JKM Multi-rope Friction Hoist

Product uses and applicable scope

Multi-rope friction hoists, classified according to their installation type, are available in tower-type and floor-standing designs. They are primarily used in shafts of coal, metal, and non-metal mines for lifting coal and minerals, transporting personnel, lowering materials and equipment, and other similar operations.

The electrical equipment supplied with this product is not explosion-proof and therefore cannot be used in environments containing flammable or explosive substances such as gas or coal dust.

Product's execution standard

The JKWD and JKM series multi-rope friction hoists comply with standards including A01036-2007 “Safety Inspection Specifications for Multi-Rope Friction Hoists Used in Coal Mines,” GB/T10599-2010 “Multi-Rope Friction Hoists,” and Enterprise Standard 0/HBSHM006-2010, as well as the “Coal Mine Safety Regulations” in their design and manufacture.

System Enhancement Diagram

Overview of Multi-Rope Friction Hoists

The multi-rope friction hoist mainly consists of an electric motor, a gearbox, a friction sheave, a braking system, a depth indicator, a speed-limiting and speed-measuring system, and an operating control system. It is driven by either an AC or DC motor. When a low-speed motor is used, a gearbox can be omitted; instead, the motor is directly connected to the drum’s main shaft, or the motor rotor is mounted at the end of the drum’s main shaft. When the transmission power is high, two or four motors can be used simultaneously for driving. The total power of a single hoist has reached as much as 11,600 kilowatts. The braking system is a critical component that ensures the safe operation of the hoist. In case of an emergency, the braking system should generate two-stage safety braking via a hydraulic system capable of adjusting the braking torque, thereby ensuring that the hoist stops promptly without causing excessive braking force. For hoists driven by AC motors, the braking system must also feature highly sensitive braking torque control capabilities to precisely regulate the hoist’s running speed when approaching the point where the hoist is about to come to a stop.

Mine hoists can be controlled in several ways, including manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic.

As mining operations deepen and centralized hoisting systems become more prevalent, multi-rope friction mine hoists hold great potential for further development. To this end, researchers are exploring friction lining materials with excellent wear resistance and high coefficients of friction. New-structure multi-rope friction-winding mine hoists have begun to be used in several countries, and they play a crucial role in deep井 mining where hoisting heights are particularly significant.

Working principle

The multi-rope friction hoist operates on the principle of flexible-body friction transmission. Steel wires are laid across a friction wheel, and the lifting or lowering of containers, heavy objects, or personnel is achieved through the frictional force between the steel wires and the friction lining pads.

A closed steel wire rope, with a container suspended in the middle, is wound around a drum. When the motor drives the drum to rotate, the friction between the steel rope and the drum enables the container to be lifted and lowered. Speed regulation is achieved through an electric drive system. The disc brake is actuated by hydraulic and electrical controls to provide braking. Depth indication of the container is realized via various position-indication systems. A comprehensive mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic integrated system, comprising diverse sensors and control components, ensures overall machine monitoring and protection. Information transmission—both within and outside the hoist—is facilitated by computer and network technologies.

Advantages of multi-rope friction hoists

(1) The lifting container and its load are supported jointly by multiple steel wire ropes. Compared with single-rope winding hoisting equipment, this system uses smaller-diameter copper wire ropes, resulting in a correspondingly smaller diameter for the drum and reduced overall machine dimensions. Consequently, the equipment is lighter in weight and better suited for deep shaft mining and large-scale operations, meeting the growing demands of increasingly larger mines and their expansion into deeper underground levels.

(2) Since the hoisting container is suspended simultaneously from multiple steel wire ropes, these ropes generally will not break at the same time (though slippage may occur in the ropes if the tensile force becomes excessive), so it is not necessary to install a fall-arrest device.

(3) Multi-rope friction hoisting systems are generally balanced hoisting systems with smaller diameter drive sheaves, resulting in lower system inertia and torque, as well as reduced motor power and energy consumption.

(4) The number of strands in a wire rope is generally even, with an equal proportion of left-hand and right-hand twists. This arrangement allows the opposing twists to cancel each other out, thereby reducing the loosening torque during the wire rope’s operation, lessening the running resistance exerted by the hoisting container on the guide rails, and extending the service life of both the guide rails and the lug fittings.

(5) When tower-type hoisting is employed, the friction-wheel hoist is installed on the shaft tower, thereby reducing the footprint of the hoisting equipment.

Product Model Designation Method

Technical Parameters

Process flow