It's a Southern thing

[PNA]

Care to guess what it was used for????

 

[mysteryscribe]

very nice eye for finding interesting things to shoot. then a nice rendition of something worth shooting.

 

[PNA]

Mysteryscribe, thanks.....any clues what it might be?

 

[mysteryscribe]

not sure what it is for exactly but it is the wheel that a long belt turned.

Most likely either it was on a farm steam tractor from god knows how long ago, or in a griss mill. Maybe even a very early cotton mill. They all used those long leather belts with a power wheel on one end and a work wheel on the other. In some of the older plants a turbine would run a hundred or more looms with belts come down from the ceiling. A belt and wheel system like this would have smaller belts running off all over the place. I have seen steam tractors running thrasher machines with a large long leather belt and pulley systems as well. So am I close?

This particular configuration would change the direction of the energy from side to side to up and down or vice versa usually. Of course it could just be used to make the machine move faster since the wheels are of differnt sizes. Hey this is the thing dreams are made of thats why its an interesting shot.

You can write your own story around it

 

[PNA]

I'm not sure how it was run, belts for sure, but probably off a tractor.

The property owner told me it was over 100 year old and was used to grind GRITS. Corn fields abound the area and, of course, grits are a main staple for Southern folk here in Georgia.

And, I'm sure ther's a story behind this. I'm a Northerner, so it's all foreign to me.

GRITS????

 

[mysteryscribe]

Ive seen those steam engines in operation at old time thrasher shows. The moved under their own power to the site then had a huge flywheel on the side. The belt went over it then to a piece of machinery. The power from the steam tractor drove the purely mechanical implement. The one I saw was thrashing wheat, but it could run a small grinding mill.

Its an interesting find. Some farmer owned it and used it to grind his neighbors corn for them. One man could never justify the equipment just to do his own. I'm sure there is a great story that goes along with it.

 

[PNA]

You're right, ther's grot to be compelling associate story.
One day soon I'll go back and question the owner regarding the history of the area and machinery.
The Southern that you appear to be (NC), you will/can appreciate the history.