windmill repair opinions needed

[Bill C.]

This is a repair I have made once before, and was also probably done previously by other unknown parties i'm guessing.
There is a roughly 30ft long threaded steel rod running down to the pump. It has a steel joiner nut on it just finishing inside the riser pipe. The foot long rod that connects from the joiner nut to the pump piston is 1/2" brass rod threaded 1/2" whitworth.
It has previously come adrift from the piston after a brass cross pin sheared off and it unscrewed itself. I replaced the brass cross pin with a stainless pin and now the threaded section has broken. Not sure if the cross pin is standard. There is no locking used where the top end of the brass rod screws into the joiner nut, just nipped tight with pliers, but it never comes apart there. The piston is cast brass/bronze
Should I....
1: just rethread the brass rod and put it back together with a new cross pin.
2: screw it back together but lock it with a back up nut
3: use a new section of stainless threaded rod and cross pin it.
4: open to suggestion here...







Cheers Phil

I think the original pin was a shear pin whether than a drive pin. I would use a lock washer and nut to secure the shaft. Lookng at the other photos this shaft goes up and down? What kept it from falling down the well shaft? My grandfather had a hand pump that we had to prime sometimes. Good luck with the repairs.

 

[12bolts]

.... What kept it from falling down the well shaft? .....

Bill,
The mill and associated parts that change the rotation of the wheel into up/down action are up on the tower. There is a long rod running down the discharge pipe to the pump cylinder and piston, which are mounted just above the well, at ground level. The suction pipe runs from there down to underground. So all the working parts are above ground.

Cheers Phil

 

[Bill C.]

Bill,
The mill and associated parts that change the rotation of the wheel into up/down action are up on the tower. There is a long rod running down the discharge pipe to the pump cylinder and piston, which are mounted just above the well, at ground level. The suction pipe runs from there down to underground. So all the working parts are above ground.

Cheers Phil

Appreciate the information. I can't recall any of my uncles owning a windmill pump on their farms. I should have realized that was a push/pull operation. Glad to know the piston can't fall to the bottom of the well. Is there a brake or some sort of locking mechanism on the propeller shaft so you can work on mill?

 

[12bolts]

Bill,
There is a lever at the base of the tower and a cable system that connects to the hinged "tail" of the mill. It is held open by a spring arrangement. When you pull the lever the tail folds around and makes the wheel fly at right angles to the wind, so it stops pumping. If I want to work on the pump I just climb up and tie the wheel to the tail so it cant rotate at all.

Cheers Phil