysis Time Min. Sec. Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost Cents Charge to loosening and breaking Charge to loading 1. Actual loading . . 2. Delays a Moving up b Miscellaneous Charge to transporting and Dumping i . Waiting for cars . . 55* 270 139 3 9.2 44-9 0.348 1.698 oo oo 3 22.4 0-3 0.846 O.OII 0.877 0.348 2.555 0.877 602 I 00.0 3.780 *Fifty minutes of this time was required for the braces. Repairing (2 min- utes); to remove (32 minutes); and to arrange (16 minutes). IOO HANDBOOK O Y S T^A M J ^8 tt O V'K L J j W O J R 1C Dipper Performance Mini- mum Average Maxi- mum Number Obs. No. At- tempts Digging ... 1 Time 3 y 2 9-7 18 15 15 Swinging loaded . 1 - n 4% 6.5 12 13 Swinging empty . | Sec 3 7-9 II IO Falling empty . J 4 5- 1 7 9 Time to fill and load one dipperful I5# 29.2 48 Time for a complete swing Seconds .... Minimum Average Maximum No. Obs. 23/2 28.9 35 9 'III [Jill l/ll ill Fig. 16. Shovel No. 1121 IOI H A N D E 6 O K O F S T E A M SHOVEL WORK *i^ !*!> 1 a 102 H A N'D BOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Figs. 17 and 18. Bucyrus Shovel on Western Avenue Sewer, Chicago, 111. 103 H A N I) BOOK OF STEAM SHOVE L W O R K CHAPTER VII STEAM SHOVEL WORK IN CLAY Clay is more susceptible to moisture than any of the other materials considered in this volume. It will stand with a nearly vertical face before excavation and can be dug very readily when fairly dry. When rather wet it is sticky and offers great resistance to the lifting motion of the bucket. With a powerful engine this is of no great disadvantage, since the resistance is smooth and does not rack the boom and shipper shaft. In the pit, -however, the discomfort attendant upon working in this wet material is very considerable. To handle it wet with hand shovels is laborious, as it sticks to the bowl of the shovel and tries to take the shovel and the shoveler with it when cast. A hole or two punched in the bowl will often afford much relief to the men. This material containing practically no voids, is very heavy, and, owing to its stiffness, a large amount in compari- son with sand or gravel can be loaded upon a car. Ton for ton, it is economical to transport for this reason. In wet weather it is apt to cling like flypaper to the car and delay the dumping operation. When handled with a toothed dipper it is liable to get between the teeth in chunks and cling to them when dumping into the car, so that only a portion of the dipper load is released for each swing. This is very irritating to the men and expensive to the management. REPORT No. 11 SHOVEL No. 1119 INSPECTED JULY 15, 1909 KENT, OHIO GENERAL CONDITIONS This shovel was working less than a mile from No. 1118,* on the same contract, with, however, some *See page 49. 104 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK difference in the nature of the material handled. The same general methods were in use by Mr. Hengst and the same general efficiency was observable. -10 1 >!< 27 - Typical Cross Section OBSERVATIONS Material Clay mixed with sand with occasional sand pockets. When dry could be handled easily but when wet it was very gummy and stuck in dipper badly. Some quick sand. Type of shovel 70 C Bucyrus Distance of move 6' Kind of teeth Rock Height of lift 8' Size of ties under shovel 6" x 8" x 8' Size of bucket 2^ yards Age of shovel 2 months Duration of job . . . . - 4 Y 2 months Length of shift 10 hours Number of shifts per day i Coal is handled by team ; water piped direct to shovel. Repairs are made on shovel as needed and at night. Extra repair parts kept in stock for emergency. Made by crew and boilermaker. Coal used 3 tons in 10 hours Water used 35 gallons in 10 hours Boiler is cleaned once a month. Cost of repairs Repairs made on job 105 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS Continued Contract price .... . 25c. per yard in embankment (which includes embankment) Narrow gauge 3' track, 55-pound rail. Kind and size of cars used K. & J., 4-yard Dinkey braked by steam ; cars by hand. Hand signals used; brakeman standing on shovel. Kind and size of dinkey Vulcan, i6-ton Length of haul Max. 2700', min. 2000 Number of trains 2 12 cars Age of cars and dinkey 4^ months Weather, fair Cars figure 4^ yards each according to- this record and monthly estimate for first three months. This shovel cut into right of way for several days and was then turned into borrow pit. The preparatory cost of cutting into right of way was $400 and to cut into borrow pit $1200 more. Shovel was delayed from May 1 9th to May 26th, on account of right of way difficul- ties. Total preparatory costs and cost of delay were said to be $3000. In general, remarks on No. .1118 will apply to No. 1119, as they are managed in exactly the same way. Started work Stopped work Total time worked 2^ minutes. TIME STUDY Forenoon 10:25 11:27:45 62 # +299^ = 362^ Afternoon 11:57:00 ' minutes = 6 hours Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working Spotting cars Waiting for cars 229 60 4 2 ^O 63.4 IQ I Moving shovel Miscellaneous delays . . . 49 13 18 55 13.6 3-9 Total time under observation . 362 15 IOO.O 106 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK From the records which follow : Number of carloads excavated per day (average of 36 days) 380 @ 4% yards. Cubic yards loaded per day (average of 36 days) 380 x 4.25 x. 90* = 1450 cubic yards. Place measure *o. 90= ratio of Water measure Standard Basis Per Day Loading Trans- porting Dump- ing Inci- dental Total Runner Craneman $5 oo T. 6O Fireman 4 pitmen Dump foreman .... 2.40 6.00 2 OO 7 dumpmen 2 brakemen 1, OO 10. 50 2 dinkeymen .... i pipeman i watchman 5.20 . . . i-50 1-50 Total cost of direct labor per day Cost per day per cubic yard (cts) Per cent $17.00 1.17 41.6 $8.20 0.57 20.3 $12.50 0.86 30.6 $3.00 O.2I 7-5 $40 . 70 2.81 IOO.O Process Analysis Time Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost Min. Sec. Charge to loading i. Actual loading . 220. 42 63.4 0.742! 2. Delays I a Moving up . 49 18 13-6 O.IS9 I 0.946 b Miscellaneous 13 55 3-9 Q.045J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars 6 9 20 19.1 0.224 0.224 3 62 i5 IOO.O . . . I.I70 107 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK |N umber n t Minimum Average Maximum Time Study Deductions Ul Obser- vations Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Time of moving up, shovel idle 16 2 15 3 5 4 25 Time between moves, shovel working . 16 IO IO T 3 29 15 25 Time between trains, idle 16 3 3 4 20 5 15 Time per dipper . 14 19 21 23 Number of dippers per move 16 26 36 42 Number of dippers per train .... 23 2 5 27 3 Number of dippers per car .... 230 ^/4 ACTUAL RATIOS Water consumption, pounds 29,160 Coal consumption, pounds 6,000 = 4.86 108 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK hau/ of etri rewe curre vas /recessary of oft Affer flfrf erf f/r*s ci/r#f -#*J fe ^ | coal ';[ ^ .:b i il /; *' .i * X., S voter LA your font Ohio 109 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK : Figs 1 9 and 20. Bucyrus Shovel Loading Clay and Sand on W. and L. E. R. R. Kent, Ohio HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 12 --SHOVEL No. 843 INSPECTED JULY 10, 1909 CLEVELAND, OHIO LOCATION Shovel No. 843 was working during July on a deep cut on the L. S. & M. S. cut- off south of Cleveland, Ohio, where the line runs through Brooklyn. GENERAL CONDITIONS The finished cut is to be for a four-track line and the bench on which the shovel was working at the time was within 3 feet of finished sub-grade. On the south side of the cut the excavation was to grade and one cut more was needed on the middle bench to finish the work. The remaining 3 feet to the sub-grade, on the north side was to be taken out by hand. A complete cross section at the time of observation is given in the illustration. The shovel was to go through the cut once more on the center line, or a little to the left of it, so as to take the 7 -foot heading to grade, and as much of the 3-foot cut on the north side as possible. CREW The entire shovel force consisted of the shovel engineer, craneman and fireman, six pitmen, and one coal passer. Transportation force consisted of three crews of three men each. There were no extra men engaged in any capacity about the shovel, no pipe men, extra pitmen to look after drainage, drillers or blasters. MATERIAL The material was dry clay and disinte- grated shale. When the dipper was run into the bank the material broke up into fine flake spalls almost like small shells, and as it was perfectly dry it could be handled with the utmost ease. When HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK the shovel was near the bank after moving up, the dipper could penetrate to half its depth by inertia alone before the crowding engine was started, thus insuring a full dipper at every swing even though it might be brought but half way up by the hoisting engine. The dip- per was dumped easily and was completely emptied at each dumping. When an attempt was made to heap a car, material was almost sure to be lost, as it was so light and flaky and so lacked cohesion that it would run over the side. For the same reason the dipper had to be spotted very carefully before it was dumped. In spite of whatever care the shovel runner exercised in dumping his dipper and the brakeman in spotting his cars, the track had to be cleaned after each train pulled out. This, of course, was done by the pitmen, and often, when moving up occurred between trains, they were able to get the track clear and look after their regular duties as well. MOVING UP When moving up the shovel, a 2-inch pipe was used to swing the jack blocks clear of the ground instead of the ordinary wooden pole. This pipe was held in a bracket attached to the jack arm and had a collar about 4 inches from its end, which kept the chain that suspended the jack block from slipping along the pipe. This pipe was held by the bracket and was always in place, there being little danger of its breaking or splitting, as is often the case with wooden poles. SUPPLIES All supplies were brought to the shovel by dump trains. Water was carried in the tender (the dump engines were standard railroad loco- motives) and a 4-inch rubber hose was run from the tender to the water tank of the shovel and the water siphoned over. This always caused some slight delay with every second or third train. Coal was shoveled 112 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK by hand to the pit behind the shovel. Thence it was carried in bushel baskets by a laborer who had rigged a gang plank with cleats at the back of the shovel. He dumped the coal on the extension platform back of the boiler. TRANSPORTATION The average haul was about three miles over very rough track. Three standard railroad locomotives were used. The cars were the most modern type of Western " air dumps " of 12 yards capacity. They were built in two sizes, there being 40 cars with bodies 18 feet 9 inches long and five cars with bodies 26 feet in length. All were double truck, two-side dumps with wooden bodies. Trains were composed of 15 cars each. Ten men worked on the dump. The material was unloaded on one side over a bank about 40 feet high. When the track was not near the edge of the bank a spreader was used. This consisted of a steel scraper plate with one end hinged on the trucks of a flat car and the outer end supported by a line from a block on the floor of the car. The spread and depth of cut could be regulated by one man on the car, but often the operator of the spreader was helped by the brakeman of the train. The regular dump train engine was used in operating the spreader. Typical Cross Section HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS Shovel Distance of move Kind of teeth . . . Height of cars above rail, Shovel track to load track Size of ties under shovel Size of bucket Age of shovel yo-ton Bucyrus ... 6' Standard earth 7' and 7' 6" ... 4' . 6" x 8" x 8' 2 l /2 yards 3 years to 2^ tons per day 6000 gallons per day Duration of job to date, 3 years 2 months; to be finished in 6 weeks from July 10, 1909. Length of shift ............ 10 hours Number of shifts per day ........... i Repairs are made on shovel as needed. Coal used ......... Water used ......... Boiler cleaned every two weeks. Standard gauge track; 55-pound rails. Train is braked by air. Hand signals used ; brakeman on top of loaded car. Kind and size of dinkey ..... Standard locomotive Length of haul ........ Said to be 3 miles Number of trains ......... 3 of 15 cars each Weather, fair, very warm Note. The bank was dry and the pit seemed to need no draining. Material was easy to handle, and a much larger dipper could have been used. Four-yard cars had been employed previous to the 1 2-yard cars and it was found that two swings of a 2^ -yard dipper filled these cars completely; seven swings of a 2 Vi -yard dipper filled the 1 2-yard cars completely Pit crew was composed of rather green men. The runner said he could move up in i or i ^ minutes in such a pit with a good crew. Started work Stopped work TIME STUDY Forenoon 9:25:30 11:35:00 Min. Sec. Min. Total time worked 129 30 + 267 36 minutes 40 seconds. Afternoon 12:30:15 Sec. 10 = 6 hours 114 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working 228 c C7 c Spotting cars Changing trains Moving shovel Shovel taking water .... Miscellaneous delays 36 112 8 ii 2O 5 25 9.1 28.3 2.2 2.9 Total time under observation . 396 40 100. Cost of Direct Labor (Loading) Per Day Standard Basis Runner . $z oo Craneman 3.60 Fireman 2 40 9.OO I . 5O $21.50 Number of carloads excavated on day of observation . . 90 Cubic yards loaded on day of observation, 90 x 12 x 0.83 = 900 Based on the performance observed the cubic yards loaded per lo-hour day = 900 x 600 minutes =. 1360 cubic yards. 396% minutes Cost of labor per day . . 21.50 ^ r T r~. ~\ j = 2 i Sc. P er cubic yard. Number of cubic yards per day 1360 Process Analysis Time Per Cent Cost per Cubic Yard Total Cost per Min. Sec. in Cents Yard Charge to loading i. Actual loading 228 5 57.5 o . 908 ) 2. Delays s a Moving up - ... 112 2O 28.3 0-447 I 1 -43 b Miscellaneous 2O 15 o.o8ij Charge to transportation and dumping T. Waiting for cars . 36 9.1 0.144 0.144 \ ' - 396 40 100. 1.580 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Number Minimum Average Maximum Time Study Deductions of Obser- 1 vations Min Sec. Min Sec. Min. Sec. Time of moving up, shovel idle . 31 2 IO 2 5 1 3 5 Time between moves, shovel working 37 3 2O 6 16 i3 55 Time between trains . 6 2 6 9 30 Time per train loading 6 38 OI Time per dipper . . 26 14.2 17.9 22.2 Number of dippers to move 3 1 12 18.7 23 Number of dippers to train 6 114.5 Number of dippers to car 90 7-6 . . Number of trains loaded .... 6. Number of cars loaded 90. Cars per train . . . IS- ACTUAL RATIOS Water consumption, pounds _ 50,000 Coal consumption, pounds ~ 5,000 to 5,500 = 10.0-9.1 116 HANDBOOK OF STE J AM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 21. Bucyrus Shovel at Work in Deep Cut on the L. S. and M. S. R. R. South of Cleveland \, Spreader Used for Pushing Material over Bank 117 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 13 - - SHOVEL No. 666 INSPECTED JULY 17, 1909 KENT, OHIO LOCATION This work is part of that undertaken for correction of line on the W. & L. E. R. R. near Kent, Ohio, J. R. Dewitt, Manager. GENERAL CONDITIONS The shovel had been work- ing only three days and on the day of inspection was still cutting in. The cut was a " through," and for the purpose of getting material for a large fill on the job. At this point the ground had been wooded and because of old stumps, tree roots, etc., digging was rather slow. The inexperience of the pit- men also caused some delays. MOVING SHOVEL Before cutting in, this shovel was moved 1600 feet. The shovel crew, 1 6 men, foreman and i team were engaged in this work for 8 hours, at a total cost of $34.00 or 2.12 cents per foot moved. iK 1! \ ~7iT /li / ii '-er *' ->W- n' 7' Typical Cross Section OBSERVATIONS Material, clay and loam with many stumps. Shovel 7O-ton Bucyrus Distance of move 6' Kind of teeth Heavy earth 118 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS Continued Height of lift, cars 6' o" ; shovel track to loading track, 6' 6"; total 12' 6". Size of ties under shovel 6"x8"x8 / o" Size of bucket 2% yards Age of shovel 5 years Duration of job 60,000 yards to be excavated Length of shift 10 hours Number of shifts per day i Supplies are handled as follows: coal, by wagon; water, piped. Repairs are made as needed. Coal used 3 y 2 tons per shift Cost of repairs not known, but $4000 to $5000 should be spent, as condition is bad. Contract price 4 oc. for excavation Contract including excavation. Three working days; no rainy days since starting. Track, narrow gauge, 36", 3o-pound. Size of car used 4 yards Car is braked by hand; dinkey by steam. Hand signals used. Kind and size of dinkey Vulcan, 16 tons Length of haul 1000' plus Number of trains 2 Weather, fair, warm. Started work Stopped work Total time worked 22 seconds. TIME STUDY Forenoon 9:00:35 10:47:35 Afternoon 12:30:00 5:04:22 Min. Min. Sec. 107 + 274 22 6 hours 21 minutes Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working 14.^ 24. ^7 6 Waiting for cars . . . . Moving shovel Pulling track 83 97 c i 31 57 A C 21.9 2 5-7 11 6 Miscellaneous delays 4 45 Total time under observation . 38i 22 IOO.O 119 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Cost of Direct Labor (Loading) Per Day Standard Basis Runner working >$r no Crane man -> 60 Fireman .... J - uu ~~> AO 6 pitmen 9 oo $20.00 Number of cars loaded on day of observation . 189 A 4 yards. Cubic yards loaded on day of observation . 189 * 4 = 756. Based on performance observed, the cubic yards loaded per lo-hour 600 min. day = 756 X / // == 1190- Cost of labor per day . . Number of cubic yards per day $20 oo = ' 68c " P er cubic y arcL Time Per Cost per Total Min. Sec. Cent in Cents Cents Charge to loading i. Actual loading H3 24 37-6 0-632! 2. Delays a Moving up Q7 S7 25.7 0.43 2 f" I.08 4 b Miscellaneous delays 4 45 I .2 O.02O) Charge to transportation and dumping I. Waiting for cars 2. Miscellaneous delays 83 5 1 3 1 45 21.9 13-6 0.368 ) 0.228 J 0.596 38i 22 IOO.O . . . 1. 680 120 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK TIME STUDY DEDUCTIONS Number of Obser- vations Minimum Average Maximum Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Time of moving up, shovel idle H 3 15 7 00 12 5 Time between moves, shovel working 16 6 5 8 58 II 5 Time between trains . 19 2 10 4 24 6 45 Time per train, loading 27 4 5 5 JQ 8 55 Time per dipper . . 16 o 19.0 o 21.6 o 31.2 Number of dippers, per move 16 20 2 5 33 Number of dippers, per train . 27 14 14.8 17 Number of dippers, per car 2. II . . Number of trains loaded .... . 27 . . Number of cars loaded . . I8 9 Cars per train . . . . 7 121 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Shone/ * U fl Coa) O wafer Tivo fraiffJ. l#fi//e one /> /oat///y f f/re /s a? dump. jLoodeJ fra/# tra/ti o for e#7/>firs fa co/rre Jro/rr dump TRACK 122 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 14 --SHOVEL No. 1 128 INSPECTED OCTOBER 4, 1909 BUHL, MINN. IN THE ORE REGION LOCATION No. 1128 is a 950 Bucyrus shovel, owned by Butler Brothers, stripping contractors. At present it is engaged with No. 517 in stripping in the Grant mine (see p. 154). GENERAL CONDITIONS The character of the strip- ping was such that no ma- chine, however powerful, could handle all of it without some hesitation and straining. The cut was a side one and some 30 feet in height, of which the upper 17 feet were composed of a mixture of earth and clay contain- ing just sufficient moisture to cause it to stick like mo- lasses candy to the inside of the bucket, filling up the spaces between the teeth and decreasing their penetrative power, at the same time reducing the capacity of the dipper to such an extent that frequent stops had to be made to clean out the bucket. This was done by two of the pitmen equipped with small scraper and shovel. Such was the character of the upper part of the cut. This was very discouraging material to work in, but caused no straining on the part of the shovel. The lower part of the cut was a nearly solid mass of boulders, which were imbedded in the clay. Being round in shape, they offered scant grip for the teeth of the dipper, which would slide over them and bury itself in the softer ma- terial above. As might be expected, this strain on the shovel was severe. Frequently nests of large boulders were encountered, which were picked up and tossed to one side to be later broken with powder. In such material the teeth had to be replaced weekly and some- times semi-weekly. 123 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK SHOVEL This shovel was equipped with tandem hoist- ing sheaves. The jacks could be swung inward, and the screws were operated, one by a wheel and the other by a bar passed through a hole in the top of the screw. In the afternoon the large pin that fastens the upper portion of the dipper to its handle failed as a result of the hard usage due to the boulders. Four men and the runner replaced it in 1 1 minutes and 1 5 seconds. K--9'- 24 ' Typical Cross Section OBSERVATIONS Distance of move 5^' Kind of teeth Rock Size of ties 6" x 7" Height of lift n' 3" Size of bucket 3 yards Age of shovel New May, 1909 Length of shift 10 hours Number of shifts, per day 2 Coal is dumped from one of the dump cars and then carried onto the shovel by a workman. 124 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS Continued Water is supplied from a tank on a low hill near by. Repairs are made by the day crew on Sunday, who get no extra money. Coal used 2^ and 3 tons in 10 hours f Black, 5 gallons in 24 hours .. , J Cylinder, 5 gallons in 24 hours ' 1 Kerosene, 2^ gallons a night [Gasolene, 20 gallons a night Lighting is furnished at night by four gasolene torches, each holding 2/^ gallons, and by eight kerosene oil burners or torches. Water used 12,800 gallons in 24 hours Boiler is cleaned every second Sunday. Standard gauge track; 55-pound rails. Russell Wheel and Foundry 7-yard dump car used; water measure. Engine braked by air. Hand signals used. Kind and size of dinkey . . . Baldwin locomotives, 5o-ton Length of haul about j^-mile Number of trains 2 The locomotive new July, 1909. Shovel has been on the present work since coming out of shop. New May, 1909. Moved forward 33 feet during day. Height of car above rail ?' 3" Slope is slightly under cut and overhanging at top. Side cut. Teeth have to be replaced once a week and sometimes more often. Extra small parts such as bolts and nuts are kept on the shovel. Larger duplicate parts are kept on hand at the Butler Bros. shops about 9 miles away. Shovel was working down hill but cut was dry. The track layout for this shovel and No. 517 will be given together under No. 517 (p. 154). Weather, clear and cool. TIME STUDY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 6:56:00 12:53:45 Stopped work 12:01:00 5 : 5 6:2 5 Min. Min. Sec. Total time worked 305 + 302 40 = 10 hours 7 minutes 40 seconds. 125 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working 367 35 60.4 Waiting for cars . 103 45 I7.I Moving shovel 49 40 8.2 Miscellaneous delays Oiling i man i 45 o-3 Clearing bucket 2 men 6 20 i .0 Clearing bucket 2 men 5 40 0.9 Clearing bucket 2 men 4 35 0.8 Replacing heel pin 5 men 21 15 3-5 Rock between teeth I man I 2 5 O.2 Car off track 6 men 8 oo !-3 Rock in teeth . i man o 30 O. I Clearing bucket 2 men 2 55 -5 Stone on track . O 45 O.I Rock in teeth . I o 0.2 Clearing bucket 2 men 4 o 0.7 Oiling 2 men 2 40 0.4 Clearing dipper 2 men 4 40 0.8 Rock on track . 3 men i 40 0.3 Chaining stone 3 men 3 45 0.6 Replacing bolt in stick 5 men ii 15 1.9 Clearing bucket 2 men 4 30 0.7 Total time under observation 607 40 100. Cost of Direct Labor (Loading) per Day Standard Basis Runner $5 oo Craneman 1 60 Fireman . . . 2 4O 4 pitmen i track cleaner i coal carrier 6.00 i-5 I ^O $20.00 Number of carloads excavated on day of observation, 189 of capacity 7 -yards (water measure). Cubic yards loaded i= 189x7x0.75* = 990. $2O . OO Cost per day per cubic yard =r ~^~ = 2.020. per cubic yard. Place measure * o 75 = ratio of Wat 990 ter measure 126 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Time Cost per Total p A 1 " Per Yard Min. Sec. Cent in Cents Cents Charge to loading i. Actual loading . 367 35 60.4 1.220") 2. Delays a Moving up ... 49 40 8.2 0.166 ^ b Repairs . . 32 30 5-4 0.109 1.641 c Miscellaneous . 43 45 7.2 o. 146 J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars . 2. Miscellaneous 103 10 45 25 17.1 1-7 -345 I 0.034 f 0.379 607 40 IOO.O . . . 2.020 TIME STUDY DEDUCTIONS Number of Minimum Average Maximun Obser- vations Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Time of moving up, shovel idle . 6 5 IO 8 16.6 9 45 Time between moves, shovel working 5 56 15 64 55 82 15 Time between trains 16 3 55 6 22.5 12 05 Time per train, loading 18 1 3 IO 2O 25 28 35 Time per dipper . 