BIG American engineering: Hulett ore unloaders

[Ace-Garageguy]

Patented in 1898, by 1913, 54 of these steam-powered monsters were in operation unloading iron ore from Lakes boats. The ones in the film were built between 1904 and 1912. Eventually, there would be a total of 77 working Great Lakes ports. But technology changed. A new generation of Lakes ore-carrying boats were built, capable of unloading themselves, so by 1999 only six Huletts were left. The last pair worked happily until 2002, unloading coal barges in South Chicago. In 2010, they were cut up for scrap. Two of the Cleveland machines were disassembled and saved to be reassembled at a possible museum location elsewhere, at some time in the unknowable future.

 

 

Edited October 31, 2018 by Ace-Garageguy

[Little Timmy]

Thank's for posting this !

I love old equipment.

These machine's are so H U G E , that it's kinda scary just watching them !

[Snake45]

Speaking of big impressive machines, someone posted this on one of my gun boards the other night. Who knew?

 

[Rob Hall]

One of things I've enjoyed living in the Cleveland area the last year+ is seeing big lake ships in action.  Didn't see anything like this in the desert..

[Foxer]

That's my kind of equipment, thank's for posting, Bill.

As a structural engineer I've got close to many large machine's and cranes. I was un Combustion Engineering's Pipe Hanger groupe for Utility Boilers where we hung the boiler pipes with 3" Diameter rode with huge clevis' over 6' long.

I designed Ladle Bales scooping up molten metal with huge capacities. Cranes with 250 ton capacities.

I've designed (and repaired) many Paper Machine foundations and equipment and been in over a thousand Paper Mills for one thing of another.

I love the big numbers in structures!

I can appreciate what went into these giant unloading machines. I'm not surprised how smooth they ran. And, they were designed with slide rules!

[olsbooks]

Something very magical about watching those huletts.  Almost like a dance.  A wonderful example of industrial grace and power on full diplay simultaneously.  Hard to find and see this kind of thing anymore but the big shovels and drag lines in the powder river basin make a respectable  attempt.

 

Peace