Beam press

This is a beam press used in olive farms to extract oil. However, this example was adapted to press wine from Ubrique (Cádiz). It is smaller than those used to press olives.

The two essential principles in the beam press's mechanism are: the beginning of the lever and the screw through which force is transferred to apply steady pressure to the olives placed between the esparto panniers or on the foot formed by a pile of grapes secured around a hoop. People were already aware of these principles before the Christian era but during the Arab domination of Spain changes were made in the size of the lever and other items, which gave rise to presses also known as arab presses.