1. Plural of headframe; the steel or wooden framework structure at the top of a mine shaft that supports the pulley and hoisting equipment.
Usage: mining; technical

Examples

• The old coal mine's headframes still stood against the skyline decades after closure.
• Engineers inspected the headframes to ensure they could safely support the new hoisting system.
• Historic headframes from the 19th century are now preserved as industrial monuments.
• The mine operator replaced the wooden headframes with modern steel structures.
• Headframes are essential components of any deep shaft mining operation.