Big Brutus 1850-b electric shovel

Designed and built by Bucyrus-Erie for the Pittsburg & midway coal mining co., the 1850-b, one of the world's two largest shovels, is an engineering accomplishment. Ten years earler, such a project would not have been considered feasible. Today, large capacity excavating machines have not only proven to be feasible, but absolutely essential in order to be in a competitive position to meet the production demands of growing utility and Industrial markets.

1850-8 information hi-lights

Machine - less ballast (approx.) 9,200,00 lbs
Ballast 1,700,000 lbs
Working weight (approx.) 11,000,000 lbs

Boom 150 feet long
Dipper handle 88 feet long
Maximum dumping reach 150 feet
Maximum dumping height 101 feet
Maximum digging depth 69 feet

Power
The power plant provided 7,500 horsepower under normal operating conditions and 15,000 horsepower under peak loads, which is equivalent to power used by a community of 15,000 people.

Movement of shovel
Four pairs of crawlers, one at each corner of the base, propeled the machine. Each pair of crawlers or trucks were powered by a 250 horsepower motor. Each crawler tread is 5'6" wide and weighs 2008 lbs. The gear case for each truck holds 2,200 gallons of gear oil. The normal propelling speed was 0.22 miles per hour.

Operating crew
1 - operator
1 - oiler
1 - groundman

Revolving frame
Size - 58 feet x 79 feet 6". The body revolves on a Base, supported by a roller circle 45 feet in diameter, Consisting of 90 rollers each 16 inches in diameter.

Leveling jacks
The machine is supported on the four crawler tracks by gigantic hydraulic jacks which automatically maintain the shovel in a level working position as it moves over the uneven pit floor. The hydraulic oil was supplied to all four jacks from a central reservoir which has a capacity of 3,200 gallons. The jack cylinders are 42 inches in diameter and have a Stroke of 66 inches.

Erection information
Period of erection was from June, 1962 to may 1963. A Peak number of 52 men were employed to erect the Shovel. 150 railroad cars were required to ship all Of the component parts of the shovel. The shovel was Erected at p&m's mine 19 near Hallowell, Kansas. Big Brutus cost about $6.5 million

Operating period
The shovel ran 24 hours a day for 11 years. It ceased Operations in April 1974.

Dipper
The capacity of the dipper is 90 cu. yds. By heaping dirt on the dipper, 150 tons of overburden is handled in one scoop or enough to fill three railroad cars. It Took four cables 3-1/2 inches thick, and powered by Eight 500-horsepower motors, to lift the bucket.