Chapter 5.
Mine Hoists
l NTRODUCTION
The mine hoisting equipment that is selected and
installed at a mine is for the lifetime of the mine
and, therefore, it is extremely important that a proper
choice be made.
Several types of mine hoist designs, including
double drum hoists, single drum hoists, friction hoists,
and various special designs of these, are available to-
day. Each has advantages and disadvantages and they
should only be used in suitable applications.
Drive systems for mine hoists must be evaluated
together with the mechanical systems for each hoist
application. It does not make sense to properly select
the hoist mechanical system and then choose a drive
system that turns out to be a bottleneck.
MINE HOIST TYPES
There are two basic types of mine hoists available
in the world today: the drum hoist, on which the hoist
rope is actually stored during the hoisting cycle, and
the friction (Koepe) hoist, which merely passes the rope
over the wheel during the hoisting process.
Drum Hoists
Single Drum Hoist: A single drum hoist (shown
diagrammatically in Fig. 1 ) can be used as a service
or production hoist with the cage or skip in balance
with a counterweight (Figs. 2 and 3 ) . It can efficiently
service one or more levels, since the location of the
counterweight at any time is not important. As a pro-
duction hoist with skips in balance, the single drum
hoist is best used for single level hoisting. All rope
adjustments for proper spotting must be done manually
for the single drum hoist. This has to be done periodi-
cally to compensate for rope stretch.
A variation of the single drum hoist is the divided
drum hoist. If multilayer winding is necessary, the
single drum hoist must have a divider to allow a sep-
arate compartment for each rope. If a counterweight
is used with a divided drum application, the counter-
Fig. 1. Diagrammatic representa-
tion of a single-drum hoist.
weight rope can be wound on a smaller diameter (Fig.
4). Consequently, it moves a lesser distance than the
main conveyance and rope adjustment problems are re-
duced.
Double Drum Hoist: A double drum hoist in oper-
ation is shown in Fig. 5.
Double Drum Hoist With One Drum Clutched: As
a service hoist with cage and counterweight, a double
drum hoist with one drum clutched (Fig. 6) can serve
several levels efficiently. The advantage of having the
clutched drum is that it allows rapid adjustment of ropes
due to initial stretch. Some users may prefer the single
drum hoist with manual rope adjustment, while others
consider the added expense of the second drum and
clutch is justified to make rope adjustments quickly.
The value of this feature for a particular application
should be discussed with the hoist manufacturer. As
a production hoist with skips in balance for a multi-
level operation, the clutch can be adjusted for efficient
hoisting from any level.
Double Drum Hoists with Both Drums Clutched:
There are also double drum hoists that have both drums
clutched (Fig. 7). The main advantage claimed for this
type of hoist is that if something happens in one of
the two compartments, the hoist can operate in the
other compartment to raise and lower men and sup-
plies. This feature is particularly favorable if there is
only one shaft entrance to the mine.
Multiple Drum Hoist: The multiple drum hoist, a
South African innovation, is a type of drum hoist about
which everyone should be aware. Basically, it uses two
hoist ropes per conveyance which at great depths per-
mits use of smaller ropes and smaller drums. There
are none in use in the United States today. However,
they should be considered in very deep mines.
Friction (Koepe) Hoists
This hoist (Fig. 8 ) was introduced to the mining
world by Frederick Koepe in 1877. The basic prin-
ciple of the friction hoist is that the hoist rope passing
1390 UNDERGROUND MINING METHODS HANDBOOK

