The PETITTO MULE^© shield retriever tractor incorporates the accepted method in material handling in today’s underground mining industry. Designed primarily for use in longwall sections, the Mule is not simply a drilling machine or miner redesigned to move shields.  The PETITTO MULE^© has a vast range of erecting, lifting, loading, unloading, assembling and disassembling capabilities. The hydraulic boom allows for perfect placement of the hook and a total reach of 3.7 meters (when fully extended on PETITTO MULE^©Model 1550) from the main frame of the machine. This feature combined with pivotal swing of the boom (45° to either side), enables the boom to reach into small areas and utilize full power directly at the hook up point. These combined features eliminate the use of the long winch and hoist lines, and the time consuming task of manually handling wire rope cables. Equipment service life about 20 years.

The PETITTO MULE^© is both MSHA and ATEX approved, and has been widely used in the USA, Australia, England, and Russia.  The PETITTO MULE^© has been designed with safety in mind. By the use of the hydraulic boom, much manual labor and the physical handling of cable rope is eliminated.  All corners and edges of the machine are rounded in order to reduce the possibility of injury to men within the immediate work area.