"Man Engine" Used in Cornish Mine.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 30 October 1914, Page 8

"Man Engine" Used in Cornish Mine.

In one of the mines of Cornwall, England, a curious device, known as a "man engine," is in use for conveying the miners to and from the deep workings. Near the ■mouth of the shaft is a large walk-ing-beam engine. To the rim of the flywheel of this engine (says "Popular Mechanics") a driving rod is attached, and by means of a pivoted connection, the motion of the wheel is transmitted to a vertical lifting rod in the mine shaft, as shown in the illustration. The lifting rod has a vertical movement of 12ft. At intervals c»c 12ft. platforms are supported both on the lifting rod and on the side of the shaft, and the sets of platforms are so arranged os to be at the same level at the high and low

position of the rod. In descending, the miner steps on the moving platform when it is at the end of the up-stroke, and is carried down 12ft. He then steps off and waits for the next up-stroke, when he is carried down another 12ft. This process is continued until the bottom of the shaft is reached. For ascending this process is reversed. Platforms on opposite sides of the shaft enable one set of men to descend while ac% is ascending without interference.