Friction (Koepe) winding installations

The use of a Clamping and Lifting Device (CLD) for rope handling significantly simplifies a wide range of maintenance and service work on friction (Koepe) winding installations. CLD’s simultaneously clamp all the ropes in one winding compartment without any significant preparation work required beforehand. The CLD is able to pull down in the case of an upwards load, or lift in the case of a downwards load.

Introduction

The CLD configuration (shown in Figure 1) with electrically driven lead screws and manually engaged rope clamps differs from the automated hydraulic CLD design:

• The linear actuation is achieved by utilizing lead screws instead of hydraulic cylinders
• The rope clamps are manually positioned and not hydraulically engaged and disengaged
• The system sequencing and general operation is manual as opposed to fully automated and monitored.

The electro-mechanical configuration has the capability to equal the stroke length of the standard hydraulically actuated CLD design however it boasts a significantly lighter weight (weighing approximately 9 t), has fewer moving parts and no hydraulic components; all resulting in a simple, cost-effective, low-maintenance machine.

The suspension beams are designed to engage with all the ropes simultaneously, or one at a time.

Figure 1 (Copy from brochure)

Application

By using the CLD, suspended loads can be removed from the head ropes and attachments of a chaired conveyance, thus creating slack rope by lifting (pulling upwards) the rope in the compartment opposite the chaired conveyance. Due to the travel range of the upper suspension beam, up to 1 700 mm of slack rope can be created with each stroke. This allows for the servicing of ropes, rope attachments, sheave wheel bearings, winder bearings and rope tread liners.

The multi-rope CLD is designed to be located in the headgear below the upper deflection sheaves. The device is self-contained and can be moved from the parked position to the engaged positions and back by means of a geared ‘hand crank’.

Description

The manually engaged rope clamps can be inserted in both sides of the suspension beams, thus allowing the CLD to be engaged with both compartments of the Koepe hoisting system.

The rope clamping wedge inserts slide in tapered wedges machined into the beam such that the clamping force on the rope is proportionally intensified as the rope pulling force is increased. Refer to Figure 2 for a diagrammatic representation.

Figure 2 (copy from brochure)

The lower of the two identical suspension beams is rigidly mounted in the CLD frame, while the upper beam can be moved vertically between the guides while driven by the lead screws. The upper suspension beam accommodates the lifting and lowering operations. It is moved by means of two electrically powered synchronized lead screws that can comfortably travel at 2.5 m/min under a full load of up to 650 kN. The lead screws are driven by an electric motor through a self-locking worm gearbox complete with an additional fail-safe brake arrangement.

During operation, the CLD will be securely anchored to the headgear structure by means of clamps and/or anchor bolts to prevent lateral movement.

Operation

The winding ropes are clamped on the upper suspension beam and pulled upwards by means of the rotating lead screws. Upon completion of each stroke, the rope clamps are manually engaged in the fixed suspension beam. The movable suspension beam is then moved slightly downwards, transferring the load to the clamping wedges in the fixed suspension beam. The movable suspension beam now becomes load free and allows for the manual removal of its wedges before moving to its original position for the start of the next cycle.

Wedges are removed using small jacks mounted on a common rail powered by a manually operated hydraulic pump.

Though this is a manual process this sequence can be repeated as many times as needed. Figure 3 describes the lifting sequence.

Figure 3 (Copy from brochure)

Tehnical data table

(copy as image from brochure)

Advantages of Electro-Mechanical CLD

• Lower capital cost option when compared to the fully automated hydraulic CLD
• Lower maintenance costs when compared to the automated hydraulic CLD
• No hydraulic power pack is required

General applications of the CLD

• Clamping and lifting of multiple steel-wire ropes suspended in a friction winder mine shaft compartment
• Lifting and lowering the maximum loads within a hoisting compartment
• Creation of slack rope (for removal of pins, or removal of ropes from the winder drums and sheaves
• Accurate positioning of conveyances during rope-up or rope-changing operations