Every successful engineer is a born inventor; indeed the daily work of an engineer in practice largely consists in scheming and devising from previous experience new and improved processes, methods, and details for accomplishing them, and for simplifying or cheapening old forms of machinery and the work they produce, to enable him to successfully compete with others, who are perhaps as ingenious and enterprising as himself.
In the work of designing machinery the draughtsman has to rely mainly on his memory for inspiration; and, for lack of an idea, has frequently to wade through numerous volumes to find a detail or movement to effect a particular purpose. Hence, as a rule, every man’s work runs in a groove, his productions generally having the stamp of his particular experience and training clearly marked upon them.
In the course of twenty-five years of such experience, I have found the want of such a volume as the present, and endeavoured to supply the deficiency in my own practice by private notes and sketches, gathered promiscuously, until the difficulty of selection and arrangement became so apparent that I began to classify them, as they exist in the following pages. A few weeks of unusual leisure have enabled me to complete this work and amplify it by numerous additions, and it is now presented in the hope that it will be found of equal service to others engaged in the head-splitting, exhausting work of scheming and devising machinery, than which I can conceive of no head-work more wearing and anxious, Several valuable works have already found numerous users, and there is no lack of admirable collections of memoranda, rules, and data for designing and proportioning the various constructive details of machinery; but, as far as I am aware, there is no work in existence which aims at the same purpose as is attempted in the following pages, viz. to provide side by side suggestive sketches of the various methods in use for accomplishing any particular mechanical movement or work, in a form easily referred to, and devoid of needless detail and elaboration. A sketch, properly executed, is—to a practical man—worth a folio of description; and it is to such that these pages are addressed. For the same reason it has been deemed undesirable to add to the various sketches any rules or tables relating to strengths or dimensions, which may be found in numerous well-known volumes.
Any suggestions or additions will be entertained and gratefully acknowledged.
THOMAS WALTER BARBER.
| PAGES | SECTION | |
|---|---|---|
| Accumulators | 147 | 67 |
| Adjusting devices | 10, 246 | 2 |
| Anchoring | 10, 246 | 1 |
| Anti-friction bearings | 152, 306 | 70 |
| Apparatus for drawing curves | 224, 330 | 98 |
| Automatic cut off. See Valve gear | 172, 312 | 79 |
| Balance weights | 54, 258 | 20 |
| Ball and socket joints | 12, 248 | 4 |
| Beam-engines, types of | 80, 270 | 32 |
| Bearings | 102, 282 | 46 |
| Bearings, relieving pressure on | 152, 306 | 70 |
| Bed-plates, foundations, and framing of machines | 22, 250 | 8 |
| Belt gearing | 12, 248 | 3 |
| Belt pulleys | 12, 248 | 3 |
| Blowing and exhausting | 20, 250 | 7 |
| Boilers, types of | 16, 250 | 6 |
| Bolts, &c. | 168, 310 | 78 |
| Boring, drilling, &c. | 72, 270 | 30 |
| Brakes and retarding appliances | 14, 248 | 5 |
| Cams, tappets, and wipers | 24, 250 | 9 |
| Carriages, cars, &c. | 32, 252 | 12 |
| Centres | 164, 308 | 77 |
| Centrifugal force, applications of | 38 | 14 |
| Chains, links, and couplings | 30, 252 | 11 |