production and the deeper the shafts, the greater is the

difference. For a shallow shaft and/or heavy un-
balanced loads, the drum hoist has the advantage, since
it is difficult to maintain the proper TI:T, tension ration
with a friction hoist.
Electrical Systems
In most cases, the horsepower requirements and,
therefore, the cost for the friction hoist electrical sys-
tems are less than for the drum hoist. This is particu-
larly true of deep shafts with high capacities.
Peak power requirements are less for a Koepe wheel,
due mainly to the balanced tail rope. Tail ropes can
also be used to considerably reduce the peak require-
ments on drum hoists, but because of the difference in
the rotating masses the Koepe wheel cannot be equalled.
The magnitude of this peak power advantage of the
Koepe hoist will depend on the local power supply and
power contract.
Ropes
There has been much discussion in regard to the
size of ropes that should be used on these two types
of hoists. The majority favors a larger factor of safety
on the Koepe wheel, because the ends of the rope can-
not be reshackled periodically for inspection. Factors
of safety recommended by various countries, govern-
mental groups, and rope experts vary considerably for
both types of hoists. In general the required factor of
Fig. 10. Multirope Koepe wheel. safety is higher on a friction hoist.
A cost comparison would show that costs for the
APPLICATION AIDS REGARDING DRUM AND friction wheel ropes would be higher than the drum hoist
FRICTION HOIST DECISIONS and can be twice as high. This initial cost difference
Skip Selection is, however, a small percentage of the total hoist and
electric system cost. The shaft conditions and local
The use of bigger skips for any given tonnage re-
sults in lower rope speeds and indirectly lower energy
consumption per ton hoisted. Therefore, it usually is For a given depth and capacity
advantageous to hoist the largest skip load possible at there is an optimum load
the lowest possible rope speed. Optimum load for a
given depth and capacity is shown in Fig. 11.
The minimum required safety factor on the rope is
the limiting factor when hoisting large skip loads. Since
a conventional drum hoist has only one hoisting rope,
this rope must have a high enough breaking strength
to meet the safety-factor requirement. As a conse-
quence, this means a large rope for large skip loads and
more suspended rope weight to be hoisted. Because en-
ergy must be expended in raising this additional rope
weight, the energy consumption per ton of ore hoisted
is greater than with a friction hoist.
On an equal hourly tonnage capacity basis a multiple
rope friction hoist using several small diameter ropes
can hoist loads equal to or greater than those hoisted
by a drum hoist.
Hoist Mounting
Friction hoists can be either tower-mounted or
ground-mounted like a conventional drum hoist. In a
tower-mounted arrangement, it may be necessary to use
deflection sheaves to bring the ropes back to the skip
centers. With a ground-mounted arrangement, the head
sheaves are set up to coincide with the skip centers.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Mechanical Systems
SKIP LOAD
In most cases, the mechanical system of a friction
hoist will cost less than the drum hoist. The larger the Fig. 11. Optimum load for a given depth and capacity.
 ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT
restrictions would determine what effect this difference
would have on operating costs.
One point of great concern on multirope friction
hoists is the equalization of load between the ropes.
There have been lengthy investigations into this prob-
lem, resulting in the development of various types of
equalizers, some of which are quite complicated and
costly. There are many multirope systems working
quite satisfactorily, some with and some without
equalizers.
Conclusions
Under a given set of conditions, it is not too dif-
ficult to compare the mechanical and electrical systems
of a Koepe and a drum hoist. However, the comparison
should not end there but should also include an eval-
uation of all aspects of the hoisting plans affected by
each system. After the user has reviewed the pros and
cons of the two systems, he must apply his particular
set of values and then a decision can be made.
General statements claiming that one system is bet-
ter than the other for all conditions of depth, speed, and
load are impossible.
Koepe friction hoisting has definitely found a place
in the American mining industry and is particularly
suited for deep, high capacity shafts. For a given con-
dition, both the Koepe and drum system should receive
due consideration until an objective choice can be made.
TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN SELECTION
A HOISTING SYSTEM
Mine hoists are made up of three very sophisticated
systems: mechanical, electrical, and shaft. Each is an
independent system designed to produce a given result.
All three, however, interface at given points and all
contribute to the one common goal-to bring rock
from beneath the surface.
Within each system are many components, each of
which will be discussed in detail. It is because of the
interaction and interfacing of one system with one or
two others that each system and its components must
be studied (including the effect one system and its
components has on the others).
Mine Hoist Ropes and Rope Safety Factors
The hoist rope is the most important component of
the mechanical system (Fig. 12). There are three basic
types of hoisting ropes: round strand, flattened strand,
and locked coil, the difference being in their internal
construction, weight per foot, and breaking strength
(Table 1) . Drum diameter to rope diameter ratio should
be 80: 1 or greater when using round strand or flattened
strand ropes. When using locked coil rope, 100: 1 Dld
ratio should be used.
The safety factor is the single most important con-
sideration when selecting a rope. Most states have
some sort of minimum safety-factor requirement for
hoist ropes. This may be a requirement of either the
state industrial commission for elevator codes or a state
department of mines, depending on who has jurisdiction
over the equipment. When hoisting men, it is the risk
to human life that must take precedence (Table 2).
Round Strand Ropes: Round strand ropes are the
most widely used and versatile hoist ropes. Addition-
ally, they are the most economical. Round strand ropes
should be considered only for drum hoists, as the rope
Locked C o Non-rolal~ngTali bull Lock Hall Lock
Ho1511ngRope Or Balance Rope Shall Gutae Rope Shall Guide Rope
Safety Factors KI Kz
by Rope T Y D ~
Round strand 41.8 0.00084
Flattened strand 46.0 0.00090
Locked coil 61.6 0.00122
Fig. 12. Various types of wire rope used in hoisting.
construction will tend to cut up the friction material
at too fast a rate so that replacement becomes a regular
maintenance item.
Another consideration limiting the use of round
strand rope to drum hoists is that the additional sur-
face area of wires in the flattened strand rope is im-
portant in providing adequate frictional contact between
the rope wire and the friction material.
Flattened Strand Ropes: Flattened strand ropes, as
the name implies, are stranded ropes with strands whose
individual wires give the strand a "flattened" look. Be-
cause a greater number of wires are exposed to external
friction and movement, flattened strand ropes generally
show significantly less wear than the equivalent sized
round strand rope.
Individual strands have triangular sections, which
accounts for the greater wear area per strand. Abrasion
resistance in flattened strand ropes is excellent. Other
than construction and wire count per strand, flattened
strand ropes are similar in operating characteristics to
round strand ropes.
Hoist Drives
A-C Drives: Conventional-The wound rotor motor
with contactors is the old standby for manual hoists.
Today there is little demand for this type of drive,
since it is basically a single-speed drive and cannot be
automated very easily.
Cyclo-Convertor-It is basically a direct drive (a-c)
slow speed motor. The speed is controlled by varying
the cycles of the a-c voltage; hence the term cyclo-
convertor. This type of drive is not competitive in price
unless the horsepower is up around 5.2 to 7.5 MW
(7,000 to 10,000 hp). This may prove to be the drive
for the large, high horsepower hoists that are expected
to be seen in the future.
Static A-C Drive-The static a-c drive is fairly new
and limited to small horsepowers at this time. This
drive system uses an a-c wound rotor motor with
silicone-controlled rectifiers (SCRs) to control the ef-
 1392 UNDERGROLIND MIN1N.G METHODS HANDBOOK

