The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-07
"
Some with Hall Bearings Nowadays, bat Most
OF Them Made In the Old Way.

There are made nowadays lone weather
vane, with ball bearings. but they are COM
paratively few In number. The very great
majority OF vane. are made with tho simple
spindle and socket. The spindle. upon which
the yane turns. Is set In q supporting rod Of
wrought iron. The splldle Is OF hardened
steel. II 10 slenderer than the rod. so that
there Is . shoulder all around the base Of It.
The tip Of the spindle Is rounded and polished.
The socket. or tube, which Is a part of tho vsne.
is also Of steel. Tho upper. closed end Of this
socket is rounded TO 1T the tip OF the spindle
ana polished smooth. The socket does not
como quite down to the shoulder at, the base
OF the spindle. The bearing Is on tho top OF
the spindle. upon which the smooth, rounded
top OF the socket turns. II Is ut the top OF the
spindle that the balls are placed when q vano
Is made with hall bearings.
The bs.t vanes are made with the greatest
nicsty and precision, so that they balance per-
fectiy and turn with the least possible wear.
The vane Is. OF course, longer on one side OF
the socket than on the other, OF, It would not
ON sSrp bo wl'n SIDE ahs WITT II i, G Is an rss arrow Me'sn va n ,ns Tor sAh IN.
stance. the weight OF the cold head Is easily
made equal TO that Of the longer projecting
ever they may be. are balanced as TO weight
and so adjusted that they turn easily and with
the least possible friction.
a perfectly constructed and nicely adjusted
vane. whose support remains plumb, will keep
In working condition for a great many years.
luClV ~ y Wv IA Z" NHH'N. Hf N'
j.. that, so far as Information goes, has been
turning unfailingly since about tho year ?oo:
AZ til.Laianced yane OF poor materials might
not last more than ton years. \ correctly con.
structed vane OF good materials would last
many years longer. II may also be said that
such a vane never wears out. A vhno Is oiled
VIII, n It is frat put up. but never after that.
The vane is not held down loon It's support
Ing spindle In any way except by Its own
weight. ami II might seem that a gust OF wind
would sometimes rise up under IL with such
force as TO lift the vane clear. But tho spin
Has arA from aAyen Tn ran lnEhaa In lAnRth. and
the vane projects from the spindle unevenly;
that Is, with a greater bulk on one side than
OH tho other, and the chances are immeasura-
bly, against a gust Of wind of Suricient force
| rising directly upward with It's force so dis
tributed that II would lift the vane straight
upward. without binding on the spindle. a
manufacturer OF vLnes said that. a. q matter
Of fact. he had never known n vane TO be lifted
Off by tho wind.
But II might DO POSSIBLE for a yane TO be lifted
OF from above. rs oy the tail Of a kite. and
sometimes the working OF a vane is interfered
with by n kite tail twisted about 1t. A costly indi-
| Gator vane that had neeh set up with great care
became after "A time irregular and uncertain In
It's operation. There wa no apparent cause
for tho failure, but a minute examination re-
spindle. This was removed. and thereafter
the yane worked perfectly. 1t is not a COM
mon thing for kite tails to catch In weather
vanes. but IL In not so non as to DO very
remarkable. Sometimes vanes are struck y
lightning. so that they will not work. IL may
be that a vane that does not always turn Is so
sItnatet with relation TO other buildings that
when the wind In from certAin quarters the cur
rent does not reach IL. But a good vane, prop
At II will turn with the wind for an almost In
definite period.
TIL. best yenes are made Of copper. gilded;
vanes are made IL. a very great varsity OF
styles. One. manufaoturer makes more than
yane Ct any size aud design are made TO order.
The vanes most sold are the horse
and tue arrow.