| Chopping, slicing, and mincing | 68, 264 | 27 |
| Chucks, grips, and holders | 68, 264 | 28 |
| Circular and reciprocating motion | 56, 258 | 21 |
| Clutches | 40, 254 | 15 |
| Compensating and balance weights | 54, 258 | 20 |
| Concentrated power | 62, 260 | 22 |
| Concentrating and separating | 66, 264 | 26 |
| Condensing and cooling | 66, 264 | 25 |
| Connecting rods and links | 42, 254 | 17 |
| Contracting and expanding | 84, 272 | 36 |
| Conveying messages, &c. | 52 | 19 |
| Conveying motion to movable parts | 62, 260 | 23 |
| Conveyors | 128, 298 | 57 |
| Cotters, &c. | 86, 274 | 37 |
| Couplings | 42, 254 | 16 |
| Couplings for shafting | 42, 254 | 16 |
| Covers, doors, &c. | 242, 332 | 106 |
| Cranes, types of | 46, 256 | 18 |
| Cranks and eccentrics | 28, 252 | 10 |
| Crushing, rolling, and disintegrating | 36, 254 | 13 |
| Curves, apparatus for drawing | 224, 330 | 98 |
| Cushioning | 72, 268 | 29 |
| Cutting tools | 64, 260 | 24 |
| Differential gear | 74, 270 | 31 |
| Disintegrating | 36, 254 | 13 |
| Doors, covers, manholes | 242, 332 | 106 |
| Drawing and rolling metals, &c. | 234, 332 | 101 |
| Drawing curves, &c., apparatus for | 224, 330 | 98 |
| Drilling, boring, &c. | 72, 270 | 30 |
| Eccentrics | 28, 252 | 10 |
| Elastic wheels | 84 | 35 |
| Elliptical motion | 82, 272 | 34 |
| Engines and boilers combined, types of | 82 | 33 |
| Engines, types of | 76, 270 | 32 |
| Exhausting and blowing | 20, 250 | 7 |
| Expanding and contracting devices | 84, 272 | 36 |
| Fastening wheels to shafts | 86, 274 | 37 |
| Feed gear | 334 | 107 |
| Filtering | 334 | 108 |
| Foundations and framing | 22, 250 | 8 |
| Friction gear | 88, 276 | 38 |
| Gear, differential | 74, 270 | 31 |
| Gear, friction | 88, 276 | 38 |
| Gear, reversing | 158, 308 | 74 |
| Gear, rope | 146, 302 | 66 |
| Gear, valve | 172, 312 | 79 |
| Gearing, belt | 12, 248 | 3 |
| Gearing, toothed | 186, 318 | 84 |
| Gearing, various devices in | 92, 278 | 40 |
| Governing and regulating speed, power, &c. | 96, 280 | 41 |
| Grips and holders | 68, 264 | 28 |
| Guides, slides, &c. | 90, 276 | 39 |
| Handles, &c. | 220, 328 | 97 |
| Heating appliances | 234 | 100 |
| Hinges and joints | 116, 292 | 50 |
| Holders and grips | 68, 264 | 28 |
| Hooks, swivels, &c. | 98, 280 | 43 |
| Hydraulic multiplying gear | 96 | 42 |
| Impact. See Striking and hammering | 238 | 104 |
| Incorporating | 122, 294 | 54 |
| Indicating pressure, &c. | 214, 326 | 92 |
| Indicating speed, &c. | 100, 282 | 44 |
| Intermittent motion | 140, 300 | 62 |
| Iron and steel | 224, 330 | 99 |
| Jets, nozzles, &c. | 102, 282 | 45 |
| Joints and hinges | 116, 292 | 50 |
| Journals, bearings, pivots, &c. | 102, 282 | 46 |
| Keys, cotters, pins, &c. | 86, 274 | 37 |
| Levelling and plumbing | 122 | 52 |
| Levers | 108, 286 | 48 |
| Links | 30, 252 | 11 |
| Locking devices | 110, 288 | 49 |
| Lowering | 148, 304 | 69 |
| Lubricators | 120, 294 | 51 |
| Marine engines, types of | 236 | 103 |
| Materials of construction | 224, 330 | 99 |
| Measuring and weighing | 214, 326 | 92 |
| Mechanical powers | 122 | 53 |
| Messages, conveying | 52 | 19 |
| Mincing | 68, 264 | 27 |
| Mixing and incorporating | 122, 294 | 54 |
| Motive power | 136, 300 | 60 |
| Movable parts, conveying motion to | 62, 260 | 23 |
| Multiplying gear—hydraulic | 96 | 42 |
| Nozzles and jets | 102, 282 | 45 |
| Packings, joints, stuffing-boxes, &c. | 132, 298 | 58 |
| Parallel motions | 124, 296 | 55 |
| Pawl and ratchet motions, intermittent motion | 140, 300 | 62 |
