What's going on in this picture?

[hwy8]

Is that some kind of "potato chopper" that he's using? Is the pump rod hooked to a right angle and then the back and forth motion runs the machine? (Since I don't pump water, I'm always thinkin' about ways to watch a wheel spin AND do some work too: This might work to french cut my carrots or maybe, slice potato chips: I figure that I'll make a fortune!)

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

Burt that is a winger ratchet feed grinder and the Stover in the picture is the wooden one i have.

[hwy8]

That's a great looking mill Dan, is it going up at your place? It's an interesting way they've built that tower too; it looks like they used the entire side facing us as a ladder. I looked up the ratchet feed grinder and didn't find much technical info. (maybe I'll look in the patents) I wondered if the ratchet mechanism turns a wheel/stone a full 360 degrees, or does it ratchet back and forth like a pendulum clock, maybe mirroring the triangle action where it is attached to the pump rod?

Burt

[Wayne]

I think it works like a ratchet with a socket. The wheel makes a circle inside.

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

Yes Wayne it does and Burt I'm guessing it uses the same metal bur plates like other feed grinders. At one time there was one on eBay i wish I would have bought it.

[hwy8]

Here's the picture from Google Patents and if you search USRE9109E - Silas c - Google Patents, you'll find the description sheets. It's always interesting to check out the related patents list too. It would be interesting to try Wayne's idea and use a Harbor freight ratchet to see if I could run something. I might have mentioned before that I've thought about using a bicycle frame with the pedals, chain, and window weights (or some-such) taped to the wheel for a flywheel, maybe on a line-shaft. (I'm starting to sound like the Absent Minded Professor! When I start talking about putting Flubber into my B702 gearbox, lookout!)

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

Burt more like the nutty professor. LOL