The waterwheel was found in China from 30 AD onwards, when it was used to power trip hammers, the bellows in astronomical observation ( see Zhang Heng ).
32.
The widest application of trip hammers, however, seems to have occurred in Roman mining, where ore from deep veins was first crushed into small pieces for further processing.
33.
For agricultural purposes the Chinese had invented the hydraulic-powered trip hammer by the 1st century BC, during the ancient Han Dynasty ( 202 BC-220 AD ).
34.
As mentioned by Huan Tan in about 20 AD, they were used to turn gears that lifted iron trip hammers, and were used in pounding, threshing and polishing grain.
35.
Also called " Open Die Power Forging Hammers . " They have been used by blacksmiths, bladesmiths, metalworkers, and manufacturers since the late 1880s, having replaced trip hammers.
36.
This calamine brass was generally manufactured as hammered sheet or " battery brass " ( hammered by a " battery " of water-powered trip hammers ) and cast brass was rare.
37.
The waterwheel was also used for operating trip hammers in pounding grain and in rotating the metal rings of the mechanical-driven astronomical armillary sphere representing the celestial sphere around the Earth.
38.
Large grindstones, which were operated by water power, shaped the barrels into octagonal shape and the metal was drawn out and molded by large trip hammers, also operated by water power.
39.
Throughout its existence, the Adirondack Iron Works operated two farms, the blast furnace and forge, a puddling furnace, charcoal and brick kilns, trip hammers and a grist and saw mill.
40.
Although Chinese trip hammers in China were sometimes powered by the more efficient vertical-set waterwheel, the Chinese often employed the horizontal-set waterwheel in operating trip hammers, along with recumbent hammers.
