Coal Pits (Yama) in the Old Days: Air Door
1958 - 1963

Mukashi no Yama: Tsuki Tobira
[Coal Pits (Yama) in the Old Days: Air Door]
21.1 x 30.4 cm Ink Painting

The "air door" was called a "mon" in pit dialect and other words to show it was difficult to grasp (often misunderstood) in the pit. These important doors for ventilation were more often used in small coal pits. It goes without saying that they were kept open because of the troublesomeness of opening and closing them. Small pits could not afford to employ doorkeepers to make good use of these doors. This problem was a headache to the miners at small pits. Air doors were improved so that they might open automatically when they were pushed (by mine cars) in the end of the Meiji era (1868-1912). However, they frequently failed.

Lettering on the Figures
Figure at the Top Right
kan-non biraki: folding double doors
sumibako: mine car
Morekaze ooku kosho hyakushutsu:
Much air leaked and the doors frequently failed.

Figure at the Bottom Right
sumibako: mine car

Figure at the Top Left
Iwayuru tembin to yute ita:
Miners called this kind of door a tembin (balance).
sumibako: mine car

Figure at the Bottom Left
keisha kodo: slope
renketsu-bako shiyo: A coupling mine car was used.
sumibako: mine car
Showa hajime shiyo shita ga kosho hyakushutsu:
Though this device was used in the beginning of the Showa era (1926-1989), it frequently failed.
makioroshi yo: It was used in the main slope.
niinchi no gasukan tetsu:
a gas pipe of 2 inches in diameter made of iron


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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