Air Drill Machine
1958 - 1963

Eah Sakuganki
[Air Drill Machine]
21.1 x 30.2 cm Ink Painting

Text at the Right End
The air drill machine was introduced to large-scale coal pits in the beginning of the Taisho era (1912-1926). It greatly raised the efficiency in boring blast holes though it required some facilities like compressors installed on the surface. A strong man could use one alone but he could not continuously use it for a long time. It was also dangerous to do so. It was safer and more efficient if a pair of miners used one air drill machine in good cooperation with each other.

Text at the Top
The cap lamp was introduced to coal pits in the beginning of the Showa era (1926-1989) and used at every pit around 1933 or 1934. A safety lantern with a lighter installed in it had been used until then.

Text at the Bottom
Coal dust was violently blasted out with exhaust air through the hole in the hollow hexagonal chisel fixed to the air drill machine. Borers had to wear protective masks as a rule but they hated to wear them because the masks suffocated them. Therefore, they sometimes suffered silicosis after continually using the machine.

Word in the Inset at the Top
nomisaki: tips of chisels


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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