The side dumping mine car consists of movable side doors on one or both sides, pull rods, unloading curved tracks, and a tipping car body. During operation, one or both unloading doors are opened using the unloading curved track at the unloading station for unloading. The commonly used capacity of side dumping mine cars is 2.2 to 5.5 m³.
Single-sided curved track side dumping mine car: One or both sides of the car body can be opened, allowing the mine car to tilt using the curved track installed at the unloading point, and the side door is opened by pulling the lever to unload.
The mine car can be loaded using a discharge gate (loader). In the 1970s, China developed a bucket-type transfer train, consisting of a bucket car, a lifting platform, and a series of mine cars. After the bucket car is filled with material, it is lifted by the platform and moves along the side of the mine car, transferring the material into each mine car one by one, which increases the transportation speed and achieves continuous loading of the mine cars. The bucket-type loading train has a simple structure and a small turning radius, and it can be modified from existing standard mine cars.
The inner side of the mine car wheel has a flange, and there is a certain gap between the flange and the rail. The tread surface that contacts the rail is shaped like a cone to keep the wheelset centered while running along the track, reducing mechanical wear and lowering running resistance. The standard narrow-gauge railway track gauges in China are 600 mm, 762 mm, and 900 mm.
The basic structural components of a mine cart are the car body, frame, wheelset, and connector.