| Pins, &c. | 164, 308 | 77 |
| Pipes and conveyors | 128, 298 | 57 |
| Pivots | 102, 282 | 46 |
| Plate work | 106, 286 | 47 |
| Plumbing and levelling | 122 | 52 |
| Power and speed, to vary | 146 | 64 |
| Power, motive | 136, 300 | 60 |
| Power, reservoirs of | 147 | 67 |
| Power, transmission of | 192, 320 | 85 |
| Pressing | 144, 302 | 63 |
| Propulsion | 134, 300 | 59 |
| Pumping and raising water | 124, 296 | 56 |
| Pumping engines, types of | 138 | 61 |
| Quick return motions | 146 | 65 |
| Rails and tramroads | 156, 308 | 73 |
| Raising and lowering weights | 148, 304 | 69 |
| Raising water—pumping | 124, 296 | 56 |
| Ratchet and pawl motions | 140, 300 | 62 |
| Reciprocating and circular motion | 148 | 68 |
| Regulating and governing | 96, 280 | 41 |
| Relieving pressure on bearings | 152, 306 | 70 |
| Reservoirs of power, accumulators | 147 | 67 |
| Retarding appliances | 14, 248 | 5 |
| Reversing gear | 158, 308 | 74 |
| Riddling and screening | 154 | 72 |
| Rope, belt, and chain pulleys | 152, 306 | 71 |
| Rope gearing | 146, 302 | 66 |
| Rolling and drawing | 234, 332 | 101 |
| Rotary engines | 160, 308 | 75 |
| Safety appliances | 182, 318 | 81 |
| Screening | 154 | 72 |
| Screw gear, bolts, &c. | 168, 310 | 78 |
| Sections of iron and steel. See Materials | 224, 330 | 99 |
| Segments, wheels in | 212, 326 | 91 |
| Separating | 66, 264 | 26 |
| Shaft couplings | 42, 254 | 16 |
| Shafting | 164, 308 | 76 |
| Signals, &c. | 52 | 19 |
| Slicing and mincing | 68, 264 | 27 |
| Slide and other valve gear | 172, 312 | 79 |
| Slides, guides, &c. | 90, 276 | 39 |
| Socket joints | 12, 248 | 4 |
| Sound | 240 | 105 |
| Sources of power | 136, 300 | 60 |
| Speed and power | 122 | 53 |
| Speed, indicating | 100, 282 | 44 |
| Spindles and centres | 164, 308 | 77 |
| Springs | 178, 316 | 80 |
| Starting valves | 184 | 83 |
| Steam traps | 184, 318 | 82 |
| Striking and hammering—impact | 238 | 104 |
| Struts and ties | 234 | 102 |
| Stuffing boxes | 132, 298 | 58 |
| Swivels | 98, 280 | 43 |
| Tanks and cisterns | 192, 320 | 86 |
| Tappets | 24, 250 | 9 |
| Throwing in and out of gear | 192, 320 | 87 |
| Ties and struts | 234 | 102 |
| Timber. See Materials | 224, 330 | 99 |
| Tools, cutting | 64, 260 | 24 |
| Toothed gearing | 186, 318 | 84 |
| Tramroads | 156, 308 | 73 |
| Transmission of power | 192, 320 | 85 |
| Traps, steam | 184, 318 | 82 |
| Turbines | 208, 326 | 90 |
| Valve gear | 172, 312 | 79 |
| Valves and cocks | 198, 324 | 89 |
| Valves, starting | 184 | 83 |
| Variable motion and power | 194, 320 | 88 |
| Washing | 216, 328 | 94 |
| Water-pressure engines | 216 | 93 |
| Water-wheels and turbines | 208, 326 | 90 |
| Weighing and measuring, indicating pressure | 214, 326 | 92 |
| Wheels, elastic | 84 | 35 |
| Wheels, fastening to shafts | 86, 274 | 37 |
| Wheels in segments | 212, 326 | 91 |
| Windmills and feathering wheels | 218, 328 | 95 |
| Winding apparatus | 220, 328 | 96 |
| Wipers | 24, 250 | 9 |
(For Additions see pages 245-335.)
1. Rope pulley anchor—a car which grips by sinking its wheels in the soil; employed for ploughing tackle.
2. Anchor plate—buried in the ground below a mass of masonry—for attaching guys, tie rods, &c. Sometimes a frame, or plate, laid on the ground and ballasted, is the method used.
3. Screw mooring, screwed into the ground.
4. Heavy stone sunk in the ground and having a ring attached; or a mass of concrete, similarly placed, used for guy ropes, tie rods, and foundation bolt attachments.
