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Ventilating a mine. Hollow drum with air holes, B, at opposite sides, mounted on an axle
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Ventilating a mine. Hollow drum with air holes, B, at opposite sides, mounted on an axle
Ventilating a mine. Hollow drum with air holes, B, at opposite sides, mounted on an axle, C, to which are fixed fans rotating inside the drum. Axle turned by water wheel through a spur gear and lantern. When axle turned, the fans rotating inside the drum would suck air in one hole and out of the opposite one, setting up a current of air. From De re metallica, by Agricola, pseudonym of Georg Bauer (Basle, 1556). Woodcut
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Media ID 9752363
© Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group
1556 Agricola Basle Bauer Current Drum Fans Fixed Gear Georg Hole Holes Hollow Inside Lantern Metallica Mine Mining Mounted Opposite Power Pseudonym Rotating Setting Sides Spur Turned Wheel Woodcut Axle Suck Ventilating Ventillation
EDITORS COMMENTS
This woodcut from 1556, featured in "De re metallica" by Georg Bauer (pseudonym Agricola), offers a fascinating glimpse into the early methods of mine ventilation. The print showcases an ingenious contraption designed to circulate air within the depths of a mine shaft. At the center of the image stands a hollow drum, equipped with air holes labeled as B on opposite sides. This drum is mounted on an axle denoted as C, which houses fans rotating inside it. To power this system, water wheels are employed and connected through a spur gear and lantern mechanism. As the water wheel turns, its energy is transferred to the axle, causing the fans within the drum to rotate rapidly. This motion creates suction that draws fresh air into one hole while expelling stale air out of another hole. Consequently, a powerful current of ventilated air is established throughout the mine. The significance of this innovation cannot be overstated; it revolutionized mining practices by improving working conditions for miners who previously endured suffocating atmospheres underground. By introducing controlled airflow deep within mineshafts, this technology not only enhanced safety but also increased productivity. This historic woodcut serves as a testament to human ingenuity and resourcefulness in solving complex challenges faced by early miners. It reminds us how far we have come in our quest for efficient ventilation systems that safeguard workers' well-being in hazardous environments like mines.
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