Water Wheel Horizontal

The horizontal water wheel is the only one type of water wheel which rotates around a vertical axle. The horizontal water wheel is probably the first type of water wheel because it is the simplest and the easiest to construct. However, the horizontal water wheel is very inefficient in transferring the power of the current to the milling mechanism. That was the reason why it was later being replaced by water wheels of the vertical design.

The horizontal wheel is usually mounted inside a mill building. A stream of water is directed on to the paddles of the water wheel, causing them to turn. Water exits beneath the wheel through the center. This simple system is usually used without gearing. The vertical axle of the water wheel becomes the drive spindle of the mill. The water supply is conducted to one side of the wheel through a channel and the wheel turned by the impact. Thus the mill is suited to a small, but fast flow of water.