Table 1. General Wlre Rope Data*

Round Strand, Flattened Strand,
6 x 19 Class 6 x 27 Type H, Locked Coil,
Improved Plow Steel 6 x 30 Type G lmproved Plow Steel
Breaking Strength Breaking Strength
in Tons of 2000 Ib in Tons of 2000 Ib
Breaking
Weight, Weight Weight, Strength
Diam, Lb per Lb per Lb per in Tons of
In. Ft Normal High-Strength Ft Normal High-Strength Ft 2000 Lb

% 0.95 23.8 26.2 1.O1 26.2 28.8 1.37 35.0

7/e 1.29 32.2 35.4 1.39 35.4 39.0 1.87 46.0
1 1.68 41.8 46.0 1.80 46.0 50.6 2.43 61.6
1r/, 2.13 52.6 57.9 2.28 57.9 63.7 3.30 76.1
1% 2.63 64.6 71.O 2.81 71.O 78.1 3.75 92.0
1% 3.18 77.7 85.4 3.40 85.5 94.0 4.78 115.0
1% 3.78 g.O 101 4.05 101.O 111.0 5.65 135.0
1% 4.44 107 118 4.75 118 130 6.88 155
1% 5.15 124 136 5.51 136 150 7.56 182
1'/e 5.91 141 155 6.33 176 191 9.00 212
2 6.72 160 176 7.20 215 9.77 240
2% 7.59 179 197 8.13 240
2% 8.51 200 220 9.10
'As there are many different rope grades, please consult the wire rope manufacturers for additional information.
Metric equivalents: in. x 25.4 = mm; Ib per ft x 14.5939 = N/m; st (2000 Ib) x 0.907 184 7 = t.

fective voltage to the motor. This provides an adjust-
able speed drive similar to a d-c drive.
D-C Drives: The d-c (direct current) drive com-
prises the largest portion of drive systems used on mine
hoists today. A d-c drive provides an adjustable speed
drive and permits controlling the hoist in a manual mode
or an automatic mode.
Motor Generator Set (MGfiThe use of a motor-
generator set has been the normal procedure for con-
verting a-c power to dc. It consists of an a-c motor
driving a d-c generator. The d-c generator supplies
power to the d-c motor used to drive the hoists.
Static Conversion-Static conversion consists of us-
ing SCRs to convert incoming a-c power into d-c power,
which in turn is used to drive the mine hoist motor.
The use of SCRs eliminates the large rotating equip-
ment required in the case of the MG set conversion.
While the SCR is the normal type of conversion method
used on today's d-c driven mine hoist, one should still
consider the use of MG sets before deciding on the type
of unit to be used in a particular application. As the
chart in Table 3 indicates, there are advantages and dis-
advantages to both types of conversion methods.
Hydraulic Drives: A hydraulic drive has an adjust-
able speed, is compact, and costs only about 75% of the
price of a d-c drive. It does have the limitation that
the life of the hydraulic components is less than elec-
trical components and in general one is limited to 224
k W (300 hp) or less, although there are ways of pro-
viding higher horsepowers.
There are various types of drive arrangements, ( 1)
low speed high torque motors direct coupled to the
hoist to eliminate gearing, (2) high speed motors con-
nected through a speed reducer, and (3) hydrostatic
drives similar to the automatic transmission in your car.
All of these rely on hydraulic pressure being supplied
by a pressure unit driven by a single-speed prime mover.
These hydraulic drives are used on small escape-
type hoists and also on small service or slope hoists.
They provide an adjustable speed drive at a relatively
moderate price.
Clutches
The clutch on a hoist is the device that actually.
transfers the motor torque to the drum. Clutches in the
past were usually "friction" units which relied on the

Standards tor Drum and F r i c t h Hoists

Table 2. Safety Factors for Drum Holstlng Ropes 10
(When Handllng Men)
9

Min. Factor of Min. actor of

Length of Rope Safety Safety When Rope g
In Shaft, Ft' New Rope Must be Discarded $ 7

500 or less 8 j 6
n t h American Koepe
500 to 1000 7 5
1000 to 2000 6
4
2000 to 3000 5 USA Drum. Step CUNe is
minimum allarance when men
3000 and over 4 3 arc beinghearted.