5. Grapnel.
6. Mushroom anchor.
7. Double fluke anchor.
8. Martin’s patent anchor, with swivelling flukes. Several other patent anchors are modifications of this.
Stakes, with or without flanges, vertical or horizontal, are sometimes employed, the flanges taking the cross strain of the ties, &c. Fencing posts, gate posts, tree stakes, and tennis poles are of this class.
For adjustment by Screws, see Section 78, and by Wedges, see Section 36, These are the commonest appliances employed. For Cams also, see Section 9. For adjusting Pedestal Brasses, see Section 46.
For adjustments by keys, cotters, &c., see Section 37. See also Nos. 251, 269, and 297.
9. Split cone sleeves and set screw adjustment for a revolving standard, or similar detail, where there is much wear or great accuracy is required in the revolving bearing.
10. Centre-line adjustment for lathe headstocks, &c.
11. Variable curve adjustment; used in compass planes, instruments for drawing arcs of circles, &c.
12. Vertical shaft footstep adjustment; employed on millstones, horizontal grinding mills, &c., to regulate the space between the grinding surfaces. See No. 261.
Larger plate.
13. Side screw adjustment for injectors, jet pumps, &c.
14. Levelling adjustment; can be used with either 3 or 4 screws: for telescope and level stands, theodolites, &c.
15. Horizontal central adjustment for footsteps, &c.
16. Slotted link and lock nut for adjusting angle of a lever.
17. Disc and ring with partial angular adjustment by a screw and nut; used for screwing dies, self-centering chucks, &c. The nut and bearing of the screw have allowance for swivelling.
18. Pin and hole adjustment for a lever or similar detail.
19. Wedge bearing for locomotive horn plate guides, slide bars, and similar parts subject to wear.
20. Right and left-hand screw and wedge adjustment for roller bearings, &c.
21. Adjustment for wear used on engine crossheads to take up the wear of the working faces.
Adjustable Crane Balance Weights, Section 18.
Adjustable V-guides, Nos. 700 and 704.
Materials employed are:—Leather, cotton, guttapercha, indiarubber, canvas, camel-hair, catgut, flat wire or hemp rope, steel bands, flat chains, &c.
22. Ordinary belt pulley, “crowned” on face to retain the belt on the centre of the pulley.
23. Double-flanged pulley, flat on face, sometimes “crowned,” as No. 22.
24. Single-flanged pulley for horizontal driving.
25. Open belt gear; runs best as shown, with the slack half of the belt at top.
26. Crossed belt to reverse motion on the driven shaft. Also to obtain more grip for the belt than with open belts.
27. Mode of driving when the shafts are at right angles to one another.
28. Mode of driving with shafts at an obtuse angle, sometimes used instead of bevel wheels.
29. Arrangement adopted when the pulleys cannot be got in line with one another, or the shafts are too close together to drive well direct. Short belts seldom work well.
Belts are frequently arranged to pass under and over several pulleys so as to drive several shafts by one belt.
For reversing by belt gear, see Section 74. Gut bands (round) are worked over V-grooved pulleys; see Rope Gearing, Section 66. Belts may be kept tight by tightening pulleys, see No. 1207. For round belts, see Rope Gearing, Section 66. V-belts are occasionally used, formed of thicknesses of leather riveted together, cut to a V-section, and worked over V-grooved pulleys.
30. Universal hinge. The arm can be fixed in any required position by tightening the gland. Useful for stands for articles to be exhibited in any position, telescopes, &c.
31. Pipe joint, with similar capabilities.
Larger plate.
32. Same as No. 16, but with screwed gland. If used without the arm, it forms the ordinary ball castor.
33 & 34. Dr. Hooke’s universal joint. See application, No. 292. See also Nos. 1359 and 732.
Gas pendants are suspended with a joint similar to No. 31, but the ball, having only a restricted angular motion, is cut down to a segment only.
To retard or arrest motion (revolving or rectilinear).
35. Strap and lever brake. The strap is usually faced with wood or leather, but sometimes is used without either. Wood is liable to become noisy. Leather gives the best grip. Iron upon iron, or wood upon iron is not safe if liable to become oily or wet.
