Eclipse windmill facts for kids
The Eclipse windmill was a very successful type of windmill used in the 1800s in the United States. It was designed to pump water. A Presbyterian minister named Leonard Wheeler invented it. He worked with the Ojibwe people near Lake Superior. Wheeler spent almost 20 years making his windmill better at his mission home. No one in the wider world knew about it.
In 1866, Wheeler became ill and moved to Beloit, Wisconsin. This was a busy industrial city. There, he was convinced to get a patent for his invention. Wheeler died before he saw how successful his windmill became. But his sons continued his work. Some companies that came from the original Eclipse Windmill Company are still in business today.
Quick facts for kids
Leonard Hemenway Wheeler
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| Born | April 18, 1811 Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
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| Died | February 25, 1872 (aged 60) Beloit, Wisconsin
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| Occupation | Presbyterian minister |
| Known for | Missionary among Ojibwe, windmill inventor |
Contents
Who Was Leonard Wheeler?
Leonard Hemenway Wheeler was born in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, on April 18, 1811. His mother passed away when he was only one month old. His father and an aunt raised him in Bridport, Vermont. He went to Middlebury College and graduated in 1837. Then he studied at Andover Theological Seminary, finishing in 1840.
Around this time, he met and married Harriet Wood. She shared his strong religious beliefs. Leonard wanted to do missionary work with the Ojibwe people. So, the couple soon moved to La Pointe, Wisconsin. This was on Madeline Island in Wisconsin Territory.
Wheeler believed in helping the Ojibwe learn farming skills. This was important because the fur trade, which they relied on, was shrinking. Madeline Island was not good for farming. So, Wheeler moved to the mainland. He built a home and mission there. He named it Odanah, which means "village" in Ojibwe. Many Ojibwe people already lived in that area. There were about 1000 in the Chequamegon Bay region. They liked the wild rice fields at the mouth of the Bad River. The Ojibwe name for this place was Kietiganing.
Wheeler first built his windmill to pump water. He needed to get water from a deep valley up to his home. He kept making it better over time. Eventually, it was used for other farm tasks, like grinding corn.
Life in the cold northern woods was hard on Wheeler. In 1866, he moved his family to Beloit. Many of his friends and colleagues lived there. He found support for his family while looking for a new career.
How the Windmill Was Patented
After Wheeler moved to Beloit, his cousin, Samuel Chipman, became interested in the windmill. Chipman was from Indiana. He convinced Wheeler to get a patent for his invention. Chipman also gave him money to help with the process.
On September 10, 1867, US Patent No. 68674 was given. The patent had three main ideas, called "claims."
Clever Wind Regulation
The most important claim was for a special part that controlled the windmill. This part kept the wheel at the best angle. It adjusted based on both wind speed and direction. Windmills need to catch a lot of power in light winds. But they also need to avoid damage from strong winds.
Older windmills had a simple tail vane. This vane just kept the wheel pointed directly into the wind. You can still see this design on decorative garden windmills. Wheeler's invention was different. It pointed the wheel into the wind when the wind was light or medium. But in strong winds, it turned the wheel sideways. This protected the windmill.
This was done with a second vane. This vane changed its angle. Weights and pulleys held it in the right spot. This system worked against the main vane to find the perfect angle.
Stopping the Wheel and Mounting
Wheeler's invention had another great benefit. This became the second patent claim. By simply moving one of the hanging weights, the windmill wheel could be stopped completely.
His third claim was about how the main vertical shaft was mounted. It was a hollow shaft. This allowed the ropes for the regulating pulleys to pass down. This way, the platform could spin freely without the ropes getting in the way.
Wheeler's Hopes for His Invention
In 1868, Wheeler wrote a letter to his elderly father. He described his windmill and his hopes for it:
You might want to know how I'm doing with the mill. I've spent a lot of time on it. I've been experimenting and making it better. Now, the general plan works well. Two things were most important to me: 1) Making the mill run smoothly. 2) Making it simpler and stronger, so it's cheap to build.
I've only built two hundred-dollar mills so far. Both pump water from wells fifty feet deep. They work very well. Engineers and mechanics like it a lot. It's simple to build and does important jobs. It controls itself and will be safe in any wind, even very strong ones. We think this mill will be very popular for deep wells on our prairies. It can raise water for farm animals.
It's not making money yet. I've spent more than I've earned so far. But I hope that will change soon. Like many inventors, I don't have enough money to make it widely known quickly. But with anything new, we must be patient and wait for results.
The mill, as it is now, only pumps water. I hope to make another version soon for powering machines. I'm sure I can make one that's better than anything else out there. Even though there are many challenges. So, you see, I stay busy. I'm good at trying different things. I won't be able to preach anymore. But if I can make a useful mill and provide for my family, I will have achieved one goal in life.
Wheeler also mentioned that his windmill used cheap, interchangeable parts. This lowered the total cost of making them. This was a key part of his design, even if it wasn't in the patent.
How the Company Grew
At first, the windmill was made by "L. H. Wheeler and Sons." Leonard Wheeler died in February 1872. In 1873, Wheeler's sons, along with S. T. Merrill and C. B. Salmon, started the Eclipse Wind Mill Company. The company began to grow steadily.
The first windmills had four vanes. But this changed to a wheel with many small fins. This became a famous feature of the Eclipse windmill. They made them in different sizes, from 8.5 to 14 feet across.
The 1876 Philadelphia Exhibition
The Centennial International Exhibition was the first official World's Fair in the United States. It was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876. It celebrated 100 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed.
About 10 million people visited the exhibition. This was about 20% of the U.S. population at the time. Hundreds of machines and devices were shown. There was a special display of windmills. This included three models by Eclipse. Other companies like United States Wind-Engine & Pump Company, E. Stover & Brothers, and Gammon & Deering also showed their windmills.
The Eclipse windmill received this praise:
It is a very good, well-made engine that works efficiently. We found a strong, solid wheel. It came in sizes from ten feet to sixteen feet wide. Its special feature is a small, controllable side vane. This vane acts as a counterweight. It pulls the main sail away from the wind during a storm. It doesn't cause problems in light wind. This is because it first has to overcome the force of a weighted arm. This arm can be adjusted by moving the weight closer or farther from the center. The spinning platform moves on four friction balls. These balls run on a grooved surface. The platform's base is made in one piece with the top plate. It has edges underneath to hold the posts. The end of the piston-rod has a ball attachment that keeps it in place. There is no way to fix the wear on this ball.
Expanding Factories in Beloit
In 1880, Merrill and Salmon retired. The company changed its name to the Eclipse Wind Engine Company. W. H. Wheeler became the president. The factory was rebuilt twice after that. Wheeler also added new products like friction clutches and gas engines.
Joining with Fairbanks Scales
In the early 1890s, Charles Morse bought shares in the Eclipse Wind Engine Company. Eventually, Morse combined Eclipse with the Fairbanks Company and other businesses. He created a new company called Fairbanks, Morse & Co..
Around the year 1900, Fairbanks, Morse & Co. sold its products worldwide. This included the different models of the Eclipse Windmill. Eclipse windmills were one of the top two brands in the United States. They were also made a lot in Germany. When the patent rights ended in 1901, many other windmill companies copied the design.
After World War I, Fairbanks Morse stopped making the classic wooden-fin Eclipse windmills. However, they did produce several steel windmills that still carried the Eclipse brand name.
Old and Historic Eclipse Windmills
People who work to preserve history restore and protect Eclipse windmills. Here are two examples:
- Moriarty Eclipse Windmill
- Canon Ranch Railroad Eclipse Windmill
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