ENORMOUS LIFT

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1931, Page 2

ENORMOUS LIFT

4]-TON GENER ATOR. HAUL BY SHIP’S GEAR. What is believed to be the heaviest weight ever moved by ship’s gear in New Zealand was lifted from the Isold of the Commonwealth and Dominion Line motor-ship Port Dunedin, at Auckland last Friday (reports the “Herald”). It was a 15,C00 k.w. generator, weighing 41 tons, which is to he installed at King’s Wharf power station.

CGJ-TOX LIFTING POWER. The removal of the generator from the ship’s hold to a wagon on the wharl was accomplished by means of a special derrick with which the latest- of the company’s vessels are now equipped.J When the Port Dunedin was at Glasgow the derrick was tested to 62-J----ton. The four-fold purchase was controlled by the ship’s electric capstan, and the six-fold topping lift by the No 1 winches. Under the supervision of the chief stevedore, Captain G. E. Fox, tho enormous generator was lifted slowly and surely from the bottom of tho hold. The process continued without a hitch and with scarcely a- sound, the electric winches and capstan worKing slowly hut silently. As the generator was swung from the hold across to the wharf tho ship listed about four qr five degrees. The generator was; lowered te thp sturdy waggon cm tho wharf, and the ship righted hersejf. Only fen minutes nad elapsed from tho time that the generator left fhft bottom of the hold,

ADDITIONAL PLANT ARRIVING. A large lorry towed the generator to the King’s Wharf station, where a special staging had been erected, to which it was removed. The generator will lie jacked on rollers to its foundation blocks, but as the lifting power of the crane at the power station is only 20 tons, the generator will have to be jacked a height of 170 ft. before being mounted. Tire generator is part of the plant for tile extension oi the power station. About 100 tons of the plant have been already been landed, and the remainder, about 130 tons, including the turbine, will arrive bv the Ruapehu on January 28. Jt is hoped to have the additional generation plant in operation at tile end of March.