The Silver Spade was a giant power shovel used for strip mining in southeastern Ohio. Manufactured by Bucyrus-Erie, South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the model 1950-B was one of two of this model built, the other being the GEM of Egypt. Its sole function was to remove the earth and rock overburden from the coal seam. Attempts to purchase and preserve the shovel from Consol to make it the centerpiece of a mining museum exhibit for $2.6 million fell short. A salvage company began scrapping the machine in January 2009. The boom was dropped using explosives on February 9th, ending any rescue attempts. By March 1st, much of the machine had been cut away.[1]
1950-B "The Silver Spade"
The Silver Spade working near Cadiz, Ohio, in July, 1974
Entire operation of the shovel was controlled by two hand levers and a pair of foot pedals.
Dug 315,000 lb (143 metric tons) of earth in a single bite, swung 180°, and deposited the load up to 390 ft (119 m) away from the digging points at heights up to 140 ft (42.5 m).
Machine's four 2+5⁄8-inch-diameter (67 mm) hoist ropes totaled 3,000 ft (914 m) in length.
Fourteen main digging cycle motors could develop a combined peak of 13,500 hp (10.1 MW) at peak load.
Automatically leveled through four 54-inch-diameter (1,400 mm) hydraulic jacks.
Swung a 105 cubic yard (80 m3) dipper from a 200 ft (61 m) boom and a 122 ft (37 m) dipper handle.
The "GEM of Egypt," the other large shovel, had similar size and weight, etc. statistics. The primary difference was the bucket and boom. The GEM was a 130 cubic-yard (99.4 m3) bucket and 170 ft (52 m) boom, while the Spade sported 105 cubic-yard (80 m3) bucket and 200 ft (61 m) boom.
Dipper armedit
The design is unusual, as it uses a knee action crowd,[2] and only these two Bucyrus-Erie 1950-Bs were fitted with this technology.
crowding is pushing the bucket at the end of a "handle" ("dipper" or "dipper stick") in or out to control the depth of cut or to position for dumping
With knee-action, the handle is connected to a moveable pivot point rather than being supported directly by the boom.
Knee action design made possible the largest shovel ever built, increased digging power, allowed the bucket to move horizontally into the cut and improved swing efficiency, distance, and radius.[3]
The technology was a requirement of the owners and had to be licensed from Marion Power Shovel, with Marion being allowed to use Bucyrus-Erie's cable crowd system[4] in return.
Extreme Mining Machines, by Keith Haddock, Pub by MBI, ISBN0-7603-0918-3
External linksedit
Silver Spade on the Road(date Unknown) The picture of The Silver Spade on the road was taken in April 2001 when the shovel was being moved across Route 519 in New Athens, Ohio
silver, spade, giant, power, shovel, used, strip, mining, southeastern, ohio, manufactured, bucyrus, erie, south, milwaukee, wisconsin, model, 1950, this, model, built, other, being, egypt, sole, function, remove, earth, rock, overburden, from, coal, seam, att. The Silver Spade was a giant power shovel used for strip mining in southeastern Ohio Manufactured by Bucyrus Erie South Milwaukee Wisconsin the model 1950 B was one of two of this model built the other being the GEM of Egypt Its sole function was to remove the earth and rock overburden from the coal seam Attempts to purchase and preserve the shovel from Consol to make it the centerpiece of a mining museum exhibit for 2 6 million fell short A salvage company began scrapping the machine in January 2009 The boom was dropped using explosives on February 9th ending any rescue attempts By March 1st much of the machine had been cut away 1 1950 B The Silver Spade The Silver Spade working near Cadiz Ohio in July 1974TypeElectric power shovelManufacturerBucyrus ErieProduction1967Length79 m 259 ft Width18 m 59 ft Height67 m 220 ft Weight6 400 t 14 100 000 lb Propulsion8 x caterpillar tracksGross power13 500 hp or 10 1 megawattsSpeed0 25 mph or 0 4 km hBlade capacity105 cubic yards 80 3 m3 or 28 35 short tons 25 72 t Contents 1 Facts and figures 2 Dipper arm 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksFacts and figures edit nbsp Bucket and cab of The Silver Spade at Harrison Coal and Reclamation Park on Stumptown Road Began operations November 1965 Ended operations April 2006 Speed 1 4 mph 400 m h Bucket capacity 105 cu yd 80 m3 Operating weight 14 000 000 lb 7 000 short tons 6 400 metric tons Height 220 ft to top of boom 67 m Boom length 200 feet 61 m Width 59 ft 18 m Height of crawlers 8 ft 2 5 m Length of crawlers 34 ft 10 m Maximum dumping height 139 ft 42 m Maximum dumping radius 195 ft 59 m Rating on A C motors 13 500 hp 10 1 MW peak Entire operation of the shovel was controlled by two hand levers and a pair of foot pedals Dug 315 000 lb 143 metric tons of earth in a single bite swung 180 and deposited the load up to 390 ft 119 m away from the digging points at heights up to 140 ft 42 5 m Machine s four 2 5 8 inch diameter 67 mm hoist ropes totaled 3 000 ft 914 m in length Fourteen main digging cycle motors could develop a combined peak of 13 500 hp 10 1 MW at peak load Automatically leveled through four 54 inch diameter 1 400 mm hydraulic jacks Swung a 105 cubic yard 80 m3 dipper from a 200 ft 61 m boom and a 122 ft 37 m dipper handle The GEM of Egypt the other large shovel had similar size and weight etc statistics The primary difference was the bucket and boom The GEM was a 130 cubic yard 99 4 m3 bucket and 170 ft 52 m boom while the Spade sported 105 cubic yard 80 m3 bucket and 200 ft 61 m boom Dipper arm editThe design is unusual as it uses a knee action crowd 2 and only these two Bucyrus Erie 1950 Bs were fitted with this technology In a power shovel crowding is pushing the bucket at the end of a handle dipper or dipper stick in or out to control the depth of cut or to position for dumping With knee action the handle is connected to a moveable pivot point rather than being supported directly by the boom Knee action design made possible the largest shovel ever built increased digging power allowed the bucket to move horizontally into the cut and improved swing efficiency distance and radius 3 The technology was a requirement of the owners and had to be licensed from Marion Power Shovel with Marion being allowed to use Bucyrus Erie s cable crowd system 4 in return See also editBig Brutus Big Muskie Dragline Haul truck Excavator Marion 6360References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Silver Spade Elmore Chad July 16 2014 Rest in Pieces OEM Off Highway Ironmarkets LLC Retrieved 24 April 2024 US 3990161 Berry Thomas August 25 2011 Increasing the capacity of a stripping shovel OEM Off Highway Ironmarkets LLC Retrieved 25 April 2024 US 3843095 Information about the Preservation Effort Extreme Mining Machines by Keith Haddock Pub by MBI ISBN 0 7603 0918 3External links editSilver Spade on the Road date Unknown The picture of The Silver Spade on the road was taken in April 2001 when the shovel was being moved across Route 519 in New Athens Ohio Cable Blasted 2007 Harrison Coal and Reclamation Park 40 11 24 N 81 03 15 W 40 19000 N 81 05417 W 40 19000 81 05417 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Silver Spade amp oldid 1220644380, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
