The Phalen coal mine in Nova Scotia has installed a new $1.5-million rope haulage system. As in most coal mines, the dip of the coal seam at the Phalen mine is so steep that engineers cannot rely entirely on the adhesion between the wheels of mine rail cars and the track they ride on for the traction necessary to haul heavy loads.
As a result, the mine has installed eight, 105-kw endless rope haulage systems. They are operating in level drifts serving a retreat mining operation. The electro-hydraulic haulage units, manufactured by Pikrose & Company of the U.K., are remotely controlled by radio from the man- riding car which hauls material- carrying cars to and from the face.
At the face, the driver can remove the radio unit and control shunting operations from beside the car. This eliminates the need of a guard during shunting operations.
Each time the distance from the face to the surface changes, slack in the rope or additional rope is taken up or paid out from a rope-storage drum on the control car. This takes about two hours compared with an entire weekend shift required by conventional rope haulage systems. — 30 —
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