Spinning machine: flyer wheel, spindle and leather drive
Studies for a filatoio, with a marginal note on climate, human colour and the quintessence
On the right Leonardo studies a spinning machine (filatoio). The flyer wheel or 'racket' S is to give no more than one sixth of a turn, using a sixth of its circumference carrying four spindles, while the wheel ag has its teeth set four by four. A detail of the spindle (n a o r m) shows the part m a round, turning in a round hole, and the part a n square in a square socket, male and female turning together; a small pulley is driven by a leather belt. Down the left margin runs a prose note on men of hot and cold countries and on the quintessence infused through the air.
On this page
Flyer wheel S and the geared drive
The wheel or 'racket' S should turn no more than one sixth of a revolution, so that a sixth of its circumference carries four spindles. The wheel ag has its teeth grouped four by four, the width of four teeth equalling the gap between each group. Pegs are added to take up slack in the cord.
Round and square sections of the spindle (n a o r m)
In the spindle detail the part m a is entirely round and turns within a round hole, while the part a n is square and fits a matching square socket. The 'male' and 'female' must always be of equal turning so that they revolve together.
Pulley with a leather belt
A small pulley (rocchetto) is driven by a belt of leather — that is, of dressed hide.
On hot and cold countries and the quintessence
Men born in hot countries love the night because it cools them and hate the light because it heats them, and so are the colour of night, black, while in cold countries all is the opposite. The quintessence is infused through the air as fire is an element; each particle, given nourishing matter, takes a growing form, and when the nourishment is withdrawn it abandons the body and returns to its first nature.