A Brief Illustrated History of Machines and Mechanisms

by Paz, Emilio Bautista; Ceccarelli, Marco; Otero, Javier Echavarri; Sanz, Jose Luis Munoz

• ISBN13: 9789048125111
• ISBN10: 9048125111
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-04-03
• Publisher: Springer Nature

Summary

This work deals with mechanical manufacturing processes in history, examined through the machines associated with those processes. A tool is only included if it is part of a machine tool, with devices made up of moving parts. Once the analytical field has been marked out, the chosen descriptive method is basically graphic.This historical compendium attempts to give a wide-angle view of historical development without making an in-depth analysis of each of the examples presented. Moreover, this book illustrates the historical development of machines and mechanisms more from a technical point of view rather than a strictly history of science point of view since the authors are mechanical engineers who are interested and motivated to examine the most significant facts in their own area of knowledge of the Theory of Machines and Mechanisms. A full understanding of the historical development of Technology also needs the help of experts in technical matters who can appreciate and reassess bygone achievements in the light of their own technical knowledge. More collaboration between science historians and technical experts is needed, as is currently the case in the field of Industrial Archaeology. Thus, this book is also an attempt to set out a technical approach to the historical development of machines and mechanisms, but without too many technical details that will prevent its understanding being purely historical.At the beginning of each chapter there is a global reference to the period embraced, the most relevant facts, and the most significant treatises in the context of machine history. Following this introduction each chapter contains a series of sections on the types of machines that are representative of the period analysed together with illustrations to accompany the text. A fairly extensive bibliography enables the reader to make a deeper historical analysis.

Table of Contents

Anonymous Developments	p. 1
On Machines Before Man	p. 2
On the Machines of Primitive Man	p. 6
On Popular Machines	p. 13
Chinese Inventions and Machines	p. 19
On War Machines	p. 20
On Textile Machinery	p. 23
On Hydraulic Machinery	p. 26
On Clocks and Automatons	p. 33
On Continuity over the Millennia	p. 42
Mechanical Engineering in Antiquity	p. 43
On Technological Evidence	p. 44
On the Development of Ingenious Mechanisms	p. 45
On Gears and Screws	p. 52
On the Way to Mechanical Engineering	p. 53
On Vitruvius's Influence	p. 59
On Harmony in Machines	p. 60
Medieval Machines and Mechanisms	p. 65
On Raising Water	p. 66
On Clocks and Automatons	p. 74
On the Transition in Europe	p. 84
The Machine Renaissance	p. 91
On War Machines	p. 94
On Lifting Machines	p. 95
On Hydraulic Machines	p. 101
On Machine Tools	p. 106
On Machines for Traction and Transport	p. 108
On Machines for the Rural World	p. 111
On Domestic Apparatus	p. 112
Machines in the First Colonial Empires	p. 117
On Raising Water	p. 118
On Mills	p. 123
On Lifting Devices	p. 133
On Other Devices	p. 133
On Machinery and Precious Metals	p. 136
On Automatons	p. 138
Machinery During the Industrial Revolution	p. 141
On Textile Machinery	p. 141
On the Evolution of Handcraft Manufacturing	p. 147
On Machine Tools	p. 151
On Hydraulic Machines	p. 152
On Steam Engines	p. 155
On the Development of Transport	p. 164
On Automatic Astronomical Devices	p. 164
A Vision on Machines	p. 169
On Re-examining Greco-Roman Works	p. 169
On the Systematisation of Machine Study	p. 172
On Progress in Practical Use	p. 185
On Mathematization of Mechanism Design	p. 189
On Machine Training	p. 194
Final Remarks	p. 199
Looking at the Future	p. 200
On the Challenge of Biodevices	p. 202
On the Challenges with Mechatronics	p. 203
Chronic Table	p. 207
References	p. 213
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.