DRAGGING METAL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 248, 10 June 1932, Page 7

DRAGGING METAL

INGENIOUS PLANT ' , • _i.._ . ' r TWO THOUSAND YARDS FROM BED OF OTARA RIVER SCREENING OPERATIONS The well known Opotiki contractor, Mr. J. Kerr, was successful recently fti tendering for a contract for the supply ' of 2000 yards of metal to the Opotiki County Couneil. The metal to be taken from the bed of the Otara River. Everi the layman can imagine that the carrying out of such a contract must entail considerable work, the more so when the metal has to be screened and delivered into lorries on the river bank some feet above the beds of shingle By an ingenious use of mechanical aids, however, this is being done by one man only at- the rate of a yard every five of six minutes. This included the raising of the shingle from the river conveymg it tm a hopper and screening it. A representative of the "Morning Post"*made a special trip to the site of operations to watch the work -in progress. The first thing to strike one's notice is a large wooden hopper or bin some 25ft. high and a mast beside it 50ft. high; from the mast run stays or guys to hold it firm. A few yards further along the riverbank is an engine arfd winch-house. Dragging the Shingle From a large dou'ble-barrelled winch, two stont wire sables run td pulleys at the head of the mast, and thence downwards towards a large bed of shingle about 500ft away. Then the engine was started up, the winch set in motion, and the cable began to draw in. Away on the shingle bed at the far side of the river could be seen a long narrow trough out of which the shingle had been taken, and as one watches, a heavy steel bucket is dragged into sight. This scoop or bucket is full of shingle; it carries half a yard at a time, and it is sus pended by pulley wheels and chains from an overhead cable, up which it is drawn to the head of the mast beside the metal bin. Needless to say this overhead cable is subject to a terific strain as the bucket weighs five or six hundredweight when empty. As the full bucket leaves the shingle bed the overhead cable, which has been allowed to sag, is drawn tight by the winch and the full bucket moves from various drainage holes. Screening As the bucket reaches the masthead, it is automatically tipped and the shingle is poured out into a small hopper from the mouth of which it falls on to a slanting screen which allows the metal of the correct size to pass through, while the over-size stones are returned by a wooden chute to the river below. The smaller metal which passes through the screen falls into the main hopper, which is capable of holding 100 yards. Underneath this main hopper are four -doors opening on to chutes by which means the metal is allowed to fall into the lorries underneath. The doors to the chutes are at present opened or closed by ropes and pulleys worked by hand, but it is proposed later to work these automatically also. The power for working this very ingenious plant is at present provided by a tractor, but steam power is to be used at an early date, the boiler for this already being in position. The whole of the large metal bin together with the mast, smaller hopper, and various ropes ihave been erected by Mr. Kerr and his three sons.