Braamse Molen, Braamt

The Braamse Molen or Koenders Möl is a tower mill in Braamt, Gelderland, Netherlands which was built in 1856. One of only two mills in the Netherlands fitted with Beckers sails, the mill is listed as a Rijksmonument.

Braamse Molen, Braaamt
The mill in December 2010
Origin
Mill name	Braamse Molen Koenders Möl
Mill location	Zeddamseweg 5, 7047 CW, Braamt
Coordinates	51°55′16″N 6°16′07″E
Operator(s)	private
Year built	1856
Information
Purpose	Corn mill
Type	Tower mill
Storeys	Three storeys
No. of sails	Four sails
Type of sails	One pair Common sails with Van Bussel system on leading edges, one pair Beckers sails with Van Bussel system on leading edges
Windshaft	Cast iron
Winding	Tailpole and winch
No. of pairs of millstones	One pair
Size of millstones	1.50 metres (4 ft 11 in) diameter
Other information	One of only two mills in the Netherlands fitted with Beckers sails

History

The Braamse Molen was built in 1856 by the millwrights the Gerritsen Brothers, of Keyenborg for J W Kelderman. In 1872, it was sold to W Koenders, remaining in the ownership of the Koenders family as of 2014. The mill was restored in 1964. It was then that the two Beckers sails) were fitted and the Van Bussel system was fitted to the leading edges of all four sails. The mill was worked regularly until 1990.[1] The Braamse Molen and Bernadette, Nieuw-Wehl are the only two mills in the Netherlands fitted with Beckers sails.[2] It is listed as a Rijksmonument, № 9263.[1]

Description

The Braamse Molen is what the Dutch call a "Grondzeiler". It is a three storey tower mill. There is no stage, the sails reaching almost down to ground level. The cap is covered in dakleer. Winding is by tailpole and winch. The sails are a pair of Common sails, fitted with the Van Bussel system on their leading edges, and a pair Becker sails fitted with the Van Bussel system on their leading edges.[1] They have a span of 24.30 metres (79 ft 9 in). They are carried on a cast iron windshaft, which was cast by F J Penn & Compagnie, Dordrecht, South Holland in 1864.[2] The windshaft also carries the brake wheel, which has 53 cogs. This drives a wallower with 27 teeth, which is situated at the top of the upright shaft. At the bottom of the upright shaft is the great spur wheel, which has 78 cogs. This drives a pair of 1.50 metres (4 ft 11 in) diameter French Burr millstones via a lantern pinion stone nut with 25 staves.[1]

References

Dutch Rijksmonument 9263

1. "Braamt, Gelderland" (in Dutch). Molendatabase. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
2. "Braamtse Molen te Braamt, Over de Molen" (in Dutch). De Hollandsche Molen. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.