How Does The Windmill Work?

Wind Energy

Wind is an indirect source of solar energy. It is caused by the uneven heating of the earth by the sun and the resulting redistribution of air to equalize energy in the atmosphere moving air from areas of high pressure to areas of lower pressure. The energy of the wind is transferred to the windmill s sails where it is harnessed to perform work.

The cap of the windmill is turned with the winch attached to the bottom of the tail pole until the sails face the direction of the wind. Depending on the wind speed, wind boards are installed on the leading edge of the sails and canvas sail-cloths are unfurled across the sail-frames. The Miller climbs the sail-frame using the sail-bars like rungs of a ladder attaching the canvas to the cleats on the whip. High winds require less open sail than low wind. The Miller determines the amount of sail surface required based on wind speed and partially furls (reefs) the sails as required. The sails catch the wind and turn the wind-shaft.

The wind-shaft which is connected to the brake-wheel can be stopped with the brake which consists of a band of friction blocks encircling the brake-wheel attached to the brake lever and controlled via a rope near the tail pole attached to the brake lever. The turning brake-wheel turns the wallower connected to the upright shaft on the fifth level. A wood wheel on the fourth level is used to adjust any irregular spinning of the upright shaft.

The upright shaft is connected to a large gear called the spur-wheel on the third level. Power to run many things in the windmill is drawn from this wheel. Two stone-nuts turned by the spur-wheel drive quant shafts in turn rotating the runner stones; the top stones of the grinding stone pairs. The lower stone of the grinder is the bedstone; it remains stationary. The spur-wheel also turns a third lantern gear (trundle) to drive power transfer belts, pulleys and shafts used to operate the grain elevators, sifters, grain separator, corn sheller and a vacuum system.

How is grain ground into flour?

Grain and flour move through the system using grain elevators and gravity. Grain is carried into the windmill and poured into first level hoppers. From there it is cleaned in the basement with the corn sheller and grain separator. Grain elevators carry cleaned grain to the third level hoppers which hold it until it is dropped into the second level grinders. Corn & oats are ground in the west grinder and dropped into a ceiling mounted sifter on the first level. Wheat & rye are ground in the east grinder. The flour drops into an elevator at the ceiling of the first level, is carried back up to a hopper on the third level and dropped into the sifter on the second level. The sifted flour is stored in hoppers suspended from the ceiling on the first level.

Interesting Notes

The windmill contains two scales; a floor scale in the windmill and a wagon scale outside the north end of the windmill. The scale inside the windmill can weigh individual bags of grain. The scale outside is used for weighing loaded and unloaded wagons.

The grain was used to feed the prize livestock on the Fabyan Estate and make bread for the two bears, Tom & Jerry. For this reason a bakery was built in the basement. Unfortunately the underground flue for the oven was poorly designed so the oven was not used long.