5 32.1 35-2 37-6 Number of dippers per move 5 90 112 : 53 Number of dippers per train 18 3 35-5 43 Number of dippers per car 189 3-38 .. Number of trains loaded . 18 Number of cars loaded 189 Cars per train ( 9 trains of n cars, and ( 9 trains of 10 cars each ACTUAL RATIOS Water consumption, pounds _ 44,400 Coal consumption, pounds 5,000 to 6,000 = 8 88 to 7.40 127 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK 128 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Figs. 23 and 24. Bucyrus Shovel Engaged in Stripping at Grant Mine,} Buhl, Minn. 129 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 15 SHOVEL No. 650 INSPECTED AUGUST 30, 1909 CHICAGO, ILL. THE SHOVEL This is a yo-ton shovel, owned by the Illinois Improvement Company, located at South Deering, 111., and employed in digging slag. Its only distinguishing feature is the kind of teeth which are of special form. SUPPLIES Water was taken from the tank of the locomotive and was paid for at the rate of 50 cents a tank. The engineer said that noo gallons were consumed in loading 21 cars, which is at the rate of about 2 ^ cents per car of 3 1 cubic yards, place measure, or at about eight cents per 100 cubic yards. MATERIAL The digging was not difficult, being about the same as firmly cemented gravel. No blasting was necessary. TRACK AND TRANSPORTATION Large freight cars and railroad en- gines were used and supplied by the railroad company, with the result that sometimes many cars were on hand and sometimes none. The arrangement of the track is shown in the sketch, and the extent of the excavation, which was begun last May, by the photographs. On the day of our observa- tion the shovel was idle 70 per cent of the time 130 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS Gauge Standard Capacity of dipper 2^ yards Height of lift 10' Kind of teeth Special Number of pitmen 4 Height blocked up i ' Length of boom 28' Length of dipper handle 18' 6" Height of boom above pivot 21' Height of boom above shovel track 26' 4" Horizontal reach of boom 21' Farthest dipper can reach to dump 27' Highest dipper can reach to dump 16' Diameter of swing circle 7 ' 6" Height of dinkey tracks above shovel tracks 2' Distance inside dinkey track to inside shovel track ... 20' Depth of dipper 48" Depth of dipper, including lip 60" Depth of dipper, including teeth 82" Number of cars loaded 25 Cubic yards excavated * 822 Total distance moved forward during day 36' Number of times moved forward 6 Maximum distance moved forward in one move . . . . 6' 4" Average time between beginning of one shovel move and beginning of next 68.8 minutes Number of cars to one shovel move 4.5 Time shovel is interrupted to change trains . . 362 minutes Area of section 600 square feet Height of face Maximum 20', minimum 2' Water used uoo gallons to load 21 cars Weather, clear TIME STUDY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 7:00 12:30 Stopped work 12:00 5:30 Total time worked 300 + 300 min. = 600 min. := 10 hours 131 H A N D B O O K OF S T E A M SHOVE L W O R K Mini ites Seconds Per Cent Actual working 156 oo 26 .0 Changing trains 362 oo 60 4 Moving shovel 17 30 2 9 Idle Taking water .... 8 30 i 4 Getting up steam .... 50 oo 3 Miscellaneous delays Clearing track 6 oo i .0 Total time under observation . 60 O OO IOO .0 Direct Labor Distribution Per Day Standard Basis Loading Incidental Total Runner Craneman Fireman .... $5.00 3 .60 2.40 6.00 . . . 4 pitmen Watchman .... $1.50 Total cost of labor per Cost per day per cubic Per cent .... day .- yard $17.00 2.07 92 .0 $1-5 0.18 8.0 $18.50 2 2 5 1 00.0 The above costs are based upon the day's output of 82: cubic yards. Process Analysis Time Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost Min. Sec. Charge to loading i. Actual loading . 2. Delays a Moving up ... I 5 6 J 7 OO 30 26 o 2 9 0.538] O.o6o 1 0.799 b Miscellaneous . . 58 .30 9.7 O.2OI J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars 362 OO 60.4 I 2 4 8 ) 2. Miscellaneous . . 6 oo I .0 0.023 f I .2/1 600 IOO.O 2.O70 132 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Dipper Performance Min. Average Max. No. of Obs. No. At- tempts Digging . . Swinging loaded ! Time in Swinging empty [seconds Falling empty . J Time to fill and load one dipperful 3 1 A 2 / 2 1% 9-3 5- 1 3-7 3-8 26 20)^ 7 12 63 63 63 63 63 63 9 1 4 21.9 65 X 63 Time for a complete swing Minimum Average Maximum No. Obs. Seconds .... H 19.7 26 63 ACTUAL RATIOS Incidental labor Direct labor = 0.094 Fig. 25. Eucyrus Shovel No. 133 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK 2S SS oB 1 ft* *M *5>5 8^8 Pl^l ^^^^ 134 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK -; V 4*"-. A jo-ton Biicyrus Shovel at work, South Deering, 111. 135 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 16 SHOVEL No. 980 INSPECTED AUGUST 28, 1909 CHICAGO, ILL. THE SHOVEL This shovel of the yo-ton class is owned by the American Brick Company, and is at one of their yards, about 1 5 miles outside of Chicago, employed in digging clay. The boom and dipper handle are of steel and the boom is truss shaped. CREW The crew consisted of engineer, craneman and two pitmen. In moving forward the " hooker-on " assisted, making four men for this pur- pose. SUPPLIES Water is supplied from a tank located near the buildings. Coal is brought down in one of the dump cars and placed upon the shovel by hand. POWER Steam power is used to run the brickmaking machinery and to haul the cars up the in- clined plane, while horses haul from the shovel to the bottom of the incline. TRACK AND TRANSPORTATION Three-yard nar- row gauge cars are used, which can be dumped on one side only. The arrangement shown on the sketch and photo- graphs worked satisfactorily, since with four cars the granulator was well supplied with material. The time 136 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK for a round trip was obtained several days after the observations were made on the shovel. The shovel was then located at the foot of the incline, so that no horses were necessary and only one car was used. One man at the bottom of the plane hooked the cable to the cars. He also assisted in moving forward. OBSERVATIONS Gauge Standard Capacity of dipper 2^ yards Height of lift A. M., 10' to 12'; P v M., 14' Height blocked up i' Length of boom 28' Length of dipper handle 18' 6" Height of boom above pivot 21.5' Height of boom above shovel track 26.5' Horizontal reach of boom 20' Farthest dipper can reach to dump 27 ' Highest dipper can reach to dump 16' Diameter of swing circle 7 ' 6" Height of dinkey tracks above shovel tracks (varied from 6 to 8') Distance inside dinkey track to inside shovel tracks . 21' Depth of dipper 4' Depth of dipper (including lip) 5' Number of cars loaded 166 Cubic yards excavated 49& Coal used 1.3 tons Total distance moved forward during day 12' 4" Number of times moved forward . Maximum distance moved forward in one move . . . 6' 4" Average time between beginning of one shovel move and beginning of next 199 minutes Number of cars to one shovel move '. 75 Area of section 830 square feet Height of face 10' to 26'^ ', average 18' Weather, A. M., fair. P. M., cloudy and showery. 137 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK TIME STUDY Forenoon Afternoon Started work Stopped work 7:00 I2:OO 1:02 3:53 Min. Min. Min. Total time worked 300 + 171=471 = 7 hours 51 minutes Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working I ^4. ?o T> 8 \Vaiting for cars 27 C, H8 4 Moving shovel Idle Tightening bolts on bull wheel engine . .... 8 L7 O 2 Firing Oiling c O.2 j j Car off track 21 T,O 4 6 Repairing track . . Miscellaneous delays Moving boulder 3 3 ^o 0.7 O I Clearing track i O.2 Total time under observation . 47 1 IOO.O Standan 1 Basis Direct Labor Distribution per Day Loading Trans- porting Dumping Total Runner Craneman 2 pitmen i hooker-on $5 oo 3.60 3-0 $1 CQ 2 drivers 3 oo 2 horses . Hoisting engineer .... i dumpman ... . . . . . 3-oo 2.40 $1 50 Total cost of labor per day Cost per day per cubic yard, Per cent $11 .60 2-33 CQ A $9-90 1.99 AT. I $1.50 0.30 6 5 $23.00 4.62 IOO O 138 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Ti me Per Cost per VarH Total Min. Sec. Cent in Cents Cost Charge to waiting for blas- ters 7O Charge to loading J u i. Actual loading . 154 30 3 2.8 0.764") 2. Delays a Moving up ... 8 1.7 0.040 | 0.839 b Miscellaneous . 7 : -5 -35J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars 275 . 58.4 1 361) 2. Repairs .... 3 3 0.7 o 016 V 1.489 3. Miscellaneous 22 30 4-8 O. 112 ) 471 oo IOO.O 2-330 Dipper Performance Min. Av. Max. No. Obs. No. At- tempts Digging . . 1 Swinging loaded ) Time in Swinging empty [" Seconds Falling . . . J 5-5 3-0 4-0 2.0 10.7 6.6 5-5 2.9 17 14 9 4 3 28 25 2O 30 dipperful He 2 c 7 J *3- / Time for a complete swing Minimum Average Maximum No. Obs. Seconds .... 19 26.2 31-5 J 9 139 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Knives to Bottom of Plane * '" " ^ i Ml | I eg 2 Waiting and Dumping at Knives I t>. % i : : i 3 : : Waiting at Bottom of Bottom of Plane to Plane Knives 1 * < s 4 ^ J JL =44 4 CO | ^S : : 15 S a > 2^S wm i ^ ^ - g * ? Hooking-on | o i 4 J : J i o . : : suou -BAaasqo 00 SO OO Time (seconds) Distance (feet) Speed (feet per second) . . . Actual Round Trip X H i ? i 5^ i * | *i & ~ Waiting be- fore Shovel Starts to Load | m ' ' < i : : - i o : : This Point to Shovel | & 2 ^ 4 o g |? = 1^2^: |l 1 S, : : 1 o ^n ^ aj 'OS" 3 ill i ro 10 IN M -^ 10 co "u O JH 4 03 2 aj? 10 fO c i w r H 10 O 10 Switch No. 4 to Shovel 1 > ^ ^ 4 rr) 10 c i 2 ". rt 6 II I 8 : : 4- 8 : : 8 : : Bottom of Plane to Switch No. 4 1 S > oo ro m i g, vS 5 ^ Waiting at Bottom of Plane 1 8 : : 4- 8 : : i 8 : : Knives to Bottom of Plane X 1 a j 4 2 s S. i 8 a -5. suoi; ^ , T3 C O I OJ s h Distance (feet) Speed (feet, seconds) . . 148 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPAIRS We were given, by permission, the following inter- esting statement of repairs for 6^2 years, not includ- ing labor : YEAR 1903 February 13 i cutter blade, i%" x 16" x.44" mild steel. Plate bent and drilled 6.i"x3%"; bolts, same. June 7 2 valve stems for boom engine, 2 pins for same. June 15 i hoisting chain for shovel (i%" x 122'); I cutter blade, i % " x 1 5" x 44". July 20 i friction brake complete with band; 12 hard wood blocks. September 18 Four 4^" cylinder cocks. October 9 12 countersunk bolts, 3^", and nuts; 50 turned bolts, %" x 5" nuts, i swinging cable, i %" x 48' / November 27 i swinging cable, iX //x 5 2/ f TOO' June July July August 3 September 21 YEAR 1904 j i swinging cable, i%"*48' I i swinging cable, i%"x$2' 60 forged rack bolts ( 8 forged rod bolts, iH"x22" / j i forged rod bolt, 2 " x 30" [ J 5 6 P ounds " 50 turned bolts, %" x 4", 61 pounds. 3 bolts, i"x2%", and nuts Two 2^" hexagon nuts, as per sample YEAR 1905 January 13 2 steel jack plates, 155 pounds February 8 2 cutter blades, iX"xi6"x44 // June 9 .... 2 nests standard 4-coil truck springs August 25 2 bearings with caps and bolts for same (used on dipper shaft). September 16 i long toggle lever, No. 91336; i double forked link and pin ; 2 short toggle links and pins ; i double forked link pin ; i toggle link pin ; i latch keeper, 54 pounds. 149 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK September 14 October 14 November 8 Two 2y 2 " bolts, 34" long, 127 pounds; two 2%." bolts, 34" long, 137 pounds. f 60 tack bolts ~} | 10 turned bolts > 105 pounds. I 40 turned bolts ) 143 pounds L 8- %" x 2 " countersunk bolts ) 2^" x 12" plates drilled complete, 56 pounds; rivets for same, 17 pounds YEAR 1906 March 10 i shipper shaft, No. 1-9157, 232 pounds ; one i^ moran joint; 12 small screws as per sample; 6 large screws as per sample ; 36 copper rivets; 2 rack pinions with key for same ; i set keys for same. May 24 One 3" throttle valve complete June 14 One I %" x 122' hoisting chain, 214 pounds; one i%" x 52' swinging cable; twenty-seven %" x 3/4" finished bolts and nuts, 30 pounds; twenty-four %"x$%" finished bolts and nuts, 37 pounds ; six ^" locomotive cylinder cocks ; 2 steel bushings for dipper bail. September 8 . Two i%" X2j" bolts, 4" thread on each end September 13 i jack nut, No. 9011, 205 pounds October 4 i jack nut, No. 9011, 202 pounds October 5 14 bushings; 2 V. S. pins; 4 ecc. rods pins. October 25 i rocker shaft bearing, 2 rocker shaft bearings, 2 common rods for valve stems with pins. December n i cutter blade, i%" x 18" x 44"; two 2%" hexa- gon nuts. June June July YEAR 1907 52' of iX" ex - fl ex - plow steel rope Twelve %" finished bolts, 5" long with nuts, 38 pounds; twelve %" finished bolts, 5^" long with nuts, 38 pounds; twelve rod bolts with nuts, 206 pounds. 2 bushing No. 2 standard 13; i pin, long, 7-9030. x 38" 150 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK YEAR 1908 September 22 One \%" turnbuckle, 9140; i hoop end, S. X. bracer, 9140; 2 lower boom guys, 10-9140; 2 upper boom guys, 9-9140, with pins and bolt, 1233 pounds; I A. frame collar pin and bolts, 140 pounds; i thorough bolt and nuts. March April April May June June July August Two YEAR 1909 " x 34" holding down bolts, 139 pounds. 26 i Fulcrum bracket, 9139 A ; i Fulcrum bracket pin, 1-9135. 7 i swinging cable, i^"x48'; twenty-four %" finished bolts, 5" long hexagon nuts ; twenty- four y^' finished bolts, $y 2 " long hexagon nuts; 2 braces for cross-head pins, 9525 A; 2 cross-head pins w r ith nuts, 1-9549. 10 . . . . i cutter blade, i %" x 1 8" x 44" plat. i Two i%" U-bolts, 5-9176, and nuts, 214 pounds. 15 Six 1%" x 22%" bolts with hexagon nuts; 2O-pound %" lock washer, 340 washers. 23 ...... One 1 5oo-gallon tank complete. 21 .... i hatch keeper, 10-9030, 51 pounds. Summary Cost IQO7 $277 2O IQOJ. 70 88 IQO ? 178 20 1906 27 c 12 IQO7 47 "^ 1908 4/ O3 1 16 43 IQOQ 266 86 Total for 6)^ years To this must be added, for boiler repairs, including labor $1288.24 200 oo Per Year Maximum = $375 Average = 198 Minimum = 48 Not including boiler. HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVE I, WORK 152 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 30 Fig. 31. Two Views of Clay Pits owned by the Chicago Brick Co., showing Tracks and a Bucyrus Shovel 153 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 19 SHOVEL No. 517 INSPECTED OCTOBER 4, 1909 BUHL, MINN. LOCATION Butler Brothers have two shovels working on their stripping contract in the Grant Mine (see p. 123). This is a new project, the mine undergoing the first stripping at the present time although heretofore ore has been taken from underground. MATERIAL in a cut about 900 feet long and 200 feet wide, which represents the limit of opera- tions at present, nearly every kind of material met with on the Mesabi has been encountered. The top is clay and loam almost entirely free from boulders. In places this clay seems to retain its moisture and is heavy, damp and sticky, hard to dig out of the bank and harder to dislodge from the dipper. In other places the clay was impregnated with iron and was dry and crumbling. This was easy to handle. At some points boulders were intermingled with the dry material, and while in general they were not large they interfered considerably with the digging. At about 30 feet from the surface was a layer of boulders varying in size from 8 inches to 5 feet in thickness. These lay with almost no material between them, a clean mass of stones that looked as if they had been picked and placed by hand. This pre- sents perhaps the most difficult work to be encountered by a steam shovel in any locality. Extra heavy teeth are often bent and broken so as to be utterly useless. A couple of small pockets of gravel were uncovered. Solid taconite and taconite mixed with earth, and low grade ore in a clean body and also mixed with taconite were encountered. Shovel No. 517 was working in soft clay mixed with boulders. These boulders were not very large nor were i54 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK they massed, but were scattered through the clay in such a manner as to be readily picked up with it. Most of them passed through the dipper without trouble. When a boulder too large to handle was uncovered it was thrown to the side of the pit away from the loading track and as far back as possible. For the day's work these boulders averaged less than one per " shovel move." The shovel bank was very low too low for econom- ical work. At the beginning of the day the bank on the extreme right of the cut was high enough to allow the dipper to be filled at one trial. After three hours' work the shovel experienced greater difficulty in filling dipper. For the first seven moves, while working with the high bank at one side, the shovel averaged nearly a car to the move more than during the remainder of the day. The low bank also had its effect upon the time per dipper. For the first 7 trains the average time per dipper was 22.07 seconds while for the rest of the day the average time was 26.83 seconds, an increase of 21 per cent. MOVING UP The pit could be kept clean because the bank ahead was not high enough to cave into it. For this reason it was found possible to lay the track before the signal was given for the move-up, which of course necessitated working in the pit and in front of the shovel while it was working, a rather dangerous procedure. While the runner never stopped his dipper because of the men below, their presence made him more cautious and it is to be doubted whether he was able to operate quite as fast and freely as would have been the case with a clear pit. The moves of the shovel were unusually difficult because of the curve of the track, and consequently the time per move cannot be compared with that for other shovels with ordinary moves and ordinary methods. i55 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVE L W O R K Whatever time is gained on the actual move is probably lost by the more cautious work of the runner while the track is being laid, and although this cautious running may not be individually noticeable, its effect on a whole day's work is important. SHOVEL The jack blocks for this shovel were slightly different from the ordinary ones. Mr. Butler said that they had been trying different kinds and had found that pyramiding several thin ones was better than the use of large heavy blocks. The ground block in this case was 4 feet by 6 feet, composed of 3 layers of 2-inch by ic-inch stuff. The top and bottom members run the 6 feet length of the block. The next block was 3 inches by 3 inches by 4 inches thick, the next 2 feet 6 inches by 2 feet 6 inches by 4 inches and the top block 2 feet by 2 feet by 4 inches. The jack plate rested on this with a base about i foot square. The plate was free from both block and jack. Extra large and strong teeth are necessary in this mine because of the nature of the digging. Teeth weighing 460 pounds each are used and these are often bent and broken. One tooth was observed which had been bent over and down until it lay against the lip of the dipper. In attempting to move a large boulder from the front part of the pit it became jammed in the dipper. The craneman was carrying the boulder on the dipper teeth and it toppled into the dipper. Being too large to go through, it caught on the back of the dipper and the entire shovel crew, the rockmen, the coal passer and the train crew of three men 64 minutes and 10 seconds to remove it. The bolster of the front truck has been reinforced with four plates, y^" x 6", riveted to the sides of the two regular I-beams ; and the A frame, which is of the built- up type, has been reinforced with plates along its side. 156 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK The lower chord of the boom truss has a i // x6 // plate riveted to its underside and extending the length of the open part of the boom. OBSERVATIONS Type of shovel Bucyrus, 75-ton Distance of move 5' 4" Kind of teeth Very heavy, weigh 460 pounds This is the section of bank when shovel started working. It was turning slightly to the left, and at 9.45 cut out of bank left by old loading track and section became Height of lift . Cars above rail 7 r 3" Shovel track to loading track, 5' minus Size of ties under shovel . ; . ". . . . 6" x 6" and 6" x 8" Size of bucket . 2% yards Length of shift ,."'.. .... .10 hours Number shifts per day 2 Coal is dumped from dump car back of shovel and is carried in basket to bunker by man. Water is piped from underground mine nearby and run in pipe over side of cut. 157 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Repairs are made on Sundays and when needed. Coal used 2^ tons per shift Water used 4200 gallons per shift Boiler is cleaned every two weeks. Kind of track Standard ; 6o-pound rails 7-yard Russell Wheel and Foundry cars used. Locomotive braked by air. Hand signals used. Kind and size of dinkey . . Standard locomotive, 5o-ton Number of trains 2 Age of cars and dinkey. New on this job. Bought early in 1909 Weather, fair, rather cold. TIME STUDY minutes Started work Stopped work Forenoon Afternoon 6:55:20 12:55:15 11:58:00 6:oo:IO Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Total time worked 302 40 + 304 55 = IO hours 7 35 seconds. Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working 2 9 6 40 48.8 Waiting for cars 4 6 3 7-7 Moving shovel . . . 141 7C 27.3 Miscellaneous delays O 3 O O Fixing bale pin 4 45 0.8 Boulder on track i 2 5 O.2 Fixing bale pin 2 55 0-5 Clearing track 6 o I .O Tightening jack o 35 O. I Putting on new bale pin . 1 1 10 1.8 Boulder on track 2 3 0.4 Loading old teeth .... 6 30 i . i Repairs to locomotive 6 45 i . i Pulling timber from pit . i 20 O. 2 Rock in teeth i o^ O 2 Dumping coal from car . 3 j 30 0.6 Repairs to locomotive 5' 10 0.8 Rock stuck in dipper 64 IO 10.6 Rock in teeth i 3 O.2 Car off track i. T.O 0.6 o J Total time under observation . 607 35 IOO.O 158 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Cost of Direct Labor (Loading) per Day Standard Basis Runner $5 oo Craneman . . . . 3 60 Fireman 4 pitmen 2.40 6 oo 2 track cleaners i coal carrier 3.00 1.50 $21.50 Car loads excavated on day of observation, 156 @ 7 cubic yards per car, water measure. Cubic yards loaded on day of observation, 156x7x0.75*= 820. Cost of labor per day per cubic yard = per cubic yard. Place measure Water measure _ $21.50 _ 0.75 = ratio of 820 = 2.62 cents Process Analysis Time Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost Min. Sec. Charge to loading i. Actual loading 2 9 6 40 48.8 1.2791 2. Delays a Moving up ... 141 35 2 3-3 0.610 > 2.308 b Repairs .... 18 So 3- 1 0.081 c Miscellaneous . . 78 40 12.9 0-338J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars . 46 .30 7-7 0.202 } 2. Repairs ii ss 2.O 0.052 > 0.312 3. Miscellaneous . 13 25 2.2 0.058 ; 607 35 IOO.O .... 2.62O 159 H A N D H O O K OF STEAM SHOVEL W O R K Time Study Deductions Number Obser- vations Minimum Mean Maximum Min. Sec. Min. Sec. ; Min. Sec. Time of moving up, shovel idle . Time between moves, shovel working . Time between trains . Time per train, loading Time per dipper . No. of dippers to move No. of dippers to train No. of dippers to cars " *j H 16 2 3 23 J 5 3 9 12 10 IO IO 4 14 6 12 3 '9 26 53-6 13-5 OI 25.2 1 1 17 5 25 OO oo 35 oo 35 24 30.8 38 3 6 44 47 4 54 Number of trains loaded . Number of cars loaded Number of cars per train . 16 156 First and last trains 8 cars each, others 10 each ANALYSIS OF COMPLETE DIPPER SWING Where only one trial was necessary to obtain dipperful Obser- vations Minimum Average Maximum Seconds Seconds Seconds Digging Swinging over . Swinging back . 28 37 34 3.60 4.OO 2.80 6.00 5-74 7-49 9.60 7.20 9.60 Total 10.40 19.23 26.40 Where more than one trial was necessary to obtain dipperful Obser- vations Minimum Average Maximum Seconds Seconds Seconds Scratching .... Digging Swinging over . Swinging back . . 18 !9 23 2O 4.80 6.20 4.00 6.80 5.76 9.08 6.08 ;.(,o 8.00 1 1.40 8.00 9.60 Total 2 1. 