804 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. April 28, 1916. of Service. Average length of service. Months. 6 8 10 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 36 Difficulty of Specifying for Clamp Fastenings. In regard to the use of the thimble-and-clamp fasten- ing, it was found impracticable to ■specify any minimum number of clamps or clips to be used, inasmuch as the type of clamp largely determines its efficiency; for this reason the requirement is made that the fastening develop a certain percentage of the rope strength. The operator may satisfy himself of this strength of fastening by actual test or in any way he pleases. He is, how- ever, responsible for any accident which occurs from failure of the fastening, if it be proved that the strength of the fastening was below requirements. In some mining regions it is customary to use a socket with a bridle-chain clamp attached to the rope above the socket. The use of this additional fastening increases the safety of the attachment, and is probably to be recommended, although it is not a practice suffi- ciently well established to be required in the code. Renewing Fastenings. Whether socket or clamps be used for fastening the rope, it is important that the fasenings be made anew every so often. The reasons for re-capping are given in the explanatory note to section 34. It serves to bring new parts of the rope to the points subject to maximum deterioration. A somewhat similar effect is obtained by turning the rope end for end, but reversing the rope is left optional with the operator. The question of time deterioration and the permissible life of a rope, whether in active service or not is also taken up in the note to section 34. In order to make the frequency of re-socketing -corre- spond to the severity of the service to which the ropes are put, the manufacturers’ committee has drawn up a table, to be followed after the average life of three ropes has been determined. The table, No. 5, follows :— Table 5.—Time Interval Permissible Between Re- SOCKETINGS FOR ROPES OF VAUIOUS EXPECTED TERMS Maximum time between re-socketings. Months. ........................ 1 ......................... ......................... ......................... ......................... ......................... ....... li ................ 2 ................. 2 2 3 ................ 3a .................• 4 ................. 4 4 ................. 4 Considerations. There are certain other considerations in connection with the installation and use of hoisting ropes which are worthy of attention, although for various reasons they are unsuitable for inclusion in the provisions of the code. Drums which require the rope to be wound in more than one layer cause more rapid deterioration of the rope. Such drums are often necessary, but they should be avoided when possible. A large fleet angle in con- nection with multilayer drums is also undesirable, as causing excessive rope wear. A. certain large mining company -sets a maximum of 14 degs. for this angle when the drum carries more than one layer. One rope com- pany advises a lead of at least 50 ft. from sheave to drum for each foot of drum face under such conditions. Care is necessary when a new rope is uncoiled. This cannot be done as it is with a fibre rope, since a wire rope would kink or untwist. If the wire rope is in a coil, this should be rolled along the ground, and if it is on a drum or reel, this should be mounted so as to revolve freely, and allow the rope to be pulled out. When a rope is placed in storage, it is essential that it be kept in a dry place, free from fumes of any kind, and properly protected from the weather. It is advis- able also to apply a coating of lubricant to the outside layers occasionally. The pieces comprising the connection of rope to shaft vehicle should be annealed at intervals in order to avoid “ crystallisation.” It will be noticed that’ the provisions of section 34 and the discussion of hoisting ropes up to this point appear to pertain solely to round ropes. It is true that many flat ropes are still used in this country, but they are becoming less and less common, and new reel hoists are now rarely installed. Furthermore, one of the claims made for the flat rope is its increased safety, due to the fact that its open structure renders it easy to inspect all its wires, and diminishes the chance of failure thrbugh internal corrosion. It is intended that section 34, so far as it is applicable, shall cover the use of flat ropes as well as of round, but it was felt that the inclusion of special provisions for flat ropes, or of distinctions between the two types, would greatly complicate the section, and would serve little useful purpose. For this reason the question of the installation and care of flat ropes as such has been left in abeyance. Rules for Use of Ropes. Some rules put forth by the manufacturers bearing on the instalment and maintenance of hoisting ropes are given here. Although they repeat somewhat the provisions of this code and parts of this discussion, their somewhat different and concise form may be found useful. (1) Sockets are recommended for all rope