The Delaware farmer., 1883-11-23
WIND-POWER ON FARMS.
Something that Would be servieeabIe to
Farmers.


Some kind of mechanical power is al
most indispensable for farms says
Henry Stewart. A light power is usu-
ally required, AMI but few farms require
so heavy power as to call for steam
engine, which has so many disadvant-
ages, except for large establishments.
and is so costly in use, not to mention
the danger of it, as to wholly preclude
its use. Horse-powers are cumbersome
and very exacting upon the horses, and
yet from the necessity for some power
and the absence Of any better they are
IN almost universal use. Windmills are
very useful, but as they are necessarily
built very lightly they are easily
wrecked by a sudden storm, and at the
best reaIiEe fren1le.s+ t;.al-a4.;,4e- ~
pair to keep them serviceable for their
short life. But the wind is an inexhaust-
ible power, and costs nothing. and if it
can only be harnessed and controlled.
and if a machine for its utilization can
be constructed that viii be strong
enough to resist any storms that may
occur short Of one that would wreck the
barn itself, then this cheap universal
source of power might be made of gen
eral use.
And just here we might suggest that
a most valuable field for study and me-
chanical skill lies open to the inventive
genius of young farmers, and old ones,
too. 1t has been said, and with some
truth, that most of the mechanical IN
ventions for farmers use have been
made by men who We're not farmers.
There are bright exceptions to this, how
ever. The invaluable manure-spread-
ing machine, the bean harvester, several
useful potatO-diggers and harvesters, and
other noteworthy inventions have been
the work of farmers. Why should there
not be more of these? The winter sea-
son is one of leisure, and long evenings
may be made available for the farmer
and his boys with pen and pencil and
rule, or with the common American tool.
the jack-knife, to set their wits to work
to invent and model a serviceable and
strong wind-engine specially designed
ior farm work. A suggestion to this end
may be given. Take a hardwood shaft
II feet long set upright, with proper
bearings at each end, furnished with
Eight vanes feet wide of light boards
secured and braeed. Then we
lave a wheel something like a common
water wheel.
But as a water wheel presents only
me side to the current, so one side of
his wheel must be covered by shield
which protects it from the current of
Wind. As the winds continually shift,
his shield must move with it, the move
nent being operated by a vane fitted to
he top of it, and which may be quickly
hanged so as to cover more of the
7heel as the force of the wind may be
reater. And this movement should be
so that it will take place
instantly as the winds force changes
ither way. Thus we should have a
twelve feet long, eight feet
l diameter, exposing half its cireum-
9rence at the most to the wind, OF a
lTface on each Of the four exposed
alues of fOrty-eightsquare feet. With
wind pressure of four or five pounds
} the foot, each vane would give the
luivalent of a pressure Of over two
undred pounds. A wheel Of this kind
light be made to furnish one-half to
le horse power, and would not require
~ repairs for many years. It would
} all the light work ON farm, and
ight be put up and operated by any
9rson who can use ordinary tools at a
'ry small cost.