80 28.82 37.00 ACTUAL RATIOS Water consumption, pounds 35,000 Coal consumption, pounds 5,000 160 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK EXPLANATION OF TIME STUDY We give with the description of this shovel's work, the complete time study on it, to indicate how an operator may get up such information as is given in this report for himself. The starting point of the study and the feature upon which all figures are based is the shovel move, and the attempt has been made to make the study read from this in logical order. By reading across the lines, the com- plete day's work of the shovel can be followed. Let us take the time study for No. 5 1 7 and follow it through in explanation : The day's work began at 6.55.20. From the blowing of the whistle to the time when the first train came up to be loaded was 5 minutes 10 seconds, and is called "Waiting for first train" under "Miscellaneous Delay," in column No. 8. After the train arrived, 4 minutes 45 seconds were occupied in repairing a bale pin, and then the shovel started loading. That these two delays came before the loading began is shown by the figures occupying lines above that in which the first " Loading time " is given, and the fact that they are successive delays is shown by their being on different lines. The shovel loaded the first train in 15 minutes 30 seconds, as shown in column No. 2, and this required 37 swings. Only one train was loaded on this move, as is shown by the fact that "Loading time of train," column No. 2, and "Working per move," column No. 4, are identical and by the fact that the " Dippers per train," column No. 3, and " Dippers per move," column No. 6, are identical. During the loading of the train a delay of i minute 25 seconds, because of " boulder " on track, is noted in column No. 8. This move having been finished and the train loaded, the shovel next moved up in 7 minutes 5 seconds, as 161 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK shown in column No. i, and loaded for 15 minutes, making 38 swings in that time. The shovel moves again in 6 minutes 5 seconds and loads for 3 minutes 50 seconds or 9 swings, filling the train. There follows a wait of 2 minutes 35 seconds for the next train. When this train came up it loaded 22 dippers in 9 minutes 20 seconds and the shovel then moved up. The shovel worked on this move 3 minutes 50 seconds on one train and 9 minutes 20 seconds on the next, or a total of 13 minutes 10 seconds (column No. 4) and in that time loaded 31 dippers at an average rate of .424 minute per dipper. During the loading of 22 dippers on the last train, 2 minutes 55 seconds were consumed in "fixing bale pin," n min- utes for the move, and, after starting to load, 22 dippers were dumped in 8 minutes 15 seconds, filling the train. The total loading time of the train and the total number of dippers are not given but are the sums of the figures in bracket, in this case 9 minutes 20 seconds plus 8 minutes 15 seconds^iy minutes 35 seconds for load- ing time of 44 dippers. After filling the train a delay of 3 minutes 1 5 seconds followed while waiting for the next train. When this arrived the shovel loaded 10 dippers in 3 minutes 40 seconds and then moved up. Besides the 3 minutes 40 seconds consumed in loading this train, 8 minutes 15 seconds were used on the previous train, or a total loading time for the move of n minutes 55 seconds, 32 dippers being loaded. During the loading of the last 10 dippers 6 minutes were needed to clean the track. The move up took 5 minutes 50 seconds and was followed by 9 minutes 25 seconds of loading when the train was full, having taken 36 dippers on this move and 10 on the previous one, or 46 altogether. That the entire move was needed to load this train is shown by the fact that figures in column Nos. 2 and 4, and in Nos. 3 162 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK and 5 are the same. The next move up took 7 minutes 15 seconds, and the train came up in 3 minutes 45 sec- onds. These 3 minutes 45 seconds were then not lost, as the time occurred during the 7 minutes 15 seconds, and is put in parentheses to show that it is not to be counted as lost time. After the move occupying 7 minutes 1 5 seconds, the shovel loaded 30 dippers in 1 1 minutes and moved up again. The total working time of this move was 1 1 min- utes and the total dippers were 30. After the next move, which took 5 minutes 45 seconds, the shovel loaded 16 dippers in 4 minutes 50 seconds and the train was full. The next train was up in 5 minutes 35 seconds and loaded 16 dippers in 6 minutes, before the shovel had to move. After the move, which took 5 minutes 50 seconds, 31 dippers were loaded in n minutes 35 seconds and the train was full. These 31 dippers also made another move up necessary. To make the notes clearer the time of any one train has been put in brackets. The time per train, however, is not essential, the essential time being based on the moves rather than on the trains. This fact must be kept in mind constantly in reading all time study notes. The " Miscellaneous delays " in column No. 8 may have occurred either during the loading of the train on whose line they appear or after that train is loaded. That is a detail that makes no difference so long as the time is shown to have been lost. The total working day is given in its two parts at the head of the sheet and is reduced to minutes and seconds. The number of trains loaded is given at bottom of the page, together with the number of moves worked, and such other facts as may be pertinent. The number of moves worked will be the same as the number of items in column No. 4 and may be the same as the number of items in column No. i, or may be one less than this. 163 HANDBOOK OFSTEAM SHOVEL WORK EXPLANATION OF TABLES OF "TIME OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF DIPPER ACTION" This time study was made by two methods. To properly fill the dipper it was often necessary to make two lifts. For this reason different sets of figures were obtained to cover each condition. In table No. i only one movement of the dipper was needed to get a full load. Where two trials were made the figures have been put in parentheses and omitted from the totals and averages, but when the times of swing- ing are not thereby affected they are shown. An attempt was made to divide the time of the two trials equally, but it was seen that this would not give true values. In table No. 1 1 the first digging movement of the dipper is called "scratching," not only to indicate it more clearly, but because that is what the process really is. The material of the bank is simply loosened and falls down into the bottom of the pit, where it is picked up by the dipper on the next trial. The time for " scratching " was taken from when the throttle of the hoisting engine was open to that when it was closed. The time of " digging " then is the time required to drop the dipper to the bottom of the pit and raise it, picking up a load in the meantime, and ends when the " swing over " starts. This it will be seen is not a fair apportionment of time to this item of the dipper action, as it is too great by the time required to drop the dipper. When the dipper was filled in one trial in table No. 1 1 the time of that dipper is put in parentheses and not counted in the total and average, as in these cases a different condition obtains. The average of these times, 510, is seen to be near the average for "digging" in table No. i. Wherever a figure is widely different from the other figures of a column it has been enclosed in parentheses and left out of the average. 164 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK ro o 0) !-> S. e* s r S-5o (JH . 2 "o : : 5;% : s, : : O O M 01 O O O m 10 O O m jo O O mm M o> H OHM o o- 0*00 165 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK -a Ill g * D 3 O 3 O u"> * iO " * ^-^O (> -O' -OOOON *M "MO -O-'-'OOO-'O'-OO-O-'OO' 5 OP)^- O in^-ro OM in ^-^-10 TJ- Tfrovo t^M 00 ON O * O> O>oo !STt--t^O -NO O * t^ <- -& ' 2 ' 8 ' 1 66 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK SHOVEL No. 517 TIME OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF DIPPER ACTION TABLE No. i Digging Seconds Swmg- ng Over Seconds Swing- ng Back Seconds Scratch- ing Seconds Digging Seconds Swing- ng Over Seconds Swing- ng Back Seconds 6.0 6.4 7-6 5.6 9.8 4.8 7-2 4.8 4-4 7.2 5-6 9.0 5-6 7.2 4-4 5-6 8.0 5-4 10.0 6.2 8.0 8.0 5-6 7-4 4.8 9.6 (12.6) 8.4 6.4 6.4 7.0 (6.0) 4.2 7-4 8.4 7.2 6.2 6.0 10.6 5-4 7.8 5-4 6.2 7-6 8.0 7.6 (10.8) (12.2) 6.4 5-o 9.0 6.0 7-2 3-6 5-6 9-4 5-2 9.2 4.6 7.2 7.0 7.2 7-8 (5-2) 4.0 9.6 (8.0) (8.0) 5-8 7-6 5-6 8.0 5- (8.0) (8.0) 6.2 8.4 (4.0) 5-6 7.2 4.8 8.4 6.6 9.0 6.8 10.6 5 2 (10.0) 4.4 6.2 68 (6.0) 7.8 9.2 4.8 48 (14-0) ( 4 .8) 5-4 8.8 6.4 7.2 7.0 5-6 11.4 6.6 7-4 6.0 4.0 6.4 6.4 10.4 6.4 7.8 5.8 8.2 5-o 9.2 6.8 9.0 5-2 5-2 9.2 7.2 7-8 7.2 6.8 (6.8) (7.0) 6.2 6.6 (5-o) 6.8 8.0 (6.8) (7-0) 6.4 6.8 5-o 9.6 8.0 7-4 6.8 6.2 2.8 5-8 8.8 7-4 8.0 (10.4) 4.2 7.2 6.0 8.2 7.2 8.4 8.2 9.6 5- 2 8.0 6.2 8.0 (12.8) (8.2) (8.2) 5-2 6.4 4.8 7.6 6.8 (6.4) (66) 6.0 9.6 7 2 7.0 6.8 5- 2 4.8 8.4 (7-6) (7-6) 6. 4 7.2 4.8 6.4 8.2 5-8 6.2 5.6 7.0 9.0 . . 5-6 5-6 6.4 8.0 4.8 8.6 (7-4) (7-6) 6.0 5-6 7.2 4.8 8.0 -(7.6) 7-8 4 .6 7.8 (8.1) (8.1) 4.4 7-6 (6.8) (7-o) 4 .8 8.0 Total . . 168.2 212.6 254.6 103.8 172.6 141 158.0 Trials . . Average 28 6.00 37 5-74 34 7-49 18 5.76 J 9 9.08 1,3 20 7.90 (5.10) TABLE No. 2 I6 7 HANDBOOK OF STEAM S H O V E L WORK Fig. 32. Type of Dump Car used at Grant Mine, Buhl, Minn. . Fig. 33- View of Grant Mine, Buhl, Minn. 168 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 20 SHOVEL No. 727 INSPECTED AUGUST 26, 1909 CHICAGO, ILL. LOCATION Bucyrus Steam Shovel No. 727, owned by the American Brick Company, is located in one of its clay pits near 45th and Roby Streets, Chicago, 111. SHOVEL AND CREW The machine was purchased from the factory about five years ago and has been used continuously since then to excavate clay. No itemized list of the repairs has been kept, but they have been slight, not amounting to over $350. It is provided with a chain hoist and cable swing, each being operated by a separate steam engine. The friction ram which operates the hoist is worked by hand and not by steam, as on some of the larger machines. The crew is composed of four men, the engineer, who is also fireman, the craneman and two pitmen. The pitmen keep the dinkey track clear and lay the ties and rails for the shovel to move upon. MATERIAL The pit is very soft and sticky in wet weather, but when it is dry is not un- pleasant to work in. There is some sand mixed with the clay but not enough to cause trouble when they are loaded together. SUPPLIES Coal is brought out in one of the clay cars and shoveled into a box on the ground since the cars dump on the side away from the shovel. Water is supplied to the tank through a pipe connecting with the city mains. 169 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK TRANSPORTATION One dinkey hauls the cars back and forth from the shovel to the incline, where they are drawn up to the granulator by a wire cable connected to a steam driven drum. The man who runs the engine also dumps the cars. Two cars generally constitute a train, but occasionally there are three. The haul to the bottom of the incline is about four hundred feet. One man is stationed at the botton to hook on the cars. The dinkey engineer does his own firing. The cars weigh about a ton and a half and hold 3.12 cubic yards. The shovel could work con- siderably faster if the machinery could use the clay, but often a car is drawn to the granulator and held there for several minutes before it is dumped, and as very large chunks of clay can not be easily handled in the granulator the engineer must so run the shovel as to shave off the bank, which, greatly retards the speed of loading. There is a switch at a little distance from the foot of the incline where the track divides, coming together again half way up the slope. The loaded cars are run in on the right track of this switch and the empties are hauled out from the other side. Since the switches all work automatically by springs the dinkey cannot pull out of the switch and back in to get the empties, so a cross over is provided OBSERVATIONS Weight . 55 tons Gauge Standard Capacity of dipper 2 cubic yards Height of lift '....... 5' Kind of teeth Manganese steel Height blocked up i' Length of boom . 25' Length of dipper handle 16' 6" Height of boom above shovel track 22 V 2 ' Horizontal reach of boom 17' 10" Farthest dipper can reach to dump 25' 170 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS Continued Highest dipper can reach to dump 15' Diameter of swing circle 6 l /z' Height of dinkey track above shovel track .... o Distance inside dinkey track to inside shovel track . . 15' Depth of dipper 46" Depth of dipper, including lip 58" Depth of dipper, including teeth 72" Number of cars loaded . 160 Cubic yards excavated (place measure) 320 Total distance moved forward during day 19' Number of times moved forward 4 Maximum distance moved forward in one move . . . 5' 2" Average time between beginning of one shovel move and be- ginning of next 1 1 8 minutes Number of cars to one shovel move 42.7 Area of section 500 square feet Height of face 22' Started work Stopped work TIME STUDY Forenoon 6: 45 I2:OO Min. Min. Min. Afternoon 12:57 Total time worked 315 + 175 = 490 = 8 hours 10 minutes. Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working 140 OO 28.6 Spotting cars 5 OO I .O Waiting for cars .... 2 95 30 60. 3 Moving shovel ..... 16 3 3-4 Idle Car off track .... 20 OO 4-i Firing i OO 0.2 Bringing out coal i OO O.2 Miscellaneous delays Clearing track .... ii OO 2.2 Total time under observation . 49 OO IOO.OO 171 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVE I, WORK Direct Labor Distribution Per Day .Standard Basis Load- ing Trans- porting Dump- ing Total Runner $5-00 3.60 3.00 $2.60 $1.50 C ran eman 2 pitmen . Dinkeyman . Hooker-on . i dumpman . Cost of labor Cost per day Per cent per day .... per cubic yard . $11 ".60 3.62 67.4 1.2% 23- 8 $1.50 0.47 8.8 $17.20 5-37 IOO.O Time Cost Per Total Process Analysis Per Cent Yard in Cents Cost Cents Min. Sec. Loading i. Actual loading 140 OO 28.6 1 35~) 2. Delays I a Moving up 16 . 30 3-4 0.123 f 1.172 b Miscellaneous 2 0.4 o.oi4j Transportation and dump- ing i. Waiting for cars 2. Miscellaneous 300 3 1 30 6 '-3 6-3 2.220 \ 0.228 ( 2. 44 8 490 oo IOO.O . . . 3 620 172 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Figs. 34 and 35. 55-ton Shovel in Clay Pit of American Brick Co., Chicago, 111 173 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK CHAPTER VIII STEAM SHOVEL WORK IN IRON ORE Very unusual efficiency is shown by the investigation of the work done in the iron ore regions of Michigan and Minnesota. There seem to be the following rea- sons for this : i . The work is largely in the nature of a permanent installation, and consequently years of study on one job have developed an efficiency that a contractor is not likely to attain on one compara- tively short piece of work with uniform conditions, or on many jobs with varying conditions ; 2. The material is generally quite uniform, and presents month after month and year after year fewer .new and strange con- ditions than does the average run of rock work, there- fore the problem is simpler ; 3. It appears that the com- panies operating in this region for some reason are in the habit of studying their unit costs more systemati- cally than the average contractor's organization. Study of these costs invariably leads to more economical work, wherever we have observed them. It is the general policy of the mining companies not to give out any information from their books, and, there- fore, much instructive data on cost of repairs, etc., could not be obtained from them, but they have extended the courtesy of allowing our inspectors to make observations in the field very freely. The notable feature in ore handling is its great density, involving a much greater amount of power to raise a cubic yard, than in the case of the earths. MESABI RANGE In St. Louis County, Minnesota, some thousand feet above the level of Lake Superior, is located one of the most remarkable iron ore regions in the world, due HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK directly to the geological formation, and, indirectly arising from this to the method of excavating the ore which has been extensively adopted. Beneath the bases of the huge mountain ranges of past ages, which millions of years of the slow but incessant action of the natural elements, frosts, floods and great fields of ice have gradually ground down to a nearly uniform sur- face, are found the great beds of red and black iron oxide of the Mesabi Range. The soluble alkalis and silica cement of old bed rock, an unstable iron silicate locally known as taconite, have been slowly worn away by centuries of constant water action, until now the vast disintegrated deposits extend for miles, covered by a mantle of drift material, gravel and boulders varying in depth from o to 90 feet or more, and in some spots rise up through the surface. The range is about 100 miles in length and from one-half to three miles wide, covering an expanse of 150 miles, or thereabouts, of which 15 per cent to 30 per cent is capable of produc- ing an iron ore whose quality is unsurpassed, even by the best products of the old world. The beds average in depth from 75 feet to 250 feet, but have been known to extend down 500 feet and 600 feet. Thus it is seen that these wonderful deposits embody all of the requisites for ideal ore mining, not only in quality and quantity of product, but ease and facility of handling. This feature opened the way for a new method of ex- cavation, one far superior to the old, that of the steam shovel. Unknown in mining work twenty years ago, this method, which enables the output of the Mesabi district to surpass that of any other region of the world, has done much toward making the United States the foremost iron and steel producing country of to-day. The location of these mines places their product within easy reach of the principal inland cities and ports, thus making them an ideal distributive center for this coun- try. Contributing to this valuable and bountiful supply HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK are more than one hundred mines in active operation. According to the inspector of mines of St. Louis county, the output of various mines for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1909, was as follows: Hull Rust, 3,266,905 tons; Fayal, 1,660,919 tons; Burt, 1,595,435 tons; Virginia, 1,181,726 tons ; Adams, 1,176,330 tons; Mahoning, 1,064,611 tons. The supply promises to hold out for many decades, both from the output of the mines operated at present, as well as from those which are continually being discovered and put into operation. When a new mine is to be opened, in the first place an " exploration company " is employed to locate, as nearly as possible by drilling, the position and shape of the deposit, to map it out, to estimate the probable productive capacity and the amount of " stripping " necessary. This latter, which consists of removing the overburden of drift with the steam shovels, after clear- ing of timber, etc., is usually done by contract. This overburden varies from a glacial till, easily handled, to coarse gravel, clay, boulders, low grade ore, etc., fre- quently requiring to be loosened by blasting. It is the usual practice to strip enough ore to enable the mining to be started, and then to strip and mine simultaneously, but occasionally the stripping is entirely completed be- fore the mining proper begins. The steam shovel is placed upon a portable track. Upon a parallel one, close by, automatic dump cars from four to seven cubic yards in capacity, in trains of seven to ten cars each, are run alongside by a dinkey engine, and when filled by the shovel are hauled to the dump, usually from one- eighth to one and one-half miles distant from the mine. Although contracts are made for both stripping and mining, the latter is usually performed by mining com- panies. The process is practically the same as that of stripping, the cars in this case, however, being of about fifty tons capacity. The railroad furnishes the cars and takes them in charge at the entrance to the mine ; all 176 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK other equipment is owned by the mining company, and the spotting of the cars for the shovel and all transporta- tion in the mine is done by them. The shovel ordinarily employed weighs from 65 to 90 tons, though larger ones are used, and will handle from two to five tons of ore at each swing of its dipper. Although the method of "open-pit" mining described above is the most economical and productive, as well as the one most extensively practiced in this region, others are employed, such as the "milling," and the old univer- sally known "underground " methods. In the "milling" process a shaft is sunk close beside the ore bed to a depth sufficient to allow a tunnel to branch off beneath the deposit. After "stripping," a funnel-shaped open- ing is made through the bed and down to the tunnel. The ore is fed or "milled" down this opening into tram cars, which in turn convey the ore through the tunnel to the shaft, where skips raise it to the surface. During the summer the skips dump into bins from which the ore is loaded directly into the railway company's cars, but in the winter season stock piles are formed from which the steam shovel loads the ore the following summer. 177 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK JO ^ s a ^ "s "^ S _g o J M s 178 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK ! 1 80 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK 181 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK 182 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK ,, .: ;m<-t ?!:% 183 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK 184 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK 186 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 45. Illustration Showing Self-sharpening Wear on Teeth at Hanna Mine Fig. 46. Monroe Pit at Chisholm, Minn. I8 7 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK GENERAL REMARKS OLIVER IRON MINING COMPANY HIBBING, MINN. GAUGE Many of the companies use standard gauge equipment entirely and this simplifies their work immensely ; for instance, if necessary, the loading track can be broken behind the shovel and the shovel moved back on that track at any time. Generally, however, a standard gauge track is laid keeping within 40 or 60 feet of it and when the shovel has finished a cut it backs up on this track, which at once becomes the loading track for the next shovel cut. REPAIRS In case heavy repairs are to be made on a shovel a locomotive crane is run in on the loading track and the work done with its help. A loco- motive crane is kept in the Hull-Rust mine at all times and is used as a wrecking outfit when needed in addition to its use on shovel repairs. TEETH In the stripping, as done in the Sellers' Ap- proach, the teeth on the dipper have to be renewed at least once a week and this is generally done every Sunday. It sometimes becomes necessary to replace a single tooth or perhaps two of them during the week, but each shovel is supposed to use 4 teeth per week and this average holds as a general rule. In ore the teeth are supposed to last a month. They are never broken and seldom bent and all wear down evenly. They wear from the outside or the bottom, as one craneman expressed it, and so keep themselves sharpened. They are allowed to wear down within about 6 inches of the lip and the short blunt teeth thus obtained seem to make no difference in the digging. 