Could not find an industrial archaeology group or functioning engineeering
one


This weekend came across this surviving old well in Aldworth , Berkshire,
England
http://viewfinder.english-heritage.o.../CC72_1074.jpg
it is 372 feet deep, but no details on the well-head under that canopy , on
Googling.
Didn't have a camera.
I'm assuming it used 2 buckets.
The odd feature is a large pulley wheel for the rope to go round.
Where the rim flanges should be are perhaps numerous doubled up sprung
loaded plates acting as variable segmented rims, perhaps 20 or 30 of these
pivoted plates per rim.
I'm assuming they gripped the rope so the system could not run away with
itself, assuming enough or added motion affective friction in the winch
system. Also could accommodate variable thickness of rope, say cord for the
bottom 2/3 and rope for the top 1/3 each side. Like for mining shaft-cage
purposes, the self weight of damp rope , the full length, would be
excessive.
Perhaps a bellying out of the shaft half-way down and divider plate, to
avoid well sinking , double width the fill 372 feet.
Any comments on this or alternative reasoning

My page of local trivia
http://www.divdev.fsnet.co.uk/graff.htm

Graded rope would only work with single buckets - on second thoughts.
Gerrard Hoffnung did not cover that aspect in his monologue