THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

AND

JOURNAL OF THE COAL AND IRON TRADES.

Vol. CXII.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1916.

No. 2910.

Widening of the Upcast Shaft at Tinsley Park Colliery.*

By H. J. ATKINSON.

The upcast shaft at Tinsley Park Colliery was origi-
nally sunk to a depth of 214 yds. to the Barnsley seam
about 60 years ago, and was made 9 ft. 6 in. finished
diameter. The' lining was brickwork generally 4Jin.
thick, but in one or two weak places had been increased
to 9 in. In the years 1900-01 the shaft was further
deepened to act as the upcast for the Parkgate seam
workings at a depth of 462 yds. This lower portion was
made 15 ft. finished diameter with the probable intention
of the upper portion being widened to a similar diameter
at some future time. The centre-line used in sinking the
lower and wider portion of the shaft differed by a distance
of 1 ft. 9 in. in a north-east direction from the original
centre-line, this causing the two portions of the shaft to
be eccentric. In 1909 the shaft was further deepened
to the Silkstone seam at a depth of 548 yds., to the same
centre as the length from the Barnsley to the Parkgate
seams, and the diameter was made the same, viz., 15 ft.

The object in widening the shaft was, first, to increase
the efficiency of the underground ventilation, and,
secondly, to instal two cages and to erect a larger pair of
winding engines in order to wind the men at this shaft,
thereby reserving the downcast for coal turning alone.

Surface Preparations.

Work was commenced in March 1914, and the whole
of the shaft top was enlarged. The new top was built of
concrete and brickwork, and was practically constructed
around the old shaft top which was afterwards taken
down. The old headgear above the shaft top was
retained as the temporary headgear during the process of
widening, and was fitted with two extra pulleys for the
bricking scaffold ropes.

Widening Operations.

The actual widening was commenced in June 1914,
and a general idea of how the bricking and widening
operations were carried out will be seen from figs. 1 and
2. During the widening or excavating of the sides the
sinkers were protected by a vertical steel shield, the out-
side diameter of which was 9 ft. (thus allowing it to pass
easily through the brickwork of the 9 ft. 6 in. shaft), and
the depth 9 ft. A recess 1 ft. deep by 9 in. wide was
formed in the shield to pass the Barnsley haulage rope,
and holes were made to hold two 3 by 3 in. channel irons
6 ft. long.

The shield was suspended by two ropes passing over
the 2 ft. 6 in. pulleys in the headgear to a twin-drum
temporary capstan winch. Two 2-ton chain blocks were
used between the ropes and the tube shackles, to allow
the shield to be moved as required without having to
use the capstan on every occasion.

In certain places the old brickwork had become dis-
torted to such an extent that the shield did not suffi-
ciently protect the opening. In these places 3-inch deal
boards fitted with a hook were hung from the top of the
shield where required, so as to fill up the opening caused
by the distortion.

The excavating was carried out by the men standing
on bhe circular shelf or ledge and filling the debris
through the open sides of the cage into the tub. The top
of the shield was generally kept about 3 ft. above the level
of the excavating, as this was found to afford sufficient
safety for the sinkers and also allowed of the dirt being
filled into the tub without much difficulty. The dirt
falling into the shaft sump was cleaned out at frequent
intervals. Stretchers were fixed across the widened
shaft at intervals of about 20 yds. to replace the haulage
rope boxes taken out of the old shaft. The rope was
passed through staples fixed in these stretchers, and
served to prevent it swinging about until it could be again
boxed in at the new shaft side.

Bricking Operations.

The bricking scaffold was 14ft. Sin. diameter, and was
suspended in the shaft by | inch bull chains from four
shackles. An opening was left in the scaffold, in order
that the chair should be free to pass through at any time.
It being impracticable to use a hoppit or “ bowk,” the
debris was filled into a pit corve run on to the chair.

Hand-rails were fixed around the opening in the
scaffold, and an opening, protected by two movable bars,
was left at the front to facilitate the emptying of the
bricks, mortar, etc., sent down the shaft. Hand-rails
were also stretched across the bull-chains of the cage,
and the sinkers were allowed to ride on top of bhe chair.

When the necessary depth had been widened and a
crib put in ready for a length of bricking, the shield was
lowered by means of the chain blocks until the channel
irons rested upon the shelf of the excavation. The ropes
were detached and drawn up to the bricking scaffold,

* From a paper read before the Midland Institute of
Mining, Civil and Mechanical Engineers.

where they were made fast to the scaffold chains. The
chain blocks were taken out of the shaft to be cleaned
and overhauled ready for use during the next length of
widening. The bolts previously supporting the scaffold
were then drawn out of the holes in the brickwork, and
■the scaffold was lowered to the bricking level. The
materials, bricks, mortar, etc., were lowered in a pit
corve on the chair.

When the length of bricking had been completed and
the capstan ropes were required for supporting the shield
during the widening of the next length, the bolts were
knocked out into holes left in the brickwork for that
purpose, thus allowing the capstan ropes to be detached
and lowered to bhe shield, where they were then made
fast, the next length of widening being carried out as
previously described.

By this system of supporting both the widening shield
and the scaffold in the shaft independently of the ropes,
it was found possible to carry on the work without having
to take them to the surface every time a length of either
widening or bricking was completed.

A difficulty arose owing to the difference in the centres
of the two portions of the shaft. The pulleys for the
capstan ropes were fixed along the centre line of the

Fig. 1.—Section of Shaft Showing Bricking
Scaffold in Use.

