Mechanisms and Mechanical Devices Sourcebook (Hardcover)

by Neil Sclater (Author, Editor), Nicholas P. Chironis (Author, Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Your one-stop idea guide for time-saving, ready-to-use mechanical component designs! Whatever you design, engineer, or invent--from locomotives to tape recorders--if your application requires components that MOVE GRIP or LOCK... you need this book. An unmatched compilation of proven design ideas and solutions, Mechanisms and Mechanical Devices Sourcebook--describes and illlustrates over 1,700 tested mechanisms, linkages, cams, variable-speed drives, gears, clutches, brakes, belts, glexures, chucks, clamps, and springs you can use is--or modify to meet your needs; shows you how these components combine successfully with electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, optical, thermal, or photoelectric devices--to let you creat integrated designs that perform a range of complex tasks; includes key design curves, graphs, tables, and equations for designing a variety of components--geared five-bar mechanisms, internal, and external Geneva wheels, crank-and-rocker links, snap-action toggles, angular-motion and curvilinear-motion feeder mechanisms, slider cranks, ratchet wheels, and more; organizes all mechanisms and devices by application and principle of operation--to give you fast on-the-job access; Carefully compiled from major product-design design-engineering publications and from other authoritative sources, Mechanisms and Mechanical Devices Sourcebook is the most extensive, thoroughly researched ready reference of its kind. It's the place to turn first for the time-saving approaches that can get your design started off right... break you out of conceptual logjams... suggest more cost-efficient alternatives... or just fine-tune a good design to make it even better.

From the Back Cover
This sourcebook contains more than 2300 drawings in descriptive articles and extensive pictorial directories. This ready reference explains how clutches, devices, drives, linkages, and other mechanical assemblies work in machine tools; production and process plants; aircraft, automotive, and construction equipment; instruments; and consumer goods. It also includes data, tables, and formulas for the design of various mechanisms. The topics covered include: reciprocating and general-purpose mechanisms; cam, toggle, chain, and belt mechanisms; geared systems and variable-speed mechanisms; spring, bellows, flexure, screw, and ball devices; coupling, clutching, and breaking devices; torque-limiting, tensioning, and governing devices; fastening, latching, clamping, and chucking devices; new directions in machine design. This second edition contains many new articles and drawings illustrating the ongoing merger of mechanical technology, electronics, and computer science. A complex index helps you find the information you want on any device in an instant.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 463 pages
• Publisher: Mcgraw-Hill (Tx); 2nd edition (July 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070113564
• ISBN-13: 978-0070113565
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,667,795 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sclater's v. Parmley's books, July 24, 2005

By	eab (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mechanisms and Mechanical Devices Sourcebook (Hardcover)

I bought the largely similar books on mechanical components by Sclater and Parmley. Both have drawings of similar quality, to the point of having identical drawings in a number of cases (presumably because both authors used the same third-party source for the particular topic). A very few drawings were disappointing, but most were very good indeed -- and even the disappointing drawings probably would be fine for most engineers (I am not one).

There are differences. The Parmley book presents more examples of certain devices (for example, more types of linkages). But that is not true for all devices, and I'm not sure it matters in the end since both books offer quite a variety of most. For me, not being an engineer but being a fairly quick study if I'm presented with something to study, the Sclater book was preferable because it included, in most cases, more detailed introductory essays about the variouse sections: gears, screws, linkages, solenoids, etc. In some cases, though rarely, Parmley's explanations were skimpy.

I'm trying here to draw some helpful distinctions, and hope I have, but I'll close by saying that I think both are great. If I had to choose, Sclater's would win, but if you can do without the more detailed explanations and would prefer marginally more devices presented, Parmley's may suit you better.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars *Excellent* reference source book for brainstorming, April 22, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Mechanisms and Mechanical Devices Sourcebook (Hardcover)

I used this book frequently in an undergraduate mechanical engineering design curriculum. Many of the images are self explanitory, and often provide a solution to a mechanism problem at hand. A must for every mechanical design engineer!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and fun, November 16, 2002

By	Paul Maher (Burlington, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mechanisms and Mechanical Devices Sourcebook (Hardcover)

this book is for the person who likes to fool around in the workshop inventing things. I like to do that as often as I can and this book has really boosted my productivity in the shop. Before I start on a new project I like to scan the book again and see if I can use any of the ideas. I never fail to find something I can use. The drawings are a big help in understanding the devices. There is no other book like this. It is a gathering of all the neat gadgets all in one book.