By kind do you mean what was it used for or who was the builder?

Based on the general lightweight way it was built, I would say it was a low speed, low pressure application. It might have been used to move a moderate amount a short distance. Maybe a small mine with a limiited amount of workings to vent.

yes doug you are correct. it would be low speed, usually 60-90 rpms. it would move a massive ammount of air, however it could work for a large mine also. the fan doesnt know how big the mine is, just resistance. if its a large mine but set up efficiently, it would work just fine. there is a 35 wooden and steel one of these still in wilkesbarre at a fan complex that was for a very large colliery operation. but like you said this one particular fan is built lightly so it probably is a smaller mine operation, or it is on a small split of air at a larger mine. the fan rotated towards the curved blades, which sometimes confuses people. in the angle that photo is taken the fan rotates clockwise.

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