188 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK TRANSPORTING The cars used for earth are of the seven yard side-dump type. For ore the one most commonly used is the ioo,ooo-pound pressed steel hopper car, although there are still in use many 7o,ooo-pound capacity wood cars, hopper bottom. Both types are M. C. B. standard equipment throughout. The hopper doors are worked by a hand crank. The steel cars have, in general, a height of 10 feet from rail and the wood cars 7 feet 6 inches. This equipment belongs to the railroad company that carries the ore to the loading docks. The stripping equipment is the property of the mining company or the contractor, as the case may be. All hauling within the mines is done by the mining companies' locomotives, the railroad companies merely placing the empties on the mine sid- ing, as they would for any other shipper. SHOVEL CREW For stripping, the shovel crew is the usual organization with 4 or 6 pit- men, varying with the nature of the work. The num- ber is generally 4, with 2 extra men to clear track. These two men are called " rock men " and are used in the pit only in case of emergency. When loading ore the pit crew is always 4 and the rock men may number as many as 8. The rock gang varies according to the nature of the ore being loaded. If the ore breaks out in large pieces it has to be sledged, and if taconite occur this must be removed. On No. 1083 there were 6 rock men in the pit and two in the cars throwing out rock and suspicious looking ore. ORE REQUIREMENTS The shipping requirements for ore affect the output of a mine very largely and consequently the working of the shovels. In order to produce ore of a certain grade for shipment, that from several mines is often 189 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WOK K mixed. For instance, if the ore of one mine should run .05 in phosphorous, it may be mixed with the ore from another mine running .02 and be in such proportions that the shipment will pass as Bessemer grade. In this way one mine may be rushed to fill orders for shipment while another is almost idle. LOADING All pieces of rock or taconite too large to lift by hand and too hard to break are thrown by the shovel as far back as possible and left. The pieces that the men can handle are thrown down near the loading track at the foot of the bank to be loaded later. This loading is done as follows : Several dump cars are left at each shovel. When a train ar- rives to be loaded these cars are coupled to the front end of it and pushed along with the train. When loaded, the train spots the dump cars at the shovel and pulls out, leaving 'them there. The shovel then picks up what it can of the pile of rock by the loading track and what it cannot get hold of readily is thrown into the dipper by hand. This is then dumped into the cars. When the next ore train arrives it simply pushes the dump cars out of the way, loads and again spots the cars and pulls out. When rock is loaded into the cars with the ore there is sometimes a slight delay when the two workmen on the cars jump down to pick it out. If there is much of it, or if it has to be sledged, the loading must be stopped while the men finish their work and get out of the way. In such cases the full dipper is held just clear of the car, while the men move aside, immediately after which the swing is completed. This delay does not amount to much for each swing, since it is only a few seconds long, but if much rock should be loaded with the ore the delay might amount to several dippers full per day. 190 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK GENERAL Work is seldom stopped by rain and it may be said that during the shipping season the loading of ore is never interrupted because of the weather. Of course, an occasional shower of great severity might cause temporary suspension of work, but the crew would not leave the shovel for such cause. The mines are comparatively dry until the bottom of the ore is reached, as water goes through it easily, and all of the deep pits are underdrained by means of shafts sunk in them and kept dry by pumps. REPORT No. 21 SHOVEL No. 710 INSPECTED SEPTEMBER 5, 1909 CHISHOLM, MINN. MATERIAL Shovel No. 710 was engaged in stock pile work for the Oliver Iron Mining Company. The stock pile had been accumulating for two years and was some 35 feet high. It was about as ideal a material to work in as could be desired. Two shafts of the Monroe mine furnished the ore for the stock pile. Some trouble was caused by piles of lagging that fell down in front of the dipper. This had been used to make a solid base for the end dump cars to run upon. The ore was soft and in small pieces. There was no frost and a full dipper was obtained at each swing. It might be expected that with such a high pile there would be trouble due to burying of the jack, but here the cave-in always occurred ahead of the dipper and caused no trouble. PERFORMANCE A very good morning's work was observed, fifty-eight cars in all, forty- nine being 5o-ton steel cars and nine 3 5 -ton wooden cars. The afternoon's work was delayed by one of the 191 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK large steel cars getting off the track. It was loaded, and nothing could be done until the section gang came up. Meanwhile the string of empties was taken out and no more work was done that afternoon. Cross-section of F>ank OBSERVATIONS Type of shovel Bucyrus, QO-ton Distance of move 6' Kind of teeth Steel lip Height of lift, steel cars 12'; wood cars, 10' 4"; size of ties, 6"x8", and 5" x 7". Size of bucket 2% yards Age of shovel . 4^ years Duration of job: will last only until present cut is finished; time, about two weeks. Length of shift 10 hours Number of shifts per day i 192 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS Continued How supplies are handled (coal and water) : Coal is brought up by team and shoveled into bunkers. Water pumped from tank. How and when repairs are made : Repairs made on Sunday by regular crew. Coal used 4/^ tons in 10 hours f Black, 5 gallons in 10 hours. ... J Engine, i gallon in 10 hours. 1 V Cylinder, 2 gallons in IP hours. [Cup grease, 5 gallons in two weeks. Water used 7700 gallons in 10 hours Boiler is cleaned every second Sunday. Number of working and rainy days : Weather did not make as much difference as car supply. Total per cent of lost and idle days not obtainable. Kind of track, i. e., gauge, etc.: Standard gauge, 6o-pound. Kind and size of cars used : Steel, 5/'irs C /J //re /racfr for /yaa'ffo' cars 7f~a//fJ of /o cfftff/es are fafo/t from fy stv/fc/t f/f- y//re and ruff c6>i*/r to JH//&A a/rd run bacfr ox 4 /o f/re shove] W/rc# /oadfd /4ef are on fa C Q/rJ Me* a//owj fi> co//tcf. /i yard fa/tej /oae/ed carj frotff C dow* /" /#? a Moving up . . b Miscellaneous . . 6 3 3 2O 35 ii 9 0.7 -!34 | o.ooSJ . oO2 Charge to transportation and dumping I. Waiting for trains . : 54 19 29.0 0.328 0.328 53i 40 IOO.O I . I3O TIME STUDY DEDUCTIONS Number of Obser- vations Minimum Average Maximum Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Min. Sec. 50 2 5 45 30 28.9 Time of moving up, shovel idle . Time between moves, shovel working . Time between trains Time per train, loading Time per dipper . No. of dippers per move No. of dippers per train No. of dippers per car 10 10 *3 16 10 10 16 5 21 3 10 O 18 40 10 20.6 6 31 1 1 J 9 20 3 5 2 24 2 3 9 7 4i 27 35 61 29 77-9 48.7 9-74 99 65 201 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Number of trains loaded Number of cars loaded Number of cars per train . 16 80 ( 14 trains of 5 cars each. | i train of 7 cars. ( i train of 3 cars. . ACTUAL RATIOS Water consumption, pounds 29,160 Coal consumption, pounds 5 = 5.83 Fig. 49. "Clawing" between trains 202 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Tracks ^.-yard Age of shovel First season Job ran 18 days. Shift, 10 hours. One shift per day. Coal is generally hauled about 100 feet by team. Water is pumped from boiler house. Repairs are generally made by regular crew while waiting for cars. Coal used 2 tons running % of a day Water used About 3000 gallons Cost of repairs . . Slight. Broken stems to oil cups gave the most trouble. Kind of track Standard gauge ; about 45 pounds Use Williamson & Pries cars Average 38 tons capacity. Train is braked by air. Hand signals are used Kind and size of dinkey . . . One light switch engine used Weather Clear, but shovel not working TIME STUDY Days worked Total output . . 18 34,590 tons Minutes Per Cent Actual working (average 18 days) 300 5 1117 e c (average 18 days) !5 25 Moving shovel ) , Miscellaneous delays \ < avera S e l8 da y s > 150 25 Total time per day (average) .... 600 IOO HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Cost of Direct Labor (Loading) Per Day Standard Basis Runner $c QO Crane man ffi^.vv 1 60 Fireman 2 4O 4 pitmen 6 oo $17.00 Number of tons loaded per day (average of 18 days) . . 1922 Number of cubic yards loaded per day (2 tons per yard) . 961 Cost of labor per day $17 oo Number of cubic yds. per day = ^6T= ' ' 77 cents P er cubic ^ Time Per Cost per Y?rd Total Min. Sec. Cent in Cents Cents Charge to loading i. Actual loading 300 OO 5O.O 0.885 1 2. Delays a Moving up . . i 1 r 1.3275 b Repairs . j CQ OO 25.0 0.4425] c Miscellaneous . ) Charge to transportation i . Waiting for cars 1 S OO 25.0 0.4425 0.4425 600 00 IOO.O . . . 1.7700 ACTUAL RATIO Water consumed, pounds 25,000 Coal consumed, pounds 4,000 = 6.25 222 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK TrcjffeW*. CX&<3>< I I |* i-^' T -* v I |* \//efffaf^Ore\ \3foc^fl/e- \ oo 13 && TRACK LAyour 6-6-09* 223 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 56 Bucyrus Shovel No 1142 at Starnbaugh, Mich. Fig 57- View showing rocks encountered by Shovel No. 1124 in Mine Stripping at Michagamme, Mich. 224 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 26 SHOVEL No. 1124 INSPECTED JULY 29 and 31, 1909 HOOSE & PERSON, CONTRACTORS MICHIGAMME, MICH. GENERAL CONDITIONS This shovel was installed about the middle of March and began work about the first of April. This mine said to be the first in Michigan to use the steam shovel for open pit work. The ore was covered with a lo-foot layer of earth, which had to be stripped. Pit stripping was hardpan and boulders. Standard gauge Oliver dump cars of 6^ yards capacity were used. PERFORMANCE The contractors stated that an aver- age of 800 yards was stripped each day of ten hours. The principal drawback to a larger output was poor train service, which seems to be the chief difficulty at most of the mines visited. The large masses of rock and boulders encountered offered no difficulties at all. Boulders up to 3 and 4 yards each were tossed aside with the greatest ease. It is much like working in an immense borrow pit. The contractor estimated that moving back 500 feet and cutting in would take the regular crew and two extra pitmen 5 hours ; throwing track and putting in shape for train, fifteen men 5 hours. Cross-section of Bank. Typical Cross-section 225 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS Type of shovel 70 C Material Soft Hematite ore, in natural bed Distance of move 6' Kind of teeth Panama Height of lift 1 1 ' Size of ties under shovel, 6" x S". Hand spikes in end and when moving shovel 2 pitmen carried two ties, one end of each in each hand. Size of bucket 2)4 yards Age of shovel New April, 1909 Duration of job Began April ist Length of shift 10 hours Number of shifts per day i How supplies are handled. Water pumped from well 100 yards away. Repairs made by regular crew while waiting for cars, or at night. Coal used i % to 2 tons per day of 10 hours n ., , ( Black, 3 quarts in 10 hours 1 | Valve, 2% quarts in 10 hours Water used 3000 gallons in 10 hours Boiler is cleaned every two weeks at night. Cost of repairs large, i set of Panama teeth per month, $100. Also 50 cents a day for small items. Contract price : a . . ( Hardpan, 40 cents a yard Strl PPmg ] Rock . 55 cents a yard ,.. . Ore . 30 cents a ton Mmm * -JRock . 60 cents a yard Contract includes putting ore in cars, stripping and dumping. Kind of track Standard gauge, 5o-pound rail Kind and size of cars used : American Car and Foundry Co. ore car, 30 tons ; American Car and Foundry Co. ore car, 20 tons ; D., S. S. & A. R. R. ore car, 25 tons. Train is braked by air. Kind of signals used : Hand signals, brakeman on bank. Kind and size of dinkey, D., S. S. & A. R. R. 35-ton yard engine Length of haul 1500' to empty cars One engine used. Cars and engine are owned by the railroad company, who see to all repairs. Weather Clear and windy 226 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK TIME STUDY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 8:31:50 12:45:30 12:38:20 Stopped work 11:38:45 4:41:05 2:04:40 Min. Sec Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Total time worked 86 20 + 186 55 + 235 35 = 8 hours 28 minutes 50 seconds. Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working Waiting for cars . . 2 5 6 I C2 , 38 17 50-4 30 o Moving shovel Miscellaneous delays Chain off sheave 38 61 45 10 J s 7.6 12. O Total time under observation . 508 5 IOO.O Cost of Direct Labor (Loading) per Day Standard Basis Runner ... . $;.OO Craneman . . .... 3.6o Fireman 2.40 4 pitmen 6.00 $17.00 Cars loaded in tw r o days, 119 @ 30 tons = 3570 tons zn 1785 tons per day. g Cubic yards loaded per day (2 tons per cubic yard) = ' > Cost of direct labor per day $17.00 ? - :-; : - = -= -- =1.90 cents per cubic No. of cubic yards per day 892 . 5 yard. Time Cost per Total Process Analysis Per Cent Yard in Cents Cost Cents Min. Sec. Charge to loading i. Actual loading 2 S 6 38 50.4 0-9581 2. Delays a Moving up ... 38 45 7-6 0.144 [ 1.330 b Repairs .... 61 10 12. O 0.228] Charge to transportation Waiting for cars . J 5 2 1 7 30.O 0.570 0.570 508 5 IOO.O 1.900 227 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK ACTUAL RATIOS Water consumption, pounds 25,000 Coal consumption, pounds 3,000 to 4,000 = 8.33-6.25 Time Study Deductions Number of Obser- vations Minimum Average Maximum Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Time of moving up, shovel idle . . Time between moves, shovel working . Time between trains . Time per train, loading Time per dipper . . No.ofdipperspermove No. of dippers per train No. of dippers per car 9 10 15 18 IO 1 1 3 5 IO 40 30 4 25 IO 18 40 9 15 26.5 6 43 28 28 5 20 2O IO 18 28 5 6 -9 31.6 6.77 87 54 Average tonnage per dipper 4-43 Number of trains loaded 18 Number of cars loaded 84 Train Number 2o-Ton Cars 25-Ton Cars 3o-Ton Cars - I 5 2 i I 4 3 2 I 2 4 I 3 5 3 . . . 6 5 7 2 3 8 3 2 Cars per train . . . . < 9 IO 4 5 i 1 1 3 2 12 2 2 13 4 14 4 i IS i 3 I 16 6 . 17 i i 2 I 18 4 Total . . . . . . 5 1 6 27 228 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK 0/ie e/tp/rtf l/jua/ fra/f /5 to 6,500 TIME STUDY ON SHOVEL No. 1083 This time study follows the scheme used and ex- plained for No. 517, but a variation has been made in the column giving time "between trains." In this case the shovel was seldom idle, even when waiting for a train. This condition is explained in the notes on No. 1083, and the itemized times are given there. While waiting the shovel was either clawing at the bank, loading stones or picking up ore along the edges of the pit and throwing it ahead where it could be more easily loaded. As this was all useful work it should hardly be classed as lost time. On the other hand it is not "loading" and so could not be counted in as useful working time. It has therefore been put in a column by itself under "Working between trains" and another column of "Between trains" time has been headed "Idle." This last is when the shovel was actually standing still. The last column gives, as usual, "Miscellaneous delays," and in this study it contains only those items of delay that occurred while the train was at the shovel being loaded. The items which make up these delays are explained in the remarks on No. 1083. 242 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK =3 IP -I i 0_ JO * 10 8 M e -2| : ' 111 ^5 o o * s?,s . 2O 7 . ^O 2 .OO 6.00 O 7 C Total cost of labor per day Cost per day per cubic yard, cents Per cent .... 124.75 2.O6 29.7 $21 .50 1.79 2 5 .8 $8.20 0.68 9.8 $7-5 0.63 9- 1 $21.25 1.77 2 5 .6 $83 . 20 6 -93 IOO.O 260 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Process Analysis Ti ne Per Cost per Yard Total Min. Sec. Cent in Cents Cost Charge to waiting for blasters ... -? O ? O OOQ O 009 Charge to loading i. Actual loading 388 18 64.6 'IS'*] 2. Delays a Moving up ... 132 00 21.9 0.392 \ 1-550 b Miscellaneous . . 30 O. I . 002 J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars 77 42 12.9 0.231 0.231 60 1 3 IOO.O . . . 1.790 ANALYSIS OF COMPLETE DIPPER SWING Forenoon Mini- mum Average Maxi- mum No. of Obser- vations No. of Attempts to Fill Dipper Digging 1 Swinging loaded ! . 4 3 9.18 S-76 2I# Q^ 25 23 28 Swinging and ( falling empty J seconds 4 8.20 22/ 2 23 .. Time to fill and load one dipperful ii 23.14 53/2 25 Percentage of complete dipperfuls to attempts = ~ = 89 . 3 Afternoon Mini- mum Average Maxi- mum No. of Obser- vations No. of Attempts to Fill Dipper Digging . . .1 T - Swinging loaded [ Swing and fall- f^ ing empty . j Time to fill and load one dipperful 4/2 3 5/2 12.5 7-3 8.7 44 37^ 17 23 22 22 3 1 13 28.5 98 /2 261 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK 23 Percentage of complete dipperfuls to attempts = r= 74.2 Time for a complete swing (seconds) Number Minimum Average Maximum of Obser- vations Forenoon 12 I9.S 31.5 36 Afternoon 14 20.6 26.0 37 Swings per minute Maximum Average Minimum Number of Obser- vations Forenoon . . . Afternoon . . . 5- 4-3 3-1 2.9 1-9 2-3 36 37 Cost to Move Back Standard Basis Runner . . Crane man Fireman . @ .73 day . . @ .73 day @ -73 day @ $5.00 @ 3 . 60 $8.65' 6.2 3 4- *5 27 laborers i foreman i foreman . @ -73 day . . @ -73 day . . @ .73 day @ i . 5o/day @ 4.00 @ 3 . 50 70.07 6.92 6.06 Coal (i ton) $102.08 4.00 Oil and waste i .00 $107.08 Total distance moved . Total time consumed . Number of men employed Cost per foot moved Cost per foot, per man . 1624' 1.73 da y s 3 2 6.6 cents 0.21 cent ACTUAL RATIOS Superintendence Direct labor 262 = 0.06 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK 263 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 61 Fig. 62. Shovel on the D., L. & W. R. R. Cut-off, near Hopatcong, N. J. Track being prepared for Moving Machine 264 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT, No. 31 - SHOVEL No. 1138 INSPECTED OCTOBER 2 AND 8, 1909 BROWNELL IMPROVEMENT COMPANY THORNTON, ILL. MATERIAL With the track layout shown in the sketch, shovels No. 1073 (p. 278) and No. 1 138 are turning out from 2600 to 3000 cubic yards of crushed stone a day, the material being a hard crystalline lime- stone, which, if October 2, 3, 4 and 5 are any criterion, is not too well blasted. It is the same sort of limestone as found on the Jas. J. Hart contract on the D., L. & W. cut-off, where it was said that powder cost 15 cents a yard. On this work powder costs from 2% cents to 13 cents a yard. On the first day of observation (shovel No. 1073) the rock was well broken up in the morning, but during the afternoon some was encountered which came out in large slabs that had to be mud-capped, 150 pounds of dynamite being used for this purpose. On October 3d (shovel No. 1 138) the digging was very easy, the rock being broken into small pieces, not over a foot in diameter. It was necessary to 'blast the bank only three times on this day as against eight times the pre- vious day at No. 1073. It was on this day that No. 1138 made the best run of the four days observed, working 50 per cent, of the time and loading 300 cars. On October 4th (shovel No. 1073) the rock was fairly well broken, but parts that had not felt the effect of the blast were frequently met. On the last day of the observation (October 5th, shovel No. 1138) the digging was very hard. The rock had not been blasted prop- erly, so that while the rock was broken it was not loosened sufficiently to make easy digging, and as in- sufficient powder had been used, the rock was broken at the top, but there was a ledge about two-thirds the way down the face that had not been affected, and 265 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK which had to be drilled and blasted frequently. The day this shovel was observed was the day after the track was changed. The shovel had to follow the track and had to draw away from the bank to do so, as there was a slight curve at this point. When the track was thrown it was brought very near the shovel, a little too near in fact, for when the boom was swung around into its usual position preparatory to dumping the dip- per, it was found that the contents of the dipper would land on the far side of the car rather than in it. By spotting the cars a little further ahead and not swinging the boom so far around, this difficulty was overcome. However, a new dilemma presented itself, for now, on account of the boom being in the line of sight, the runner could not see to properly spot the dipper. So until the shovel had cut in again far enough to dump with the boom swung out as usual, the time per swing was somewhat increased. DRILLING AND BLASTING The rock dips toward the' shovels at about 30 degrees from the horizontal. Sixty per cent forcite in pieces 2" x 6" and 3" x 8" is used. There were four drills in front of No. 1138 and three behind, the latter drilling the holes. In front of No. 1073 there were four drills but none behind. During one week of seven days, selected at random, there were drilled 2258 feet of all large and small holes by 1 1 drills, or about 29 feet per drill day. The drillers work in pairs and are paid by the foot, receiving 8 cents a foot, large holes ; 6 cents per first 30 feet of small holes and 7 cents a foot for all over 30 feet. A crew consists of two drills, two drillers and one helper, the latter receiving 1 7 ^ cents an hour. The large holes finish at 3^ inches. The holes are not sprung, as the material is so brittle it breaks off and fills the holes. Both top and toe holes are drilled. Ingersoll- Rand drills are used and are run by compressed air. 266 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Dynamite costs 12^ cents a pound. At each shovel one small one-man drill was kept in addition for making holes for light blasts. SHOVELS These shovels are the largest and strongest The Bucyrus Company makes. They weigh 95 tons and have steel-plated booms and dipper handles, the boom being swung by chain instead of cable. There are two water tanks, one on each side of the boiler, and three propelling chains instead of only two. A crew consists of engineer, craneman, fireman and four or five pitmen. There were four on No. 1073 and five on No. 1 138. The engineer, craneman and fireman receive time and a half for overtime and the two former are allowed one day a week off under pay. There is an extra crew who work nights making repairs and who substitute when the regular men are away. SUPPLIES Water is supplied to the shovel from a tank on top of the quarry. Coal is brought in on the dinkeys and put right in the bunker on the shovel, which holds about five tons. Coal costs $1.70 a ton. The boilers are washed out once a week, and this, together with -the general repairs, costs about $32 a week. TRANSPORTATION The hauling is done by four 35-ton dinkeys drawing ten car trains. There are five of these dinkeys, but one is taken in every day and washed and overhauled. Four of them are new engines. Besides these there are two others of about 50 tons, which are used for switching the large freight cars. The dinkey cars are five cubic yards capacity, weigh four tons empty and cost $150 to build. They are very substantial, being lined with sheet iron. The door is tripped automatically when the cars are 267 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK dumped. These cars ride very well and do not get off the track under ordinary conditions. No brakes are provided. A coal tender is attached to each engine. COST KEEPING A registering clock is used to keep the time of arrival and de- parture of the men. From these cards the payroll is made up, and to save time the extensions are made weekly on the cards themselves. The timekeeper goes over the job during the day to check up the men. The payroll is made up on a large sheet about 10 inches by 14 inches. All purchases are made by the main office, the requisition being made in duplicate at the job. One copy is sent to the main office where it is reviewed by the manager, and if O. K., is copied in triplicate, one being kept at the main office, one sent to the dealer, and one sent to the job. The one sent to the job is in the nature of a receipt and is returned when the goods are delivered. At the job the payroll, car records or such other matter as it is desired to keep a record of, is written out with a copying pencil and copied in a copy book. OBSERVATIONS GENERAL Weight 95 tons Gauge Standard Capacity of dipper 2^ cubic yards Kind of teeth Manganese steel bases and points Height of lift 8)4', October 5 ; 7^', October 3 Height blocked up o' Number of pitmen 5 Length of boom 30' 7" Length of dipper handle 18' 6" Height of boom above pivot 22' g" Height of boom above shovel tracks 28' Horizontal reach of boom 22' 268 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS GENERAL Continued Farthest dipper can reach to dump 27' Highest dipper can reach to dump !?/' Lowest dipper can reach to dig below shovel tracks ... 4' Diameter of swing circle 7' Height of dinkey tracks above shovel tracks, October 3, i'; October 5, 2^'. Distance inside dinkey track to inside shovel track, October 5 A. M., 10'; noon, 15'; P. M., iS'io'; October 3, 19' 10". Weather clear. Depth of dipper (water measure) 46" Depth of dipper, including lip 55" Depth of dipper, including teeth 74" OBSERVATIONS FIRST DAY Number of cars loaded 300 Cubic yards excavated 1200 Capacity of cars, water measure 5 cubic yards Total distance moved forward during day 54' 6" Number of times moved forward during day 12 Maximum distance moved forward in one move .... 6' Average time between beginning of one shovel move and be- ginning of next, 48. Maximum time between beginning of one shovel move and be- ginning of next, 75/^. Minimum time between beginning of one shovel move and be- ginning of next, 30. Average number of cars to one shovel move 24 Maximum number of cars to one shovel move 30 Minimum number of cars to one shovel move . . . . 17 Time between moves when maximum was loaded, 51^, 64, 50 and 44% minutes. Time between moves when minimum was loaded . 30 minutes Average time to load one train 9^ minutes Number of cars in train . . . . 10 Area of section 400 square feet Height of face 23' N.umber of times blasted bank 3 Average time to make one blast . . . .13 hours 2 minutes Coal used, about 3 to 4 tons. Could not be ascertained accurately. Water used, could not be ascertained; stream running con- stantly. 269 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Started work Stopped work TIME STUDY- FIRST DAY Forenoon Afternoon 7:04:30 12:29:00 Total time worked 38 minutes. 12:09:00 5:02:30 Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Min. 304 30 + 273 30 = 578 = 9 'hours Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working Spotting cars Waiting for cars * Idle 289 *-> (137) CO 00 3 (45) A r 50.0 0.4 (23.8) 8 8 Leveling in front Drilling Blasting Preparing to move .... Moving shovel Idle . 