The Steam Engine, from the Earliest to the Present Time. Atmospheric Railways, the Electric Printing Telegraph, and Screw Propeller ... Wood Engravings, by E. Williams. Second Edition, Enlarged and CorrectedPortwine, Bros., 1847 - 144 pages |
Other editions - View all
The Steam Engine, from the Earliest to the Present Time: Atmospheric ... Edward Portwine No preview available - 2018 |
The Steam Engine, From the Earliest to the Present Time: Atmospheric ... Edward Portwine No preview available - 2015 |
Common terms and phrases
air-pump air-tight apparatus applied atmo atmospheric pressure ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAYS atmospheric system atmospheric traction axis beam boat bodies boiler boiling Boulton and Watt caloric carriages cause coal cold water communication condensing engine constructed contrivance crank cross head Croydon line cylinder David Napier degree of heat descend diameter double-acting effect electric telegraph electricity equal feet fire fluid force of steam friction fuel half horse power inches of mercury invented iron length liquid locomotive engines machinery mercury miles an hour motion moving power paddle-wheel particles pass pipe piston piston-rod placed plate plug possesses pounds pressing principle printing telegraph produced propelling pump quantity quicksilver railway raise water Samuda Savery screw shaft side side rods speed square inch stationary engines steam engine steam-boat stroke substance sufficient surface temperature thermometer tion tons traction train Trevithic tube vacuum valve vapour velocity vessel Watt Watt's weight wheel wire
Popular passages
Page 13 - ... into the next room ; and with so great ease and geometrical symmetry, that, though it work day and night, from one end of the year to the other, it will not require forty shillings reparation to the whole engine, nor hinder one day's work.
Page 28 - ... that if a communication were opened between a cylinder containing steam, and another vessel which was exhausted of air and other fluids, the steam, as an elastic fluid, would immediately rush into the empty vessel, and continue to do so until it had established an equilibrium ; and if that vessel were kept very cool by an injection or otherwise, more steam would continue to enter until the whole was condensed.
Page 13 - ... 98. An engine so contrived, that working the primum mobile forward or backward, upward or downward, circularly or cornerwise, to and fro, straight, upright, or downright, yet the pretended operation continueth, and advanceth, none of the motions above-mentioned hindering, much less stopping the other; bnt unanimously, and with harmony agreeing, they all augment and contribute strength unto the intended work and operation. And therefore I call this' a semi-omnipotent engine,' and do intend that...
Page 25 - Watt's improvements were not produced by accidental circumstances, or by a single ingenious thought ; they were founded on delicate and refined experiments, connected with the discoveries of Dr. Black. He had to investigate the cause of the cold produced by evaporation, of the heat occasioned by the condensation of steam ; — to determine the source of the air appearing when water was acted upon by an exhausting power ; the ratio of the volume of steam to its generating water, and the law by which...
Page 75 - Railway, the pipe is 15 inches in diameter, and its length, so far as it has been tried, is one mile and a quarter. The average incline is 1 in 100; the exhaustion has been extended to 22...
Page 13 - ... to keep them sweet, running through several streets, and so performing the work of scavengers, as well as furnishing the inhabitants with sufficient water for their private occasions...
Page 125 - ... a melting state; and so penetrating, that it would soften the marrow-bone of an ox, in a few minutes. There is an instrument contrived for the foregoing purposes, called Papin's Digester, from the name of its inventor, and from its digestive powers on substances exposed to its action. It is a very strong vessel, made of copper, fitted with a thick close cover, and fastened down by several strong screws, so as to render It steamtight in great degrees of heat. To render it safe, while being used,...
Page 10 - ... may be made. I shall here give the description of one. Take a ball of copper marked A, well soldered at every part. It must have a vent hole marked D by which water may be introduced ; and also a tube marked C, soldered into the top of the ball, and the end C reaching nearly to the bottom, but not touching it.
Page 125 - It was heard at a considerable distance, and actually shook the house. The bottom of the vessel that was in the fire gave way ; the blast of the expanded water blew all the coals out of the fire into the room, the remainder of the vessel flew across the room, and hitting the leaf of an oak table, an inch thick, broke it all in pieces, and rebounded half the length of the room back again.
Page 25 - Those who consider James Watt only as a great practical mechanic form a very erroneous idea of his character : he was equally distinguished as a natural philosopher and a chemist, and his inventions demonstrate his profound knowledge of those sciences, and that peculiar characteristic of genius, the union of them for practical application.