The Flywheel Pump

The Martínez Bujanda family used this pump in the late 1800s at their winery in Oyón, Spain. It is about 4 ½ feet tall and constructed of cast iron. On each side is a large flywheel with a wooden handle protruding. On the left side of the pump are the hose inlet and outlet, along with the chambers. At the base of the pump are 4 iron wheels, each about 1 foot in diameter. There are wooden handles on the left side of the pump for relocating it.  

Moving fluid between vessels is a fundamental task in winemaking. The transfer pump was a technological leap that improved quality and increased yields. Before its invention, winemakers used gravity, siphons, or bellows to transfer wine. This type of pump is of French origin, but it was very popular in Spain. Workers would position themselves on either side and power the pump with the handles on the flywheels. In later years, winemakers would often put a drive belt around one of the flywheels and attach it to a small engine. The curved spokes of the flywheels are more than just ornament. Inconsistencies in the composition of iron cause cooling temperatures to fluctuate. As iron cools, it contracts, so straight spokes would often crack upon cooling. The greater length of the curved spokes absorbed the stress of contraction by bending slightly.