Earlier this year, someone asked about arrangements for winding from a
number of shafts, using just one engine.
Today I was sat looking through the Mines Inspector's Reports (Mr Evans) for
1866 and came across two drawings (plan and elevation) of such a contrivance
at the ironstone pits on Glasshouse Common, near Whittington in Derbyshire.
Here, the Sheepbridge Coal & Iron Co. Ltd was using a single cylinder engine
to wind from 15 shallow shafts. There were 9 drums on a horizontal shaft
and another six on a vertical shaft which was driven by bevel gears from the
first shaft.
The Inspector considered this to be too much! The company objected and so
the great and good were called in to arbitrate, with the result that no more
than 12 shafts could be wound and no new ones added at a greater distance
than the present ones.
The drawings appeared to show that the various diameter drums were fixed to
the shafting - no clutches were apparent.
Mike Gill
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