38 16 H I? 94 (26) *iO 00 3 45 45 oo dO 6.6 2.8 2 -5 3- 1 16.3 (A 6) Blasting (cars on hand) . Waiting for trains to pull out . Miscellaneous delays Pulling in and breaking bank 24 i 28 45 30 3 4-3 -3 4.9 Total time under observation . 578 oo IOO.O *The whole of miscellaneous, and 36 minutes spent in mov- ing up, was also accomplished while waiting for cars. Cost of Direct Labor (Loading) per Day Standard Basis Runner $"? oo Craneman . 3.60 Fireman 2 .40 5 pitmen . 7 SO $18.50 Cubic yards loaded on first day of observation .... 1200 Based on observed performance, the cubic yards'loaded per day 600 of 10 hours =r 1 200 X r> = I2 45 cubic yards. Cost per day of labor _ $18.50 I49 cents per cubic Number of cubic yards per day 1245 270 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Process Analysis Time Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost Min. Sec. Charge to waiting for blasters SI is 9.2 0-137 0.137 Charge to loading i. Actual loading 289 oo 5O.O 0-745 ) 2. Delays [ 0.988 a Moving up .... 94 oo l6. 3 0.243 ) Charge to transportation and dumping I. Waiting for trains . 2. Miscellaneous 140 i 15 30 24.2 0-3 0.361 ) 0.004 ( 0.365 57S oo IOO.O 1.490 Dipper Perfo nuance Mini- mum Aver- age Maxi- mum No. of Obser- vations Digging | 2 O 5? 14. ^ ?6 Swinging loaded . Swinging loaded . ' '. 1 Time 3-0 3-0 5-75 5-75 8-5 7-5 S 2 5 1 Falling empty . . Time to fill and load one 1 Seconds 2.5 4-5 12.5 69 dipperful . . J IO -5 21.3 43-o Time for a complete swing Minimum Average Maximum No. Obs. No. Attempts Seconds . . 14 2 3-3 43-75 46 61 Number of observations less than 20" = 19 Number of observations greater than 20" 25 Number of observations at 20" = 2 OBSERVATIONS. SECOND DAY Number of cars loaded ............ 210 Cubic yards excavated ...... . . . -. . . 840 Capacity of .cars, water measure ...... 5 cubic yards Total distance moved forward during day ..... 58' 6" Number of times moved forward during day ...... 9 Maximum distance moved forward in one move ..... 7' Minimum time between beginning of one shovel move to be- ginning of next ........... 32 minutes Average time between beginning of one shovel move to be- ginning of next ........... 87 minutes 271 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS. SECOND DAY Continued Maximum time between beginning of one shovel move to be- ginning of next 1 80 minutes Minimum number of cars to one shovel move .... 12 Average number of cars to one shovel move 25.4 Maximum number of cars to one shovel move .... 43 Time between moves when minimum was loaded . 35 minutes Time between moves when maximum was loaded 145 minutes Average time to load one train 1 1 ^ minutes Number of cars in train 10 Area of section . . Very irregular but about 500 square feet Height of face 23' Number of times blasted bank 8 Average time to make one blast 9*^ minutes Coal used, about 3 to 4 tons, could not be ascertained accurately. Water used, could not be ascertained; kept steam running con- stantly. TIME STUDY. SECOND DAY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 7:16:00 12:59:30 Stopped work 12:34:00 7:13:00 Min. Min. Sec. Total time worked 3 l & + 373 3 = 691 minutes 30 seconds = 11 hours 31 minutes 30 seconds. Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working Spotting cars Waiting for cars Waiting for trains to be spotted Idle Tightening jacks Clearing track Blasting Moving shovel . 243 16 (59 12 5 5 33 146 3 45 00) 30 15 15 3 3 I c 35- 2 2,4 i.8 0.8 0.3 0.8 4.8 21 2 Idle Blasting (cars on hand) . . . Putting car on and clearing track Clearing track (193 4i 22 I 30) 30 OO oo 6.0 3-2 O I Drilling Waiting for trains to pull out . Miscellaneous delays .... Pulling in bank to clear track . Breaking bank 124 (32 21 IO 45 30) 45 45 18.1 0.6 y Total time under observation . 6 9 I 30 100. 272 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Cubic yards loaded on second day of observation . . . 840 Based on observed performance, the cubic yards loaded per day of 10 hours = 840 x 600 = 730. 691-5 Cost per day of labor . . $i8.;o , . = - = 2 Number of cubic yards per day 730 yard. cents per cubic Ti me Per Cost per Yard in Total naysis Min. Sec. Cent Cents Cost Charge to waiting for blasters 1 08 4C 28 8 o 728 o 728 Charge to loading i Actual loading . . . 243 30 35- 2 0.890 ) 2 Delays 1.426 a Moving up ... 146 IS 21.2 0.536 ) Charge to transporting and dumping i Waiting for cars 2 Miscellaneous delays 75 27 45 y IO.9 3-9 0.2 7 6) O. IOO } 0.376 691 30 100. . . . - 53 Dipper Performance No of Minimum Average Maximum Obser- vations Digging .-',/,/ Swinging loaded Time 3-5 3-0 7-5 3-8 19.0 "5 8 9 61 Swinging empty Falling empty . > in seconds 3- 2 -5 4-2 4-5 7.0 9-5 g Time to fill and load one dipperful 12. O 20. o 47-0 Time for a complete swing Minimum Average Maximum No. of Obser- vations No. of Attempts Seconds 13.5 21.6 54 54 60 Number of observations less than 20" = 28 Number of observations greater than 20" = 23 Number of observations at 20" = 3 273 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK SOME DELAYS TO THE LOADING OF TRAINS CAUSED BY THE SHOVEL, AND THE TIME CONSUMED Delay in loading ; no apparent reason 7 minutes Moving forward 22 minutes Blasting 25 minutes Some time on the various operations in moving forward: Front clamps Moving Rear clamps, front trucks Rear clamps, rear trucks Carrying and placing ties Carrying and placing rails Bumper tie Screwing jacks, jack blocks and swinging . Leveling ties 1 8" to 32", 1 8" to 15" 42" 45" 60" 30" ... 6" to 10" . . 3' 4" to 3' 6" 93" Placing rails 45" Front clamps 20" Some delays to the loading of trains caused by the shovel and the time consumed are as follows : Blasting 42 minutes Moving forward 85 minutes Drilling 125 minutes Clearing track 9 minutes TRANSPORTATION Train Number Time for Round Trip from Shovel to Switch, Minutes Time Waiting at Switch, Minutes Time Traveling from Switch to Shovel, Minutes II 11% 9/2 2^ I 1 S)^2 4 3X I 12% 8 3 II Went to 1073 I 17 o 3 I 4X 2/4^ 12 24 2 /^ 12 8 Went to 1073 I Io /^ 2/ 2j4 II i6)4 Went to 1073 I 3 l % Went to 1073 2 ii 3/2 2 Averages . 17-6 3-4 2.6 Average time for round trip = 23.6 minutes. 274 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK DINKEY No. 2 35-TON Minutes Feet Feet Per Minute Waiting for empties .... 14 . . Crusher to switch A .... 4 2050 5 10 Switch A to Shovel 1138 . . iX 600 400 Shovel 1138 to crusher . 3^ 2650 760 Round trip (exclusive of delays) 9 53 590 Delays Letting loaded train out . '# Clearing track and blasting . 6 Loading ....... 16 Round trip (including delays) . yy* 53oo ^63 " J*idl^BVP Fig. 63. Bucyrus Shovel No. 1138 275 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK .$;.: 276 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 64 Fig. 65. Two Views of Bucyrus Shovels Handling Crushed Rock. Brownell Improvement Company, Thornton, 111. 277 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 32 - - SHOVEL No. 1073 INSPECTED OCTOBER 2-8, 1908 BROWNELL IMPROVEMENT CO. THORNTON, ILL. See Report 31, page 265, for Description, etc. OBSERVATIONS GENERAL Weight 95-ton Gauge Standard Capacity of dipper 2.3 cubic yards Kind of teeth Manganese steel bases and points Height of lift 12' Height blocked up o Number of pitmen 4 Length of boom 30' Length of dipper handle 18' Height of boom above pivot 22' 9" Height of boom above shovel tracks 28' Horizontal reach of boom 22' Farthest dipper can reach to dump 27' Highest dipper can reach to dump l 7/4 f Lowest dipper can reach to dig below shovel tracks . . 4' Diameter of bull wheel 8>' Height of dinkey tracks above shovel tracks . . . . $y 2 ' Distance inside dinkey track to inside shovel track . . 23^' Depth of dipper (water measure) 46" Depth of dipper including lip $5/2" Depth of dipper including teeth 72" OBSERVATIONS FIRST DAY Cubic yards excavated ..* 910 Number of cars loaded 227^ Capacity of cars (water measure) 5 cubic yards Total distance moved forward during day . . . . 40' 6" Number of times moved forward during day . .... 7 Maximum distance moved forward in one move . . . .6' Minimum time between beginning of one shovel move and beginning of next 53% minutes Average time between beginning of one shovel move and beginning of next Si 1 ^ minutes Maximum time between beginning of one shovel move and beginning of next 116^ minutes Minimum number of cars to one shovel move .... 20 278 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS FIRST DAY Conttmied Average number of cars to one shovel move .... 30.7 Maximum number of cars to one shovel move .... 40 Time between moves when maximum was loaded 108^ minutes Time between moves when minimum was loaded $3% minutes Average time to load one train 12 minutes Number of cars in train . 10 Area of section 259 square feet Height of face 18' Number of times blasted bank 1 1 Average time to make one blast 10.1 Coal used, about 3 or 4 tons. TIME STUDY. FIRST DAY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 7:42:30 12:28:00 Stopped work 12:06:30 6:00:00 Total time worked 264 -+- 332 minutes = 9 hours 56 minutes = 596 minutes. These are the times wiien the observations began and ceased. The shovel worked 12 hours. Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working 261 OO 43-8 Spotting cars 4 3 0.8 Waiting for cars . . . . (143 30) (24.1) Idle , 3 5-o Oiling chain 25 30 4-3 Wiping engine, etc 8 3 1.4 Blasting 68 00 11.4 Waiting for trains to be spotted 4 OO 0.7 Leveling in front for moving forw r ard 7 3 : -3 Moving shovel 80 i'S 13-5 Idle ..." (81 30) (13-6) Waiting for train to pull out . i OO O.2 Blasting (cars on hand) 42 45 7.i Taking coal *9 3- 2 Putting two cars on track . 7 3 I -3 Breaking boulder with sledge 6 3 I . I Oiling machine 2 A. ^ O A. Minor repairs TO w .4 O "3 Miscellaneous delays (25 *>) w J (4-2) Breaking bank 2 4 15 4-0 Handling boulder .... I 0.2 Total time under observation 596 OO IOO.O 279 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Cost of Direct Labor (Loading) per Day Standard Base Runner .... $ c QO Craneman 7 60 Fireman . ... J ^^ 4 pitmen . $17 oo Cubic yards loaded on first day of observation . . . . 910 Based on observed performance, the cubic yards loaded per day of 10 hours = 910 X ^ = 916 cubic yards. Cost direct labor per day $ 1 7.00 Number cubic yards per day 916 =i.86 cents per cubic yards. Time Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost Min. Sec. Charge to waiting for blasters 74 3 I2. 5 0.232 0.232 Charge to loading i. Actual loading . . . 261 43-8 0.815-] 2. Delays I a Moving up .... 80 IS 13-5 0.251 r I - I 39 b Miscellaneous . 23 45 3-9 0.073 j Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars 2. Miscellaneous . . . 149 7 oo 3 25.0 '3 0.465 ) 0.024 ( 0.489 59 6 oo IOO.O .... i. 860 Dipper Performance Minimum Average Maximum No of Obser- vations Digging Swinging loaded Swinging loaded Falling empty . Time to fill and load one dip- perful . . Time > in Seconds 2 -5 2 -5 1.0 2.7 8.7 4 .8 4 .6 3-9 3-8 17.1 9.0 9-0 7.0 7.0 32.0 8l 7 6 68 69 280 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Time for a complete swing Minimum Average Maximum No. Obs. No. Attempts Seconds . . . 15.5 19.5 29-5 67 6 9 Number of observations less than 20" = 45 Number of observations greater than 20" = 17 Number of observations at 20" = 5 67 SOME OF THE DELAYS TO LOADING TRAINS, AND TIME CONSUMED Shovel crew getting to work 3^ minutes 43 52 * i8 minutes minutes minutes minutes minutes minutes minutes Blasting Moving forward Oiling machine Breaking boulder with sledge Waiting for trains ahead to load Shovel breaking bank . Shovel taking coal .... Some times on the various operations in moving forward were obtained and are as follows : Moving . . . . . 29^", 32", 15" Screwing jacks and swinging Leveling in front Carrying and placing ties 2^"-^2 r ' Carrying and placing rails 45"-55" Screwing rail clamps 50"- 2 5" Front clamps 5o"-27" Rear clamps 15" Leveling rails . 4o"-57" Placing bumper tie 5" 12 minutes- 1 3/ minutes OBSERVATIONS SECOND DAY Number of cars loaded 225 Cubic yards excavated . 900 (cars equal 4 yards, place measure) Capacity of cars (water measure) 5 cubic yards Total distance moved forward during day .... 44' 6" Number of times moved forward during day .... 8 Maximum distance moved forward in one move ... 6' Average time between beginning of one shovel move and begin- ning of next 67^ minutes 281 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS SECOND DAY Continued Maximum time between beginning of one shovel move and be- ginning of next 80^ minutes Minimum time between beginning of one shovel move and be- ginning of next 50^ minutes Average number of cars to one shovel move .... 30 Maximum number of cars to one shovel move .... 34 Minimum number of cars to one shovel move .... 26 Times between moves when maximum was loaded, 76^ minutes Times between moves when minimum was loaded, 37 minutes Average time to load on train : 12 minutes for ic-car trains; 19 minutes for 15-car trains. Number of cars in train 10; 3 trains of 1 5 cars Area of section 280 square feet Height of face 20 feet Number of times blasted bank 7 Average time to make one blast 7.7 minutes Coal used, about 3 to 4 tons. Could not be ascertained accurately. Water used could not be ascertained. Tank leaked. TIME STUDY. SECOND DAY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 7:16:00* 12:00:00 Stopped work 12:00:00 6:50:00 Min. 284 12:00:00 Min. + 410 694 min. = ii hours 34 Total time worked minutes. *This is the time when the observation began. started at 6:00. The Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working Spotting cars Waiting for cars Idle .... 272 I (122 c6 OO OO 15) 30 39-2 0. I (17.6 8 i Oiling chain Blasting Minor repairs Moving shovel 10 34 21 76 J 1 - 1 00 30 15 1.4 5-o 3- 1 II O Idle .... ( 2 I C 1 J AC] (->i i\ Oiling crane engine . . . Putting on oil cup Oiling chain 4 3 ^J I OO 15 0.6 0.5 o c Minor repairs . 1 J u - 5 282 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Minutes Seconds Per Cent Blasting (cars on hand) . . Getting up steam .... Repairing safety valve . Getting ready to dig Taking coal Repairing water pipe . . . Miscellaneous delays Breaking bank 20 46 118 2 IO 5 6 15 3 3 oo oo 00 4.C 2.9 6.7 I7.I o-3 1.4 0.7 I O Total time under observation . 694 OO IOO.O Cubic yards loaded on second day of observation . . . 900 Based on observed performance, the cubic yards loaded per day of 10 hours =r 900 x 600 Cost of direct labor per day $17.00 ^ - r -- r~- -- 3 --- ^~= - 5 Number cubic yards per day 778 = 2 lo cents per cubic yard. Process Analysis Time Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost Min. Sec. Charge to waiting for blasters : , 29 OO 4.2 0.092 0.092 Charge to loading i. Actual loading . . 272 00 39-2 0.854! 2. Delays a Moving up ... 76 IS I I .O 0.240 ^ I .702 b Repairs .... H7 oo 19.7 0.429 c Miscellaneous . . S6 30 8.2 0.179) Charge to transporting and dumping I. Waiting for cars 123 15 17.7 0.386 0.386 694 oo IOO.O 2.180 Dipper Performance Number Mini- mum Aver- age Maxi- mum of Obser- vations Digging 1 2-5 5-9 15.5 75 Swinging loaded . . Timp 3-5 6.2 IO -5 Swinging empty . . . 2-5 4.3 7-5 47 Falling empty Time to fill and load | Seconds 2-5 7.0 61 one dipperful . . . J ii .0 20.5 40.5 283 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Time for a complete swing Minimum Average Maximum No. of Obs. No of Attempts Seconds .... 14 23.4 43X 46 49 Number of observations less than 20 seconds = 19 Number of observations greater than 20 seconds = 25 Number of observations at 20 seconds = 2 46 SOME CAUSES OF DELAYS TO THE LOADING OF TRAINS AND THE TIME CONSUMED Delays Minutes Oiling chains Waiting for train ahead to load .... Minor repairs to shovel Blasting I 5 i 3% 33/2 iV 71 \f Getting up steam Moving forward and waiting for train ahead to load Moving forward Putting on oil cup . Engine getting ready to dig Oiling crane engine 4 i 3 i i i 3 l /4 41% 29 3'* 3% 4 Some times on the various operations in moving forward were obtained and are as follows : Carrying and placing rails 43 // -35"-47 / '-57 // Bolts and plates 35 / '-65 // -6o // Front clamps 35 // ~33 // ~ 2 5 // ~55 // Bumper tie 10"-$" Moving 2\"-\s ) ' ! -2T > "-i-j" Screwing jack, placing jack blocks and swinging . 2' 15", i' 40", i' 24", 3' 28" Leveling rock service in front for ties . 3 minutes, 6' 30"- 6' 30" Unscrewing jacks 23" Unbolting rails in rear 6o"-2$" Carrying rails from rear to alongside jacks 25" Carrying ties from rear to front 2' 31" Leveling ties 26"-!' 45" Leveling rails 2 $"-200" Clamps and blocks (rear of front truck) i '-35"-35'' 284 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Train Number Times for Round Trip Minutes Engine Number Time from Shovel to Stopping Place Time Waiting II 1 1 2 2 II 2 II 2 II II 28 20^ 2 7 26 30 32 2O 18 24 2 5 ^ I II IO II IO 10 12 I J 3 i? 20 33 24 24 29 30 3 2 9 16 14 3 l i? 8 Averages 2 3-8 22 Average 300 25 DINKEY No. 12 35-TON Minutes Feet Feet Per Minute Crusher to shovel .... Loading Shovel to switch 7 "># 4130 7OO 590 ^O Switch to top of grade . 2 IOOO 500 DINKEY No. 10 35-TON Minutes Feet Feet Per Minute Shovel to switch A .... Switch A to crusher .... Switching . . 3 \y 2 700 2050 350 680 Crusher to switch C . Switch C to shovel No. 1138 . Shovel 1138 to crusher . . . Round trip (exclusive of delays) Delays Waiting for empties . Loading Round trip (including delays) . 1* 4^ 13* 28^ 4i# 55 2500 2650 10200 I020O IOIO 670 590 770 2 45 285 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK DINKEY No. 1 35-TON Minutes Feet Feet Per Minute Crusher to shovel No. 1073 Shovel No. 1073 to switch A . Switch A to crusher .... Round trip (exclusive of delays) Delays Loading .... Round trip (including delays) . 8 2^ 3# lO/ 2 2 4 4130 700 20 ^o 6880 515 m 510 290 REPORT No. 33 SHOVEL No. 1096 INSPECTED JULY 27, 28, 1909 D., L. & W. CUT-OFF NEAR JOHNSONBURG, N. J. LOCATION AND MATERIAL The contractor for sec- tion No. 5, D., L. & W. cut-off, is the Hyde-McFarlin- Burke Company. This section is located in slate and limestone and is about three miles long, being about equally divided between cut and fill. Figs. 66 and 67 give an idea of the nature of the material in which No. 1096 and No. 1097 have cut through. This, however, was not the same as during our inspection, at which time the digging was easy and no time was spent in handling boulders, although on the second day (No. 1096) 19 minutes (total of three times) was spent in blasting a portion of a projecting ledge. SHOVELS These two shovels are exactly alike. They weigh 70 tons, have standard gauge railway car trucks, and all steel boom and dipper handles, the former being of the lattice type. For the purpose of 286 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 66 Fig. 67. View Showing Materials Encountered on D., L. & W. R. R. Near Johnsonburg, N. J. 287 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 68 &^ ";- J--~ - Fig. 69. Views Showing Method of Moving Back Shovel on D., L. & W. R. R. Near Johnsonburg, N. ]. 288 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK -x Fig. 70. View Showing Device for Turning Cars on D., L. & W. R. R. Near Johnsonburg, N. J. drilling holes for small blasts these machines are fitted with a small air compressor and tank. The compressor is located in the rear left-hand corner of the shovel and takes up a space about 6 feet high by one foot in diam- eter. The jacks fold against the A frame. These shovels have been in use constantly on this work, and in some very hard digging, for just about a year, but show no wear. An attempt was made to get the angle that the dipper makes with the vertical when the dipper handle is hori- zontal. Any such measurements to be of any use must be exact, as the variations in the angle would be so small that rough figures would be misleading. In gen- eral the dippers were at the same angle on each shovel, 289 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK although that on No. 1096 may have been a trifle greater. These shovels have the lever device for dropping the ashes and turning the grate. ARRANGEMENT The track arrangement on this job, because of its extent, circuitous route, and, in spite of the uneven country, its splendid facilities for serving cars to the shovel, is of special interest. The sketch shows accurately the arrangement and gives the grades and distances. All distances shown were meas- ured, and all grades were obtained by a hand level and by pacing the distance. The maximum grade against the empties was 5.8 per cent, and it was observed that the dinkeys could only get up this by acquiring plenty of speed beforehand, or else by applying the brakes and shutting off steam every time the wheels slipped. On the sketch are indicated the direction of traffic and loca- tion of the grades. TRANSPORTATION With the dump i^ miles from the shovels, and two shovels work- ing, the subject of transportation becomes of vital importance. For this reason a detailed study of the time for a round trip together with the time and causes of delays was made. Vulcan dinkeys are used, and the cars, which are side dump on one side only, were made by the South Baltimore Car & Foundry Company, Curtis Bay, Balti- more, Md. One of the illustrations (Fig. 70) shows the device for turning the cars when the fill must be made on the opposite side. MOVING BACK On the second day of our inspection, shovel No. 1097 was moved back 1063 feet, and on the fourth day, shovel No. 1096 was 290 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK moved. The method employed for moving both shovels is plainly shown in the illustrations (Figs. 68 and 69), and as it was somewhat different from others that have been observed, it will bear some description. Two horses and sixteen men were used, eight lengths of 30 feet 6o-pound rail and about one hundred ties, besides bridles, spikes, etc. The shovel is moved back two rail lengths at a time, the forward rails and ties being taken up and hauled by the horses to the rear, where the laborers lift them into place. Two men stay in front to unbolt as soon as the shovels move back, two others take up the ties as the horses haul away the rails. One man is re- quired to follow the chain used for hauling the ties to see that it does not get caught in an obstruction, it being apparently too heavy to throw over a horse's back. Four men are kept in the rear to lay the ties as they come in, and the remaining men go where in- structed. Eight men are required to lift each rail into place. The bridles are carried forward by the men, or else laid among the ties that the horse draws. There are enough extra ties to support the first rails that are brought, and these are laid while the shovel is moving, so that there is no delay when the rails are taken up. CONTRACTOR'S METHODS The form submitted here- with is used for labor distribution. It fails, however, in that it does not show (and the contractor does not know) on what part of the work the men are engaged in making repairs. OBSERVATIONS GENERAL Capacity of dipper 2^ yards Kind of teeth on dipper Manganese steel Height blocked up o Weather, clear. Maximum height dipper can reach to dump .... 18' Length of dipper handle 18' 6" Length of boom 28.5' Maximum distance dipper can reach to dump . . . 28.8' Maximum distance dipper can reach to dig .... 30' 291 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS GENERAL Continued Greatest depth dipper can dig 7' Diameter of bull wheel Capacity of cars, water measure 4.00 cubic yards Number of cars in train 9 and 10 Height of cars above their track 5' 8" Length of haul (approximate) 7500' Length of runaround 3.61 miles Weight of dinkeys 18 tons Style of car Side dump on one side only Height of top of cars above shovel track !5- 2/ Gauge of dinkey tracks Narrow Number of trains 7 Average time for round trip 45 minutes Maximum grades for loads . . 4.0 per cent and 3.0 per cent Maximum grades for empties . . plus 5.8 per cent-2 per cent Complete trains for grades. Time traveling to dump 18.8 minutes Time traveling from dump to shovel .... 17.7 minutes Average time to dump cars 4.9 minutes Distance inside dinkey track to inside shovel track . 23.4' OBSERVATIONS FIRST DAY Swings per minute 2.^6 Number of cars loaded 468 Cubic yards excavated 1685 Number of times moved forward 16 Average distance moved each time 5' n" Total distance moved during day 95' Time in minutes to load one cubic foot with dipper . . . .0086 Time shovel is interrupted while spotting one car .014 minute Time sh.ovel is interrupted to change trains ... 9 minutes Minutes per working day less time for accidental delays . 608 Coal used 3.1 6 tons Area of section 559-3 square feet Height of face . . . 14' (average) Number of times blasted bank i Average time to move forward once 7-34 minutes Average time to move forward one foot . . . . 1.28 minutes Average time to load one car 0.929 minute Pounds of coal per cubic yard excavated 3.75 Maximum distance moved forward in one move 7' Average time for one swing 23.4 seconds Average time between beginning of one shovel move to beginning of next 38.0 Number of cars for one shovel move 29.1 292 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Started work Stopped work TIME STUDY Forenoon 6:29:00 11:53:30 Afternoon 12:25:00 5:56:00 Min. Sec. Min. Min. Sec. Total time worked 324 30 -f 331 = 655 30 = 10 hours 55 minutes 30 seconds. Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working Spotting cars Waiting for cars Moving shovel Idle Repairing chain Jacking 434 6 9 117 (3i) 25 a 54 36 oo 3 (30) 3 66.3 I.O 1-4 17.9 (4.8) 3-8 o Oiling up Miscellaneous delays .... Clearing way Placing car on track . . . 3 (56) 43 13 0-5 (8.6) 6.6 2.0 Total time under observation . 655 3 IOO.O Cost of Direct Labor (Loading) per Day Standard Basis Runner , & c oo C ran email ... . ? 60 Fireman . . . . . . . , . . . . .".-. 8 pitmen 2.40 12.00 $23.00 Number of cubic yards loaded during first day of observation, 1685. Based on above performance the cubic yards loaded per day of 600 10 hours = 1685 X -7 = 1542. Cost of direct labor per day _ $23.00 1.49 cents per cubic Number of cubic yards per day 1 542 yard. 293 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Process Analysis Time Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost Min. Sec. Charge to loading i. Actual loading 434 S4 66.3 o . 988 ] 2. Delays | a Moving up . 117 3 17.9 0.266 [- I . ^26 b Repairs .... 2S 3 3-8 0.057 | c Miscellaneous . . 6 oo i .0 0.015J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars . 2. Miscellaneous 5* 36 2.4 8.5 0.036 I . I 28 f o. 164 655 3 IOO.O 1.49 Analysis of complete dipper swing Mini- mum Aver- age Maxi- mum No. of Obs. Digging Swinging Swinging Falling loaded . . empty . . Time in Seconds 7 4-5 2 I? *'.7 4-6 3-5 39 16 6 22 3 1 3 1 Time to fill and load one dipperful 15.5 34.i 83 3 1 Number of attempts to fill dipper Number of complete dipperfuls . Dipper efficiency, 47 . j%. 65 3 1 Time for complete swing Minimum Average Maximum Number of Obser- vations Seconds .... 17 23.4 34 3 1 294 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Number of swings per minute Minimum Average Maximum Number of Observations 1.8 2. 5 6 3-5 3 1 COST OF MOVING BACK. STANDARD BASIS Runner . for .25 days . (a), #5.00 $ 6.2 5 Craneman . for .25 days . @ 3.60 4-5 Fireman . . -. . . . . for .25 days . @ 2.40 3.00 14 laborers . for 3^ hours @ - l 5 28.35 2 drivers . for 3^ hours @ - l 5 4.05 2 horses . for .23 days . @ l -$ 3- 6 9 4 pipe fitters . for .25 days . @ 2.OO IO.OO Coal . 2 tons . . . @ 3-5 7.00 Oil and waste .... i .00 Shifting track : 5 laborers . for 13^ hours @ 0.15 IO. 12 9 laborers . for 1 1 hours . @ o.iS 14.85 i foreman . for 1.25 days . @ 2.00 2.50 Total cost to move back ^S^ 1 Total distance moved . . IQ 63 feet Total time required l - 2 S days Total number of employed 46 * Cost per foot moved 9.0 cents Cost per foot per man . . 0.196 cent * Includes shifting track ; one horse taken as equivalent of four men. . 266 958 OBSERVATIONSSECOND DAY Swings per minute Number of cars loaded Cubic yards excavated Number of times moved forward Average distance moved each time Total distance moved forward during day .... Time in minutes to load one cubic foot with dipper Time shovel is interrupted while spotting one car . . .019 minute Minutes per working day, less time for accidental delays . 617^ Shovel expenses in cents, one day, not including superintendent and overhead or preparatory charges 3349 6' 75 4 .013 295 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS SECOND DAY Continued Coal used 2.42 tons Area of section 467 square feet Height of face 12.7' Number of times blasted bank 3 Average time to move forward once 9-^3 minutes Average time to move forward one foot . . . 1-311 minutes Average time to load one car 1.170 minutes Pounds of coal used per cubic yard excavated .... 5.05 Total cost to excavate, transport and spread one cubic yard, 12.26 cents. Number of cars for one shovel move 22.2 Maximum distance moved forward in one move . . . 6' 6" Average time for one swing 23.3 seconds Average time between beginning of one shovel move and begin- ning of next 55.1 seconds TIME STUDY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 6:30 12:35 Stopped work 12:06 6:05 Total time worked 336 minutes + 330 minutes = 666 minutes 1 1 hours 6 minutes. Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working 3" 15 46-7 Spotting cars OO 0.8 Waiting for cars . . . . . 148 oo 22.2 Moving shovel 109 OO l6 4 Idle (68 15) (10.2) Blasting 19 3 2.9 Repairing chain 10 oo l -S Trouble with water pipe . . 38 45 5.8 Miscellaneous delays Clearing track 24 30 3 7 Total time under observation . 666 oo IOO.O Number of cubic yards loaded on second day of observation, 958. .Based on the above performance, the number of cubic yards loaded per day of 10 hours = 958 X -^ = 865. Cost of direct labor per day _ $23.00 _ 2.66 cents per cubic Number of cubic yards per day " 568 yard. 296 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVP:LWORK Ti me Per Cost per Yard in Total Min. Sec. Cent Cents Cost Charge to loosening or break- ing Charge ta loading i. Actual loading 2. Delays a Moving up .... b Repairs T 9 3" 109 IO 3 J 5 oo oo 2.9 46.7 l6. 4 I.C 0.077 1-243] 0.436 > o 040 0.077 1.873 c Miscellaneous . . . Charge to transporting and dumping i . Waiting for cars . . . 2. Miscellaneous . . . 38 153 24 45 oo 3 5.8 23.0 3-7 Q.I54J 0.612 ) 0.098 ( 0.710 666 oo IOO.O 2.660 Analysis of complete dipper swing Mini- Aver- Maxi- No. of mum age mum Obs. Digging . . . Swinging loaded . ] Time 4 4 10.4 6.9 i6 /2 26 2 3 Swinging empty . Falling .... j Seconds 3 3 4.8 6.4 9 7 14 12 Time to fill and load one dipperful 14 28.5 $7/2 Number of attempts to fill dipper 33 Number of complete dipperfuls 26 Dipper efficiency = 78.8 per cent. Time for a complete swing Minimum Average Maximum Number of Obser- vations Seconds .... I2# 23.3 34 16 297 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Number of swings per minute Maximum Average Minimum Number of Observations 4.8 2-57 1.77 16 It is our understanding that the number of cars loaded daily for the months of 1909, as designated, is as follows : February March April May June July I 112 260 216 206 200 320 2 262 216 1 68 Sunday 200 424 3 4 262 176 216 104 40 Sunday 200 200 216 80 Sunday 5 168 144 184 206 200 459 6 216 184 144 2IO Sunday 387 7 Sunday Sunday 176 200 2 34 189 8 208 168 165 216 J 5 2 414 9 176 216 !50 Sunday 216 450 10 56 208 192 224 So 43 2 ii 147 1 02 Sunday 168 Sunday 12 206 !5 2 132 176 I 3 I 4 184 Sunday 168 Sunday 200 16 Sunday 459 4*5 IS 144 128 '56 1 60 . 35 1 16 102 208 190 Sunday 396 J 7 128 184 180 200 18 240 216 Sunday 256 Sunday J 9 Moved 200 202 262 45 20 21 Back Sunday 232 Sunday 96 252 280 208 Sunday 474 410 22 105 168 326 160 1 60 37 1 23 136 156 140 Sunday 280 282 24 1 20 180 240 264 3i8 25 232 192 Sunday 216 248 Sunday 26 232 224 1 60 1 60 256 363 27 28 232 Sunday 156 Sunday 105 235 272 160 Sunday 200 29 i *75 200 240 376 3 184 140 Sunday 312 3i 165 208 Totals 3844 4816 4029 544 3644 Average i75 i8S 1 68 202 214 38i [Not Com- plete Mo.] 298 II A r N I) BOOK O,F STEAM SHOVEL WORK HYDE-MCFARLIN-BURKE COMPANY DAILY TIME REPORT SHOVEL NO ___ ENGINEER .___ NO. RS.RATE AMOUNT TOTAL NO. R8J ATE TOTAL GENERAL WORK Superi n tenden t BRT. FORWARD HAND EXCAV. Watchman S.3.EXPENSE S.S.Enyineer-- Waterboy. Cranesman. DITCHING Laborers TRAINMEN Locomotive Eng' Water boy.. _. Brakeman Switchman For^man NG Oiler Sandman Laborers .. Laborers TRACK ... Teams.. Laborers TRESTLE Foreman . - Teamster- Helper.... . Carpenters Laborers DUMP - Waterboy.. DAY'S EXPENSE PREVIOUS DRILL & BLAST foreman Earth Moved Previous Rock Moved Drillers .. . Powderman SE^RS Mechanic \Large Cart Yards per Large Car.... Yards per Small Car Total , Blacksmith Total.... Helpers Small Cars Shovel Worked hrs. Previous Correct: ' Trains Superintendent. Laborers FORWARD Timekeeper. DISTRIBUTE ENTIRE LABOR FOR THE DAY UNDER HEADS NOTED HEREON 299 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Is 300 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 34 --SHOVEL No. 1097 INSPECTED JULY 26 AND 28, 1909 D., L. & W. CUT-OFF NEAR JOHNSONBURG, N. J. SHOVEL No. 1097 is located at Section No. 5 of the D., L. & W. cut-off, near Johnsonburg, N. J. It is working with and is just like shovel No. 1096, under the report of which will be found a complete description of both. See page 286. OBSERVATIONS GENERAL Weight 70 tons Gauge Standard Capacity of dipper .2^ cubic yards Kind of teeth on dipper . Manganese steel Maximum height dipper can reach to dump 15' Length of dipper handle . , 18' 6" Length of boom 28' Maximum distance dipper can reach to dump ... .28' Capacity of cars, water measure 4.00 cubic yards Capacity of cars, loose 3.6 yards Number of cars in train 9 and 10 Height of cars above their own tracks 5' 8" Length of haul 7500' Length of runaround, ist day, 3.37 miles ; 2d day, 3.35 miles Weight of dinkeys 18 tons Style of car, side dump on one side only. Height of top of cars above shovel track, 14' ist day; 15' 2d day. Gauge of dinkey tracks Narrow Number of trains 7 Average time for round trip 45 minutes Maximum grades for loads . 4.0 per cent. Maximum grades for empties 5.8 per cent. Complete trains for grades ? Yes. Time traveling to dump 18.8 minutes Time traveling from dump to shovel 17.7 minutes Time to dump cars . 4.9 minutes Distance from inside shovel track to inside dinkey track, 16.5' ist day. Distance inside shovel track to inside dinkey track, 22.8' 2d day 301 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL, WORK OBSERVATIONS FIRST DAY Number of cars loaded 296 Average time to load one car -935 minute Cubic yards, place measure ... .... 1065 yards Total distance moved forward during day ... . 79^ ' Average time for one move 6.5 minutes Average time to move one foot i minute Maximum distance moved forward at one time . . . . 7' 3" Average distance moved forward each time . ... 6^ ' Average time beginning of one move and beginning of next, 41.6 minutes. Number of cars to one shovel move 24.7 Time to load one cubic foot with dipper . . . .010 minute Time shovel is interrupted while spotting one car . .006 minute Time shovel is interrupted to change trains . . .114 minutes Minutes per working day less time for accidental delays . 518 Area of section . 210 square feet Average height of face 4^' Number of times blasted bank o Coal used 2.3 tons Pounds of coal per cubic yard excavated 4.3 Started work Stopped work TIME STUDY FIRST DAY Forenoon Afternoon 6:24 12:25 II: 54 3 : 33 Total time worked 330 + 188 minutes = 518 minutes = 8 hours 38 minutes. Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working Spotting cars Waiting for cars ..... Moving shovel Miscellaneous delays .... Clearing away Breaking bank 2 7 6 I 114 79 (46 43 i 4 8 42 OO oo 30) 30 oo 53-4 o-3 22.O : 5-3 (9-o) 8.4 o " Placing car on track . . . 2 oo 0.4 Total time under observation . 518 00 1 00.0 302 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Cost of Direct Labor (Loading) per Day Standard Basis Runner $^.oo Craneman Fireman 8 pitmen w^.vv 3 .60 2.40 I2.OO $23.00 Cubic yards loaded on first day of observation .... 1065 Based on the above performance the cubic yards loaded per day 600 of 10 hours = 1065 X = 1235 5 l8 Cost of direct labor per day _ $23.00 _ 1.86 cents per cubic Number of cubic yards per day ~~ 1235" Time Cost per Total "P r CQ Analv = 88 1. Cost of direct labor per day $23.00 -^- = = 2. 6 1 cents per cubic yard Number cubic yards per day 88 1 Process Analysis Time Per Cost per Yard Total Min. Sec. in Cents Charge to loading i. Actual loading 230 3 34.8 0.908^ 2. Delays 1 a Moving up ... 198 30 30.0 0.783 > 1.798 b Repairs .... 13 oo 2.O 0.052 c Miscellaneous . . 14 oo 2.1 0.055J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars . 2. Miscellaneous . .. \ ' 179 26 30 30 27.1 4.0 0.708 ( 0.104 ) 0.812 662 oo IOO.O . . . 2.610 Mini- Aver- Maxi- No. of mum age mum Obs. Digging 1 T . Swinging loaded . . . 1 itt 7-6 8.4 i*X 12% 2O 18 Swinging empty . . . { Se( !o nds Falling J " 4^ ^ 5-7 5-3 7 6 15 12 Time to fill one dipperful . . . JS# 27.0 38 Number of attempts to fill dippe Dipper efficiency Time for a co r . . 26 9 per cent 76 mplete swing Minimum Average Maximum Number of Observa- tions Seconds .... J 9 23.2 26^ H 305 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Number of swings per minute Minimum Average Maximum Number of Observations 2.26 2 -59 3-16 14 Cost of Moving ]>ack Runner for 1.59 days . . . . . @ IS.oo $7-95 Craneman for 1.59 days . . . Fireman for 1.59 days . . . . : 3.60 2.40 5-72 3.82 14 laborers for 17^ hours . . . @ 0-15 36.75 2 drivers for ij % hours . . . . @ - i s 5 - 2 5 2 horses for 1.59 days fa) I ^O 477 4 pipe fitters for 1.59 days . . 1 i . *)^ 2.00 / / 12.72 Coal, 2 tons 3-5 7.00 Oil and waste i .00 Shifting track 10 laborers for 17^ hours i foreman for 1.59 days . . . @ . @ 0.15 2.00 26.25 .3-18 Tearing down trestle 6 laborers for 5^ hours . . @ O.IS 4.95 2 horses for ^ day .... @ 1-50 l -5 Coal, 2 tons @ 3-5 7 .00 Oil and waste i .00 Total cost to move back . . . $128.86 Standard Basis Total distance moved . Total time actually moving Total time idle . . . . Number of men employed Cost per foot moved Cost per foot per man . 820' i day !-59 60* 15.71 cents .262 cent * Includes pulling down trestle, shifting track, and one horse equal to four men. 306 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK It is our understanding that the following represents the number of cars loaded daily, for the months shown, 1909: February March April May June July I 152 192 192 240 344 122 2 272 176 184 Sunday 224 I 9 3 136 1 68 208 264 34 198 4 192 40 Sunday 224 Sunday 5 224 160 200 216 240 99 6 160 160 1 68 248 Sunday 144 7 Sunday Sunday 152 240 232 144 8 200 168 160 248 296 189 9 136 160 200 Sunday 224 198 10 ii 28 200 248 280 2OO Sunday 288 34 208 176 225 Sunday 12 216 256 192 288 248 I 3 184 216 200 200 Sunday . 14 Sunday Sunday 200 212 2C8 15 224 " 144 336 272 109 16 88 88 192 Sunday 328 189 17 184 248 240 320 136 189 18 168 216 Sunday 272 184 Sunday !9 144 216 184 232 168 224 20 21 184 Sunday 200 Sunday 72 216 272 176 Sunday 184 iS3 122 22 248 240 232 248 168 2 4 8 23 152 264 240 Sunday 176 2 7 2 4 176 256 232 I7 6 184 262 25 200 248 Sunday 160 ! 9 2 Sunday 26 272 248' 316 200 2 7 28 248 Sunday 240 Sunday 288 288 73 216 Sunday 152 29 264 200 320 170 . . 30 216 208 Sunday 1 80 31 !8 4 376 Totals 4388 5248 5096 6241 5622 Average 183 202 204 250 216 307 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK ^ 0^jSr ^ M OO a 2 H If ^ * * * s ;!!:: ; : ; CO 10 U c oo ^D oo ro 31J-SISI-I.S t"-^ *!'! | 1 ll 10 ts. oo 00 (N l>- VO W lO : 53 g & g S Q 01 H . . * * ? \ci \H. \*t \H- nJX nX, prK COX co JS a ^ S jg 2 I | 2 o H J|l if g a g* *3 2 c'f' 5 ' < '% Q -g S -| < o -g !> ^ 1 OT a '^ a | (U C g a o aJ o g III -^"oGEt; "- e "u > ^ -2 !! S .2 S % $ S ^ * I 35 w 1 ^ M || co co co ro co co co co c, co co co 308 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK - 2 = q- ^ o q q ^ it ^ ft a - 1 1? gf5l * i J i .^ 1 - 309 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK g 1_ 3 ,0 ^z If D etf ffi &.O. 'O'O 'o'o O C 55 Q ojJU'aJ . > O g f^ O C^ O N ^- tnm t- \O O txiorotH *- "M COM oc>oo ONO OOt>. .o\O-it^Mi^ || S| 310 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 71. View of D., L. & W. R. R. Cut at Johnsonburg, N. J. Fig. 72. Bucyrus Shovel No. 1097 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 35 - - SHOVEL No. 795 INSPECTED AUGUST 10, 1909 NEAR COLUMBIA, N. J. LOCATION Shovels No. 795 and No. 875 (page 357) were working on section No. 7 of the D., L. & W. cut-off, near Columbia, N. J. MATERIAL The material is a hard crystalline lime- stone, and on the day of inspection the shovel worked in this until 3:45 p. m., thereafter in earth. The limestone was well broken but mixed with some very large pieces. There are 291,166 cubic yards of earth and rock in this cut, according to the engineer's preliminary figures of which two-thirds or three-quarters are rock. The shovel had been working about six or eight weeks in this location. It was noticed that the thrusting engine did not hold the dipper against the face of the rock properly, which was due to the fact that the boom engine of a 65-ton shovel with 7 x 7 -inch cylinders was not adequate for rock excavation of this character. The 7o-ton shovel, however, such as No. 875 with 8 x 8-inch cylinders on the boom engines, gave perfectly satisfactory results. The boom and dipper handle are made entirely of steel, the former being of the truss type. TRANSPORTATION The cars were built by the Western Wheel Scraper Company. Some of them dump on both sides and some on one side only. They measure no x 83 x 19 inches and are 5 feet 6 inches above their tracks. When loaded with stone they average about 2^ yards. Three 1 8-ton Vulcan dinkeys are used at each shovel, with an extra, 312 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK one which during inspection held trains back in descend- ing a steep grade ending in a sharp curve. In order to dump from the trestle it was necessary for the dinkey to run around the train, as they always pulled, instead of pushing, the cars when running loaded. This took from two to three minutes. Then, after dumping, it was necessary for the dinkey to switch back again, but as this was a flying switch very little time was lost. Under the observed conditions it was necessary for the dinkey to uncouple while the car next to it was loaded. The reason for such an arrangement appears to be in the fact that the cars ride better when being hauled than when pushed, and in this connection it should be remarked that the number of derailed cars was very small. The dinkeys maintained a steady pace that was not as fast as on some other jobs, but which made better time in the end because the chances for a car to jump were diminished. OBSERVATIONS Height of lift . . . . .' . ... '. ; ,J_ '.. ..... 7 Kind of teeth . . .. . .. .* . , . . . . Manganese steel Height blocked up . . .-.',.... . . i' Length of boom . . . ' . . . * . .. 23' Height of face . 15' Length of dipper handle .".'.' . . 18' 6" Inside shovel track to inside dinkey track ... . . .20' Reach of boom 14.8' Height of point of boom above pivot of boom .... 18.3' Dinkey tracks 16" higher than shovel tracks. Diameter of bull wheel 7^' Highest dipper can reach to dump 16' Farthest dipper can reach to dump 28' Dipper, 48" deep ; bottom to lip, 60" ; bottom to point of teeth, 76" 313 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS Continued Weather, clear. Number of cars in one train 10 Height of cars above their track 5^' Length of haul (approximate) 9000' Length of runaround (approximate) 19,200' Weight of dinkeys 18 tons Gauge of dinkey track Narrow Number of trains 3 Grades One of about 4 per cent for 300' Full trains on grades, with extra dinkey to help. Number of cars loaded 206; 133 rock, 73 earth Cubic yards excavated: 133 of rock at 2 yards = 266, and 73 of earth at 3.2 yards = 233 ; total, 499 cubic yards. Total distance moved forward during day, 44.7'; 27.7' of rock, 17' of earth. Number of times moved forward 855 rock, 3 earth Maximum distance moved forward in one move, 5' n"; 5' u" rock, 5' 10" earth. Average time between beginning of one shovel move and begin- ning of next, 75.7 minutes. Number of cars to one shovel move, 25.7 ; 73.7 rock, 49 earth ; 26.6 rock, 24.3 earth. Average time shovel is interrupted while spotting one car, .004 minute. Minutes per working day, less time for accidental delays . . 589 Area of section . 325 square feet = when material was blasted Height of face 14.5'; 14 rock, 15 earth Coal used 2.83 tons TIME STUDY Forenoon Afternoon Started work ^ , ( 7:00 , ( 1:0^ T? . i_ Stopped work Rock ] 12:01 R ck ] 3:28 Earth 6:04 Total time worked : Min. Min. Min. Mrs. Min. Rock 301 + 14 S = 446 =7 26 ) , Earth - "156 = 2 36 \ IO hours 2 mmutes - 314 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Total Rock Per Earth Per Min. Min. Cent Min. Cent Actual working .... 3 2 4 247-5 55-5 76.5 49-1 Spotting cars . . 1 .0 0.5 O. I -5 o-3 Waiting for cars .... 49-5 34-5 7-7 15 9-6 Moving shovel .... 88.5 49-5 I I . I 39 25.0 Idle (90 (76) (I7.I) (i5) (9-6) Blasting 84 72 16.2 12 7-7 Tightening bolts . 3 3 1.9 Repairing dipper . 4 4 0.9 Miscellaneous delays . (48) (38) (8-5) (10) (6-4) Clearing track 28.5 18 4-1 10 6.4 Moving boulder . 6-5 6-5 '5 Putting car on track 6 6 J -3 Tearing down bank . 7 7 1.6. Tot. time under observation 602 446 IOO.O 156 IOO.O Cost of Direct Labor (Loading) per Day Standard Basis Runner Crane man $5-00 T. 60 Fireman j.uu 2 A.Q 6 pitmen 9OO Coalman ... . I ?O $21.50 Number of cubic yards of rock loaded during observation, 266. Based upon the above performance the number of cubic yards loaded per day of ten hours, 602 x 266 = 358. 446 Cost of direct labor per day per cubic yard ]~ = 6.00 cents per cubic yard. 358 315 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Process Analysis Rock Time Pei- Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost Min. Sec. Charge to loosening or breaking 85 3 '9-3 I . I 58 I.I58 Charge to loading i. Actual loading . 247 30 55-5 3-330! 2. Delays a Moving up 49 30 1 1 . i 0.666 f 4.050 b Repairs .... 4 00 0.9 Q.054J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars . 35 00 7-8 0.468 i 2. Miscellaneous . 24 30 5-4 o.3 2 4 J 0.792 446 oo IOO.O 6.000 Number of cubic yards of earth loaded during observation, 233. Based upon above performance the cubic yards loaded per day = 600 x 233 =896. Cost of direct labor per day _ $21.50 _ 3.40 cents per Number of cubic yards per day ~ 896 cubic yard. Process Analysis Earth Time Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost Min. Sec. Charge to loosening or breaking 12 7-7 0.185 0.185 Charge to loading i. Actual loading . . . 76 30 49.1 I.I781 2. Delays i^ T 8-7 A a Moving up 39 OO 25.0 0.600 ( b Repairs 3 00 1.9 0.046J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars . . 2. Miscellaneous . . . 15 10 3 oo 9-9 6.4 0.238) - I 53 ) 0.391 156 00 IOO.O . . . 2.400 316 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Analysis of Complete Dipper Swing Mini- mum Aver- age Maxi- mum No. of Obs. No. of Attempts Digging . . . " Swinging loaded Swinging empty Falling . . . Time to fill and load one dip- perful ... Time in seconds 5 4 3 4 II. 6 7-4 5-3 7-8 18 17 9 15 23 23 2 3 2 3 41 16 32.1 59 23 Time for a complete swing Minimum Average Maximum No. of Obser- vations Seconds .... 17 24 42 2 3 Fig. 73. Dump near Columbia, N. J. 317 HANDBOOKOF STEAM SHOVEL WORK 1 ^- t> O 10 O ON H \O t>- -^-vo N O t** % b si 10 10 to o m o ID t>* O- O. \O >-< tO M ro i> o " C--VO M H \O * m 'ON 318 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK O T3 .S I VO t^ I^OM(N t-. i>^0 IN H m i in t^ o i ll O IO10XOIOU110 "^ ^ r ? ^ t ^ m S, X Tj O M MO |it - 319 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK S 2 H^ Qffi \o o *o vo o> O N H . ^O tx ' -HHH'roro |"o 2s i- 2^ s| t^^'^ O^O T3Ort HM oOO Slf 2-g-S ( o T)-O q o t> o q m oooooooo 320 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK & -S 5 * i 3 321 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 75. Views of D., L. & W. R. R. Cut-off near Columbia, N. J. 322 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 38 - - SHOVEL No. 1 137 INSPECTED JULY 1-3 AND 21, 22, -1909 D., L. & W. CUT-OFF HOPATCONG, N. J. This shovel was working in section No. i of the D., L. & W. cut-off, together with shovel No. 1108, in the report on which will be found a complete descrip- tion of both. See page 255. OBSERVATIONS Weather, clear. Weight yo-ton Gauge Narrow Capacity of dipper 2^ cubic yards Kind of teeth Manganese steel Maximum height dipper can reach to dump . . . i6}4 feet Length of dipper handle 18' 6" Length of boom 28-3' Height of boom above tracks 25.6' Height of boom above pivot 20.1' Maximum distance dipper can reach to dump .... 26.5' Swings per minute .... : . 2.5 Number of cars loaded 190 Cubic yards excavated 646 Number of times moved forward 6 Average distance moved each time 5' 10" Total distance moved forward during day 35' Time in minutes to load one cubic foot with dipper, .016 minute Time shovel is interrupted while spotting one car . .0357 minute Time shovel is interrupted to change trains . . 133,^2 minutes Time moving forward 83 minutes Minutes per working day less time for accidental delays . 579 Coal used 1.73 tons Area of section 497 square feet 323 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS Continued Height of face 14^ feet Number of times blasted bank 3 Average time to move forward once .... 13-83 minutes Average time to move forward one foot . . . 2.571 minutes Average time to load one car 1.446 minutes Pounds of coal per cubic yard excavated 5.35 Number of cars for one shovel move 31.7 Maximum distance moved forward in one move . . . 