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Peter
From: Robert Waterhouse <[log in to unmask]>
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To: "The mining-history list." <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Brindley's balance-machine
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Date: Sun, 24 Oct 2004 16:38:36 +0200 (CEST)
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Dear Gerda,
Brindley's Balance Machine was a water engine, of a weird type which worked
a bit like a steam engine, ie: it had a piston in a vertical cylinder,
located underground in a shaft and operated by water fed into one or both
ends by a pipe. A rod went upwards from the piston and was attached to a
rocking beam at surface which was like the beam of a Newcomen or early Watt
engine. A vertical rod from the other end of this beam operated whatever
was required, like a pump. I think winding would only have been possible
if the water cylinder was double acting, ie: having inlets at either end
and an automatic linkage for opening and shutting the valves. It wouldn't
have worked terribly well even so, as the speed of movement would have been
relatively slow, like a Newcomen engine.
The waste water was run into the drainage adit of the mine, which the
engine was sited above. Pumped water would have been raised to this adit.
I can only think of one Newcomen engine which was adapted for winding, at a
colliery somewhere, but my memory seems to supply me with the information
that Brindley may have used his Machine to pump water onto a water wheel,
which could then have been used for winding. The Brindley Mill at Leek,
Staffordshire produced a booklet some years ago which discussed these
contraptions, but I seem to have lost my copy. It may still be in print,
presumably you could enquire at the Mill - its still open I think.
A very similar machine still exists at the Nenthead Lead Mine in Scotland,
but no longer works. This was used for pumping only.
Hope this helps,
Robert
Dear John,
Slight cockup on my part - for Nenthead, read Wanlockhead Lead Mine,
Scotland. Sorry.
Robert
______________________________________________
Dr Peter Claughton,
Blaenpant Morfil, nr. Rosebush, Clynderwen, Pembrokeshire, Wales SA66 7RE.
Tel. +44 (0)1437 532578; Fax. +44 (0)1437 532921; Mobile +44 (0)7831 427599
Hon. University Fellow
School of Historical, Political and Sociological Studies (Centre for South
Western Historical Studies)
University of Exeter
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Co-owner - mining-history e-mail discussion list.
See http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/files/mining-history/ for details.
Mining History Pages - http://www.exeter.ac.uk/~pfclaugh/mhinf/
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