Five Hundred and Seven Mechanical Movements: Embracing All Those Which Are Most Important in Dynamics, Hydraulics, Hydrostatics, Pneumatics, Steam Engines... (Paperback)

by Henry T. Brown (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Over five hundred simple mechanical movements from AmericaUs first one hundred years of the Industrial RevolutionIFor those who share an interest in mechanical things, this book is addictive. Through the use of simplified, concise drawings, here are 507 of the small components which make up complex machinery, in areas as diverse as C.R. OtisUs safety stop for the elevator, PickeringUs governor for a steam engine, ArnoldUs escapement for watches, compound parallel rules, piston rod guides, the grasshopper beam engine and a self recording level for surveyors. The list goes on and on in fascinating variety. Each movement is explained and illustrated. Many could be made out of wood as sculptures or study models. Fascinating reading. 122 pages. 6" x 9". Soft cover. -- Book Description

Product Description
Over five hundred simple mechanical movements from America's first one hundred years of the Industrial Revolution. For those who share an interest in mechanical things, this book is addictive. Through the use of simplified, concise drawings, here are 507 of the small components which make up complex machinery in areas as diverse as C.R. Otis's safety stop for the elevator, Pickering's governor for a steam engine, Arnold's escapement for watches, compound parallel rules, piston rod guides, the grasshopper beam engine and a self recording level for surveyors. The list goes on and on in fascinating variety, with each movement explained and illustrated.

Product Details

• Paperback: 122 pages
• Publisher: Astragal Press (April 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879335638
• ISBN-13: 978-1879335639
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #325,286 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A relic of another age..., November 24, 2003

By	OAKSHAMAN "oakshaman" (Algoma, WI United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

This review is from: 507 Mechanical Movements (Hardcover)

The full title of this book is _Five Hundred and Seven Mechanical Movements, Embracing All Those Which Are Most Important In Dynamics, Hydraulics, Hydrostatics, Pneumatics, Steam Engines, Mill and other Gearing, Presses, Horology, and Miscellaneous Machinery: and including Many Movements Never Before Published and Several Which Have only Recently Come into Use. At least that was the full title of the seventeenth edition of 1893; the book itself dates back to 1868.

This book is a joy to browse though. It is a little gold mine of ideas for the mechanical designer. Yet, anyone with mechanical aptitude should enjoy it. The many crisp line drawings are presented with a minimum of explanation and no dimensioning. You see, it was assumed back in those days that a person with natural mechanical aptitude could look at a diagram, or a machine, and figure it out. Not only that, but it was assumed that once you had the idea, then you could work out all the details for yourself without having to be told everything down to the last screw size. While there is a descriptive paragraph indexed to every drawing, most of the time you don't really need it.

This book comes from an age when engineers and designers had to have the talent and the knowledge to use the mechanical principles of levers, linkages, cams, gears, etc. to produce a given motion- and to link together many such elegant little mechanisms to get a bigger job done- reliably. This isn't done much anymore. Now most machines are huge, cobbled-up, Rube Goldberg devices of pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders, screw actuators, or servo motors- all interconnected by electronic controllers. The whole thing is controlled by software of even more dubious reliability.

Up to the "digital revolution", this book shows how it was always done- it's how I learned it. Of course, once upon a time, a mechanical designer actually had to understand machinery, and the basic principles of physics, and not just how to write code....

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A concise catalog of mechanisms, November 24, 2004

By	Dug North "Automata Artist" (Harvard, MA United States) - See all my reviews

If you are looking for mechanical inspiration and are short on shelf space, cash, or time, this book is a really good choice.

The left hand page of each spread shows 6 to 9 mechanisms (or "Contrivances" as they were called). The Right hand page gives a short description of the mechanisms.

Almost all of the mechanisms shown in this book are very practical and straightforward. I have no doubt that they represent tried-and-true solutions to real-world problems.

You get a lot for the price with this book!

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what you would expect and worth it!, November 21, 2001

By A Customer

Perfect for the basement tinkerer. This book may not be as comprehensive in its descriptions as "Ingenious Mechanisms for Designers and Inventors," but it is only 1/20th the price.
The illustrations are simple and easy to understand. Often they show the isolated mechanism or mechanical movement independent of any other components. This is great because sometimes all the extra gobbledygook of a technical schmatic can make understanding things a real chore.
If you're an engineer looking for mathmatical equations and formulas, this book is not going to help. The text is made up of very simple generalizations, such as, "changes rotational motion into reciprocating motion."
Great as brain excercise, great bathroom reader, and economically priced to boot!