36. Block and lever brake. Wood or cast-iron blocks are used.
37. Compound block and lever brake; avoids putting cross strain on the shaft—used on winding engines, &c.
38. Internal toggle brake, employed for friction clutches. See Section 15. The inner ring is turned to fit loosely inside the outer ring and split, the toggles being arranged as shown to expand the ring till it is locked to the outer ring.
39 & 40. Double block and lever brake on wheel rim grips the wheel rim between the lever stocks or jaws. The strains are self-contained.
41. Disc brake; considerable end pressure is required with this form, and must be arranged for in the bearings of the shaft.
42. Compound disc brake. Several discs may be employed, sliding on feathers on the shaft.
43. Fan brake; may be run openly in air, or enclosed in a drum with water, oil, or other liquid. (See Allen’s patent Governor, &c.)
44. Spring brake, acting on a small grooved pulley; for light purposes.
45. Rope brake or grip, with toggle motion, and screw for relieving.
46. Rope brake: grips by the angular distance between the jaw centres becoming less as the lever end falls.
47. Rope brake; with cam lever gripping motion.
48. Eccentric action lever and block brake. The eccentric is fixed to the brake lever. This plan also avoids cross strain on the shaft.
49. Strap and screw brake.
Larger plate.
50, 51, & 52. Three forms of car brakes. See also the common “skid” or cart brake.
53. Combined strap and lever brake. (Fielden’s.)
54. Shaft grip, or brake.
55. Centrifugal brake, or clutch. The weight segments are driven into contact with the ring by centrifugal force. Springs may be used to return them out of action.
56. Three-segment compound brake: grips the wheel all round.
57. Compound bar brake, with right and left hand screw grip levers, used for heavy gun compressors.
58. Compound ring brake, on similar principle to No. 57. See remarks to No. 41.
59. Wedge and split ring, used for internal brake ring or clutch, in a similar way to No. 38.
60. Hollow drums, with radial pockets, half filled with loose material, or water, mercury, &c., which retard the motion of the drum by the weight and friction of the loose material.
An hydraulic cylinder and piston is frequently used as a brake or retarding device for reciprocating motion, the water passing from one side of the piston to the other, through an adjustable valve. Friction brakes are employed as dynamometers to indicate the power given off or absorbed by any piece of machinery. Automatic brakes (see Sections 15 and 69) are used for hoisting machinery, &c.
Brushes, formed of stiff bristles or wire, are used as a retarding device for circular or rectilinear motion.
Vessels or containers of every conceivable shape have been used as boilers. Many of the older types are now obsolete, but the following are these most commonly used:—
61. Ordinary centre flue boiler. Sometimes the centre flue is surrounded with tubes, as No. 65.
62. Vertical multitubular.
63. Vertical boiler, with diagonal tubes and smoke boxes.
64. Vertical return-flue.
65. “Pot” boiler.
66. “Field” boiler; with suspended tubes and internal circulating tubes.
67. Vertical egg-end boiler; with spiral flue. Large vertical boilers sometimes have cross flues, or large tubes.
68. Portable “loco-type” multitubular.
69. Fixed return-tube.
Larger plate.
70. Fixed “loco-type” multitubular; a favorite and useful form, giving good results, and easily cleaned.
71. Fixed “loco-type,” with underneath fire-box; sometimes used to economise space, is self-contained, and usually stands on cast-iron feet.
72. Multitubular-horizontal; self contained; on cast-iron feet.
73. Egg-end boiler; not much used except where the coal burnt per h.p. per hour is not an important consideration.
74. “Cornish”; one flue, with enlarged fire-box tube. This type is often made with a parallel flue with cross tubes fixed at intervals throughout its length.
75. “Lancashire”; two flues; sometimes has enlarged fire-box tubes, as No. 74.
76. Oval flue boiler, with “Galloway” tubes. The Lancashire type is frequently combined with this form by arranging the two circular flues to open into one oval one.
77 & 78. “Elephant” boilers; employed in connection with coke ovens and other sources of waste heat.
79. Ordinary box form, with internal fire-box and return flue.
80. Same type, but with two fire-boxes and multitubular return tubes.
81. Underneath fire-boxes and multitubular return tubes above the fire-boxes, sometimes duplicated, as No. 82.
Larger plate.
83. Has two central fire-boxes and side return-tubes.
The foregoing box patterns are rapidly going out of use, as unsuitable for the higher pressures prevailing with compound engines.