'Metric equivalent: ft x 0.3048 = m. o m m

l o Im zaa 2
m wm 3 m mo 4
m wm
~ c m hn,
 ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT
Table 3. Comparison of Conversion Methods
MG Set
Advantages:
Cheaper in large ratings
Contributes to power factor
improvement-leading p.f. with
synchronous motor
Conventional maintenance techniques
Disadvantages:
No load loses
Heavier than static
Special foundation and alignment
required
Bearing and brush maintenance
required
friction developed in the clutch spider (attached in
some manner to the drum) to drive the hoist. Clutches
operating on the friction principle had two very obvious
disadvantages, the first being wear of the friction ma-
terial in normal operation, and the second being that
the maximum torque rating of the clutch was depen-
dent on the coefficient of friction of the friction material.
By and large, hoists are no longer designed using
friction as the driving agent. Today, the "positive en-
gagement" tooth clutch is used. This clutch incorpo-
rates an inner clutch ring which has teeth machined
into its periphery parallel to the axis of the drum shaft.
The clutch ring is firmly bolted to the drum to insure
100% contact of the bolt between clutch ring and drum
flange.
The clutch spider now has "arms" (2, 3, or 4)
located perpendicular to the drum shaft axis. These
arms have teeth machined into their faces which are
parallel to the axis of the drum shaft. The clutch spider
is hydraulically shifted parallel to the axis of the drum
shaft to engage the matching teeth on the clutch ring.
Since the clutch ring has teeth cut around its entire
periphery, the spider can engage the clutch ring at any
point.
During the operation of clutching and unclutching,
the rope and the attached conveyance tend to make the
clutched drum rotate. If the clutch were totally dis-
engaged from the clutched drum, rope and conveyance
would unwind from the clutched drum and end up
at the shaft bottom. Hence, the hoist mechanical brake
always is electrically and mechanically set on the
clutched drum before the clutch spider can be moved
and the clutch disengaged.
For this reason, on a clutched double drum hoist,
the brake should be sized to hold the full weight of
the hoist rope (full shaft depth) plus the loaded con-
veyance at the end of it. The clutch also is sized to
the same requirement.
Mine Hoist Brakes
The hoist brakes are probably the most important
part of hoist design. The main types of brakes are the
jaw, parallel motion, and disk types, and these all have
variations. It is important with any brake system that
the braking surfaces apply a uniform pressure or mo-
tion to the brake ring.
Static
Advantages
High efficiency, up to 98%
Very low idling losses
No foundation or pit required
Minimum installation cost and time
Cheaper in small ratings
Contributes no fault currents to a-c
power system
Disadvantages:
Poor power factor at reduced speed
Efficiency and power factor reduced by
allowances for voltage drop
Power factor always lagging
Harmonic current generation may inter-
fere with mine communications
Brake Control and Safety: There are various brake
control schemes using either air or hydraulic fluid as
the control medium.
One system uses a cylinder which raises or lowers
a weight on the brake lever. Either oil or air can be
used in the cylinder. Air is generally used in this sort of
system when the brakes are only required to be "on" or
"off." It is applied on one side of the piston only.
Controlled braking (because of air compressibility)
requires air pressure on both sides of the piston or
some sort of auxiliary hydraulic mechanism.
Available braking schemes are : ( 1 ) gravity primed,
gravity applied, pressure released; (2) pressure primed,
pressure applied, pressure released with gravity backup;
and (3) spring applied, pressure released. These sys-
tems fulfill the necessary braking requirements and have
been used on hoists.
Emergency Braking: Deceleration rates on the cage
are different from those measured at the hoist drum.
The differences are due to the elastic nature of the wire
rope. The so-called yo-yo effect occurs when the mine
hoist is stopped and the cage yo-yos up and down
until it finally settles to a stop. The deceleration rates
on the cage can vary from being basically the same as
that measured at the drum to twice that measured at
the drum. Therefore, whenever one is measuring the
rate at the drum, it should be kept in mind that the
cage rate is not the same. One must use a decelerometer
on the conveyance to measure the deceleration rate in
the conveyance itself. While in past designs various
types of mine hoists emergency braking arrangements
have been tried, they were basically flow control de-
vices which were not sensitive to speed, shaft location,
etc. The higher speed hoists in today's deep shafts
basically employ a speed feedback signal fed into a
deceleration control device which in turn monitors the
speed of the hoist vs. the desired speed during the
emergency braking condition. The governor then either
applies the brake as required or releases it as required
in order to meet a predetermined deceleration rate.
Drum Grooving
There are four types of drum grooving-helical,
parallel, counterbalance, and antisynchronous (Fig. 13).
Helical Grooving: This type of grooving is a con-
tinuous spiral, giving very smooth winding with a single
1394 UNDERGROUND MINING METHODS HANDBOOK
Drum Grooving
Helical Grooving Counterblow Grooving
Porollel Grooving
(single crossover1
Fig. 13. Different types of grooving.
layer of rope. It has also been used with multilayer
windings.
Parallel Grooving: This is made up of individual
grooves evenly spaced over the drum width. This type of
grooving is used for single layer winding. It is never
used for multilayer winding because the wire rope must
cross the crest of the groove to get from one groove to
the next. This type of grooving is no longer recom-
mended for new drums.
Counterbalance (Lebus) Grooving: This is a com-
bination of parallel and helical grooving. The counter-
balance groove travels parallel for one-half turn of the
drum and then pitches over just one-half of the groove
width. It continues parallel for the other half turn of
the drum and then pitches over the other half of the
groove width. In multilayer winding with this type of
groove, the rope pitches over just half as much at the
crossover points as it does with multilayer winding on
helical and parallel grooves.
Antisynchronous Grooving: There is another type of
counterbalance grooving called antisynchronous cross-
over grooving, where the crossover points are 2.6 and
3.7 rad (150" and 210") apart rather than 3.1 rad
(180°), or some other combination adding up to 360'.
Antisynchronous grooving is used basically to keep the
wire rope from being set up in a harmonic condition.
Such a buildup of harmonics in the rope can occur due
to the crossover point location and a particular speed,
load rope, rope size, and installation configuration.
Gearing
The transmission of mechanical power from motor
to hoist drum is best accomplished through the use of
a coupling-connected single or multiple step helical gear
reduction. The design of a gear drive for any particular
installation is dependent upon these conditions: (1) size,
type, speed, location, and number of motors; (2) size,
type, speed, torque requirement, and location of hoist;
(3) type of operating cycle; and (4) any physical
restrictions.
Smaller hoists generally employ a parallel shaft
speed reducer, coupling-connected to the motor and to
the hoist drum shaft. The reducer contains high pre-
cision helical gearing and antifriction bearings totally
enclosed in a fabricated steel housing.
The vast majority of the larger mine hoists utilize a
single or double reduction set of gears designed specifi-
cally for each installation. The number of reductions is
based on the most economical motor drive package,
with double reduction gearing generally employed at ra-
tios higher than 12: 1. Further, most hoist drives have
