Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 2 of 5 1 2 3 4 5
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6
D
dnes Offline OP
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
D
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6
Thanks to all for the replies.

Wwh, to avoid this problem of the object tipping sidewise, I assume there would be two ropes, wrapped near opposite ends of the barrel. The worker would then pull both ropes at the same time, or two workers could each take a rope and hoist the barrel together.


Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
W
wow Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
Oh, sure and then both ropes could slide of either end - oooppps - and why do you want the darn barrell up the ramp anyway?
Just tap the keg and have the party at ground level.


Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 15
D
stranger
Offline
stranger
D
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 15
Can't think of any particular name, but this is the way beer barrels were lowered into the beer cellar at the local pub when I was a young un. This was done by the draymen, who I imagine were quite skilled. If my memory of physics serves me correctly, I believe it would be a two to one ratio. Two ropes/two men -- four to one. Not too difficult.



Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Dear davego: you gave me an idea. The way to lower a beer barrel down a ramp into cellar would be to have rope long enough to make several winds around barrel in middle of rope, then tie ends together. Then the top rope could be cautiously paid out hand over hand. And considering the value of a barrel of beer, a pair of men and a pair of such ropes would be a good idea.The rope would have to be long enough to have a distance equal to the length of the ramp between you and the barrel, and you would have to walk forward as barrel went down ramp.


Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
W
wow Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
Sounds like Dr.Bill has the problem solved ... now when is this going to happen and do we get an invite to the party and directions to the site? Should I bring pretzels?


Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6
D
dnes Offline OP
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
D
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6
I found it! I was looking up the etymology of "parenthesis" and there it was, a picture of two men pulling a barrel up a ramp. The word is...

parbuckle


Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Dear dnes: My hat off,and an effort at deep bow (frustrated by my ankylosind spodylitis_) using your clues, I found:
Parbuckle
(Par"buc`kle) n. (a) A kind of purchase for hoisting or lowering a cylindrical burden, as a cask. The middle of a long rope is made fast aloft, and both parts are looped around the object, which rests in the loops, and rolls in them as the ends are hauled up or payed out. (b) A double sling made of a single rope, for slinging a cask, gun, etc.

I never heard of it before.



Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,819
A
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
A
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,819

Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
A nice picture, Alex, but it shows clearly that it is to hoist a barrel vertically, not to roll it up a ramp. Nice word to know just the same.



Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,819
A
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
A
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,819
Oh I dunno, it looks like a very steep ramp to me, but that is nothing worth arguing about really. I just did a google image search for "parbuckle," and that was the only picture it found.


Page 2 of 5 1 2 3 4 5

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,271
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
1 members (A C Bowden), 285 guests, and 4 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,502
LukeJavan8 9,915
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5