While careful to avoid puzzling the reader by the use of mysterious phraseology I consider that the parts of a machine should be given their technical names wherever possible. To prevent misconception, many of the diagrams accompanying the letterpress have words as well as letters written on them. This course also obviates the wearisome reference from text to diagram necessitated by the use of solitary letters or figures.
I may add, with regard to the diagrams of this book, that they are purposely somewhat unconventional, not being drawn to scale nor conforming to the canons of professional draughtsmanship. Where advisable, a part of a machine has been exaggerated to show its details. As a rule solid black has been preferred to fine shading in sectional drawings, and all unnecessary lines are omitted. I would here acknowledge my indebtedness to my draughtsman, Mr. Frank Hodgson, for his care and industry in preparing the two hundred or more diagrams for which he was responsible.
Four organs of the body—the eye, the ear, the larynx, and the heart—are noticed in appropriate places. The eye is compared with the camera, the larynx with a reed pipe, the heart with a pump, while the ear fitly opens the chapter on acoustics. The reader who is unacquainted with physiology will thus be enabled to appreciate the better these marvellous devices, far more marvellous, by reason of their absolutely automatic action, than any creation of human hands.
A.W.
Uplands, Stoke Poges, Bucks.
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] |