open gear sets enclosed in gear guards.
The number of motors varies with the horsepower
required. When the gear size for one motor becomes
excessive, two motors are used. At horsepowers higher
than 1.1 MW ( 1500), a dual motor drive should be con-
sidered. The main gear is then driven by two pinions.
More elaborate motor control must be used with dual
drives to insure equal load sharing between the two
meshes.
The main, or "bull," gear is of the hub type with
both the rim and hub split for ease of assembly. The
gear is keyed to the hoist drive shaft: Gear material is
a good quality casting of medium carbon or chrome
nickel moly alloy cast steel with the physical properties
necessary to obtain proper horsepower rating.
Pinions are heat-treated alloy steel forgings with
teeth normally cut integral with the shaft. In single re-
duction gear sets, the pinion is coupling-connected di-
rectly to the motor, while in double reduction gear sets,
the high-speed gear is mounted directly on the low-speed
pinion shaft. This gear then is driven by a high-speed
pinion coupling-connected to the motor.
Any gearing external to a commercial speed reducer
is supported in pillow blocks of the self-aligning, oil-
lubricated spherical roller type.
A herringbone tooth configuration generally is pre-
ferred. Single helical gears have been used, however,
with appropriate bearings and supporting structure to
absorb the thrust created by the single helical principle.
Both herringbone and single helical gears are far su-
perior to the traditional spur gears. Some of the ad-
vantages of the helical gears over spur gears are: ( 1) an
increase in physical contact length of approximately
35% for gears of like proportions, ( 2 ) lower dynamic
loading arising from the improved character of engage-
ment, and (3) an increase in strength arising from the
fact that a minimum of two teeth continuously share the
load in helicals as contrasted to single-tooth loading in
spurs. Because of these advantages, helical gears are
smoother running, quieter, and longer lasting.
Regardless of the complexity of a hoist drive and of
the number of rotating elements in any particular de-
sign, proper alignment of the elements is of great im-
portance. Initial alignment should be performed by
qualified personnel with consultation from the gear
manufacturers. The amount of backlash required for
a single mesh cannot be stated categorically, as this
varies with the diametral pitch, center distance, and the
difference between the highest operating temperature at
the time of installation. Improper alignment or the ab-
sence of the correct amount of backlash will result in
an initial wear pattern which, unless corrected, even-
tually will lead to premature failure of the gear teeth.
Horsepower ratings are calculated using recom-
mended standards established by the American Gear
Manufacturers' Association (AGMA) . Current stan-
dards for surface durability rating (resistance to pitting)
is AGMA 321.05. Strength horsepower is currently
rated as AGMA 321.05 with a modifying factor in-
 ANCILLARY EQLI IPMENT
cluded in the rating equation which should be used to
determine gear sizes for reversing duty.
Finally, to complete the drive, the usual motor-to-
pinion connection is a torsionally resilient coupling. This
coupling is favored because of its ability to increase the
torsional flexibility of the system, thereby minimizing
the effect of transient loads. The coupling must permit
limited end float and be capable of accepting both angu-
lar and parallel misalignment.
Bearings
Because of the number of moving parts in a mine
hoisting system-i.e., hoist drum shaft, pinions, and
head sheaves-proper bearing selection for these com-
ponents becomes extremely critical.
In the past, bearings for the hoist drum shaft,
pinions, and head sheaves usually were babbitted sleeve
bearings. In principle, sleeve bearings are the perfect
type of bearing because the rotating member is sup-
ported on an oil film, never allowing metal-to-metal con-
tact. In practice, the results are somewhat less than
perfect.
The application of spherical roller bearings to mine
hoisting systems was an innovation that, to some degree,
revolutionized hoist and head sheave design.
Usual bearing ratings on mine hoists are in the range
of 300,000 hr B-10 life. In most cases, the high life
hour rating is due to shaft size, which is required to keep
deflections to a minimum.
Fleet Angle
The limitation of the fleet angle to 0.026 rad (1.5")
reflects rope wear and rope winding considerations. If
the fleet angle exceeds 0.026 rad (1.S0), there is a
tendency for the rope to jump its groove or, at mini-
mum, to abrade the rope in the next groove. For
maintaining fleet angles under 0.026 rad (1.5") the op-
timum position for the head sheave with respect to the
hoist drum is directly on the centerline of the drum per-
pendicular to the longitudinal drum axis. This way, the
fleet angle between the rope and drum are equal in both
directions. In general, the head sheave will be mounted
to one side of the hoist drum centerline because one side
of the drum face will have stored on it all the dead and
cutting turns. In this case, when positioning the head
sheave with respect to the hoist drum, divide the dis-
tance of the drum face over which "active" rope is
wound and position the head sheave on the centerline
of the middle of the active drum face.
The turnback angles must be checked to see that
they do not go to less than 30' because the rope will have
a tendency to pile up on itself if the turnback angle is
too small.
Drum Diameter and Drum Face Width
Once the skip load and rope have been determined,
it is an easy process to determine drum diameter. Based
on a minimum D l d ratio of 80: 1 for stranded type rope
and 100:l for locked coil rope, the drum diameter is
obtained by multiplying the D / d ratio by the rope
diameter.
To select the required drum face width, the two fol-
lowing equations should be used.
Face width (in inches) for single drum hoist (bal-
anced hoisting, single layer winding),
S X Depth
7rD
+ 15s
where S is groove pitch normally taken at 1.05 X rope
diameter (d) and D is drum diameter.
Face width (in inches) for double drum hoist (single
layer winding)
S X Depth
mD
+7s.
For each additional layer of rope, eliminate the dead
turns ( 15s or 7 s ) and increase D by 1.7d.
Lilly Controllers
Lilly controllers are used to detect overspeed and
overtravel on mine hoists. The overspeed detection is
through the use of a set of flyball governors which moni-
tor the speed of the hoist at any point in the cycle of the
hoist. The Lilly controllers have a cam on the side of
the unit which is geared such that the Lilly dial will
move about 4.7 rad (270°), equivalent to full travel of
the conveyance in the shaft. Lilly controllers are avail-
able in either the Simplex version, the Model D version
or the Model C version, which are in turn available
with either a single governor or a dual governor. The
dual governor units provide speed protection down to
about one-tenth of the top speed of the hoist.
CAPITAL COSTS
Worksheets for evaluating drum or friction hoist size
requirements are presented in Appendix 1. Estimated
costs for static d-c drive systems and mechanical com-
ponents are also presented.
SUMMARY
As can be seen, there are many things to consider
when selecting a mine hoist for a specific application.
If these items are not considered, it is very possible that
the hoist selected will not operate as expected.
One other important thing to keep in mind when
sizing a hoist is to be conservative in your selections. It
seems that many times after a hoist has been started up
the user wants to obtain more tonnage from the same
hoist. If one is conservative in sizing and designing the
hoist, then normally some additional tonnage can be ob-
tained without major costly modifications to the equip-
ment. Being conservative costs more in the beginning,
but can save money in the future.
 UNDERGROUND MINING METHODS HANDBOOK

