Ramelli's Bookwheel

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Biography

The Bookwheel

Ramelli’s Design:

Ramelli’s revolving bookcase had a circular structure that was built around a horizontal axis, which meant that the shelves on the wheel could be rotated up or down. This gave it the look of a Vetruvian Water wheel (or a ferris wheel) as opposed to the merry-go-round design that had been popular earlier. Each shelf is set at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the floor at all times. (Hall 389) This prevents the books from falling of the shelves during rotation. This design was also capable of saving space because all the information was moved vertically. This choice actually following the western tradition of axle design, although Ramelli was unique for applying this method to the book wheel. (Hall 390)


The Chinese revolving bookshelf and early European bookshelves:

Ramelli’s use of a horizontal axle was in contrast to the Chinese model of rotating bookshelves which work on a vertical axis. The earlier Chinese Bookcases dated as far back as the 6th century and they were massive structures as opposed to the Book Wheel designed by Ramelli. (Hall 390-1). This model has been speculated to have come about due to the translation work done by Buddhists in China at the time (Needham 553-554). It is debatable whether Western and Chinese bookcases are related however as there is inconclusive evidence as to their connection.

Ramelli’s wheel also differed greatly from earlier European made devices. An earlier model designed by Bocaccio during the early 15th Century consisted of a round table that could be raised or lowered by rotating a central screw that is fixed to the base. The main purpose seemed to focused on raising or lowering the table between eye level and average table height. (Clark 307)

Other examples demonstrated the ability to be manipulated with or without the ability to adjust the height and or the position of objects on the table. Some resembled old fashioned piano stools, while others were more reminiscent of book cases yet still based on the table shape. One of the designs, which was featured in a fresco in the Church of Saint Peter at Perugia (ca. 1470's)had a revolving book case on the floor behind St. Jerome. It featured a lantern bracket on its top, presumably to assist in reading texts in low light circumstances and locations. (Hall 390)

Almost all of these however required the device to be turned along a vertical axis (meaning the movement took place on a horizontal plane, excluding the ability to increase or decrease its height.