THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN

AND

JOURNAL OF THE COAL AND IRON TRADES.

Vol. CVIII.

FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1914.

No. 2792.

Electrical Winding Plant at

A comprehensive scheme of extensions and improve-
ments to the surface and underground plant and
machinery has recently been completed at the Bowdon
Close Colliery, Willington, co. Durham, belonging to
Pease and Partners Limited, Darlington. Included in
this scheme has been the substitution of an old battery
of beehive ovens by a modern installation comprising 120
Otto-Hilgenstock ovens with a direct by-product recovery
plant and a 100-ton per hour Luhrig washery having 5,000
tons capacity bunkerage. By arrangement with the
Waste Heat and Gas Electrical Generating Stations
Limited, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, a 5,000-horse power
waste heat generating station has been installed, and this
transmits current to the Cleveland and Teesside districts
at 20,000 volts. The Bowdon Close pit was sunk in the
year 1820, and the output of the colliery has recently
been increased from 800 to 1,400 tons per day, and at
the increased output it is estimated that the pit will have
a life of 75 years. The most interesting feature of the
new machinery has been the substitution of an electric-
ally driven winding engine for the steam winding engine
previously used, and, therefore, our present notice will be
confined to a description of this installation, which has
been carried out by Crompton and Company Limited, of
Chelmsford, whilst the mechanical parts of the equip-
ment were manufactured by M. B. Wild and Company
Limited, Birmingham.

The winding drum has cast iron sides, and is 8 ft.
diameter, 5 ft. wide, with flanges 3 in. deep, and there
is a brake ring cast on each side of the drum and fitted
with cast iron renewable trods 5 in. wide on tread. The
bosses of the drum are bored and keywayed to suit a
9 in. diameter shaft. A cast iron spider is keyed to the
drumshaft in the centre of the width of the drum to
which the oak lagging is bolted; the drum roll is of oak
5 in. thick. There is an emergency brake for tripping
with levers from either indicator or solenoid or by hand
lever, and a hand winch is also supplied for raising

the Bowdon Close Colliery.

cast steel machine cut double helical spur wheel, 245
teeth, 10 in. wide, 2J D.P. bored and keyed to 9 in.
diameter shaft; one forged steel pinion 39 teeth, 2| D.P.
by 10 in. wide, bored and keyed on 5| in. diameter motor
extension shaft; the whole proportioned to give a
maximum speed of about 360 revolutions per minute.

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Fig. 1.—Winding Plant, Bowdon Close Colliery.





valve to check the too sudden application of the weight.
The emergency brakes are held in the “ oS ” position by
links and trigger, the trigger being released in case of an
overwind by levers from the indicator, or in ease of failure
of current supply by a solenoid connected in the circuit,
or, if from any other cause, the emergency brake weights
may be tripped by means of the hand lever provided,
each means of tripping the brakes being rendered inde-
pendent by slotted links. A small hand hoist is provided





Fig. 2.—Winding Drum, Bowdon Close Colliery.





Fig. 3.—Winding Plant, Bowdon Close Colliery.

emergency brake weight. The drumshaft is of mild steel
9 in. diameter keywayed for drum and spur wheel, and
it has necks 9 in. diameter by 12 in. long. The motor
extension shaft is of mild steel 5| in. diameter keywayed
to receive the pinionwheel and half coupling and prepared
for bearings 5| in. diameter by 8 in. long. There are
three plummer blocks, two 8 in. diameter by 12 in. long
angular pattern, and one of the straight oil ring pattern
5| in. diameter by 8 in. long. All the steps are of best
quality gunmetal, bored and turned and fitted into bored
and faced seats and caps. The gearing, manufactured
by the Power Plant Company Limited, consists of one

The brakes are each of the post type, consisting of mild
steel rolled joists, lined with elm wood block having
adjusting rods and nuts to take up the wear at the top
and bottom, the posts being carried in heavy cast iron
soleplates. The brakes are operated by foot lever with
powerful leverage and holding down ratchet. The emer-
gency brakes act through any of the following causes :—
(1) by an emergency hand lever; (2) by the overwinding
device on the indicator; (3) by the solenoid. A weight
of about 200 lb. is attached to the brake lever. A
piston rod, which is attached to the brake lever, operates
a piston in a dashpot provided with air cock and snifting

for replacing the emergency brake weights after applica-
tion. A stop rod with a lock and key is also provided
to prevent misuse. Each side and end of the bedplate
consists of a cast iron box section girder 9 in. wide by
10 in. deep, with extension for carrying motor and
separate plate for emergency brake gear, the whole being
fitted together with machined faces and strongly bolted
together. There are levers for operating the emergency
switch from the driver’s platform and from the over-
winding device on the indicator. The bedplate is arranged
to take the motor, the brake solenoid and instrument
pillar with emergency switch being carried on the mild