Ancient engineers inventions : precursors of the present /
This book describes inventions and designs of engineers from 300 B.C. to 1600 A.D., with a handful of exceptions from before and after. The inventions are documented by archaeological finds and range from those very well known to some hardly known at all
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
[Cham] :
Springer,
[2017]
|
| Edition: | Second edition |
| Series: | History of mechanism and machine science ;
v. 33 |
| Subjects: |
Table of Contents:
- 1. Representing and measuring the environment
- Elevations, plan and sections
- Protohistoric drafting machine for the clay tablets engraving
- 2. Measuring mass
- The balance scale
- The steelyard balance
- 3. Measuring distance and slope
- Jacobs staff
- Range finders
- Groma
- Surveyors cross
- Chorobate
- The astrolabe
- THe Dioptre by Heron
- Odometer by Vitruvius
- Odometer by Heron
- 4. Measuring time
- The sundial
- Water clocks
- 5. Orientation
- The sundial compass
- The Chinese south-pointing chariot
- The windrose and the magnetic compass
- 6, Ancient computation devices
- The abacus
- The mesolabio
- Eratosthenes
- The solution by Hippocrates and the mesolabio by Dürer
- The mechanism of Antikitera
- Planetariums in ancient literature
- 7. The natural energy used in antiquity
- Energy from man
- Energy from animals
- The capstan
- The treadwheel
- 8. Wind motors
- The wind mills
- The Afghan mill
- The Cretan mill
- Wings on the sea : the sails
- Sail rig
- The Chinese junk
- The Flettner rotor
- 9. Hydraulic motors
- Water wheels with vertical axis
- The Greek mill
- Water wheels with horizontal axis
- The floating mill
- Water wheels in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
- 10. Refrigeration and heating
- Wind towers
- Production of ice
- Neros sherbet
- Wheat pits
- Heating and thermal baths
- Energy saving : the sun chimney heating and thermal baths
- 11. The production of water
- The air well
- The dew basin
- The qanat
- Distillation
- 12. Lifting water
- Archimedes screw
- Norias
- Scoop wheel
- Chain norias
- Chain pumps
- Reciprocating pumps
- 13. Adduction and distribution of water
- Open ducts
- Penstocks
- The great cisterns
- The Piscina Mirabilis at Miseno
- Piezometric turrets
- Pipes
- Valves
- Hydraulic mining
- The technique of ruina montium
- 14. Underwater activities
- Scuba divers
- Diving bell
- 15. Transports
- Roman charts
- Horse shoeing
- Railed cargo
- The rails of Pompeii
- Ancient self-propelled vehicles
- Hero of Alexandria
- Giovanni Fontana
- Francesco Di Giorgio Martini
- Leonardo Da Vinci
- Early ball bearings
- Transport by water
- Paddle wheeled boats
- Pneumatic boats
- Cableways
- The dawn of the flight in the antiquity
- Legends and tales
- Ancient Egypt
- Ancient Greece and Hellenic civilization
- The Middle Ages
- The Renaissance
- Ancient rockets
- 16. Telecommunications
- Acoustic
- Carrier pigeons
- Optical telecommunications systems
- Image modification
- Brilliancy modification
- LIghthouses
- The water telegraph
- 17. Medicine and health
- Medical assistance provided by Legionaries
- Reconstructive plastic surgery
- Early penicillin
- Beginning of biological warfare
- 18. Secondary motors
- Cranes and tackle
- Gravity driven elevators
- Siege towers
- The trebuchet
- Flexion elastic motors
- Torsion elastic motors
- Throwing machines operated by torsion motors
- The ballista
- The catapult
- The onager
- The cheiroballistra
- Mechanics of the throwing machines
- Pneumatic motors
- Small spring motors
- Ancient steam engines
- Herons steam turbine
- The architronitro
- 19. Spinning and weaving
- The spinning wheel
- Mechanical spinning
- The spinning jenny
- The spinning frame by Arkwright
- The mule by Crompton
- The ring frame
- Automatic weaving
- Programmable looms
- Automatic loom
- 20. Some applications of the fire
- Fire ignition
- Optical flints
- Marine fire : the roman candle
- Wind lanterns
- Fire for warming
- Domestic heating
- Thermal heating systems
- Ancient samovar
- Fire for warfare
- Burning mirrors
- Flamethrowers
- Incendiary projectiles
- Protection from fire : asbestos
- 21. Automata (automation and robots)
- The Hellenist Age
- Heron of Alexandria
- The Roman Empire : the repeating catapult
- The Middle Ages
- Al Jazari and the Arabs
- The astronomic clock of Strasbourg
- The Renaissance
- The 18th century
- The 19th century
- Automata of the Far East
- 22. Some ancient building techniques
- Stone buildings
- Opus siliceum : opus poligonalis
- Opus quadratum
- Concrete buildings
- Opus caementitium
- Opus incertum
- Opus quasi reticulatum
- Opus reticulatum
- Opus latericium
- Opus spicatum
- Opus mixtum
- Opus vittatum : opus listatum
- considerations on the polygonal work
- Construction criteria
- Theories on the reasons for polygonal work
- Polygonal bridges
- Earthquake-resistant buildings with wooden ribs
- Seismic isolators