APPENDIX 1. ESTIMATING WORKSHEETS

1. SINGLE OR DOUBLE DRUM PRODUCTION HOIST-
SKIPS IN BALANCE
Required Information: TPH =
Depth = Ft.
Procedure :
A) Rope Velocity at Depth
(Hoisting speeds chart)
B) Select the correct skip load versus velocity curve
and determine the rope size
Rope Size = Flattened Strand
C) Read skip load off of chart
Skip Wgt = .75 Skip Load =
D ) Drum Diameter = 80 X Rope Diameter =
Load (Lbs.) X Velocity (FPM)
E) H.P. = -
30,000
Rough H.P. = -

SUMMARY ESTIMATED COST

Hoist Rope Inches Hoist Mechanicals Ft. Dia. $-
Drum Diameter Feet Electrical Drive H.P. $-
Hoist H.P. Total Estimated Cost $
2. DRUM SERVICE HOIST ESTIMATING WORKSHEET
Type of Drum Hoist
Depth (Feet)
Maximum Load Lbs. Maximum CWT = ?hLoad Cage +
Cage Weight Lbs. Weight
Rope Weight Lbs. Maximum CWT = Lbs.
Maximum Suspended Load Lbs.
Breaking Strength (Tons)
Safety Factor Maximum Load 4
Maximum Suspended Load (Tons)
Rope Diameter Inches Rope Weight/Ft. = Lb/Ft.
Type
Breaking Strength Tons
+
Rope Weight = (Depth 100 Feet) X (Rope Weight/Ft)
Rope Weight = Lbs.
Man Load Lbs.
Cage Weight Lbs.
Rope Weight Lbs.
Suspended Load _ _ _ Lbs.
Breaking Strength (Tons)
Safety Factor Man Load Safety Law at the Depth --L
Suspended Load (Tons)
If the safety factor of the man load does not meet the safety laws requirement, use
a rope which does and recalculate the maximum suspended load.
Normal Load +
Lbs. Normal CWT = !h load cage weight
Cage Weight Lbs.
Rope Weight - Lbs. Normal CWT = Lbs.
Normal Suspended Load Lbs.
Normal Load Speed Desired = FPM
Normal Suspended Load-Normal CWT
Rough H.P. Normal Load = (Rope Speed in FPM)
28,000
Rough H.P. Normal bad =
IF A D.C. DRIVE IS REQUIRED:
28,000 (Rough H.P. Normal Load)
Maximum Load Rope Speed =
Maximum Suspended Load-Maximum CWT
Maximum Load Rope Speed = FPM
IF A N A.C. DRIVE IS REQUIRED:
Maximum Suspended Load-Maximum CWT (Normal Rope Speed)
Rough H.P. Required Maximum Load =
28,000
 ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT

