The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-21
CONCERNING WEATHER WAVES.
The Newest Type Has Ball Bearings
to swing Upon. .siss

10 SMlhA5f rNRoAs o. .ftll
From the New York Sun.
There are made nowadays some weather
vanes with ball bearings, but they are
comparatively few in number. The very
great majority of vanes are made with the
simple spindle and socket. The spindle,
upon which the vane turns, is set in a
supporting rod of wrought iron. The
spindle is of hardened steel 1t is slen-
derer than the rod, so that there is Shout
der all around the base of it. The tip
of the spindle is rounded and polished.
The socket or tube, which is a part Of
the Vane, is also of steel. The upper,
closed end of this socket is rounded to fit
the tip of the spindle and polished smooth.
The socket does not come quite down to
the shoulder at the base of the spindle,
The bearing is on the top of the spinale
upon which the smooth, rounded top of
the socket turns. 1t is at the top of the
spindle that the balls are placed when
yane is made with ball bearings.
The best vanes are made with the great
est nicely and precision, so that they bal
ance perfectly and turn with the least
possible wear. The Vane is, of course,
longer on one side of the socket than on
the other, or il would not turn with the
wind, but its weight is the same on both
i IL
the weight of the solid head is easily made
equal to that of the longer projecting but
thinner feather end: and all SSnes, what
ever they may be, are baf%nced as to
weight and so adjusted that they turn
easily and with the least possible friction.
A perfectly constructed and nicely ad-
justed Vane, whose support remains plumb,
will keep in working condition for great
many years There is a vane. on a church
in Ridgefield, n. j., that, so far as infor-
nation goes has been turning unfailng-
ly since about the year 100 An ill-bal-
anced vane of poor materials might not
last more than ten years. A correctly con"
structed vane of good materials would last
many years longer. 1t may also be said
that such a vane never wears out. A
vane is oiled when it is first put up, but
never after that
The vane is not held down upon its sup
porting spindle in any way except by its
own weight, and it might seem that a gust
of wind would sometimes rise up under it
with such force as to lift the vane clear.
But the spndles are from to 10 inches in
length, and the vane projects from the
spindle unevenly; that is with greater
bulk on one side than on the other, and
the chances are immeasurably against
gust of wind of sufficient force rising d.
rectly upward with its force so distrib
uted that it would lift the vane straight
upward, WITHOUT piilullb Oil NilG SpillttiS.
A manufacturer of vanes said that, as a
matter of fact, he had never know a vane
to be lifted off by the wind.
But it might be possible for a vane to
be lifted off from above, as by the tail OF
a kite, and sometimes the working of
vane is interfered with by a kte-tau
twisted about it. a costly indicator vane
that had been set up with great care be-
came after a time irregular and uncertain
In it's operation. There was no apparent
cause for the failure. but minute exam
nation revealed piece of kite-tail twisted
around the spindle. This was removed
and thereafter the vane worked perfectly.
1t is not a common thing for kite-tails to
catch in weather vanes, but it is not so
uncommon as to be very remarkable.
Sometimes vanes are struck by lightning
so that they viii not work 1t NAV be
that a vane that does not always turn is
so situated with relation to other buildings
that when the wind is from certain quar-
ters the current does not reach It, But a
good Vane, properly mounted and set
where the wind can get at it will turn
with the wind for an almost indefinite
period
The best vanes are made of copper, gid
ed; the gliding will stay bright for a long
time Vanes are made in very great va
riety of styles. One manufacturer makes
more than 500 different styles of vanes. and
vanes of any size and design are made to
order. The vanes most commonly sold
are the horse and the arrow.