oldbones - 2/2/2017 18:39



Before engines, they used a "horse power" to run the ear corn elevator. The horses were harnessed to the "horse power" vertical shaft. That went down to a 90 degree open gear. Then a jackshaft come off that and went to the elevator to turn the bottom drive sprocket (like a pto).
I helped one time and an "old time" demonstration. The ear corn was shoveled out of the flare box into the elevator drag, and the horses just walked around the "horse power", stepping over the jackshaft when they came to it.
Not sure, but I think the "horse power" came about at the same time as the elevator, but I could be wrong on that part.
I tried finding a picture of a "horse power", but can't find one, so there must be another name for it. I only knew it as a "horse power".

edit: I found this similar operation. The one shown is a permanent operation, with the jackshaft underground, but the ones I've seen are portable, and only take a half hour or less to set up, and only needed 2 horses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbTNtCWXccQ




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