GLOSSARY of WINDMILL TERMS

BEDSTONE

the lower of a pair of millstones, which remains stationary

BINS

Wooden boxes for holding the grain

BIN FLOOR

Floor of mill where the grain bins are situated

BRAKE

wooden or iron brake shoe encircling the brake wheel

BRAKE WHEEL    [ See picture ]

the largest geer wheel, fixed on the windshaft. The brake contracts onto its wooden rim

BRAN

partly ground husk of grain

BREAST

front of a post mill

BRIDGE

metal bar cemented into eye of runner stone to act as bearing for the top of the spindle BUCK

The body of a post mill

CANISTER

see Poll End

CANT POSTS

corner posts of a mill

CAP

The revolving top of a tower or smock mill

CENTRE or MAIN POST    [ See picture ]

The large central post which supports a post mill

CHAIN WHEEL    [ See picture ]

wheel turned by means of an endless chain. For winding mill or for working striking gear.

CILL

low stone or brick wall

COGS

the wooden teeth (usually Apllewood) inserted into cast gear wheel to drive mill machinery

COMMON SAILS

sails with a wooden framework covered by canvas.        

COMPOSITION STONE

millstone made from cement and carborundum

CURB

circular track at the top of the tower or smock mill on which the cap turns.
DEAD CURB slips on pads of metal
LIVE CURB carries cap on rollers

CROSS

multi-armed iron casting fixed to the end of the windshaft to carry the sails

CROSSTREES

horizontal timbers at right angles which support the centre post of a post mill

EYE

hole in the centre of the runner stone through which grain passes into the middle of the two stones.

FANTAIL    [ See picture ]

FAN STAGING

platform at the rear of the cap of a smock or tower mill to provide access to the fantail

fan at rear of cap which automatically turns it to face the wind.

FEED SHOE

guides grain from hopper into eye of stone.

FLOUR DRESSER    [ See picture ]

machine for separating flour from the rest of the meal.

FRENCH BURR

freshwater quartz stone from France used to mill wheat        

FURROWS

low part of pattern on the surface of millstones.

GALLERY

a platform around cap

GOVERNOR    [ See picture ]

automatic device which adjusts the distance between the stones as the sails turn faster or slower.

GREAT SPUR WHEEL    [ See picture ]

large gear wheel on the upright shaft driving the stone nuts

LANDS

high parts of pattern on the surfaces of millstones.

LUFFING

see winding

OVERDRIFT

stones driven from above

PATENT SAILS

shuttered sails with self-regulating control gear to automatically adjust their speed

PEAK STONE    [ See picture ]

millstone grit from the Peak District of Derbyshire used for grinding animal feeds        

PETTICOAT

downward extension of the cap to cover the top of the tower against the weather

PIERS    [ See picture ]

brick supports of a trestle.

POLL END

cast iron socket at end of windshaft to hold the stocks

POST MILL

Mill in which the whole body turns around a central post

large upright timber post on which a post mill turns.

QUANT

four-sided shaft from stone nut to mace on overdriven stones.

ROLLER MILL

mill using metal rollers in place of stones

ROUNDHOUSE    [ See picture ]

building around the trestle of a post mill to protect it and provide storage. See picture

RUNNER STONE

top stone of a pair which is turned by the mill.        

SHUTTERS    [ See picture ]

a series of hinged vanes in vertical rows in spring and patent sails

SMOCK MILL

Mill with wooden tower, often on a stone or brick base, with a revolving cap.

SPIDER    [ See picture ]

metal coupling operating the shutters of Patent sails

SPRING SAILS

sails with shutters linked to a spring, the tension of which can be set manually so that the shutters will open and close according to wind strength.

STAGING    [ See picture ]

a platform around the body of the mill

STOCKS

heavy timbers to which the sails are fitted - also called middlings

STONE DRESSER

a man whose profession it is to re-sharpen or dress millstones

STONE FLOOR

the floor of the mill where the millstones are situated

STONE NUT

final gear at top of quant which drives the stones

STRIKING GEAR

mechanism to open and close the shutters on sails

SWEEPS

term used in southeast of England to describe the sails        

TAIL

rear end of a post mill

TAIL POLE    [ See picture ]

long timber at the rear of a post mill or cap used to turn it manually

TAIL WHEEL

wheel mounted at rear of windshaft to drive a second set of stones

TAIL WINDING

when a wind catches the sails from the rear; a strong tail wind has been known to blow the cap off the tower

TALTHUR

small beam attached to tailpole which when hooked to the ladder will lift it clear of the ground while the mill is being winded.

TENTERING GEAR

device to make fine adjustments to the gap between the millstones

TOWER MILL

Mill with a brick tower and revolving cap

TRESTLE    [ See picture ]

wooden substructure of a post mill supporting the main post.        

TUN CASE

see VAT

UNDERDRIFT

stones driven from beneath

VANES    [ See picture ]

blades of a fantail.

VAT    [ See picture ]

removable wooden case enclosing millstones.

WALLOWER

horizontal gearwheel at top of upright shaft taking drive directly from the brake wheel

WHIP

the backbone of a sail or sweep

WINDBOARD

wide board replacing the shutters on inner half of leading edge of sails

WINDING

process of turning sails into the eye of the wind

WINDSHAFT    [ See picture ]

main axle of iron or wood that carries the sails and brake wheel

Y-WHEEL

wheel with metal Ys around circumference to increase grip of chain.