*

le

□

4

Fig. 2.—Section of Shaft Showing Position
of Shield during Widening.

15 ft. shaft so that the scaffold would hang freely in the
new brickwork. As will be obvious from fig. 2, when
the ropes were attached to the shield, it would not hang
freely in the smaller shaft, but would tend to swing
towards the new centre line. This difficulty was over-
come by passing the winch ropes through bhe chair
opening in the bricking scaffold, thus causing the shield
to hang correctly in the 9 ft. 6 in. brickwork, but necessi-
tating it always being raised or lowered by the chain
blocks. When paying out more rope the shield was
lowered on to the channel irons so that the ropes should
not bind on the sides of the scaffold opening. When
sufficient rope had been lowered the capstan winch was
stopped and the drums fastened, and the blocks were
pulled up until they took the weight of the shield again,
being lowered out as the “ shelf ” or ledge of the widen-
ing proceeded.

Dumb Drift.

During the widening an interesting relic of old venti-
lating practice was found at the Thin coal level at a
depth of 80 yds. This was a furnace chimney in the side
of the shaft, extending to a distance of 10 yds. above the
old landing level, before again entering the shaft. The
chimney was at right angles to the old pit bottom; it

was circular in shape, and of a diameter of 2ft. 6in.,
being situated about 3 ft. away from the shaft side, and
was lined with a single course of brickwork. Apparently
it had been formed to carry the smoke and heat of the
ventilating furnace into the shaft at a distance above the
inset, so as not to inconvenience the men working at the
shaft landing.

Temporary Scaffold.

Below the Barnsley level bhe shaft gradually “ belled”
out to the 15 ft. diameter in a distance of about 30 yds.
It was found necessary to take out this ground to the
first permanent crib of the old brickwork. A temporary
scaffold was required to finish the last 15 or 20 yds. of
excavating, as the “ ledge ” afforded insufficient support
for the sinkers to work upon. This scaffold was made
very similar to the bricking scaffold, but was not fitted
with the bolts, etc., and the diameter was only 13ft.

Buntings were fixed every 6 ft. for this last portion
of widening. The scaffold was then supported on these,
and deals were fixed across the buntings as an additional
support for the sinkers.

Tubbing.

At the High Hazel Level about 10 yds. of cast iron
tubbing was taken out of the old shaft. No considerable
amount of water pressure, however, was found, and it
was decided not to insert tubbing in the new shaft, but
to increase the thickness of the brickwork to 18 in., and
to fill in with concrete between the shaft sides and the
brickwork. Cement mortar was used for this length of
bricking, and proved quite satisfactory and perfectly
water-tight.

Securing the Shaft Before Bricking.

The securing of the shaft sides before bricking was
done by means of backing deals 4 ft. long and 1 in. thick,
held in position by wrought iron rings 4 in. deep and
J in. thick, there being six segments to each ring, bolted
together by four |in. bolts. The rings were supported
by wrought iron hanging rods, bent at the top and
bottom to hold the rings. The bricking cribs were about
35 yds. apart, all on strong ground, and with the excep-
tion of the first (which was made of oak) they were of
cast iron, 14 in. wide and 4 in. deep. They were all
designed to act as water garlands.

Insets.

Landing insets were left at each of the three seams
passed through, the Kents Thin, High Hazel, and Barns-
ley seams. The brickwork was increased to 14 in., and
openings were left 6 ft. wide and 8 ft. high.

Blasting Operations.

The shot holes were put in as shown in fig. 2, and were
drilled to a depth of 3 ft. About 13 or 14 were put in at
intervals round the shaft, and as near the sides as
possible. Two Hardy Patent Pick Company’s com-
pressed air drills were used for this purpose, working at
an air pressure of 601b. per square inch, and the explo-
sives used were of the permitted type. The shots were
fired from the surface by means of a magneto shot-firing
apparatus, two shots being the maximum number fired
at once. The compressed air was taken down the side
of the shaft by a range of 2 in. pipes, a Y pipe being
fitted at the bottom of the range with flanges to receive
the lengths of flexible hose necessary to convey the air
to the two drills used.

Lighting.

The shaft was lighted during the work by two 250 volt
16 candle-power enclosed electric lamps. They were
suspended from the surface by two small pulleys fixed
in the headgear, armoured cables being taken from small
cable drums, over the pulleys and down to the lamps.
By these means the lamps could easily be raised or
lowered, all that was necessary being to break the
“bottle” connection at the sides of the drums, wind the
cable in or out as required, and then couple up the cables
again by making the connection. This was a neces-
sary condition, especially when blasting was to take
place. In addition, the sinkers were each supplied with
a “ Ceag ” electric safety lamp.

Water.

Comparatively little water was encountered during the
widening, although surface water was found to incon-
venience the sinkers to some extent during the first
30 or 40 yds., as, owing to the high velocity of the air in
the shaft, the water was blown on to the men with con-
siderable force, wetting them through in a very short
time.

A considerable difficulty was experienced in the upper
portion of the shaft during bricking operations, owing to
the brick dust being blown into the men’s eyes; but this
was overcome by supplying the sinkers with motor
goggles.

The ventilation was not affected by any appreciable
amount during the whole process of the work. Only one
accident (and that a slight one) was reported.

Rate of Progress.

The average rate of sinking was about 10 yds. per
week of 11 eight hour shifts. The average total rate of