6' 5" Average time for one swing 24.3 seconds Average time between beginning of one shovel move and be- ginning of next IOI -3 TRANSPORTATION Capacity of cars, water measure 4.17 cubic yards Capacity of cars, place measure, 3.3 cubic yards first day ; 3.4 cubic yards second day. Number of cars in train 7 Height of cars above their track 6' Length of runaround 7200' Weight of dinkeys 1 8-ton Style of car Side dump on one side only Height of top of cars above shovel track !3/^' Gauge of dinkey track Narrow Number of trains 2 Time for round trip .... Average, 29.8 ; maximum, 69^ ; minimum, 16 minutes; 22 observations Maximum grade .... About 3 per cent against empties Full trains in grades. Rate of transportation (feet per minute) : Average, 242 ; maxi- mum. 450; minimum, 104; observations 22. Distance from inside shovel track to inside track 21.6' TIME STUDY FIRST DAY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 7:01 12:30 Stopped work 12:00 5:24 Total time worked 299 minutes + 294 minutes = 9 hours 53 minutes. 324 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Minutes Seconds^ Pef Cent' Actual working Spotting cars Waiting for cars Moving shovel 274 6 '33 83 45 45 3 oo 46.3- I .2 22.5 14 o Idle Repairing steampipe, dipper and chain 2Z 7O 4. 7 Blasting .... 1.1 7O c -i Boulder in bucket Miscellaneous delays Moving boulders .... Clearing way 7 9 21 3 00 3 L3 1 .5 3-6 Total time under observation . 593 oo 100. Standard Basis Distribution Per Day Break- ing Load- ing Trans- porting Dump- ing Inci- dentals Total Runner .... Craneman . $5.00 Fireman . . 2.40 6 pitmen . . . 9.OO i coalman . . . 2 locomotive en- gineers . . 5. 2O 2 brakemen 7 OO l / 2 section foreman 2.OO 1 5 laborers . 22 so 5 drillers . . . 12. SO 5 drillers' helpers 8 75 4 dumpers ; . 6 OO i powderman . 2 OO i powder man's helper . . I SO i boiler fireman 2 OO i blacksmith 3 325 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Direct Labor Distribution Per Day (Continued) Standard Basis Break- ing Load- ing Trans- porting Dump- ing Inci- dentals Total i blacksmith's helper . i boiler fireman I well driller Half watchman i assistant watchman I SO I. 5 2.50 O.7S 1.50 I SO i pumptender . 7 trackmen . 2 Waterboys Superintendent. 10 so '/ 2 OO 6 oo Total cost of direct labor per day . Cost per day per cubic yards (cts) Per cent . . . $53.25 8.2 4 45-2 $21.50 3-33 18.3 $18.70 2.89 T 5-9 $6.OO 0-93 5- 1 $18.25 2.83 J 5-5 $117.70 lS.22 IOO.OO Process Analysis Time Per Cent Cost per - Yard in Cents Total Cost Min. Sec. Charge to waiting for blasters 40 3 6.8 0.227 0.227 Charge to loading i. Actual loading . . . 274 4S 46.3 I-54O 2. Delays a Moving up ... 83 14.0 0.466 2.193 b Repairs .... 2 5 30 4-3 0.143 c Miscellaneous . . 7 3 i-3 O.Q43J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars . . 2. Miscellaneous . . . 140 21 15 3 1 0.790 ) o. i 20 ( 0.910 593 IOO.O 3-33 326 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK CALCULATED AND OBSERVED DATA SECOND DAY Swings per minute 2.43 Number of cars loaded 157 Cubic yards excavated 551 Number of times moved forward 6 Average distance moved forward each time 5 '8" Total distance moved forward during day 34' o" Time in minutes to load one cubic foot with dipper . . . .017 Time shovel is interrupted to change trains . . 30^ minutes Time moving forward 7 1 ^ minutes Minutes per working day less time for accidental delays . 453 Area of section 412 square feet Height efface n' Number of times blasted bank 3 Average time to move forward once 11.96 minutes Average time to move forward one foot . . . . 2.11 minutes Average time to load one car I -93 minutes Number of cars for one shovel move 26.2 Maximum distance moved forward in one move . . . . 6' o" Average time for one swing .... ... 24.7 seconds Average time between beginning of one shovel move to beginning of next 98.7 seconds TIME STUDY SECOND DAY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 7:00 12:30 Stopped work 12:00 5:30 Min. Min. Total time worked 300 + 300 = 10 hours. Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working . 2O7 I c cj 2 Waiting for cars Moving shovel . . . . . . Idle Repairs 3 7 1 i 30 45 oo 5-1 12 .O O ^ Blasting Replacing dipper . . . .. Miscellaneous delays Chaining boulder .... Moving boulders .< . . 29 H7 8 5 00 oo oo 30 4.8 24.5 1-3 0.9 Total time under observation . 600 oo IOO.O 327 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK COST OF DIRECT LABOR (LOADING) PER DAY STANDARD BASIS The direct labor distribution during the second day's observa- tion was the same as upon the first, with the exception that the seven trackmen were not employed, and that one extra well driller and two assistant watchmen were engaged, affecting the results as follows : Break- ing Loading Trans- porting Dump- ing Inci- dentals Total Total cost of direct labor per day $55-75 $21.50 $8.20 56.00 $19-75 $1 1 1. 2O Cost per day, per cubic yard, cents I O.I 2 3-9 1.49 1.0 9 3-58 20.T8 Per cent .... 50.2 19-3 7-4 5-4 17.7 IOO.O Tii ne Per Cost per Yard in Total naysis Min. Sec. Cent Cents Cost Charge to waiting for blasters 42 3 7- 1 0.277 0.277 Charge to loading i. Actual loading . 2. Delays a Moving up ... 307 71 15 4S 51.2 I2.O 1.996] 0.468 ( 3-424 b Repairs MX 24.6 o 060 I Charge to transporting and dumping . i. Waiting for cars . . 30 3 5- 1 0.199 0.199 600 IOO.O 3.900 Analysis of Complete Dipper Swing Mini- mum Aver- age Maxi- mum No. of Obser- vations No. of Attempts to Fill Dipper Digging . . . ) q ,. Swinging loaded ! Swinging empty j n , 5 5 3 3 16.37 6.06 7-35 53 i5 20 34 34 32 3 1 57 Time to fill and load one dipperful 16 -77-71 328 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Time for complete swing Minimum Average Maximum No. of Obs. No. of Attempts Seconds .... 15.5 24-3 40 5 5 Number of swings per minute Minimum Average Maximum No. of Obs. No. of Attempts 50 i-5 2-5 3-9 50 Per cent of full dipper to number of attempts to fill the dipper: 59.6 per cent. 57 Labor Cost Replacing Dipper Handle Time Required Per Day 2% Hours Runner Craneman . @ @ $5-0 3.60 $1.25 0.90 Fireman / @ 2.40 .O.6o 6 pitmen @ i . 50 2.25 Foreman (a) 4.00 I .OO Rigger 2 locomotive engineers . . 2 brakemen ...... ' 1 : 1 3.00 2.60 o.75 1.30 o.75 4 men on dump .... 1.50 1-50 Total $ IQ 3 329 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 76 s : ^ Fig. 77. Views on the D., L. & W. R. R. Cut-off, Hopatcong, N. J. 330 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 42 SHOVEL No. 350 INSPECTED JULY 2 AND 20, 1909 NEAR NETCONG, N. J. LOCATION Section No. 2 (Waltz & Reece, contractors), on the D., L. & W. cut-off, is located about three miles north of the village of Netcong, on the main line of the D., L. & W. Railroad. The section is about two and one-half miles long and is about equally divided between cut and fill, one of the deepest (no feet, maxi- mum) side hill cuts on the line being located here. MATERIAL This work is entirely in porphyry and is about 2000 feet long and 150 feet wide at the foot of slope at present. About 30 feet are still to be taken out before reaching grade. There are about 770,000 cubic yards of excavation in this cut, and which is expected to make a fill of 1,270,000 cubic yards, implying an expansion of about 65 per cent. The material, when properly blasted, breaks up into small chunks that make very easy digging, but if, as on one of the days of our observation, the holes are not properly spaced, or heavily enough charged, and the rock in con- sequence not well broken, the digging is hard and very wearing on the shovel. Unusually hard digging was experienced during our night observations on July 22 and the following day, DRILLING Since the holes drilled are 30 feet deep, and, in order to break up the rock, must be very large in diameter, it has been found more econom- ical, and more convenient in handling the long drill steel, to use well drills rather than the largest steam drills. The contractors also claim that the rock is so hard and fissured that it would make poor drilling for 33i HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVE I, WORK steam machines. On the first day of our observations two of these well drills were in operation and on the re- maining days four. GENERAL ARRANGEMENT The illustrations and the sketch on page 344 show the track arrangement. The one leading to the Bucyrus shovel is visible at the extreme right. This switches back along the face of the cut to the Bucyrus shovel and past that to the Marion indicated by the white streak of steam in the background. From this point the cars are switched past the second Marion, shown at the left, and upon the side hill tracks shown at the extreme left. Figure 80 shows these tracks as they extend down the hill to the fill, the left hand one being for loads and the right hand one for empties. DESCRIPTION OF SHOVEL Bucyrus shovel No. 350 weighs 65 tons, has stan- dard gauge railway car trucks, and an all-steel boom and dipper handle. It is about ten years old and has been used by Kilpatrick Brothers & Collins, at Sherman Hill, N. Y. Mike Elmore, Western Maryland Railway. Waltz & Reece, D., L. & W. cut-off. Figure 81 shows the shovel as it appeared at the D., L. & W. cut-off on July 23. It will be noticed that the dipper chain passes over two wheels side by side on the same axle at the point of the boom rather than over two wheels, one behind the other. The boom is provided with an auxiliary engine for holding the dipper to the face. The jacks fold against the A frame. Water is supplied to the tank through a hose attached to a pipe which runs to a tank on the hill and is pumped into the tank from a distant brook. Coal is brought 332 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK in by teams and shoveled aboard the dump cars, which are then hauled to the shovels and dumped as needed, a laborer carrying it in small boxes from this pile to the shovel. This shovel has seen much usage, but is now doing good work and is in some very hard digging. TIME STUDY Three complete runs for this shovel have been obtained: One on July 2, 1909; one during the night of July 20-21, and one on July 21. Date Minutes Loading Time Waiting for Cars Per Cent of Total Time Blasting Per Cent of Total Number Cars Loaded July 2 July 20 (night) July 21 241 241.4 228.2 : 7-5 18.8 9.9 O.I I 24.9 26.2 177 88 123 From the above it appears that the hardest digging was on the 2oth and 2ist, and that the darkness on the 2oth materially affected the output. This is also shown by the time taken to fill the dipper before dumping. On the 2d the ratio of attempts to fill the dipper to complete dipperfuls was 133 trials to 45 complete dipperfuls, while on the 2Oth (night) it was 232 to 22, and on the 2ist 210 to 21 complete dipperfuls. The time for a complete swing did not vary much in the three cases, and the number of swings per minute aver- aged about 2^ to 3, the machine being designed for about three. This time for a complete swing is taken from the moment the dipper point touches bottom until it comes back to the same position, and includes only those cases where it works freely and without delay. This is given in detail later. The time to fill and load one dipperful, as given in these tables, includes all 333 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVE I, WORK delays. The observations were taken at random, and every attempt to fill the dipper was recorded and in- cluded in the time to get a dipperful before loading. This also gives another indication of the nature of the material, for on July 2 the average time to load a dipper was 26.1 seconds, while on the 2oth (night) it was 34.4 seconds, and on the 2ist 35.4 seconds. We happened to come upon the shovel on the 2oth and 2ist, when it had struck a hard spot that was poorly blasted, while on the 2C\ the material was well blasted, broken into small pieces, and was not much more difficult to dig than ordinary gravel. The com- parison, as shown above, is very marked and interesting. Light was supplied for the night work by large acetylene lamps with reflectors. It will be noted that the time for spotting cars on July 2 was very large. This was due mainly to the cars being so well filled that the material fell over the sides and thus blocked the track until it was removed. On July 20 and 21 this amounted to only four minutes, as against 21 minutes on July 2. By "clearing track" is meant the operation of pulling in the rock next to the dinkey tracks as it accumulates near them in the course of the digging. OBSERVATIONSGENERAL Weight 65 tons Gauge Standard Capacity of dipper . 2^2 cubic yards Kind of teeth on dipper Manganese steel Height blocked up None (all three observations) W T eather, clear (all three observations) Maximum height dipper can reach to dump J2-5' Length of dipper handle 16' 8" Length of boom 25' Height of point of boom above tracks . 21' Maximum distance dipper can reach to dump 26 Height of cars above their track 5^' Length of haul (approximate) 7000' Length of runaround 15,745' = 2.98 miles 334 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS GENERAL -Continued Weight of dinkeys 12 tons, 1 6 tons, 18 tons Style of car: Side dump on both sides; four new ones with steel protection plates for wheels. (See Fig. 83.) Height of cars above shovel track 6' Gauge of dinkey tracks Narrow Number of trains 5 Maximum grades for loads .... 2 per cent to 2 ^ per cent Maximum grades for empties ... 2 per cent to 2J^ per cent Complete trains for grades. Average time to dump cars 3 minutes Distance from inside dinkey track to inside shovel track . 16' OBSERVATIONS FIRST DAY Swings per minute 2 -95 Number of cars loaded ... 177 Number of cubic yards excavated 630 Number of times moved forward 10 Average distance moved each time 5' 4^" Total distance moved forward during day 54' o" Time in minutes to load one cubic foot with dipper .... 020 Time shovel is interrupted while spotting one car . o. 1 19 minute Minutes per working day, less time for accidental delays $70% Shovel expense in cents, one day, not including superintendent and overhead or preparatory charges, 3358 Areas of section *. . 350 square feet Height of face 25' Number of times blasted bank 2 Average time to move forward once .12 minutes Average time to move forward one foot . . . 2.22 minutes Average time to load one car 1.362 minutes Total cost to excavate, transport and spread one cubic yard, 38 17 cents Number of cars for one shovel move 17-7 Average time for one swing . . : 20.3 Average time between beginning of one shovel move to begin- ning of next, 56.4. TIME STUDY FIRST DAY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 7:00 12:11 Stopped work 11:30 5 :I1 /^ Min. Min. Min. Total time worked 270 + 300^ = 570^ = 9 hours 30 minutes 30 seconds. 335 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working 241 OO 42 7 Spotting cars Waiting for cars ... Moving shovel Idle Laying ties t o m o v e u p number of cars .... Placing dinkey on track . Repairing dipper chain . Blasting 21 IOO 120 (65 20 15 2 3 6 OO 00 OO 30) 3 3 OO 7O 3-7 T 7-5 21 .0 (ii. 5) 3-6 2.7 4.0 I 2 Miscellaneous delays Breaking down bank . Clearing tracks .... ( \i 4 00) 3 3 (4.0) o!8 Total time under observation . 570 30 IOO.O Cost of Direct Labor (Loading) per Day Standard Basis Runner $5 oo Craneman S.6o Fireman 7 pitmen 2.40 10.50 $21.50 Cubic yards loaded on first day of observation . Cost of direct labor ner da v ner cubic vard : ... 6 3 - = -7.41 cents per cubic yard. Time Per Cost in Total Process Analysis Min. Sec. Cent Cents per Cubic Yard Cost Charge to waiting for blasters 2S OO 44 0.150 0.150 Charge to loading i. Actual loading 241 00 42.3 1.443] 2. Delays a Moving up ... 120 00 21. 0.716 } 2. 4 l8 b Repairs .... 23 OO 4.0 0.136 | c Miscellaneous 2O 30 3-6 O.I2 3 J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars 2. Miscellaneous . 121 2O OO 00 21.2 3-5 0.723 I O.II9 { 0.842 5/0 30 IOO.O 3.410 336 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Nn nf No. of Analysis of complete Dipper Swing Mini- mum Aver- age Maxi- mum Obser- vations Attempts to Fill Dipper Digging ... 1 Time 4 IO.O 29 45 60 Swinging loaded ! 3^2 5-95 H 46 Swinging empty f seconds r ailing . . . J 3 i 5.10 5-07 8 10 44 ;; Time to fill and load one dipperful 111/2 26.12 61 Time for a complete swing Minimum Average Maximum No.ofObs. Seconds .... II 20.3 39-5 71 Swings per minute Maximum Average Minimum No.ofObs. 5-45 2.95 !-5 2 71 OBSERVATIONS SECOND DAY Swings per minute 2.67 Number of cars loaded 88 Cubic yards excavated 264 Number of times moved forward 3 Average distance moved each time 3' 8" Total distance moved forward during day 1 1 ' o" Time in minutes to load one cubic foot with dipper . . .0253 Time shovel is interrupted while spotting one car . .05 minute Minutes per working day less time for accidental delays . 593 Shovel expenses in cents, one day, not including superintendent and overhead or preparatory charges . . . . . . 358 Coal used 2.2 tons Area of section . 325 square feet Height of face . .'.'.. . . . 27' Number of times blasted bank . . . . , . . . n Average time to move forward once . _ . . . 19.75 minutes Average time to move forward one foot . . . 5.386 minutes 337 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS SECOND DAY Continued Average time to load one car 2 -743 minutes Pounds coal per cubic yard excavated 16.6 Total cost to excavate, transport and spread one cubic yard, 33.5 cents. Number of cars for one shovel move 29.3 Maximum distance moved forward in one move . . . 5' 6" Average time for one swing 22.9 seconds Average time between beginning of one shovel move and beginning of next i86>^ seconds TIME STUDY SECOND DAY Started work Stopped work Worked at night Afternoon 6:25 Forenoon 11:57 P. M. 11:27% 5:00 A. M. Min. Min. Min. Total time worked 302^ -+- 303 605% = 10 hours 5 minutes 30 seconds Minutes vSeconds Per Cent Actual working 2 4 I 3 39-9 Spotting cars 4 00 0.7 Waiting for cars 114 oo 18.8 Moving shovel 59 3 9 .8 Idle (160 oo) (26.4) Putting chain on block . 3 00 0.5 Blasting r 5 3 24.8 Removing boulder from teeth 6 3 I . I Miscellaneous delays (26 30) (4.4) Putting car on track . 3 oo -5 Breaking bank 12 00 2.0 Clearing track II 30 1.9 Total time under observation . 60 5 3 IOO.O 21.50 264 Cost of direct labor (loading) per day, standard basis Cubic yards loaded during observation (night) . . Cost of direct labor per day, per cubic yard- -^ = 8.14 cents per cubic yard. 338 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Tii ne Per Cost per - Total V *H r rocess Analysis oecond ua.y Cent y ara Cost Min. Sec. in Cents Charge to waiting for blasters . . 162 T.O 26.8 2.l8o 2.l8o Charge to loading j i. Actual loading 241 3 39-9 3.2481 2. Delays a Moving up . . 59 9.8 0.798 Y 4T n *7 b Repairs . . . . 3 -5 0.041 j . I// c Miscellaneous . 6 30 i . i o . 090 J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars . 2. Repairs to cars . . 118 ii 3 3 19-5 1.9 1.5871 - i ss r 1.783 3. Miscellaneous . . 3 -5 0.041 J 605 30 100. 8.140 Analysis of Complete Dipper Swing Mini- mum Aver- age Maxi- mum No. of Obser- No. of Attempts to Fill vations Dipper Digging . . ] . S winging loaded 1 i ^ e 5 3 15.20 6. 02 40 II Z] 5 1 Swinging empty [ , 3 5-9 1 II i7f (l) Falling . . . J S 7.3 2 X 20 J Time to fill and load one dipperful \~\y T.A. A.T. 64 l /2 Time for a complete swing No. of Minimum Average Maximum Observa- tions Seconds .... 13 22. 9 39 22 339 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Swings per minute Maximum Average 4.6 2-7 1-54 22 (i) Gives the average time for a complete swing with no allowance for hard digging. OBSERVATIONS THIRD DAY 2.67 369 Swings per minute Number of cars loaded Cubic yards excavated Number of times moved forward Average distance moved each time 3' 11 " Total distance moved during day 7' 10" Time in minutes to load one cubic foot with dipper, .028 minute Time shovel is interrupted while spotting one car .027 minute Minutes per working day less time for accidental delays . 556 Shovel expenses in cents, one day, not including superintendent and overhead or preparatory charges 335$ Coal used 2 tons Area of section 325 square feet Height of face 27' Number of times blasted bank 10 Average time to move forward once 12 minutes Average time to move forward one foot . . 3-064 minutes Average time to move one car 1.95 minutes Pounds coal per cubic yard, excavated 1 1 pounds Total cost to excavate, transport and spread one cubic yard 58. 26c. Number of cars for one shovel move 61.5 Maximum distance moved forward in one move . . . 5' 10" Average time for one swing 27.8 seconds Average time between beginning of one shovel move and begin- ning of next 224 minutes TIME STUDY THIRD DAY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 6:28 12:11^ Stopped work 11:26)4 S :o ^/^ Min. Min. Total time worked 298^ + 297 := S9S/^ minutes =. 9 hours 55 minutes 30 seconds. 340 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working Spotting cars . . . . . Waiting for cars Moving shovel Idle 228 3 59 24 (171 12 4 8 OO oo oo) 38.3 0.6 9-9 4.o (28 8) c oo o 8 Boulder in dipper .... Blasting Jacking Miscellaneous delays . . Clearing track Breaking bank Repairing boom drain and dipper Taking boulder off track 6 158 sy (109 16 18 39 35 oo oo oo 30) 3 3 30 oo I .0 26.6 0.4 (18.4) 2.8 3-1 6.6 5-9 Total time under observation . 595 30 IOO.O Cost of direct labor (loading) per day. Standard basis Cubic yards loaded during third observation . . . Cost of direct labor per day'per cubic yard = $2 1 . 50 ~ #21.50 3 6 9 5.82 cents per cubic yard. Time Per Cost per Varrl Total Min. Sec. Cent in Cents Cost Charge to loosening or breaking 176 7O 2Q 6 I 722 I .722 Charge to loading i. Actual loading . " . 228 2 3- 3 2.2 3 ol 2. Delays a Moving up ... 24 4.o 0.233 ( r 2-975 b Repairs .... 39 30 6.6 0.384 c Miscellaneous . T 3 2.2 O.I28J Charge to transporting and dumping i . Waiting for cars . 62 8 10.6 0.617 ) 2. Miscellaneous . . 5i 3 8.7 0.506 J i . iz j 595 3 IOO.O . . . 5.820 341 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK No of Analysis of Complete Dipper Swing Mini- mum Aver- age Maxi- mum No. of Obser- Attempts to Fill Dipper Digging . . 1 . Swinging loaded ( lime 6 3 14.4 8.0 3- 15 21 21 44 Swinging empty j m , 5/2 9-0 20 21 . . Falling . J 3 4.o 6 21 Time to load and empty one dipperful .... i7# 35-4 73 21 Time for one complete swing No. of Minimum Average Maximum Observa- tions Seconds .... 22.5 27.8 39 '9 Number of swings per minute Minimum Average Maximum No of Observations i-54 2.12 2.66 1 9 342 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK l-o ^=3 "c I ^ bjO rd 2 11 a C-^ O 2 02 C o ^3 S " u "UH SP g, 2 1 18 ||il^ 1 1 * 8* till . S M beg g o j II lllfl! GH o uw QOOOH HnJ Q P H 0,| ^ s s g g ^ 6 s : ? H t^ N O CO CO vo O ^- ON ro co t^ J ' oo fa >* 10\O COOO CO IN $ H 4 3 o< fo ^ M 00% . Is O O O O O 10 Q 10 VO O t^ CO * O J u-> o C O u^ 00 00 O tx t^ O O xC 8 a 8 8 8> : Q V-.JJ ^^ ^^ ^ ^J ^ * ^s ^ MS-OO H ii N co M a a . a a a 1 fel D 1 a * 13 ^ ' | A a o ^ -= 13 ,c.e ^ a^x-^j J -s ^ a xU ^ |Q||| | o = ij cc/3 s Q s^c/5 I 1 Jo 1 II H cs ^ 42 ^ M pq 05 PQ ' M-ii o ^ ff> "3 2 1 1 S'H^ 1 1 "i .f | " 21 1 SplJ c^ ".! J IQ lj 1 .1 w i Q U * I Sj {? 8 j=l J J J 5 H ^ c/3 05 p5 *f 72 P3 M w- 01 g p5 r- t_ _ j 5 v y fj I o N teyuia ,: L -oft XajfUiQ o S -o N Aa>iuia H 343 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK 344 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 78 Fig. 79. Scenes on D., L. & W. Cut-off Near Netcong, N. J. 345 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 80 Fig. 81. 65-ton Bucyrus Shovel on D., L. & W. Cut-off Near Netcong, N. J. 346 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK ' ; - S^*&^'^fe^ ' ^ Fig. 83. Scenes on Sec. 2, D., L. & W. Cut-off 347 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK REPORT No. 43 SHOVEL No. 1106 INSPECTED JULY 23, 24, 1909 SOO ST. MARIE, MICH. GENERAL CONDITIONS This shovel is engaged in the improvement of the United States Ship Canal above the locks at Soo St. Marie, Mich., and is operated by the Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company, which has the contract for widen- ing the present canal over an area averaging 125 feet in width and 3700 feet in length to a depth which would allow 24.6 feet of water. MATERIAL The material is almost entirely of Potts- dam sandstone with occasional stratifica- tions of hard white rock. Due to the material and the character of the blasting, the work for the shovel is extremely difficult, as is shown in some of the figures. The rock is broken into large irregular pieces, many of which must be pushed aside by the shovel. The shovel was just cutting out on the first day of investigation. It moved back 800 feet during the night and cut in next morning. MOVING BACK AND The throwing of the loading THROWING TRACK track was very difficult because of the roughness of the material which was left in the shovel pit and because of the large number of boulders which the shovel could not handle. Much delay was caused on account of having to break up boulders to permit of lifting full sections of track over them, and considerable time was lost for both track gang and shovel crew by blasting. The blast itself took no longer than usual, but because of the uneven 34S HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK character of the material the charge could not always be properly regulated, with the result that very often considerable damage was done to the track and to the shovel by flying material. The track foreman said that with a crew of twenty men it would take two hours' continuous work to throw 800 feet of track. Most of the track had been thrown before the shovel moved back. When the shovel did move back over this part the rails were placed over the track which had been thrown. Moving back was also interrupted, due to blasts. The foreman said that with an average force of twenty-two men the shovel could be moved back the 800 feet in four hours' continuous work. After the shovel had moved back and cut in, it en- countered many boulders which were too large to be loaded into the dump cars. They had to be clawed out and tossed to one side to be broken up later. Other boulders somewhat smaller in size, but still too large to be handled by the dipper, were raised and lowered into the cars by chains. Altogether it was very difficult work for the shovel, which accounts for the poor showing that it made. Transportation was also hard work. At the time of the first day's observation the shovel was worked beside the loading track, which was on a 5$ grade. This ex- tended for some distance on both sides of the shovel and gave the trains no opportunity to start. After leav- ing a pit considerable switching was necessary before the trains could get upon the dump track. The job was well supplied with water, and the supply for the shovel was obtained through a hose about 300 feet long, extending over the bank from a water main. Coal was brought in by the regular dump train and dumped behind the shovel, and then carried on board in boxes by the pitmen. 