This traditional winding engine consisted of a large wooden drum mounted vertically and turned by a horse walking in a circle. Ropes wound around the drum passed over pulleys at the shaft collar to lower and raise buckets or corves. It was the standard method for hoisting in shallow mines before the widespread adoption of steam power.
The old shaft collar still has the circular track worn into the bedrock where the horse turned the gin.
Also heard as
- horse gin
- whim
Related terms
Whim
A large, animal-powered capstan used to hoist ore and water from early mine shafts.
Headframe
The structural frame above an underground mine shaft that supports the hoisting mechanism.
Winder
A heavy-duty winch or engine used to raise and lower cages and skips in a mine shaft.
Corf
A large, traditional basket made of hazel or wicker used to haul coal out of early mines.