CONTENTS.
| Chapter I.—THE STEAM-ENGINE. | |
What is steam?—The mechanical energy of steam—The boiler—Thecirculation of water in a boiler—The enclosed furnace—Themultitubular boiler—Fire-tube boilers—Other types of boilers—Aidsto combustion—Boiler fittings—The safety-valve—Thewater-gauge—The steam-gauge—The water supply to aboiler | [13] |
| Chapter II.—THE CONVERSION OF HEAT ENERGY INTO MECHANICAL MOTION. | |
Reciprocating engines—Double-cylinder engines—The function ofthe fly-wheel—The cylinder—The slide-valve—The eccentric—"Lap"of the valve: expansion of steam—How the cut-off ismanaged—Limit of expansive working—Compound engines—Arrangementof expansion engines—Compound locomotives—Reversinggears—"Linking-up"—Piston-valves—Speed governors—Marine-speedgovernors—The condenser | [44] |
| Chapter III.—THE STEAM TURBINE. | |
How a turbine works—The De Laval turbine—The Parsons turbine—Descriptionof the Parsons turbine—The expansive action ofsteam in a Parsons turbine—Balancing the thrust—Advantagesof the marine turbine | [74] |
| Chapter IV.—THE INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE. | |
The meaning of the term—Action of the internal-combustion engine—Themotor car—The starting-handle—The engine—The carburetter—Ignitionof the charge—Advancing the spark—Governingthe engine—The clutch—The gear-box—The compensatinggear—The silencer—The brakes—Speed of cars | [87] |
| Chapter V.—ELECTRICAL APPARATUS. | |
What is electricity?—Forms of electricity—Magnetism—The permanentmagnet—Lines of force—Electro-magnets—The electricbell—The induction coil—The condenser—Transformation ofcurrent—Uses of the induction coil | [112] |
| Chapter VI.—THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. | |
Needle instruments—Influence of current on the magnetic needle—Methodof reversing the current—Sounding instruments—Telegraphicrelays—Recording telegraphs—High-speed telegraphy | [127] |
| Chapter VII.—WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. | |
The transmitting apparatus—The receiving apparatus—Syntonic | [137] |
| Chapter VIII.—THE TELEPHONE. | |
The Bell telephone—The Edison transmitter—The granular carbontransmitter—General arrangement of a telephone circuit—Double-linecircuits—Telephone exchanges—Submarine telephony | [147] |
| Chapter IX.—DYNAMOS AND ELECTRIC MOTORS. | |
A simple dynamo--Continuous-current dynamos--Multipolar dynamos--Excitingthe field magnets--Alternating current dynamos--Thetransmission of power--The electric motor--Electriclighting--The incandescent lamp--Arc lamps--"Series" and"parallel" arrangement of lamps--Current for electric lamps--Electroplating | [159] |
| Chapter X.—RAILWAY BRAKES. | |
The Vacuum Automatic brake—The Westinghouse air-brake | [187] |
| Chapter XI.—RAILWAY SIGNALLING. | |
The block system—Position of signals—Interlocking the signals—Lockinggear—Points—Points and signals in combination—Workingthe block system—Series of signalling operations—Singleline signals—The train staff—Train staff and ticket—Electrictrain staff system—Interlocking—Signalling operations—Powersignalling—Pneumatic signalling—Automaticsignalling | [200] |
| Chapter XII.—OPTICS. | |
Lenses—The image cast by a convex lens—Focus—Relative positionof object and lens—Correction of lenses for colour—Sphericalaberration—Distortion of image—The human eye—The use ofspectacles—The blind spot | [230] |
| Chapter XIII.—THE MICROSCOPE, THE TELESCOPE, AND THE MAGIC-LANTERN. | |
The simple microscope—Use of the simple microscope in the telescope—Theterrestrial telescope—The Galilean telescope—Theprismatic telescope—The reflecting telescope—The parabolicmirror—The compound microscope—The magic-lantern—Thebioscope—The plane mirror | [253] |
| Chapter XIV.—SOUND AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. | |
Nature of sound—The ear—Musical instruments—The vibration ofstrings—The sounding-board and the frame of a piano—Thestrings—The striking mechanism—The quality of a note | [270] |
| Chapter XV.—WIND INSTRUMENTS. | |
Longitudinal vibration—Columns of air—Resonance of columns ofair—Length and tone—The open pipe—The overtones of anopen pipe—Where overtones are used—The arrangement of thepipes and pedals—Separate sound-boards—Varieties of stops—Tuningpipes and reeds—The bellows—Electric and pneumaticactions—The largest organ in the world—Human reeds | [287] |
| Chapter XVI.—TALKING-MACHINES. | |
The phonograph—The recorder—The reproducer—The gramophone—Themaking of records—Cylinder records—Gramophonerecords | [310] |
| Chapter XVII.—WHY THE WIND BLOWS. | |
Why the wind blows—Land and sea breezes—Light air and moisture—Thebarometer—The column barometer—The wheel barometer—Avery simple barometer—The aneroid barometer—Barometersand weather—The diving-bell—The diving-dress—Air-pumps—Pneumatictyres—The air-gun—The self-closing door-stop—Theaction of wind on oblique surfaces—The balloon—Theflying-machine | [322] |
| Chapter XVIII.—HYDRAULIC MACHINERY. | |
The siphon—The bucket pump—The force-pump—The most marvellouspump—The blood channels—The course of the blood—Thehydraulic press—Household water-supply fittings—Theball-cock—The water-meter—Water-supply systems—The householdfilter—Gas traps—Water engines—The cream separator—The"hydro" | [350] |
| Chapter XIX.—HEATING AND LIGHTING. | |
The hot-water supply—The tank system—The cylinder system—Howa lamp works—Gas and gasworks—Automatic stoking—Agas governor—The gas meter—Incandescent gas lighting | [386] |
| Chapter XX.—VARIOUS MECHANISMS. | |
Clocks and Watches:—A short history of timepieces—The constructionof timepieces—The driving power—The escapement—Compensatingpendulums—The spring balance—The cylinderescapement—The lever escapement—Compensated balance-wheels—Keylesswinding mechanism for watches—The hour handtrain. Locks:—The Chubb lock—The Yale lock. The Cycle:—Thegearing of a cycle—The free wheel—The change-speed gear.Agricultural Machines:—The threshing-machine—Mowing-machines.Some Natural Phenomena:—Why sun-heat variesin intensity—The tides—Why high tide varies daily | [410] |