No.1 Hammer

No.1 hammer at Wortley Forge incorporates a wooden spring beam. It is of the "Belly Helve" type where a cam lobe on the cam drum lifts the hammer, it must also bend the spring beam. On release, gravity and strain energy both contribute to the hammer blow. An enormous, oak drome beam holds the structure together and damps vibration which would shake the hammer apart. Drive is via a breast shot water wheel. It is seen here with a railway axle which was a major product of this forge at one time.