attachments; when properly made they will develop the fall strength of the rope. (2) All socket attachments should be made with zinc. (3) All wires should be thoroughly cleaned and fluxed. (4) All wires should be separated and straightened. (5) Four good seizings of iron wire should be placed on the rope, the first at a point from the end of the rope equal to the length of the socket basket. (6) The zinc should be poured when its temperature will cause a pine stick to char and ignite. (7) When the surrounding temperature is less than 50 degs. Fahr., the socket should be warmed before pouring the zinc. ' (8) At the top of the socket there is a point which is rigid 'where vibration is arrested suddenly, causing fatigue at that point. Therefore, the rope should be re-socketed every three months for a speed of 1,000 ft. per minute or less, and every two months for higher speeds. (9) When re-socketing, -about 6 ft. of rope should be cut off the end and examined for internal corrosion. This length is specified because this part of the rope is subject to the most rapid depreciation. It is advisable, since it brings another section of rope on the head sheave when the cage is stationary. (10) All new hoists should have drum capacity enough to take care of the surplus rope necessary to permit re-socketing and allow a. minimum of three laps to remain on the drum when the rope is fully out. e (11) Clips are not advisable for fastening the rope to the cage, as they do not develop the ultimate strength of the rope, and when placed incorrectly may damage the rope to a great extent. (12) Catalogue strengths are to be used in fixing the proper load capacity of "a rope. (13) The factor of safety is not to be less than 5 for vertical shafts. (14) The factor of safety is not to be less than 6 for slopes and inclines. (15) The head sheaves shall be at least 60 times the rope diameter for 6 by 19 ropes, and 90 times the rope diameter for 6 by 7 ropes. (16) All knuckle sheaves on slopes or inclines that change the direction of the rope 20 degs. or more shall have diameters as specified in article 15. SwsFnEi CxxSTEH CwtvniWFiEuO ft iRAfeX Nottingham Ru||ord Collltrj Collitrj Leicester LuT TEQWORTtl Mansfield Railway and Connections with Great Central. (17) All ropes shall be inspected daily. (18) All ropes shall be thoroughly lubricated. (19) The lubricant shall consist of oils or greases that will penetrate between the wires and the strands. The rope shall not be coated with any lubricant that hardens on the outside, as this cracks with bending over sheaves and drums, and when exposed to moisture allows the moisture to penetrate to the centre, and cause internal corrosion. (20) Head sheaves must be in perfect alignment with the slope or incline. (21) All sheaves must run true, and be kept in perfect condition. (22) All sheaves shall have grooves that support the rope for one-third of the rope diameter. (23) All metal surfaces on obstructions in contact with the rope must be eliminated. (24) On inclines and slopes the moving rope must be kept from contact with the rails and other metal unless this be impossible, when roller equipment must be installed to the best possible advantage. ______________________________ Hull Goal Exports.—The official return of the exports of coal from Hull to foreign countries for the week ended April 18, is as follows :—Alderney, 129 tons; Amsterdam, 303; Copenhagen, 50; Genoa, 8,732; Gothenburg, 3,154; Harlingen, 1,004; Leghorn, 495; Naples, 408; Rouen, 6,992; Rotterdam,, 513; Spezzia, 5,441; West Coast Africa, 900— total, 28,121 tons. Corresponding period April 1915—total, 41,509 tons. These figures do not include bunker coal, ship- ments for the British Admiralty, nor the Allies’ Governments. Labour Trouble in Norway.—A serious labour conflict is threatening Norway. Negotiations, which have lasted two months, terminated without an agreement being arrived at. As a consequence, 18,000 workmen engaged in the iron industry joined the 5,000 miners who struck in January". It is expected that the Employers’ Union will declare a lock-out as a counter-move. The fear is entertained that a further 7,000 workmen will cease work in sympathy with those who have already laid down their tcols, and that the disputes will finally result in a general strike throughout the country. The unrest is increased by the scarcity of many commodities. The cost of all necessaries of life and house rent have risen to an enormous -extent. Measures to limit the extent and duration of the present disputes are contemplated. IMPROVED FACILITIES FOR THE NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COAL TRAFFIC. THE MANSFIELD RAILWAY. Traffic facilities in the Nottinghamshire and North Midlands districts will be very materially improved by the opening of the new’ system of railways for which the Mansfield Railway Company received Parliamentary powers six years ago, and which is now practically com- pleted and ready for service at an early date. Com- mencing at Kirby Junction on the Great Central Railway Company’s main line from Sheffield to Mary- lebone, the new railway passes through the town of Mansfield, and later on forms a