84. Cylindrical boiler, with three fire tubes and three sets of return tubes. This form is much used, the surfaces requiring stays being very limited. It is made with double fire-boxes as shown, or with single fire-box, as No. 81.
85. Cylindrical single flue and return-tube.
86. Cylindrical single flue and multitubular.
87. Cylindrical double flue and multitubular, longitudinal section similar to No. 86.
88. Cylindrical saddle boiler, multitubular, used for shallow vessels, launches; &c.
89. Kitchen “ell” boiler.
90. Kitchen or back boiler, for ordinary grates.
91. “Saddle” boiler. The varieties of this type are legion. Every conceivable cross-bridge, water-way, tube, and flue has been added to it by various makers. See Messrs. Graham and Fleming, and other makers’ Lists.
92. Annular cylindrical greenhouse boiler.
93. Annular conoidal greenhouse boiler.
94. Vertical cylindrical, closed top greenhouse boiler.
The last four are types of the greenhouse boilers most in use. They are usually of wrought iron, and all seams welded.
95. Back boiler for ordinary register grate.
96. “Boot” boiler.
97. Scullery, or wash-house boiler.
98. Scullery, or wash-house boiler, heated by steam. In public laundries these are usually rectangular in plan.
99. Coil boiler, used for small greenhouses, &c.
100. Sectional, or “Tubulous” boiler. Root’s, and others, are on this principle. They are constructed of simple pipes and T or L pieces, usually bolted together.
Some of the mechanical blowers are too well known to need illustration here; such are the ordinary Beam Blowing Engine, as in use for blast furnaces, Vertical Blowing Engine, and Horizontal Blowing Engine. In all these a cylinder and piston form the blowing device. Nearly every form of rotary engine (see Section 75) may, by reversal, be converted into a blowing machine. See Root’s patent, No. 1307; Baker’s, 1325, and others in common use. Fans, centrifugal, (see No. 1337) are still the commonest blowing machines, and are especially suited for light pressures and large volumes of air; but for pressures of from 1⁄2 lb. per square inch and upwards, the rotary or cylinder types are best. The following are devices not so well known, but sometimes useful:—
101. The “Trompe,” or water-jet blower. Water under pressure is discharged through a rose into a funnel-shaped inlet, carrying with it a quantity of air (see Section 45); the water runs off at an overflow, and the air is led away by a pipe.
102. Steam-jet blower. (See Section 45.)
Larger plate.
103. Organ bellows. The lower “feeders” pump alternately into the double-tier upper “reservoir,” which has the upper set of ribs inverted, as shown, to equalise the pressure throughout its rise. The reservoir is loaded with weights to the required pressure.
104. Smiths’ bellows, either circular or hinged at one side.
The valves used for bellows are plain flap valves faced with leather similar to No. 1619.
105. Bell, or gasometer blower, for light pressures and large volumes.
106. Regulator, or reservoir, for blowing engines to steady the blast. The weighted piston serves the same purpose as an air vessel to the ordinary pump.
107. Disc blower, with elastic diaphragm piston.
108. One-crank three-throw blower, for organs, &c., to give a continuous blast. The three feeders deliver into the central triangular box.
The skeleton framing of a machine for any purpose should be rigid, as light as is consistent with strength and stability (in some cases weight is necessary to minimise vibration), and the ribs, or members of the frame, should be so disposed as to afford the requisite support for all bearings, centres, &c., without redundance; and lastly, symmetry, and a certain degree of elegance and proportion, are desirable. The illustrations are necessarily typical only, and suggestive.
109. Girder section bedplate for horizontal distributed bearing, as in a horizontal engine. It may be used double, and the two parts connected by cross pieces and bolts, as No. 112.
110. Open box bedplate.
111. Closed box bedplate.
112. Double box bedplate with cross tie pieces.
Square or rectangular bedplates are usually of similar sections, stiffened with ribs underneath, and generally cast in one piece.
113. Side frame and distance rod construction, suitable for light machines.
114. Side frames and cross bars on a base plate. This forms a more rigid construction than No. 113.
115. Table and legs.
116. Rectangular openwork box framing. Useful for machines with several cross shafts.
117. Hollow standard for hammers, vertical engines, and any machine raised above the floor.
118. Soleplate and standard