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The Windmill and Stump Puller
Pioneers used many applications of simple machines to help them in their daily lives. The stump puller was needed to help clear the land of trees for farming and to assist in getting the land ready for the building of homes and barns. This tripod device was used for clearing tree stumps from the fields. It required six men and a team of horses to operate. The massive roots were used on the outer rim of fields as stump fences, helping to keep cattle in, while acting as windbreaks at the same time. The windmill used the power of the wind to pump
water for the family and livestock.
This type of windmill — used for pumping water — was
manufactured by Beatty Bros. of Fergus, Ontario, during the
1920s and 30s.
Wind causes the fan wheel to rotate, driving a piston pump. If the
tail on the head of the windmill is set perpendicular to the blades
on the fan, the head turns into the wind and the fan rotates. If
the tail is set parallel to the blades on the fan, the head turns out
of the wind and the fan stops turning. The hand lever attached to
one leg of the tower enabled the windmill operator to move the
tail, and turn the windmill on or off, from the ground. The windmill with
the tower was donated to the museum June 1978 by H. Lingham of Tillsonburg.
Last Updated: 03 Apr 2024
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