junction, at Clipstone, with the Chesterfield and Lincoln section of the Great Central line, which was formerly a portion of the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway. The new railway, which will be worked and maintained by the Great Central Railway Company on a basis of 60 per cent, of the gross receipts, will shorten the distance between Grimsby and London by about five miles, and also afford an alternative and more favourable route for traffic between the Humber ports and Lincoln, Nottingham, Leicester and the south, in addition to giving greatly improved access to and from Mansfield and the Nottinghamshire districts generally. The Mansfield Railway was, however, primarily .projected to develop the Nottinghamshire coal field. The Mansfield Colliery of the north Bolsover Colliery Company Limited has already attained to an annual output exceeding 1,300,000 tons, and of this approximately half a million tons per annum goes for shipment to Grimsby and Immingham. The Ruff ord Colliery, belonging to the same owners, has recently been afforded a direct connection with the new railway, and its output is • estimated at about 750,000 tons annually, and of this a considerable portion passes over the Mansfield Railway. At Clipstone a new sink- ing is being proceeded with by the Bolsover Colliery Company, and this colliery, which is being provided capable of dealing with an output of per annum, will be served exclusively Some short distance north a new pit, kno-wn as the Welbeck and this is also destined with the plant a million tons by the new railway, of Clipstone, Colliery, is being sunk, to have an annual output of ' about 800,000 to 1,000,000 tons yearly, and although this colliery will be chiefly served by the old “ Dukeries Route,” the Lancashire, Derbyshire, and East Coast ‘section of the Groat Central Railway, yet the Mansfield Railway will have a share in the distribution of the output. It is true that this particular area of Nottinghamshire has hitherto been fairly well served with .railways, for in its short length of 11 miles the Mansfield Railway crosses, or is crossed by, no fewer than six lines of railway, two Great Northern—including one not in use, but crossed by a standard bridge allowing its use at any time—and the other four Midland, whilst for most of its length it is in sight of, or only a few miles removed from, other lines, chiefly those belonging to the Midland Railway Company. However; this busy part of the Nottinghamshire coal field offers ample scope for even greater traffic development, and the Mansfield Railway will undoubtedly justify itself even without reference to the fact that it has been built primarily to assist in the development of the Bolsover Colliery Company’s work- ings. Mansfield is a busy industrial town of 40,000 people, and the centre of a district having a population of nearly 80,000 people. Between Mansfield and Clipstone Junction there are no intermediate passenger stations, but on the southern section stations are pro- vided at Sutton-in-Ashfield and Kirkby-in-Ashfield, whilst at Mansfield a commodious passenger and goods ■station has been provided. Access to the sidings serving the Mansfield Colliery is afforded in both directions. On the “ empty ” side, facing towards Mansfield ‘Station, the grade of the branch is 1 in 75, with a down grade beyond the hump at 1 in 85. On the “ full ” side the spur descends at 1 in 90 and 1 in 70 to the main lines. On the up side there is -a long siding, and this is temporarily continued to give access to the works on the new Ruff ord branch, and to connect with temporary lines across the occupa- tion bridge. The main line descends at 1 in 130 and 120 virtually all the way to Clipstone Junction, and in close proximity to the Clipstone Colliery a large area has been excavated for use in making embankments, and this will be available for further extensions to the siding accommodation. A definite beginning has been made in the construction of the branches leading to the new coal workings at Rufford and Clipstone. At the outset each of these collieries will be served by five roads, -on one side for empty wagons and on the other for full wagons, each road accommodating 80 wagons. Later on there wall ‘ bo 15 full-capacity lines in each group, giving space for 1,200 ivagons on each side. At first, the junction at Clipstone was towards Lincoln and Grimsby only, but a new western curve has now been put in, which gives equally convenient access towards Sheffield and Chesterfield. From the Rufford and Clipstone colliery junctions there will be a relief down road or running siding -through the down concentration yard up to the junction with the Chesterfield-Lincoln line. The railway is now practically completed, and will very shortly be used for both passenger and goods train service. The whole of the works were designed and executed under the direction of Mr. R. Elliott- Cooper, M.Inst.C.E., of Westminster, the resident engineer being Mr. C. B. Swan. The steelwork was supplied by Eastwood, Swingler and Company Limited, of Derby, to the order of the general contractors, Baldry, Yerburgh and Hutchinson Limited, of Westminster.