Page 18 - Equipment Echoes Issue #137

Sauerman Slackline Cableway Excavators

Smaller masts could be installed on the structures to which they brought material. This 1/3-yard installation transfers coal from a barge to a hopper over the coal bunkers on this floating
sand and gravel plant. If need be, the tail tower could also have a custom mounting, such as on a raft or pier for digging from a body of water.

the scarcity of these materials in many areas made masts of 12x12
inch or 16x16 inch timbers with heavy planking reinforcement
and adjustable truss cables necessary. By 1926, steel masts were
gaining favor over wood, thanks to lighter weight and greater
stability at little additional cost. Masts usually were erected on
the ground, but short masts could be positioned atop hoppers or
other structures with appropriate attention paid to the supporting
structure’s stability.
Movable towers were used in most jobs involving overburden
removal, levee construction, and pond and river cleanout. Railroad
wheels were recommended for larger machines, while rollers
travelling on planks were suitable for smaller rigs. A single guy line
ran down the back of the tower to a bridle cable on the ground,
and tightening and slackening a line attached to the guy cable with

One of the largest Sauerman two-speed steam power units. The oversize boiler is rated at
150 pounds of pressure, and inhaul speed is 1,000 feet per minute. No explanation is given
for the isolated control lever.
during digging. Thus, the bucket could take a full load and do so
with great stability, regardless of the slope of cut or strikes against
boulders, logs or other obstructions.
The term “mast” in this article can be one of several types of
head end support: A fixed mast, a movable guy tower, or a self-
supported tower. The fixed mast for smaller machines (and, rarely, Another large power unit with gas engine, all mounted on a welded steel frame. The large-
diameter, wide-face drums are designed for long-span operation with high cable capacity
a larger one) could be a simple tree trunk or a wooden pole. But and minimal stress and wear on the cable.

16 | Equipment Echoes Summer 2020 | #137