Test of the retractable guidance system installed on the level 960 m in the Leon IV shaft in Rydułtowy Coal Mine, Poland

Abstract

Rope guidance of the conveyances is a reliable and convenient way of guiding cages and skips in the mine shafts and it is used in numerous underground mines all over the world. However it is not popular in Polish coal mines. Most of the Polish copper and coal mines operate on multiple levels, which requires mine shafts and hoists to support more than one level. In such situation it is necessary to install some kind of chairing system on the levels, i.e. stiff guides in their vicinity. Conveyance’s movement through the stiff guides on the level requires its speed reduction, which in turn leads to lowering of the hoist’s effectiveness. To avoid such situation, retractable guidance system was introduced on the level 960 in the Leon IV shaft in Rydułtowy Coal Mine, Poland. This paper presents the idea of the retractable guidance system, as well as calculations and measurements carried out to prove that the system is safe and reliable.