Drawing water from a deep well with a short rope
A pulley device reaching 24 braccia of well with only 12 braccia of rope
The sheet describes a well-drawing device in which 12 braccia of rope can reach water 24 braccia deep. The drawing shows the well shaft with a bucket at the bottom, ropes and a pulley block at the mouth. Leonardo notes the trade-off: the arrangement lifts half as much water as a single 24-braccia rope would.
On this page
Pulley well device: 12 braccia of rope for 24 of depth
A pulley block at the well mouth lets 12 braccia of rope draw from a depth of 24 braccia. The shaft, ropes and bucket are drawn at the right of the sheet.
Trade-off in the volume of water raised
The device raises half as much water as a single 24-braccia rope would lift in one piece. Halving the rope length is thus paid for by halving the quantity drawn.