Wind Engines
Types and Jobs
In general, there are only two types of wind engines: those made of wood, and those made of galvanized steel. Of course, there are style variations to their gearboxes, vanes, sails, and towers that tend to be factory-specific and too numerous to list. A great resource that profiles and chronicles specific wind engine models is T. Lindsay Baker’s A Field Guide to American Windmills. The following is a general guide to wind engine capabilities:
Water Pump
Wind engines were originally developed for pumping water from
wells and, to this day, pumping continues to be their primary
function. Wind engines were necessary for developing
railroads in the nineteenth century to power steam engine
locomotives; brought fresh water to urban areas for both
consumption and fire protection; were an asset to Midwest
farmers who no longer had to manually pump and haul water to
livestock; and they made settling the West possible by bringing
drinking water to otherwise dry lands too far from rivers.
Because strong storms and tornados often disrupt power in areas
of Texas, Oklahoma, and elsewhere, wind engines are still
preferred over modern, electric pumps. There you will find
wind engine manufacturers like Aermotor in operation. Wind
engine remnants can still be found on farms throughout Illinois.
In many cases, the sails, motor, and pump are removed, but the
tower remains. Wind engine parts are a popular find at
flea markets and antique stores in the state. Those who
restore wind engines or collect memorabilia often find parts and
literature on the Internet.
The wind engines at Batavia's Riverwalk are all
designed to pump water
Photo by Tom Haskell
Farm Machinery
Marketing agencies and salesmen for wind engine manufacturers
explored the idea of incorporating wind engines in a variety of
farm uses. Because of their smaller size, wind engines
were unsuccessful in replacing custom windmills completely,
since they cannot deliver the power needed to grind grain or saw
lumber. Still, they were employed to turn hay balers,
presses, and even grain machinery (such as a corn sheller or a
grain elevator).
Farm machine windmills were mounted to the rooftops of barns to
provide direct power to the machinery within. These were
often larger in diameter and designed to turn a wheel, from
which a belt could be run to the machines. Though not
classified as a wind engine, there are examples of
annular-sailed custom windmills that could run multiple machines
or grind grain. One such well-photographed mill is the
Ruffle Windmill in Haverhill, Suffolk, U.K. (now destroyed).
This is the last known Challenge double-wheel engine,
one of very few engines actually capable of
replacing custom windmills
Photo from The Harden Foundation
Electricity
A few wind engines have been used to make electricity. Probably the most famous example would be the wind “dynamo” of Charles F. Brush, but over the years others similarly experimented with annular-sailed turbines, including Jacobs Wind Electric. Some prototype turbines with annular sails may be seen, but are not very common. See Wind Turbine Types for more information about these windmills.
