Veldkamps Meuln facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Veldkamps Meuln |
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The windmill in 2002
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| Origin | |
| Mill name | Veldkamps Meuln (English: Veldkamp's Mill) |
| Mill location | Hoofdweg 314 Bellingwolde, Netherlands |
| Coordinates | 53°07′33″N 7°10′18″E / 53.1258°N 7.1716°E |
| Year built | 1855 |
| Information | |
| Purpose | Oil mill, grist mill |
| Type | Stellingmolen |
| Storeys | Seven storeys |
| No. of sails | Four |
| Type of sails | Common sails, Fauël system on leading edges |
| Windshaft | Cast iron |
| Winding | Tailpole and winch |
| Auxiliary power | Diesel engine, later electric motor |
| No. of pairs of millstones | Two pairs |
Veldkamps Meuln (which means Veldkamp's Mill in English) is a really old windmill in the village of Bellingwolde, in the Netherlands. It was built a long time ago, in the 1800s! This special mill is a type called a tower mill.
Where is Veldkamps Meuln?
Veldkamps Meuln is found on the Hoofdweg street. This street is in the village of Bellingwolde. Bellingwolde is in the eastern part of the Groningen province. This area is in the northeast of the Netherlands.
A Look at Its History
Veldkamps Meuln was built in 1855. The Veldkamp family built it to do two main jobs. It was a grist mill, which means it ground grain into flour. It was also an oil mill, used to press seeds to make oil.
The mill has faced some tough times. A big storm damaged it in 1895. Later, in 1972, it became a national heritage site. This means it's a very important old building. Even after that, more storms hit it hard in 1972 and 1976. But this strong old mill was fixed up again! It was carefully restored between 2002 and 2003.
How the Mill Works
Veldkamps Meuln is a tall tower mill. It has seven levels inside! There's also a platform, or stage, around the outside on the third floor. This stage lets people work safely on the mill.
The very top part of the mill is called the cap. This cap can turn to face the wind. It's covered with a special material called dakleer. The mill has four big sails that catch the wind. These sails are about 20 meters (66 feet) long!
The sails are connected to a strong cast iron pole called a windshaft. When the wind pushes the sails, the windshaft spins. To make sure the sails always face the wind, workers can turn the cap using a tailpole and winch system.
Inside the mill, the spinning windshaft turns a big gear called a brake wheel. This brake wheel has 59 teeth! It connects to another gear, a wallower, which has 30 teeth. The wallower is at the top of a long, straight pole called an upright shaft.
At the bottom of the upright shaft is another large gear, the great spur wheel, with 86 teeth. This wheel turns two smaller gears called stone nuts. These stone nuts then spin the heavy millstones. The millstones grind the grain into flour or press the seeds for oil. They work by spinning on top of each other.
