The line shaft transmitted this power to each floor of the mill.

In fact, modern industry could not be carried out with the belt and line shaft for a number of reasons.

The lifting and moving would be transferred from a fixed line shaft.

The picture on the right shows an example of system powered by a line shaft and steam engine.

Power is taken from the crankshaft by a series of directly driven line shafts.

Flat belts are still used today, although not nearly as much as in the line shaft era.

These building supplied power to the tenants from a steam engine through line shafts.

Before electrification, mill and factory power was usually transmitted using a line shaft.

At its peak there were 990 looms, all driven by overhead line shafts.

The flat base plate was retained but the C1 line shaft was dropped.

They were driven by leather belts from line shafts.

Near the end of the 19th century some factories had a mile or more of line shafts in a single building.

The line shaft is the accessory that enables a steam engine to drive more than one tool.

Factories were fitted with overhead line shafts providing rotary power.

With factory electrification in the early 1900s, many line shafts began converting to electric drive.

Factory layout was designed around access to the line shafts, not in the most efficient manner for the work flow.

Wire rope systems cost one-tenth as much and had lower friction losses than line shafts.

Power was transmitted by a line shaft.

Power buildings continued to be built in the early days of electrification, still using line shafts but driven by an electric motor.

To overcome the distance and friction limitations of line shafts, wire rope systems were developed in the late 19th century.

This included the change over from line shaft and belt drive using steam engines and water power to electric motors.

The works would have one large steam engine which would provide power to all the machines via a line shaft system of belts.

Electric motors did away with line shafts for distributing power and dramatically increased the productivity of factories.

One pulley on the shaft would receive the power from the a parent line shaft elsewhere in the building.

Compared to individual electric motor or unit drive, line shafts have the following disadvantages: