WATER WHEELS.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 95, 28 March 1885, Page 2

WATER WHEELS.

The Pelton wheel is said to be the most approved water motor in America, having beaten all its rivals in tests. Several within the la9t year have been erected in the Thames district. Mr G. W. Butt imported one for his battery on the Karaka, and Messrs A. and G. Pi ice, the well-known ironfounders of Thames having secured the patent for this colony, have made two for Te Aroha, which work admirable, one more recently for the Golden Crown battery, and are now engaged in two for Skippers, in the South Island. That for the Golden Crown battery is five Feet in diameter, and drives the battery of twenty head of stampers seventy 1 lows a minute, with two sluice heads of water upon a pleasure, it is understood of about f>6lbs. to the inch. The form is simplicity itsoif. Let any one take a silver eoinj make a hole in the middle, through vvnich pass a small piece of sticK or a needle, a** an improvise! 1 shaft whereby to suspend the wnee ) — the coin — which must, be upright., so that it may revolve unimpeded, and he has the principle of the wheel. Now for the motive power. If a tiny stream of water, say as much as would flow through the eye of n needle, be brought to bear upon the nicks or milling upon the rim of the coin it will revolve, and here is the Pelton principle exemplified But the secret of the fullness of power is said to be the peculiar formation of the cups, corresponding to the milling of the coin, upon which the water plays. The nozzle of the pipo driving the Golden Crown wheel is two inches. The wheel gives the utmost satisfaction, and- it is manifest that owing to its simplicity the wear and tear will be ex.-eedingly trifling, and its liability to get ont or order very slight. It will be a great saving upon the cost of the water engine, which after a year is liable to set out of repair ; and us litiiegoes on, and the parts bev-om,* worn, the difficulty and expense of keeping it in order increases. As driving motors, wheels seem to be a decided improvement upon turbines and water engines — Herald