BUCYRUS ERIE 50-B

STEAM SHOVEL

Part 8 - controls - by Alberto Celot

The project continued with the construction and final assembly of the mechanical parts mounted on the Revolving Frame. Testing was carried out with compressed air with good results. Let's start with some pictures of the general view, just to give an idea of the complexity of the whole project.

In the first two images you see on the right the motor used for swinging and the reduction gears which drive the pinion at the end, placed under the floor. That meshes with the crown gear attached on the Truck Frame.

The engine is controlled by the lever in front on the left side of the operator’s seat. The other lever close to this is used to control the Thrusting Engine located on the boom.

Facing the seat there are two pedals; one on the left, which is controlled through the heel of the foot, operates the valve that sends steam to the cylinder to release the door of the bucket or dipper, while the right controls the brake drum used to lift the bucket. The brake pedal has a mechanical lock to hold the drum in the braking position.

In the next image, behind the seat and anchored to a support column, you see the two manual levers that serve for the insertion of the dog clutches which control the transmission to the tracks of the Truck Frame and the winch for lifting the boom of the excavator.

You also see the connection for the Main Engine drain cocks.

Brake pedal locked in position:
Transmission to bevel gear:
Various control linkages:
The lever that controls the Main Engine and RAM steam clutch hangs down from the roof and to be able to mount it I built a part of the cab structure.

The lever is unique and has two movements: pushing forward drives the regulator (Throttle) that sends steam to the Main Engine, while moving it to the left side disengages the clutch. The regulator consists of a three-way valve so that when the valve is  closed the steam inlet of the motor is open to the atmosphere and the motor is free to turn without creating a back  pressure that would block it.

The sequence of excavation, relative to the single lever in question, is:

- Start lever is in the retracted position and the centre, the Main Engine is stopped and the clutch is engaged

- Pushing lever forward, the Main Engine raises the arm with bucket

- With the bucket raised, pulling the lever back stops the Main Engine; Pressing fully with the right foot on the brake pedal and then you move the lever to the left to disengage the clutch.

- Once the bucket is emptied and is again ready for a new excavation, releasing the  pressure on the brake pedal and the bucket falls. The speed of descent is controlled exclusively by the brake pedal.

This sequence of operations allows use of the Main Engine in a single direction of rotation, avoiding the need every time to operate the reversing gear and allows

a rapid descent speed of the bucket.

And here is a section of the design and a photo of the Throttle:

And fitted in the cab frame.
Ready for the operator.

part nine   part ten   part eleven  part twelve  Conclusion