Bleichert Counterwheels

[Philip Hammon]

Gentlemen and ladies,

 

We have two counterwheels that were part of the Bleichert Ropeway installed in Wentworth Falls Gladstone Coal mine in 1883.

 

I am preparing a blade sign and accompanying webpage with details of their history and usage.

 

However I am at a loss to explain the method of attaching the wheels to the shaft.  They are idler wheels, so they do not require a shear key, only just enough to guarantee that the shaft turns in the bearings, which by the way are steel/steel not steel/bronze.

 

There appears to be a shrink ring around each side of the split wheel hub, a spacer in the gap between the hub halves, and a tapered key has been driven through one hub half. ( there is no corresponding slot in the shaft )

 

If anyone has any ideas at all I can send more detailed photographs to help.

 

  Regards

Philip Hammon