Rough H.P. Required Maximum Load = HP

D/ d = Drum Diameter/ Rope Diameter =
Rope Diameter (D/ d ) = Drum Diameter = -
SUMMARY ESTIMATED COST
Hoist Rope Inches Hoist Mechanicals Ft. Dia. $-
Drum Diameter Feet Electrical Drive H.P. $-
Hoist H.P. Total Estimated Cost $

3. UNBALANCED SLOPE DRUM HOIST ESTIMATING WORK SHEET

SINE Z = -
Length of Slope Max. Slope Angle = (Z) C O S Z =-
(A) Maximum Load Including Cars Lbs.
(B) Rope Weight Lbs.
(C) Total Load Lbs.
( F ) (Sine Z) =( 1 1-( -
- Lbs.
(D) (Cos Z) (.02) = ( 1 ( ) (.02) = Lbs.
( E ) (Cos Z) (.lo) = ( 1 ( )(.lo) = Lbs.
Maximum Rope Pull at Bottom - Lbs.
Breaking Strength (Tons)
Safety Factor Maximum Load 5 4 4
Total Rope Pull at Bottom (Tons)
Rope Diameter Inches Rope Weight/Ft. = Lbs/Ft.
Breaking Strength-

Rope Weight = (Length of Slope) (Rope Weight/Ft.)

(D) Man Load Including Cars Lbs.
( E ) Rope Weight Lbs.
(F) Total Load Lbs.
( F ) (SineZ) 1 1-( -
- Lbs.
=(
(D) (Cos Z) (.02) = ( 1 ( ) (.02) = Lbs.
( E ) (Cos Z) (.lo) = ( 1 ( ) (.lo) = Lbs.
Total Rope Pull at Bottom Man Load -
Breaking Strength (Tons)
Safety Factor 2 Safety Law at the Length --L
Suspended Load (Tons)
If the Safety Factor of the Man Load Does Not Meet the Safety Laws Requirement,
Use a Rope Which Does and Recalculate the Maximum Rope Pull
( G ) Normal Load Including Cars Lbs.
(H) Rope Weight Lbs.
(I) Total Load \ Lbs.
(I) (Sine Z) =( 1 1-( -
- Lbs.
(G) (Cos Z) (.02) = ( 1 ( ) (.02) = Lbs.
( H ) (CosZ) (.lo)=( 1 ( )(.lo) = Lbs.
Total Normal Rope Pull - Lbs.
Normal Load Speed Desired - FPM
(Normal Rope Pull)
Rough H.P. Normal Load = - X (Rope Speed in FPM)
28.000
Rough H.P. Normal Load =
IF A D.C. DRIVE IS REQUIRED:
28,000 (Rough H.P. Normal Load)
Maximum Load Rope Speed =
Maximum Rope Pull @ Bottom
Maximum Rope Speed = FPM
IF A N . A . C . DRIVE IS REQUIRED:
Rough H.P. Required Max. Load = ( PU1l)
) X (Normal Rope Speed)
Rough H.P. Required Maximum Load = H.P.
D/d = Drum Diameter/ Rope Diameter =
Rope Diameter ( D / d) = Drum Diameter =
SUMMARY ESTIMATED COST
Hoist Rope Inches Hoist Mechanicals Ft. Dia. $-
Drum Diameter Feet Electrical Drive H.P. $-
Hoist H.P. Total Estimated Cost $
1398 UNDERGROUND MINING METHODS HANDBOOK

4. FRICTION H O I S T 4 ROPES--PRODUCTION WITH SKIPS IN BALANCE

Required Information: TPH =
Depth = Ft.
Procedure:
A) Rope Velocity @ Depth
(Hoisting Speed Charts)
B) Select the Correct TPH
Curve and Determine Skip Load =
C) Determine Skip Weight = -
T1
- = 1.5 =
+ +
SL SW Rope Weight
T2 +
SW Rope Weight
1. Rope Safety Factor =
2. Rope Weight = (4) (#/Ft.) =
SW = Skip Weight = -- 0
SL = Skip Load = ___--
Rope Weight =
Total T1 = T2 =
(Breaking Strength)
D ) Tread Pressure = (4) = - --
T1
E ) Tread Pressure =
+
T1 T2 -
-
4 X Rope Dia. X Wheel Dia.
pp

