MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Cathy]

Is it because it only has 5 spokes?

[Steeplejerk]

No weight on the wheel.

[Stanley]

Sorry, nobody has got there yet. Look carefully at the drawings, the improvement is clearly shown.....

[Big Kev]

The shape of the paddles?

[Steeplejerk]

Larger portion of the wheel is used.

[Stanley]

Kev is getting close but hasn't identified what the improvement is......

[Tizer]

Is it that the paddles are longer so when the water level in the leat gets greater the water can also flow further into the centre of the wheel to give more power and to cope with the raised level?

[Big Kev]

Water enters the paddle horizontally so there's no turbulence? The flow is smoother making it more efficient?

[Gloria]

Is it the fact that the blades have an invalute curve, and as such the water will pass over them more smoothly?

[Stanley]

Kev is, once again, getting so close I will give it to him even though he hasn't n nailed it. In the mid 19th century one of the major waterwheel manufacturers (I think it was Hewes) noticed that on a breastshot wheel the water tended to fall in in one slab and the trapped air below it in the bucket blew a lot of water out thus reducing the output. He arrange a vent to the inside of the wheel to allow the trapped air to escape and this became known as a ventilated bucket. The wheel in the example has such a system.
Next one?

[Gloria]

Never heard of that.

[Tripps]

this became known as a ventilated bucket

I think 'dear Liza' had one of those.

[Stanley]

We aim to educate and enlighten Gloria.



What are you looking at? This one is very difficult and I won't leave it up for long. Big clue, it's associated with weaving.

[Steeplejerk]

They look familiar but I can't place them

[Stanley]

Think weaving....

[Steeplejerk]

Gotta be something to do with tackler

[Big Kev]

Are they for catching loose threads?

[Stanley]

Once again Kev is so close I have to give it to him. It's a warp stop motion which when a thread in the warp breaks, allows the hook it was running in to drop and that stops the loom. Not used on plain Lancashire looms, they only had weft stop.
Next one?

[Stanley]

Can anyone tell me what this is?

[Gloria]

Is it anything to do with grading coal?

[Stanley]

Sorry Gloria, no.

[Tizer]

Is it the back of a bin wagon seen from inside?

[Gloria]

Is it a water wheel?

[Tripps]

Can't get the word 'fulling' out of my head.

[Stanley]

Yes it's connected with a waterwheel, not fulling David. Question is, what is it?