The Mechanical Handling and Storing of Material

ROPE WA YS 281 Fig. 410. Plan and Elevation of Driving Terminal. Fig. 411. Plan and Elevation of Brake Terminal. Figs. 406, 407, and 408 illustrate a few forms of carriers used for different purposes. Fig. 409 shows plan and elevation of unloading and tension station built on the single rope system by the above-named firm. Figs. 410 and 411 give examples of Roe’s unloading stations, Fig. 410 being a terminal for driving by power, whilst Fig. 411 represents a loading terminal for a gravity driven line, showing band brake. These brake stations are also fitted with hydraulic resistance regulators to automatically govern the speed of the ropeway. Fig. 412 represents an angle station. This is at a point where the ropeway diverges slightly from a straight line. It is in use on the Mazapil Copper Co.’s ropeway in Mexico, which ropeway has a capacity of 250 tons per day of ten hours. By careful analysis of costs of stores and general renewals on various installations, these can be taken roughly at |d. per mile per ton of material carried on average lines of about 40 tons capacity, and varies incidentally with the load or capacities above or below. This cost includes rope wear, all renewals, grease, stores, etc. It is, of course, impossible to give ton-mile rates for labour and power, but it can be taken that five men are capable of working a straightforward installation of a capacity up to 60 tons per hour, and a length of 4 miles, if the material carried can be handled cheaply through bunkers and shoots without introducing any special automatic appliances. On some lines labour in operation is less, employing no more than three hands all told, in installations of up to 80 tons per hour capacity. At the present time Rope- ways, Ltd., are installing what is believed will be the longest rope- way in the world, for the Dorada Railway Extension Co. of South America. This line will have a length of 45 miles (73 km.) measur- ing the distance horizontally, but as the ground over which the line will run is exceedingly mountainous, the actual length over the trestles will greatly exceed this. The line is divided into fourteen stations, and the power required for driving it will be about 400 produced by a hydro-electric plant which is being erected on one of the local rivers. The installation is to convey general merchandise between the two towns of Mariquita and Manizales in the Republic of Colombia, South America,