Scoop Shovel Wind Speed Indicator

Scoop Shovel Wind Speed Indicator AG WORLD Ag World 15-4-20 "It's an eye-catcher. Really gets people talking," says C.F. Marley, Nokomis, Ill., about his "scoop shovel" anemometer that he built to mount on top of an old windmill tower so he could get an idea at a glance how strong the wind is blowing. "I've had it in mind for years but it took a long time to get around to building it," says Marley, a free-lance writer specializing in innovative new farm equipment. He's also a successful inventor who holds a number of U.S. patents. Four aluminum grain shovel scoops bolt to 16-in. long, 1-in. dia. pipe spokes welded at right angles to a piece of 2-in. sq. tubing that forms the hub. A 2 1/2-ft. long 3/4-in. Zia. steel shaft runs through the sq. tubing and down into the pipe base. A "pocket" for The shaft is made from a length of 1-in. pipe with a flange on top to hold it at the top of the bottom pole. The bottom of the pocket is plugged with an oaken cork held in place with a nail. A piece of steel rod 1-in. long and 1 in. dia. is dropped into the pocket, followed by a 1/2 in. dia. steel ball bearing. They create an easy turning race and roller when the main shaft is lowered down on top of them. Marley injects a bit of grease to lube them up and puts a seal on top to keep out rainwater. Once he gets his home-built wind speed indicator mounted on top of the windmill, Marley plans to run a grease filler line all the way to the ground so he can grease the unit periodically without climbing up to it. "It turns smoothly and gracefully, never dangerously fast. I thought it might lift itself up like a helicopter when it got going but that isn't a problem," says Marley. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, C.F. Marley, P.O. Box 93, Nokomis, Ill. 62075 (ph 217 563-2588).

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