Sign up to join our community!
Please sign in to your account!
Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link and will create a new password via email.
Please briefly explain why you feel this question should be reported.
Please briefly explain why you feel this answer should be reported.
Please briefly explain why you feel this user should be reported.
When you refer to the “two parts of the lift that goes down a mine,” you’re likely thinking about the primary conveyances used for vertical transport within a mine shaft. In mining, this system is generally known as a **mine hoist** or **winding system**, rather than just a ‘lift’, and it’s crucial for both safety and operational efficiency.
A mine shaft hoist system, often called a winding system, is a vital piece of engineering for underground mining, facilitating the movement of people, equipment, and materials like ore. When thinking about the “two parts of the lift that goes down a mine,” you are primarily considering the conveyances themselves, which are the main components that travel vertically within the shaft. However, the entire mine hoist system comprises several interconnected moving parts to ensure safe and efficient operation.
The primary moving parts that descend into the mine shaft are the conveyances. These specialized vehicles are essential for vertical transport in mining. Firstly, there is the mine cage, which functions as a mine elevator. The mine cage is designed for safely transporting personnel, sometimes referred to as miners, as well as smaller equipment and supplies. Its secure enclosure protects occupants during their journey through the deep mine shaft. Secondly, for the bulk movement of excavated materials, the mine skip is used. This large, robust container is specifically engineered to carry heavy loads of ore, waste rock, or other bulk commodities from underground levels to the surface. These skips are integral to the production cycle of a mining operation. Additionally, many hoist systems incorporate a counterweight, which is another significant moving part that travels in the shaft, balancing the weight of the cage or skip and its load, thereby reducing the power demand on the hoisting machinery.
Connecting these conveyances to the hoisting machinery at the surface are strong wire ropes, also known as hoisting ropes. These specialized steel cables are engineered for high strength and durability, designed to withstand the immense loads and stresses of repeated lifting and lowering cycles within the mine shaft. In certain multi-rope systems, balance ropes or tail ropes might also connect the undersides of opposing conveyances, further aiding in system balance and reducing dynamic forces.
At the surface, the heart of the mine hoist system is the winder, also called the hoisting machine. This large apparatus is responsible for powering the movement of the ropes and, consequently, the conveyances. Key moving components of the winder include a powerful electric motor, which provides the driving force. This motor often transmits power through a gearbox, which adjusts speed and torque, to turn a large rotating drum or a friction sheave. Drum hoists spool the wire rope directly onto a large cylinder, while friction hoists use a sheave that relies on friction to move the ropes. Integrated into the winder are robust braking systems, which are critical safety devices. These brakes are designed to stop and hold the conveyances securely at any point within the mine shaft, preventing uncontrolled movement and ensuring the safety of all personnel and equipment.
Other associated moving parts include the various guide shoes or rollers attached to the conveyances. These components interact with the fixed shaft guides or ropes within the mine shaft, ensuring the conveyances travel smoothly and maintain their correct alignment during vertical transport, preventing sway or contact with the shaft walls. All these moving parts work in harmony, forming a complex and highly engineered mine winding system crucial for the productivity and safety of any underground mining venture.