Hi list:-
In reply to Graham's query...In coal mines, underground endless ropes were
quite often powered from the surface.
In small installations the haulage rope itself came down the shaft from a
steam engine (or in later years) an electric motor, on top.
In larger pits the rope down the shaft, ("strap rope") transferred power
only from the engine to a clutch mechanism which drove subsidiary "C"
wheels to run the actual haulage ropes from the districts.
I have works at mines using both systems... in one we had four haulages
operated from the one "clutch room" attended by one individual. ...at times
he was kept mighty busy answering the bells and screwing in and out the big
dog clutches.
Regards
John
----- Original Message -----
From: "Graham Isherwood" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 1:17 AM
Subject: Re: Waterwheel rod driven incline
> Thanks to everyone who replied to my original query. I begin to wonder if
> IWJ's description of using the pumping rods to work the incline was an
> error and in fact the incline was worked indirectly by ropes down the
> shaft from the surface, much as many 19th century colliery underground
> haulages were worked in this manner from surface engines. This might
> suggest that "Olwyn Goch" was rather like the Cwm Ciprwth wheel, providing
> continuous pumping and intermittent winding, allbeit on a larger scale.
> Although I have quite a bit of information on various rope haulage
> engines, I can't find an illustration of an underground rope haulage
> worked from the surface (!) Could the more knowledgable list members tell
> me if the rope that was worked by the surface engine was the actual rope
> used for the underground haulage - or did the rope from the surface drive
> the undergound haulage drum via a transfer shaft, gears and clutch? That
> way the surface engine could run continuously, the underground haulage
> being stopped, reversed and started without recourse to signalling to the
> surface engine. Again any reference to an illustration would be helpful.
> Cheers
> Graham Isherwood
>
>
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