Tower well valve

A historical landmark of Palo Alto, CA, this tower well valve was made in the early 1900s and was at the time considered to be the latest in modern technology. The valve was scanned on-site with Artec Eva, connected to a portable battery and a tablet. A cursory review of the object will reveal a wealth of details in vivid 3D.

It was originally connected to a 220V General Electric motor and had a very special mechanical function: when the water would dip down to a low enough level, an electrical signal was sent out to open up the valve so the well could fill up again. Then when the water had reached a certain level, another signal was sent to close the valve. It was quite revolutionary and innovative for its time.