larry@stinescorner
Well-known Member
saw this pump today at a farm sale,it was not for sale,it was part of the farm,but I took a picture of it it said gem on the side of it,looked interesting
- Thread starter larry@stinescorner
- Start date
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
That is a bucket on a conveyor pump. Little buckets on a chain dip into the well, and come up and dump out the spout, then go sown again. Shallow water pump.
It is a "Gem" well pump. The pump is a hand cranked sprocket that pulls a loop chain up through a pipe. The chain has round rubber suckers on the chain every few feet. The suckers are a loose fit in the pipe. The pipe has a funnel/bell on the bottom to start the suckers up through the pipe. The top of the pipe is attached to a sump/box. The spout is hooked to this box. The suckers pull water up through the pipe. The water is released in the box where it will run out the spout. The chain has to have a loop that is several feet longer than the length of the pipe.
These pumps are only good where the water table is close to the top of the ground. If you would try them in a deep well the weight of all of the water would make the handle impossible to crank. The sucker fit loose so the water will run back into the well to prevent freezing.
Lehman's in Dalton, Ohio has copied the old Gem pump. You can buy the complete pump and or parts.
Lehmans web site lots of cool old hardware
These pumps are only good where the water table is close to the top of the ground. If you would try them in a deep well the weight of all of the water would make the handle impossible to crank. The sucker fit loose so the water will run back into the well to prevent freezing.
Lehman's in Dalton, Ohio has copied the old Gem pump. You can buy the complete pump and or parts.
Lehmans web site lots of cool old hardware
GeneMO
Well-known Member
- Location
- Pilot Grove, Mo.
I grew up around one. When we tore my grandmothers house down, a dozer was called in to bury the remains and fill in the cistern. The old pump was dozed in the cistern.
About 10 years ago I found one at an antique store for $35. It is leaning up against the deck right now.
Gene
About 10 years ago I found one at an antique store for $35. It is leaning up against the deck right now.
Gene
Brian G. NY
Well-known Member
We had one of the old "log" pumps when I was a kid back in the 40s.
Basically the same except the "Gem" is a more sophisticated version.
Ours was made of wood and used the same basic spout, crank, sprocket and chain/buckets.
The "pipe" was made of wood sections that fit together.
These pump a large volume of water when cranked rapidly.
" course, as kids, my brother and I would like to crank it very rapidly which would sometimes result in a broken chain, especially when it got worn.
Then my Dad would be unhappy as he had to fish the chain out of the bottom of the well to repair it.
I have the original crank, sprocket and spout from that pump and a short piece of the chain and buckets. I wish I had a section of the log "pipe" as well.
Basically the same except the "Gem" is a more sophisticated version.
Ours was made of wood and used the same basic spout, crank, sprocket and chain/buckets.
The "pipe" was made of wood sections that fit together.
These pump a large volume of water when cranked rapidly.
" course, as kids, my brother and I would like to crank it very rapidly which would sometimes result in a broken chain, especially when it got worn.
Then my Dad would be unhappy as he had to fish the chain out of the bottom of the well to repair it.
I have the original crank, sprocket and spout from that pump and a short piece of the chain and buckets. I wish I had a section of the log "pipe" as well.
Not a "pump" in the stricter sense of the word. It's a water lift as the buckets dip into the standing water in the cistern and lift the water to the surface. If you turn the handle too fast, it doesn't give the buckets enough time to fill and the flow is reduced. Turn the handle at a reasonable rate, and a good flow of water results. There needs to be an "idler wheel" at the bottom of the chain to keep it in order rather than tangle.
A few years ago, my cardiologist diagnosed me with atrial fibrilation. I referred to this cistern bucket lift system as to what happens when the heart beats too fast and he liked that illustration. It's exactly what happens when the heart beats too fast preventing the chambers from filling with blood before it contracts to pump it on.
A few years ago, my cardiologist diagnosed me with atrial fibrilation. I referred to this cistern bucket lift system as to what happens when the heart beats too fast and he liked that illustration. It's exactly what happens when the heart beats too fast preventing the chambers from filling with blood before it contracts to pump it on.
Dave in Tx
Member
I have pumped lots of water with one of those pumps. Daily for years and don't remember ever having to work on it. Had a spare chain with cups hanging in the barn, still there when I left home.
Brian G. NY
Well-known Member
Contrary to what many folks think, this "pump" does not quite work on the "bucket" lift principal,
As a matter of fact, the one I have has "bell- shaped" rubber pieces that fit snugly into the pipe.
They are NOT inverted bells but instead are pulled up with the lower "skirt" of the bell keeping a good seal in the pipe. Each "cup" could be equated to a piston that instead of moving back and forth in the cylinder, continues from one end to the other, followed by successive "pistons".
So....the faster you turn the chain, the faster the water is drawn up the pipe. There is no waiting for each cup to fill!
As a matter of fact, the one I have has "bell- shaped" rubber pieces that fit snugly into the pipe.
They are NOT inverted bells but instead are pulled up with the lower "skirt" of the bell keeping a good seal in the pipe. Each "cup" could be equated to a piston that instead of moving back and forth in the cylinder, continues from one end to the other, followed by successive "pistons".
So....the faster you turn the chain, the faster the water is drawn up the pipe. There is no waiting for each cup to fill!
Ellis Kinney
Well-known Member
I have an operational GEM pump on my farm. The biggest problem for me is that the grand kids seem to always want to turn it backwards and gob up the chain. It will pump a little rusty at first if it doesn't get used every day. They were made in Blue Ash, Ohio, just outside of Cincy. The pipe for them is 1 and 3/4 dia and very hard to find. If anyone knows of a replacement pipe outlet for this size please respond, Ellis
We've got one similar to that on our cistern, but the chain and tubing are removed, and it is relegated to being a yard ornament.
Somewhere, in my youth, I remember seeing one rigged up with an electric motor to turn the pump through a series of chains, sprockets, belts and pulleys. Don't know how well it actually worked, but I had fun looking at it. It was a real life Rube Goldberg type contraption. It looked like a finger snatcher, and would probably have electrocuted you if you touched it. . .
Somewhere, in my youth, I remember seeing one rigged up with an electric motor to turn the pump through a series of chains, sprockets, belts and pulleys. Don't know how well it actually worked, but I had fun looking at it. It was a real life Rube Goldberg type contraption. It looked like a finger snatcher, and would probably have electrocuted you if you touched it. . .
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