Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1887 edition. Excerpt: ... be the most attractive to, and the most considered by, mechanics and engineers. The only test of beauty and elegance of design in an engine is fitness and perfect proportion to the stresses placed upon the various parts. The severest simplicity of design should be adhered to. Every pound of metal, where it does not subserve some useful purpose, every attempt at mere ornament, is a defect, and should be avoided. The well-educated engineer should combine the qualities of the practical man and the physicist; and the more he blends these together, making each mould and soften what the other would seem to dictate if allowed to act alone, the more will his works be successful and attain the exact object for which they are designed. The steam-boiler and its construction will be found to be very thoroughly treated in Professor Trowbridge's Heat and Heat Engines, in Wilson's Steam-boilers, and in The SteamEngine, by Professor Rankine. (71.) Note on the Taper of Connecting-Rods.--The following remark, page 62, needs qualification: "It is customary to make round connecting-rods with a taper of about one-eighth of an inch per foot, from the centre to the necks, which should be of the calculated diameter. Experiment does not show an increased strength from a tapering form." Passed Assistant Engineer C. H. Manning, in a pleasant correspondence with the writer, differed from him, deeming it a better method to taper connecting-rods from the crankpin end to the cross-head end, as "experience had shown that connecting-rods usually failed at the crank-pin." Led by this discussion to make a more thorough investigation into the stress upon connecting-rods due to their own inertia than he had before deemed necessary, the writer submits the...

Excerpt from The Relative Proportions of the Steam-Engine: A Course of Lectures on the Steam-Engine, Delivered to the Students of Dynamical Engineering in the University of Pennsylvania It is a source of regret to the author of these Lectures that none of the distinguished writers upon Mechanics or the Steam-engine have undertaken to give, in a simple and practical form, rules and formulas for the determination of the relative proportions of the component parts of the steam-engine. The authors of the few. works as yet published in the English language either entirely ignore the proportions of the steam-engine or content themselves with scanty and general rules - Rankine excepted, who in the attempt to be brief is sometimes obscure, leaving many gaps in the immense field which he has attempted to cover. This deficiency in the literature of the steam-engine is remarkable, because the problem which the mechanical engineer is most frequently called upon to solve is the determination of the dimensions of its various parts. From time to time hand-books of the steam-engine have been published giving practical (?) rules, the result of observation of successful construction; and with these rules the practising engineer, who has little time for original investigation, has had to content himself. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.