Thread: Coal Pits
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Old 23-04-2016, 12:10 PM
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Re: Gin v Windlass.
I'm looking in one of my old mining books; 'Historical Review of Coal Mining 1924' which is largely devoted to explanations of mining equipment models exhibited at the Exhibition Hall at the Wembley Coal Mine.

Section VII of the Appendix is on winding, has model descriptions, and some illustrations from Galloway's earlier work, but no pics of the models themselves. A windlass here is quite a primitive device, perhaps the 1873 author is calling a Gin a Windlass in his description??


SECTION VII.-WINDING.

1.—MODEL OF WINDING BASKET. Lent by the Mining Association of Great Britain. c. 1300.
The " corfe " or winding basket in almost universal use until the introduction of the rectangular " cage," consisted of a series of hoops, with a wooden bottom, simply slung at the end of the winding rope.


2.—MODEL OF MINING WINDLASS. Lent by the Science Museum, South Kensington. Scale 1/12. c. 1300.
Before mechanical winding gear was invented the mineral was raised to bank by hand windlasses such as this model represents. The windlass consists simply of a wooden roller of oak with square iron axles at each end, supported over the shaft in brackets attached to wooden uprights and frame. The axle may be locked by a catch fitting over the square part, so that the rope will not run off by its own weight when the windlass is left unattended. A sliding board closes the mouth of the shaft when the bucket is not being drawn through.


3.—MODEL OF COG AND RUNG GIN. Lent by the Mining Association of Great Britain. c. 1650.
The Cog-and-Rung Gin succeeded the windlass as a means for raising coal.
As will be seen from the model and figure, it consisted of a horizontally mounted drum with rude spokes (" rungs ") attached at one end, these engaging with a horizontal wheel having vertical " cogs " upon it. The axle of the latter carried a long horizontal bar to which a horse was harnessed , the horse was driven in either direction round a circular track whose circumference completely surrounded shaft and gin. The rope, carrying a corfe at either end, was wrapped several times round the drum, as in the windlass. Reversal of winding was, of course, effected by driving the horse in the opposite direction.



4.—MODEL OF WHIM GIN. Lent by the Mining Association of Great Britain. c. 1680.
This form of gin was introduced in the late 17th or early 18th century, and was a considerable advance upon the cog-and-rung type.
The rope drum, being mounted on a vertical shaft, could be taken some distance away from the pit mouth, and its diameter could be increased so as to obtain faster winding. In addition, the horse track was clear of the shaft, hence the number of levers and horses could be increased without interfering with banking operations. Heavier winds from greater depths could thus be made. The winding rope was guided over pulleys at the shaft-head.




5.—MODEL OF DOUBLE-BUCKET WATER-WHEEL. Lent by the Mining Association of Great Britain. c. 1760.
The wheel used for winding during the 18th century was constructed with double buckets facing oppositely, so that
revolution could be reversed. Water was supplied to both sides of the wheel by separate flumes, each controlled by a simple sluice operated by hand levers.
The drum was arranged horizontally, with a single rope wrapped several times round it, carrying a corfe at either end. It has been recorded that one of these water whims, installed in 1777, saved the work previously done by sixteen horses and four men—a very considerable economy.


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