As a matter of interest some six or eight representations of the early forms of wells, have been introduced; but little need to be written relating to them—the cuts with the titles speak for themselves and also indicate their manner of use. [(See note.)]
In Syria and Palestine at the present time the antique bucket and rope, in modified form, is still used in raising water from wells for irrigation. The buckets are attached to the ropes at regular intervals and pass over large drums going down empty and rising full. They discharge at the top into a large open trough, which conveys the water to the irrigating ditches.
Roman Screw.—Fig. 72.
A method much used where rivers are available is the wheel and bucket, in which the buckets are mounted on the rim of a large wheel which is of a diameter equal to the height to which the water is to be raised. The processes although extremely crude are well adapted to countries where labor is inexpensive as the running expense of the devices is very small.
Note.—The source from which many of these have been derived is “Eubank’s Hydraulics,” to which work credit is gladly given for nearly all the historical data so far used in this volume. The author of the book named gave many years of research into the early records of all relating to hydraulics and water machines and kindred subjects.
WATER-LIFTING INVENTIONS.
The raising of water is one of the early arts; beginning in ancient times with devices of the crudest form it has followed the progress of civilization with ever-increasing importance. In the present era, it demands engineering ability of the highest order and the finest of machinery.
Important epochs in the gradual inventions relating to pumps and hydraulics are: (1) The “force pump,” due to Ctesibius 200 B. C.; (2) the “double-acting pump,” invented by La Hire in 1718; (3) the “hydraulic ram,” by Whitehurst in 1772; (4) the “hydraulic press,” introduced by Joseph Bramah in 1802.