From what I have researched, I found that the treadle pump utilizes a piston cylinder system to draw the water out of the ground and then pump it out the other side. Using the paper Chris posted in his email, ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/005/x8293e/X8293E01.pdf, you can see the dynamics of the treadle pump is just for drawing water out of a well or lake for irrigation. Treadles were also used in the 18 and early 1900’s for sewing machines and machine lathes. In this fashion, there is a rotating shaft attached to the treadle which rotates a wheel. Usually this wheel has a rope or belt around it that drives another smaller crankshaft. Think of an old time train wheel or this lathe.

I came up with a way to utilize this concept with gears and DC motors. What if we had each treadle on a pivot point and the shaft driving the larger gear with 2 motors on each gear? We would need to include some sort of way for the user to stabilize themselves and apply a force downward should they not have enough gravitational force. Similar to an elliptical or an arc trainer. I can show you in class with a drawing if you like.

So here we see this fit woman working out using a mechanical treadle design. Here’s my thought. In similar ways that solenoids are taking it a step backwards, so are treadles. There used to be treadle bicycles:

Treadle

Pros Cons

● Potentially cheaper● Potentially more fun● Simple mechanical design● Utilizes easy to find DC motors for

power generation.● Proven concept through other

developments● Same moving parts as chain or direct

drive.● Can do some engineering feasibility

easily● While not quantifiable could produce

upwards of 30W

● Potentially harder to design, if it is designed like the treadle pump we have to create handlebars

● Less intuitive than bike● Might be less efficient● Still have the issue of alternating

power. When switching feet● Force is a factor as well as speed● Custom sized parts● While a treadle pump can pump the

water, this leaves no room for power generation

● Children may have a harder time depressing the treadles since much of the work is relying on the weight of the kid.

● Even if we convert the water flow energy to electrical, it lacks efficiency

● Large and Bulky

Bike Design

Pros Cons

● More comfortable● Sitting is a more desirable position

● Bulky● Expenses are only increased due to

it just adding onto the idea of the original BWM