The Joy Continuous Miner

The continuous miner was one of a number of different continuous mining machines that combined the operations of cutting, drilling, blasting, and loading the coal.  This electric and hydraulic machine consisted of a ripper head fitted with five multi-bit chains, a main chassis and a loading unit.    The ripper head could be swung to either side and upward to a cutting height of ten feet.  The coal cut by the ripper head was delivered to the conveyor.  One man operated this machine, and the entire process replaced the work of several men.