Coal Mining By The V System

This describes a highly concentrated mining system consisting of a series of short faces arranged to get complete recovery of coal with the maximum protection for the men and equipment. A series of conveyors collect the coal from eight faces and discharge into mine cars at a central loading point on a main haulageway. The conveyor is sectional and, by a multiple-drive arrangement, the same standard parts are used to construct a unit of any length. THE. V system of mining used at the Norton mine of West Virginia Coal & Coke Co. was designed as a modified longwall with face conveyors, FIG. 1.-GENERAL DESIGN AND ARRANGEMENT OF FACES IN V SYSTEM. for use under roof conditions that would not permit regular longwall methods. This mine is in the Lower Kittanning seam, which averages about 6 ft. in height. There is from 20 to 30 ft. of slate and shale immedi-