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ENLARGE
Mine artifact collectors Dr. Robert Kraft, of Hillsborough, and Robert Samay, of Pacific Grove, have given 10 small and two larger water wheels, most of them Pelton wheels, on permanent loan from their
collection to the Miners Foundry Cultural Center Museum.
Two California collectors of mining artifacts have donated two large historic water wheels to the museum of the Miners Foundry Cultural Center, in Nevada City.
Dr. Robert Kraft, of Hillsborough, and Robert Samay, of Pacific Grove, both have a keen interest in mining artifacts and the history of mining. This spring, the two men gave 10 small Pelton wheels to the center’s museum. The two larger wheels, one with brass cups and the other with cast iron cups, add to that.
“They have a very large collection of water wheels and a significant collection of Pelton wheels,” center Executive Director Gretchen Bond said. Part of the center’s mission is to preserve and interpret the history of the Miners Foundry and Nevada County, Bond added.
The display can be seen during normal museum hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Pelton wheels were made at the Miners Foundry from 1880 to 1888. After 1888, manufacturing of the wheels was moved to the newly created Pelton Water Wheel Co. of San Francisco.
The Pelton water wheel, or sometimes called a water motor, was developed by Lester Pelton of Camptonville, who patented his design in 1880.
The first wheels were impulse-type, with power conveyed to the wheel through the transfer of the kinetic energy of high-speed water striking the wheel.
The water came from high-elevation reservoirs, channeled by flumes and ditches that had supplied water to hydraulic mines before 1880. Hydraulic mining was stopped by a court order in the 1880s. The water ditches in place gave available water heads of more than 500 feet. This water was then used to power the water wheels, which in turn powered other machinery.
In 1883, a competition was held at the Idaho-Maryland Mine in Grass Valley. Four water wheels were tested against each other using a common water source of 368 feet. head (about 160 PSI) and a prony brake work load device. The Pelton water wheel decisively defeated the other wheels involved, the Knight, Fredenburr and Taylor.
The Pelton water wheel is still used worldwide today.
Miners Foundry Cultural Center is at 325 Spring St., downtown Nevada City; contact them at (530) 265-5040. Mike Nevius is a member of the Miners Foundry Historical Committee.
Dr. Robert Kraft, of Hillsborough, and Robert Samay, of Pacific Grove, both have a keen interest in mining artifacts and the history of mining. This spring, the two men gave 10 small Pelton wheels to the center’s museum. The two larger wheels, one with brass cups and the other with cast iron cups, add to that.
“They have a very large collection of water wheels and a significant collection of Pelton wheels,” center Executive Director Gretchen Bond said. Part of the center’s mission is to preserve and interpret the history of the Miners Foundry and Nevada County, Bond added.
The display can be seen during normal museum hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Pelton wheels were made at the Miners Foundry from 1880 to 1888. After 1888, manufacturing of the wheels was moved to the newly created Pelton Water Wheel Co. of San Francisco.
The Pelton water wheel, or sometimes called a water motor, was developed by Lester Pelton of Camptonville, who patented his design in 1880.
The first wheels were impulse-type, with power conveyed to the wheel through the transfer of the kinetic energy of high-speed water striking the wheel.
The water came from high-elevation reservoirs, channeled by flumes and ditches that had supplied water to hydraulic mines before 1880. Hydraulic mining was stopped by a court order in the 1880s. The water ditches in place gave available water heads of more than 500 feet. This water was then used to power the water wheels, which in turn powered other machinery.
In 1883, a competition was held at the Idaho-Maryland Mine in Grass Valley. Four water wheels were tested against each other using a common water source of 368 feet. head (about 160 PSI) and a prony brake work load device. The Pelton water wheel decisively defeated the other wheels involved, the Knight, Fredenburr and Taylor.
The Pelton water wheel is still used worldwide today.
Miners Foundry Cultural Center is at 325 Spring St., downtown Nevada City; contact them at (530) 265-5040. Mike Nevius is a member of the Miners Foundry Historical Committee.
