treadwheel

treadwheel

also known as  treadmill  or  “everlasting staircase” 

      a penal appliance introduced in 1818 by the British engineer Sir William Cubitt (1785–1861) as a means of usefully employing convicts. Designed in some cases to handle as many as 40 convicts, the device was a wide hollow cylinder, usually composed of wooden steps built around a cylindrical iron frame. As the device began to rotate, each prisoner was forced to continue stepping along the series of planks. The power generated by the treadwheel was commonly used to grind corn and pump water, although some served no purpose at all other than punishment. The use of treadwheels was abolished in Britain by the Prisons Act of 1898. See also forced labour.

Geoffrey Abbott
 

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Treadwheel — Tread wheel , n. A wheel turned by persons or animals, by treading, climbing, or pushing with the feet, upon its periphery or face. See {Treadmill}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Treadwheel — Ox powered treadwheel The word treadmill, originally a type of mill operated by a person treading steps of a wheel to grind grain, now designates a piece of indoor sporting equipment for running without moving any distance. A treadwheel is a form …   Wikipedia

  • treadwheel — n. = TREADMILL 1. * * * noun a mill that is powered by men or animals walking on a circular belt or climbing steps • Syn: ↑treadmill, ↑tread wheel • Hypernyms: ↑mill, ↑grinder, ↑milling machinery * * * ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • Crane (machine) — A modern crawler type derrick crane with outriggers. The latticed boom is fitted with a jib. A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower material …   Wikipedia

  • Andernach — Infobox German Location Art = Town image photo = Rheinlagen Andernach.jpg Wappen = Wappen Andernach.png lat deg = 50 |lat min = 26 |lat sec = 23 lon deg = 7 |lon min = 24 |lon sec = 06 Lageplan = Andernach in MYK.png Bundesland = Rheinland Pfalz… …   Wikipedia

  • Weald and Downland Open Air Museum — The museum covers convert|50|acre|ha, with nearly 50 historic buildings dating from the thirteenth to nineteenth centuries, along with gardens, farm animals, walks and a lake.The buildings at the museum were all threatened with destruction. They… …   Wikipedia

  • Medieval technology — Pumhart von Steyr, a 15th century supergun …   Wikipedia

  • Treadmill — A treadmill is a piece of indoor sporting equipment used to allow for the motions of running or walking while staying in one place. The word treadmill traditionally refers to a type of mill which was operated by a person or animal treading steps… …   Wikipedia

  • Aberrations of the Mind — Infobox Album | Name = Aberrations of the Mind Type = Album Artist = Morgana Lefay Released = March 19th, 2007 Recorded = Studio Soundcreation, Bollnäs, Sweden Genre = Heavy metal Thrash metal Length = Label = Black Mark Records Producer =… …   Wikipedia

  • Camptosorus rhizophyllus — Walking Walk ing, a. & n. from {Walk}, v. [1913 Webster] {Walking beam}. See {Beam}, 10. {Walking crane}, a kind of traveling crane. See under {Crane}. {Walking fern}. (Bot.) See {Walking leaf}, below. {Walking fish} (Zo[ o]l.), any one of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”