349 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Cross section of bank, sketched a short time before shovel had to cut out and run back to enter new cut. OBSERVATIONS Weather, bright and clear ; brisk north winds. Distance of move Type of shovel Kind of teeth Height of lift 10' Size of ties under shovel : Regular size of tie, 6" x 8", but to each 6-foot length of rail there was one 8" x 10" tie. On this tie plates were fastened, at the proper distance from each end, each with two angles attached. . 6' 7o-ton Rock Upon moving up each time the 6-foot rail section could be readily slipped into the groove, as shown in sketch, and pins slipped into holes to secure it. Size of bucket 2^ yards Age of shovel i year Duration of job 2^ months Shift Eight hours long ; two shifts per day Water is pumped through line of hose about 300 feet long. Coal is drawn to shovel by dinkey and then dumped. Carried on to shovel in boxes by pitmen. Repairs are made on Sunday by regular crew. Coal used per day of 1 6 hours 3 tons Oil used per day of 16 hours : Cylinder, 2 gallons ; black, 3 gallons Water used 4500 gallons per 16 hours Boiler is cleaned every other Sunday Contract price: 55 cents per yard for earth and soft material; $1.30 per yard for rock. Contract includes excavation channeling, building and filling cribs, concrete. Kind of track, etc Rail, 3o-pound ; 3-foot gauge Kind and size of cars used K and G 1905; 4-yard 350 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK OBSERVATIONS Continued Train is braked by steam brake on engine. Hand brake on cars Hand signals are used by man on shovel Kind and size of dinkey . . . H. T. Porter Company, 14-ton Haul is about one-half mile long. Number of trains, three \ No! 'scars I 7/24/O9; 8-car trains No. 6, 10 cars 7/23/09 Age of cars and dinkey: Dump cars, 1905; dinkeys, 1909 and 1907. TIME STUDY FIRST DAY Forenoon Afternoon Started work 8:48:00 00:00:00 Stopped work 11:54:45 00:00:00 Min. Sec. Total time worked 186 45 = 3 hours 6 minutes 45 seconds. Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working \Vaiting for cars 65 74 24 I A 35 - 1 *o 8 Moving shovel 47 7 2C I Total time under observation . 1 86 45 IOO.O Cost of Direct Labor ( Loading) per Day Standard Basis Runner $"% oo Craneman O'" W 1 60 Fireman .... . ... 2.40 6 pitmen Q OO $20 . 00 Cars loaded during observation . . 80 at 4 yards = 320 yards Cubic yards loaded during observation . . 80x4x0 6* = 192 Based on observed performance, cubic yards loaded per day of 192 X 480 hours = - = 495 j . ,. j Cost of direct labor per day in cubic yards = $20.00 cents per 35i HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Process Analysis Time Per Cent Charge Cents Total Minutes Seconds Charge to loading i. Actual loading . 2. 'Delays a Moving up . Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars . 6 5 47 74 ; 35- i 25.1 39-8 1.419 ^ I.OI4 ) 1.607 2-433 1.607 IOO.O 4.040 *. / , p. m. * o. 6 = ratio of w. m. TIME STUDY DEDUCTIONS FIRST DAY No. of Obser- vations Minimum Average Maximum Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Time idle, shovel mov- ing UD 7 10 7 5 10 So 6 8 7 4 3 2 10 16 oo 17 7 ii 9 6 5 1 17 17 32 8 M 13 45 5 i5 43 26 Time between moves, shovel working . Time between trains . Time per train loading Time per dipper . Number of dippers per move Number of dippers per train Number of dippers per car .... 27 16 o 2 18.2 2-3 40 23 Number of trains loaded . Number of cars loaded Cars per train .... 10 80 8 352 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK TIME STUDY SECOND DAY Forenoon Afternoon Started work Stopped work Total time worked 8: 39 : 55 4:30:00 Min. Sec. 470 5 7 hours 50 minutes 5 seconds Minutes Seconds Per Cent Actual working Waiting for cars Moving shovel Miscellaneous delays Clearing boulders .... Coaling and changing shifts Small repairs 2 4 6 60 1 08 (54 20 27 7 35 3 15 45) oo 15 3 52.5 12.9 23.0 (ii. 6) 4.2 5-8 1.6 Total time under observation . 470 5 IOO.O Cost of Direct Labor (Loading) per Day Number of cars loaded during observation . . 107 @ 4 yard Cubic yards loaded during observation . 107 X4XO.6* = 257 Based on observed performance cubic yards loaded per day of 8 hours = 257x480 minutes o seconds 470 minutes 5 seconds Cost of direct labor per day, per cubic yard = -^ = 7.64 cents per yard. 262 262 Process Analysis Time Per Cent Cost per Yard in Cents Total Cost Min. Sec. Charge to loading i. Actual loading 2 4 6 35 52.5 4.0II1 2. Delays a Moving up ... 1 08 15 23.0 !-757 f 6.654 b Miscellaneous 54 45 ii. 6 0.886J Charge to transporting and dumping i. Waiting for cars . 60 30 12.9 0.986 0.986 470 5 IOO.O 7.640 *o.6 = ratio of P. M. W.M. 353 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK TIME STUDY DEDUCTIONS SECOND DAY No. of Obser- vations Cutting In. Many Boulders. Minimum Average Maximum Min. Sec. Min. Sec. Min. Sec. 00 5 3 oo 62.7 Time idle, shovel mov- ing up Time between moves, shovel working . Time between trains . Time per train loading Time per dipper Number of dippers per move .... Number of dippers per train . ... Number of dippers per car 10 II 7 ii 1 1 ii ii 107 7 4 3 i5 55 25 30 20 33-9 10 8 21 49 38 4i 50.6 !5 4 12 28 5 28 <->? 2 2 7ir 2.86 43 3 Number of trains loaded Number of cars loaded . Cars per train ... 12 107 8 trains of 10 cars each 3 trains of 8 cars each i train of 3 cars ACTUAL RATIOS Water consumption, pounds _ 37,500 _ Coal consumption, pounds 6,000 354 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK ^/ as /) /j oaf of Me /-aaa^ 5-95 a Moving up . 89 45 14.8 1.895) Charge to transporting and dumping i Waiting for trains 25 3 4.2 0-538 0-538 606 00 IOO O 12.80 Dipper Performance Mini- mum Aver- age Maxi- mum Number Obser- vations Number Attempts Digging . . . . ] Swinging loaded . 1 Time in Swinging empty . j seconds Falling empty . . J 4.0 3-o 3-o 2.O 9-3 4.4 4-3 5- 2 30 6y 4 6^ 16* 51 5 1 5 1 5 1 5 1 Timeto fill and load one dipperful 12.0 23.2 60 5 1 Time for one complete swing Minimum Average Maximum Number Observations Seconds . . 12.0 15.3 T 9-5 51 361 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK TRANSPORTATION (See Report No. 795) Moving Shovel Average Seconds Number of Observations Uniacking 1 1 1 Leveling in front . J 49 I Laying ties 77 4 Laying rails 69 5 Unclamping 2 5 i Moving 21 4 Clamping up 66 3 Jacking up 167 2 Carrying rails to front 40 3 Carrying ties to front 49 3 694 = 1 1 minutes 34 seconds Cost of Labor to Move No. 875 From Siding to Work Standard Basis Runner Craneman Fireman . Watchman . . Foreman Laborers Team, ties Team, coal 80 hours @ $o. 50 = . . . 80 hours @ 0.36 = 80 hours @ 0.24 = . . . 80 hours @ 0.15 = . . . 80 hours @ 0.20 = . 1 1 35 hours @ 0.15 = 130 hours @ 0.30 = Co hours (a)/ o 30 $40 oo 28.80 19.20 12. OO 16.00 170.25 39.00 I ^ OO Coal . . . . Oil . . . . 28.00 8. co $376.75 362 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Fig. 86 Fig. 87. Bucyrus Shovel No. 875 on D., L. & W. Cut-off 363 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK CHAPTER X DIRECTIONS FOR MOVING SHOVEL ECONOMIC HINTS In order to systematize the vari- ous operations in moving a steam shovel and thus reduce the cost to a minimum, as re- ferred to in Chapter II, we have given the order in which these movements should be made. A contractor who finds, upon timing his work, that he is not moving his shovels within the limit given in this chapter, will do well to investigate wherein his trouble lies by comparing the actions of his men with the movements herein tabulated. We also give in this chapter valuable hints to super- intendents and managers, which, if adhered to, will be of great assistance in obtaining economical results. For the use of estimators we have given, in Chap- ter IV, a complete classification of the items to be con- sidered, and in this chapter a few important hints which we believe will also be of assistance. Q^/W^/C ^% D^ M JA JB H 364 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK (1) Just before moving, the last dipperful will be taken from B. As this dipper is being filled, runner gives one whistle signal to the pit gang (six men in pit). Two men go to JA and two to JB, and one man goes out to F on the rail clamp and one to H on the rail clamp. (2) As soon as the dipper has swung to the left of the center (M) JB is loose, and one of the men there runs up the screw. (3) One man at JA puts his pole over the jack and gets ready to raise his jack block. Meanwhile the dipper has dumped at A. (4) Other man at JB now raises his jack block and is ready to move. (5) Dipper swings to the right far enough past M to take the weight off of JA, which is immediately screwed up and the block raised. (6) While runner is throwing in his moving clutch, one man at F is knocking loose rail clamp, and one man from JA and one from JB pick up the chock and carry it forward to its new position. (7) Runner now moves shovel ahead ; H knocks the clamp loose. F is meanwhile putting his clamp on in the new position. (8) As soon as the shovel strikes the front chock, H puts his clamp on. The bucket is in the center position for this movement. (9) The jackmen JA and JB immediately screw down their jacks, and the first man to get his jack down gives signal to runner, who takes first bucketful on his side. This enables man on either side to get his jack w r ell screwed down before bucket crosses center line again, working away at full speed. Shovel flow works away even if a little out of level. It can be leveled up by runner telling JA or JB to loosen a little, the opposite man screwing down on the next half swing. HINTS (1) Drag rear chock by chains fastened to the shovel. (2) Have jackmen use jack arm for fulcrum on which to rest poles for carrying jack block. ECONOMIC HINTS TO SUPERINTENDENTS Cultivate the habit of learning new methods from published accounts, and then don't wait to see them used, but apply them yourself, even if you have to de- vise some details which were not described. The man 365 HANDBOOK OF S T E A M S H O V E L W O R K who avails himself of published data becomes a cen- tenarian in experience before he is thirty in years. Responsibility without authority, and authority with- out responsibility, are fatal to successful work. Don't let the men "knock" each other on the work. One of the secrets of successful management consists in quickly finding out who is inefficient. The best su- perintendent always hails "from Missouri." One of Gilbreth's rules : No superintendent, walking- boss, engineer, time-keeper, or other employee is per- mitted to give an order direct to any workman, except in case of great emergency. Not even a member of the firm is exempt from this rule. The foreman in direct charge of a gang is the only man permitted to instruct his men what to do. He is the officer in charge, and his superior officers must not, intentionally or uninten- tionally, degrade him in the eyes of his men by issuing orders over his head. In order to get the most work out of a man for his money it is necessary to offer him a stronger incentive to do his best than the mere fear of discharge for incom- petency. It is highly economical to use all possible means to prevent men from getting injured on the work. Don't mistake activity for work. Look out for the man whose mind is centered upon more help instead of more method. One of the most demoralizing agents on a large piece of construction work is the rumor, especially if the rumor is true, that the work is being unsuccessfully prosecuted. The belief that the contractor is losing money, if allowed to circulate among his own men is almost fatal to a high state of discipline and efficiency. Time-keeper must not gossip on the work, a sure cause of dissatisfaction. The men should know as little of the politics of the work as possible. Dissen- tions at headquarters are bound to affect the men and 366 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK their work. If unity is lacking in high places it will also be lacking lower down. Don't let the executive do any avoidable detail work It may be economical to pay higher wages than the prevailing rate. This attracts the best class of labor. Men will often do 10 per cent more work for 5 per cent more pay. Cut of 10 per cent in wages may mean reduction of 20 per cent in output. Differential rates of pay for the same kind of work are a menace to effective results. To avoid demoralization men must be paid promptly on regular pay day. No matter how sure the men may be of their pay, failure to meet them on pay day affects the work badly. Rule of Gilbreth's : No smoking allowed on the j'ob except to finish noon smoke. Not over one-half hour and no refilling of pipes. Gilbreth advertises that he will pay one dollar for every suggestion that is made by an employee and ac- cepted by the company, and they award monthly the sum of $20 for the most valuable suggestion received during the previous month. First prize $10, second prize $5, third prize $3, and fourth prize $2. As soon as awards are made prizes are paid in cash. A notice is posted to this effect on every job. All monthly men or steady pay men should be on the job before the first whistle is sounded and remain there until quitting time regardless of weather. A daily report should be sent to the home office on the blanks provided. If no work is being done, still a report should be sent in stating that fact, and giving reasons for delays, etc. All sources of dissatisfaction should be immediately and impartially investigated, and the men must know that, although they are responsible for the quantity of their work to the immediate foreman, they are abso- 367 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK lutely in touch with the management as far as justice to the men is concerned. Poor coal supply causes serious delay and loss of money. Breakdowns of machinery will cause loss of money which cannot be estimated and will always be uneco- nomical. Keep parts of all machines together in storage, so that they can be easily found. Upon laying up rock drills, hoists, etc., cover the bright surface with a mixture of paraffin and vaseline heated and applied with a brush. The mixture is read- ily rubbed off. In cold weather, at night, drain all water and oil from cylinders and lubricators of engines and pumps. The common lard oils are full of acid and will cut machinery. By means of lye bath and air blasts, dirty, greasy machinery may be quickly cleaned. Cylinders of engines and steam drills are frequently cracked in cold weather by suddenly letting in steam. To avoid this, open drip cocks and cocks on steam chest and blow in steam for a few minutes to warm up the cylinder before starting the machine. A broken cylinder may delay work for a week or longer. Test boiler gauges from time to time. Use three-wire connection with three-wire machine for blasting. Look out for air in water pipe at top of a grade. Provide a blow-off cock. Description of the work on the Sonlengs Canal states that clay excavated by steam shovels came out in lumps so hard that it could not be cut up economically. The problem was solved by the use of a sprinkling hose. A 1 6-foot hickory or ash pole, shod with a pointed spike for breaking down the bank in front of the shovel in deep cuts is often a great time saver. 368 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Steam shovels can be buried by slips where the bank is too high. When the shovel has a lift of 9 feet, and it is desired to take out a 1 2-foot cut, this can often be done by putting the shovel on stilts, as it were, i. e., blocking up the tracks the requisite amount. Plot the location of all drill holes on cross-section paper and write thereon the depth of each hole and the powder charge in it. In drilling open cut work it is wise to pitch the holes down away from the face. The explosion will then throw the rock away from the face. In forging rock-drill bits, those for medium hard rock should have sharp chisel bits. As the hardness of the rock increases, the angle of the bit may be made more obtuse and the cutting edge shaped from a straight line to a curve to prevent the corners from being chipped off. There should be no air cushions in the blast hole. To accomplish this, slit the cartridges with a knife lengthwise of two sides, being sure not to do this to a frozen or partly frozen stick, and place it well home with a wooden rammer. In springing for black powder work, it is important not to load the hole until after the rock has cooled off, as the springing charge develops considerable heat. The usual size of a case of dynamite is three-quarters of a cubic foot, therefore an old powder box is often much more convenient for measuring coal than a bushel basket. Dynamite, when frozen, can sometimes be exploded by extra strong caps. Don't blow unexploded dynamite out of a hole with a steam jet. Use air instead. 369 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK ADVANTAGE OF WHISTLE OR BELL To get hand SIGNALS OVER HAND SIGNALS signals, a man must look for the signals, which requires that he should be constantly watching the signal man and will be unable to give his attention to other things. Bell or whistle signals do not require his attention. Acknowledgment should be made of the excellent field work in gathering the data contained in this volume by Messrs. F. M. GAIGER, CHAS. HOUSTON, E. C. WILDER, A. C. HASKELL and W. T. BALL, and the marked courtesy rendered us by all the contractors to whom we applied for information. No effort has been spared to make this book entirely trustworthy as to facts, but although it has been carefully checked for errors it is possible that mistakes may have escaped notice. If any should be noted by the reader a memorandum to that effect addressed to the Construction Service Co., 15 William Street, New York City, would be much appreciated. R. T. DANA For Construction Service Company 370 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I. NATURE OF THE PROBLEM . . 5 Process of Loading . . . . . 6 Steam Shovel versus Hand Loading . "v .. 6 Cost of Work by Human Power .... 7 Great Variation in Steam Shovel Efficiency . . 7 Trained Labor Necessary . . . . . 8 Co-operation of Other Processes . . , . . 8 Work Economically Justifying a Steam Shovel . 8 CHAPTER II. GENERAL CONDITIONS AND FORMULAS 10 Repairs ........ 10 Depreciation . . . . . . . 10 Interest . * . . ... . . i i Height of Bank . . . . . . . II Standard Rates . . . . . .; . 1 1 Formulas and Diagrams .. . ; . 12 Mathematical Analysis " . . ' . . . 12 Standard Assumptions . . . . . 16 Uses of Cost Curves . . .. . . 16 Cost Curve Diagrams . . . . 20 CHAPTER III. FIELD CONDITIONS . . . 28 Equipment . V ' ':. > .'' . . - 28 Superintendence . . . . . . . 29 General Arrangement . . . . . 29 Lost Time . . . . . ... . 30 Kind of Labor . . . . .... 32 Kind and Condition of Material . . . 33 CHAPTER IV. ESTIMATING . . . . . 35 Standard Classification of Expenses 35 Diagram Showing Cost in Cents per Cubic Yard . 37 Table of Rates of Wages 37 Diagram Showing Time in Seconds for Complete Dipper Swing ...... 38 371 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK CHAPTER IV Continued Page Diagram Showing Idle Time of Shovels Due to Waiting for Cars ...... 39 Diagram Showing Actual Shovel Working Time . 40 CHAPTER V. SHOVEL WORK IN SAND AND GRAVEL 41 Report No. i, Shovel No. 612, in Sand Pit at Dune Park, Ind 42 Report No. 2, Shovel No. 1118, on W. & L. E. R. R., Relocation at Kent, Ohio .... 49 Report No. 3, Shovel No. 6n, on Railroad Embank- ment at Gary, Ind. ..... 58 Report No. 4, Shovel No. 166, in Gravel Pit at South Bend, Ind. ....... 64 Report No. 5, Shovel No. 58, in Gravel Pit at Janes- ville, Wis. ....... 70 CHAPTER VI. STEAM SHOVEL WORK IN EARTH AND GLACIAL DRIFT 78 Report No. 6, Shovel No. 893, Grading Sunnyside Yard at Long Island City, New York . . 79 Report No. 9, Shovel No. 1121, Excavating Sewer Trench, Chicago, 111. ..... 97 CHAPTER VII. STEAM SHOVEL WORK IN CLAY . 104 Report No. n, Shovel No. 1119, on Relocation of W. & L. E. R. R., at Kent, Ohio . . .104 Report No. 12, Shovel No. 843, on the L. S. & M. S. Cut-off, at Cleveland, Ohio . . . .in Report No. 13, Shovel No. 666, on Relocation of the W. & L. E. R. R., near Kent, Ohio . . .118 Report No. 14, Shovel 1128, Stripping the Grant Mine at Buhl, Minn. . . . . .123 Report No. 15, Shovel No. 650, Digging Slag at South Deering, 111. . . . . .130 Report No. 16, Shovel No. 980, Excavating Clay at Chicago, 111 136 372 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK CHAPTER VII Continued Page Report No. 17, Shovel No. 424, Excavating Clay at Riverdale, 111. . . . . . .143 Report No. 19, Shovel No. 517, Stripping in the Grant Mine at Buhl, Minn. . . ''-:. . 154 Explanation of Time Study of Report No. 19 . . 164 Explanation of Tables of Shovel No. 517 . . 164 Table Showing Time of Different Parts of Dipper Action, Shovel No. 517 . . . .167 Report No. 20, Shovel No. 727, Excavating in Clay Pit at Chicago, 111. . . . . .169 CHAPTER VIII. STEAM SHOVEL WORK IN IRON ORE 174 Description of the Mesabi Range . . . .174 General Remarks, Oliver Iron Mining Co., Hibbing, Minn. . . . . . . 188 Report No. 21, Shovel No. 710, in Stock Pile Work at Chisholm, Minn. . . . . .191 Report No. 22, Shovel No. 719, in Stock Pile Work at Amasa, Mich. . . . . . .198 Report No. 23, Shovel No. 707, in Stock Pile Work at Negaunee, Mich. . . . . 205 Report No. 24, Shovel No. 1127, in Stock Pile Work at Ironwood, Mich. ... . . . 212 Report No. 25, Shovel No. 1142, in Stock Pile Ex- cavation at Stambaugh, Mich. . . . 220 Report No. 26, ShoVel No. 1124, in Open Pit Mining at Michigamme, Mich. . . . . ,. 225 Report No. 27, Shovel No. 1074, in Stock Pile Work at Ishpeming, Mich. . . ; . . . . 231 Report No. 28, Shovel No. 1083, Excavating Soft Ore at Seller's Pit, Hibbing, Minn. . . .. 236 Report -No. 29, Shovel No. 866, in Stock Pile Work at Princeton, Mich. . . . . .245 Taking Down Boom and Dipper of Shovel No. 700 at Chisholm, Minn. . . . . .252 373 HANDBOOK OF STEAM SHOVEL WORK Page CHAPTER IX. STEAM SHOVEL WORK ix ROCK . 254 Report No. 30, Shovel No. 1108, on D., L. & W. Cut-off at Hopatcong, N. J. . . . 255 Report No. 31, Shovel No. 1138, Excavating Lime- stone at Thornton, 111. ..... 265 Report No. 32, Shovel No. 1073, Excavating Lime- stone at Thornton, 111. . . . .278 Report No. 33, Shovel No. 1096, on D., L. & W. Cut-off near Johnsonburg, N. J. . . . 286 Report No. 34, Shovel No. 1097, on D., L. & W. Cut-off near Johnsonburg, N. J. . . . 301 Report No. 35, Shovel No. 795, on D., L. & W. Cut-off near Columbia, N. J. . . .312 Report No. 38, Shovel No. 1137, on D., L. & W. Cut-off near Hopatcong, N. J. . . . 323 Report No. 42, Shovel No. 350, on U., L. & W. Cut-off near Netcong, N. J. . . 331 Report No. 43, Shovel No. 1106, Excavating U. S. Ship Canal on Soo St. Marie, Mich. . . 347 Report No. 45, Shovel No. 875, on D., L. & W. Cut-off near Columbia, N. J. . . . . 357 CHAPTER X. DIRECTIONS FOR MOVING SHOVEL . 364 Economic Hints ....... 364 Economic Hints to Superintendents . . . 365 Advantage of Whistle or Bell Signals Over Hand Signals . . . . . . 370 374 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY BERKELEY THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW . Books not returned on time are subject to a fine of 50c per volume after the third day overdue, increasing to $1.00 per volume after the sixth day. Books not in demand may be renewed if application is made before expiration of loan period. DEC 12 1910 IK- LIBRARY USE APR 2 9 1956 RECEIVE! FEB 2 1*67-1 LOAN 50rn-7,'16 VA 06587 238181