Coal was the fuel that fired the Industrial Revolution, coal was found in coal mines, and cages were needed to transport men and supplies up and down the shafts of these mines. Play the animation to operate the winding gear that moved them.
Background
In deep mines, the winding gear was used to bring the coal to the surface, as well as to allow men to reach the pit face. In addition, the cages could bring down necessary supplies and machines to the pit bottom.
Cages are normally suspended on a steel winding rope, attached to the drum of the winding engine via a pulley on the headgear (see below). The cage is normally supported underneath by cage chains - four corner chains and two safety chains.
The headgears are the iron and brick towers that stand over mine shafts. They must be able to support the cage's heavy loads, and withstand the power of gale-force winds.
On their way up and down the shaft, the cages are sometimes guided by steel ropes that are attached to the cross girders on the headgear. On each cage, there are bolted 'shoes' that surround the guide ropes and thus allow the cage to slide up and down the shaft.
Water wheels and animals were the first sources of power to drive winding drums, before being replaced by steam engines and then electric power. Winding gear can be seen at the Big Pit in Wales, and at the National Coal Mining Museum at Caphouse Colliery, West Yorkshire.
Bookmark with:
What are these?