Metters Hand Pump
This is a cast iron and brass hand pump that was used for drawing water from the well.
It was made by Metters, an Australian company established in Adelaide in 1891. Whilst Metters were best known for their patented ‘top-fire’ wood stoves they also manufactured farm equipment like wind pumps and by 1908 were manufacturing products in all major Australian cities.
Hand pumps like this one were used to pump water from wells for stock troughs or domestic supplies. Their usage declined with the advent of wind pumps (i.e. windmills) as windmills could keep troughs and tanks full without requiring manual intervention from the farmer.
Details
Details
Hand pumps are normally used on shallow wells less than 40ft deep and modern pumps will generally have a lower piston pump inside the well to pull water. However, pumps of the era of this Metters hand pump were generally just connected to a spear / pipe and relied on the suction power provided by moving the pump handle. Sometimes a foot valve would be attached at the bottom of the spear to keep out the well particles and help keep the pump primed.
All major parts are sturdy cast iron with some brass fittings, which are resistant to rust and can remain in good useful condition for many years. The only service generally needed is a change of the leather pump seals every 15 to 20 years, depending on water quality and amount of use.
Hand pumps are still commonly used in developing countries for both community supply and self-supply of water and can be installed on boreholes or hand-dug wells.
Busselton Historical Society
Busselton Historical Society
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