What the Science Says: How We Use It and Abuse It to Make Health and Environmental Policy

A scoop car particularly adaptable for handling a mineral, such as coal, after it has been loosened and piled in a mine wherein the scoop car is provided with movable support wheels. The disclosed scoop car is moved by a traction or towing vehicle. The scoop car is connected to the traction vehicle by a pin or pivot connection to provide good maneuverability when moving to the unloading area. During loading of the vehicle, however, when the scoop car is pushed into the pile of material to be transported it is necessary to prevent movement around the pivot connection so that jackknifing does not occur. Restricted movement around the pivot is accomplished by a bolster mechanism which contacts both the traction vehicle and the scoop car keeping their longitudinal axis aligned. The bolster mechanism also forces the rear of the scoop car downward so that the scoop car is not pushed upward during loading. That is, the bolster provides downward pressure so the open end of the scoop car does not ride up during loading.