Tread Pressure 6 300 PSI -

Wheel Diameter = 80 X Rope Dia. =
Load X FPM of Rope
F ) H.P. =
30,000
Rough H.P. = -

SUMMARY ESTIMATED COST

Hoist Rope Inches Hoist Mechanicals -Ft. Dia. $-
No. of Ropes 4 Electrical Drive H.P. $-
Hoist H.P. Total Estimated Cost $

5. 4 ROPE FRICTION SERVICE HOIST WITH D.C. DRIVE

Depth Feet
Maximum Load Lbs. Maximum CWT = '/z Load + Cage Weight
Cage Weight Lbs. MaximumCWT Lbs. (T2)
Rope Weight - Lbs.
Maximum Suspended Load Lbs. (TI)
Braking Strength (Tons)
Safety Factor Maximum Load 1 Chart Value 6 (4)
Maximum Suspended Load (Tons)
Safety Factor =
Rope Diameter Inches Rope Weight/Ft. = Lb/Ft.
Rope Type-Flattened Strand
Breaking Strength Tons
+
Rope Weight = (Depth 100 Ft.) (Rope Weight/Ft.) (4)
Rope Weight = Lbs.
Tread Pressure =
+
T1 T2 -
-
(80) (Rope Dia.) (4) (Rope Dia.)
Tread Pressure = PSI
The Tread Pressure must not exceed 300 PSI.
+
Normal Load CWT = '/z Normal Load Cage Weight
Normal Load CWT = Lbs.
Normal Load Desired Speed FPM
Normal Load (Rope Speed FPM)
Rough H.P. Normal Load = 2 (30,000)
Rough Normal Load H.P. =
(80) (rope diameter) -
Wheel Diameter = - Feet
12
 ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT

30,000 (Rough H.P. Normal Load)

Maximum Load Speed = Maximum Load
Maximum Load Speed = _ _ FPM
SUMMARY ESTIMATED COST
Hoist Rope - Inches Hoist Mechanicals Ft. Dia. $-
Drum Diameter Feet Electrical Drive H.P. $-
Hoist H.P. Total Estimated Cost $

APPENDIX 2. HOIST DESIGN PARAMETERS AS A

FUNCTION OF PRODUCTION RATE AND
HOISTING DEPTH
These design parameters are shown in Figs. 14-24
for depths varying from 305 to 914 m (1000to 3000 ft)
depth. The metric equivalents for the figures are:
st X 0.907 184 7 = t; fps X 0.3048 = m/s.

-",
u

a
u
0,
",
L

3.0

2.75

2.5

2.25

2.0

1.15

1.5

1.25
1.0

.75

0 10 20 30 40 50 MI 70 80

VELOCITY - F.P.S.
Fig. 14. Depth, 305 m (1000ft). Fig. 15. Depth, 366 m (1200ft).
 1400 UNDERGROUND MININ,G METHODS HANDBOOK

VELOCITY - F.P.S.
VELOCITY - F.P.5
Fig. 18. Depth, 549 rn (1800 ft).
Fig. 16. Depth, 427 rn (1400 ft).

55

53 -
u.
w
",

w
B
",
45
L

a
3.0

I5
2.75

g a
2.5

-:
0

25
x
",

2.25

20

2.0

I5
1.75

10 1.5

1.25

5 1 .o

.75

0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

VELOCITY - F.P.S. VELOCITY - f.P.5.

Fig. 17. Depth, 488m (1600 ft). Fig. 19. Depth. 610 m (2000 ft).
 ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT 1401

- F.P.S.
VELOCITY VELOCITY - F.P.S.
Fig. 20. Depth, 671 rn (2200ft). Fig. 22. Depth, 792 rn (2600ft).

VELOCITY - F.P.S.

Fig. 21. Depth, 732 m (2400ft).

 UNDERGROUND MINING METHODS HANDBOOK

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
55

50

45

40

35

-
a
'0

-- 25

20

15

10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 ao
VELOCITY - F.P.I.

Fig. 24. Depth, 914 rn (3000 ft).

APPENDIX 3. COSTS OF ELECTRICAL AND

MECHANICAL HOIST COMPONENTS
These costs are given in Table 4 and Fig. 25.

Table 4. Statlc P C Drive System, Estimated Cost* (1980)

Single Motor Drive System Dual Motor Drive System
Horsepowert Gross Cost, $ Horsepowert Gross Cost, $

3500 621.000
4000 672.750
4500 730,250
5000 839,500
6000 943,000
7000 1,058,000
8000 1,178.750
9000 1,282,250
10,000 1,426,000
+ Costs shown are for d-c motor drives with motor speeds of 52.4 radls (500 rpm) and include
incoming switchgear, power supply, transformer, control. and motor. For the estimated cost of an
a-c drive system, multiply the d-c drive system's gross price times 0.9.
tMetric equivalent: hp X 0.746 = kw.
 ANCILLARY EQU l PMENT

Fig. 25. Estimated cost vs. diam-

eter (mechanicals only). Metric
equivalent: ft X 0.3048 = m.
Single Drum or Friction Hoist

I I I I I I I

4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Drum or Wheel Diameter in Feet