The Mechanical Handling and Storing of Material

2Öo THE MECHANICAL HANDLING OF MATERIAL and thus unload the train in any position. Fig. 381 shows the method by which the doors are automatically closed after the trucks have been discharged and before they return to the mine ready to be reloaded. Fig. 382 shows a train passing a curve and the eight pairs of guide wheels which lead the rope round the curve can be clearly seen ; there Fig. 381. Arrangement for Automatically Closing Doors of Rope Haulage Trucks. .are forty such wheels to conduct the rope round the various curves. These rollers are 5 ft. in diameter, and are made of cast steel, the grooves in them being sufficiently deep for the attachment on the ropes for hauling the trucks to be accommodated. Fig. 383 shows a section through an ore pocket, also three lines of rails beneath for drawing the ore from the pocket and conveying it from there to the furnace. Fig. 382. Rope Haulage Train Negotiating a Curve. The haulage plant was erected for 1,800 trucks for over 3,000 tons of ore in ten hours. The speed of the hauling rope is 150 ft. per minute, and the length between the terminals is slightly over 1,000 yds., but it is intended to extend it to 2,000 yds. Owing to the incline of the drift, a motor of 250 H.P. was necessary. Tn the second installation the distance from the ore pockets to the blast furnace is 2,500 yds., and owing to the more level road, a motor of only 180 H.P. was necessary.