Mining. Also 7 keeble, 8 kible. [prob. ad. Ger. kübel ‘tub,’ in Mining used in the same sense as the Eng. word.] A large wooden or (later) iron bucket, for conveying ore or rubbish to the surface.
1671. Phil. Trans., VI. 2104. A Winder with two Keebles (great buckets made like a barrel with iron hoops …) which as one comes up, the other goes down.
1684. Phil. Trans., XVII. 744. The Rate … for getting of Copper-Ore was … from 8s. a Kibble to 2s. 6d., every Kibble being near a Horse-Load in weight.
1747. Hooson, Miner’s Dict., Y ij. Somewhat below the Rope is placed a Hook, whereon to hang the Corfe or Kible.
1874. J. H. Collins, Metal Mining, 74. The kibble is simply an iron bucket made of boiler plates, riveted together…. They … vary in capacity from 1 to 25 cwt.
b. Comb. Kibble-chain, the chain by which the kibble is drawn up and let down in the shaft.
1851. Kingsley, Yeast, viii. At the shaft’s mouth, reaching after the kibble-chain.
