Coal Cutter in the Showa Era (1926-1989)
May 1965

Showa Koru Katta
[Coal Cutter in the Showa Era (1926-1989)]
38.2 x 54.1 cm Painting in Watercolors and Ink

This machine was introduced to Nittetsu Inatsuki Coal Pit in Kaho County around the beginning of 1937 though similar machines might have been used somewhere before then. The machine mining coal with a moving chain raised the efficiency in mining and replaced the old coal cutters mining coal with a screw-type rotating drill. Also the picks used on the old machines were easy to fix on the drill head but it was hard to make them. New picks were easy to make if they were made from flat iron with a thickness of 1/2 an inch with machine tools. They had to be fixed to the moving chain with 3/4 inch set bolts one by one.
While cutting, the machine climbed from the lower end (fuke) to the upper end (kata) of the long wall coal face to be mined. The coal cutter raised itself by twining a 3/4 inch zinc rope around a small drum. The rope was of special make and had a core of steel not hemp. (Two coal cutters were installed in each long wall coalface and were used and maintained alternately.)

Text at the Bottom Left
About 10 cutter men operated the machine. The pick chain guide was sometimes replaced with new one. Lots of flush-head rivets were used for fixing the guide and it took much time to replace it. The guide was made of special steel.

Words in the Square Inset
Words at the Top Right
Moto wa yon-inchi maru saki wa san-inchi: The foot was 4 inches and the top is 3 inches in diameter
Words at the Bottom Center
Nagasa 1.50 metoru kurai: About 1.50 meters long
Words at the Top Left
The picks were driven into the drill, which were driven out of it by hitting them with a punch from behind. The picks had nock on both sides and it was difficult to make them.

Words in the Circle Inset
Figures on the Right
Shinshiki Pikku: New-type Pick
70 miri: 70 millimeters
4 inchi (10.2 senchi): 4 inches (10.2 centimeters)
26 miri haba: 26 millimeters wide
13 miri ko: 13 millimeters thick

Figures on the Left
Kyushiki Pikku: Old-type Pick{25 miri: 25 millimeters
65 miri: 65 millimeters
3 +1/2" (90 miri): 3 and 1/2 inches (90 millimeters)


Translation Assisted by Mr. Nathan Johndro

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