Transverse-Mounted End-Cab Design for Low-Coal Shuttle Cars

摘要

A Prototype end-cab shuttle car (SC) design has been developed to improveprotection and address ergonomic concerns of the SC operator in low coal mines. The new design features an end cab transversely mounted to the SC and equipped with a closed-circuit video system. The end cab was retrofitted to a low-coal SC and evaluated in surface trials at the U.S. Bureau of Mines. During surface trials, test operators evaluated the end-cab SC relative to visibility; cab features-space, seating, controls, and operator position; tramming-inby, outby, and turning corners; and dumping. Trails were conducted using 12 test subjects; 6 were experienced SC operators. Results of the trials were promising.