Tom blok
Water-lifting powered by a water-wheel
Gul streg
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A watermill transmits power to a water-lifting device
In the old town of Damascus, there is an exceptional construction. The river is directed to a waterwheel, on which there is a right angle gear. A fifteen-metre vertical shaft transmits the power to the top. Here there is a pot garland wheel. From the pots, the water is conducted along an aqueduct to the mosque.
[75]
 Watermill-powered device in Damascus
From this location, we can guess the dimensions of the device. The wall on the left and the TV aerials have nothing to do with it.
[76]
 Waterwheel for the device
This is the undershot wheel which turns the vertical shaft through a right angle gear. Unfortunately, the construction has been changed from time to time. The original gearwheel - of the type with eight teeth – has been removed. On the left a few boxes can be seen, they form part of a water-lifting wheel. Some sort of electric generator seems to have been connected to the wheel.
[77]

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The design of the right angle gear
On the vertical shaft, there are the remains of the gear wheel with eight cogs. The other gearwheel that meshes with it is missing.
[78]
 High-lift device in Damascus, Syria
This is the upper right angle gear. On the left we have the ratchet and ratchet wheel, which prevent the whole machine from moving backwards.
[79]
 The upper right angle gear
The horizontal wheel is using cogs shaped like shark’s teeth, which run smoothly.
[80]

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Close-up of upper right angle gear
The shark's teeth are engaged in a lantern pinion.
[81]
 Same view as in [81]
To understand how the lantern pinion is constructed, look at this photo and the next one [83].
[82]
 The gear under cover
The wooden parts of the gear were protected from the sun and the rain.
[83]

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One of the two bearings for the potgarland wheel
Behind the wheel, a box of the potgarland can be seen. In this instance, the weight of the pot garland and the water must be close to half a ton. Without lubrication the bearing will groan which can be heard far away.
[84]