Book Wheel

Bookwheel

by Agostino Ramelli

Utility

The bookwheel is designed to allow easy access, usually for reference, to multiple books at once, eliminating the need to handle the often bulky, heavy and fragile works. When fully loaded, a bookwheel can be used to reference up to 8 full sized books at once by a single seated figure.

Social Impact

The wheel has become popular among both Faerie and Bediz peoples, allowing for an ease of study and removing the need for the smaller Korrigan, such as the Teuz and Gargoul, to handle heavy books as regularly. The bookwheel has also been ideal in assisting mobility limited individuals in study.
Despite its appeal, the niche use of the bookwheel to those with large collections of heavy books has greatly limited its everyday use.

Inventor(s)

The bookwheel was created by a Teuz engineer from the Golden Sea, working at the time for the Urzh Kroashent at Karregennig, used to allow smaller built Korrigan to make use of the reference library in the fortress. The device proved popular and was spread across Alvez.

Access & Availability

The technology behind book wheels are largely available and easy to construct, but have limited appeal and application, reducing their actual numbers to larger collections.

Complexity

The bookwheel consists of two spinning wheels, connected on a central axle and supporting several tilted shelves between them. These shelves remain upright as the wheel is turned in a similar motion to a water-wheel, easily operated by a single seated individual. The bookwheel is often made of oak and beech, weighing 275 kg and is capable of holding 8 large books. Smaller versions, holding 4 books, are also frequently manufactured.
The interior mechanism is deceptively complex, however, consisting on numereous gears to offset the heavy weight and allow for a smooth spin, while keeping the book-slabs upright at any point of their circuit.