Supporting Progress: The Role of Immediate Forward Support Machines in Tunnel Construction (1960s)

50 100 ton goalposts to give the same immediate forward support behind the machine this was the first step in the development of the immediate forward support ifs system of long wool working in Great Britain the increasing use of ranging drum shearers in thick seams led to the initial development of such supports for use in the thicker seams these 200 ton fsw ifs supports are now in use with ranging drum sharers in seams up to 8 ft high at several British ceries forward support is ensured at all times regardless of where the machine May finish cutting at the end of a working cycle the chocks being Advanced within 16 ft of the rear of the machine such complete roof control prevents Falls of roof into the cutting track the roof is supported as soon as it is exposed the extending forward caner levers are hydraulically powered the clear track for the machine operator makes possible an increase in cutting speeds the supports are operated by adjacent control as separate control lever operates the forward caner lever supports like these have already achieved outstanding results on a number of British go phaces even where roof conditions have been poor at hem Heath cury in the Staffordshire area a ranging drum sharer is working successfully with an installation of fsw 4le 200 ton ifs supports the Shearer Cuts its own stable [Music] holes the face is 160 yd long advancing to the rise at 1 in in 8 with a line of face gradient of 1 in 10 the thickness of coal extracted is 76 [Music] the first three supports at each end of the face are directly controlled subsequent supports are adjacently [Music] controlled the forward caner leave bar on each support has its own separate control [Music] a chain Hall restrictor is used on all ifs installations to protect the men on the face from chain whip go since the days of the Russian om KT Shield support increased control has been achieved in many ways these GC four-leg supports are provided with a strong flushing Shield to prevent waste falling forward between the rear legs of the supports they are designed to be fitted with standard bogy Wheels to facilitate transport Underground on a face at kellingley cery in the North Yorkshire area GIC Shield power supports have proved themselves in extremely Frable roof conditions where heavy waste flushing can always be expected control is adjacent [Applause] the canopy consists of a main L-shaped section and an articulated bar with a mechanical four pooling bar extension [Music] The Shield prevents obstruction of the traveling track and provides protection for vulnerable hoses developments of this standard GIC Shield support include the buttress support with a rear Delta bar controlled separately from the canopy and forward bars and the pack hole support with a rear bar added centrally to the back of the canopy and operated from an independent control handle