Clockwork, bottle, smoke & steam jacks
Spits were used to roast meat before the fire. They vary from a simple spit on the andirons to mechanically run ones that used the power of the 'smoke'/heat in the chimney [smoke jack, pictured] to clock jack, among others.
Bottlejack; two-spindle jack; clockwork; counterweight. Ivan Day
Mechanical Roasting on the Hearth by Dr. Alice Ross
Clockjacks, French Ancien tournebroche mural
Roasting jacks, French
Steam jack
Smoke jacks
Smoke jack/turbine. Aston Hall UK
©2009 Patricia Bixler Reber
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