The Steam Engine Familiarly Explained and Illustrated: With an Historical Sketch of Its Invention and Progressive Improvement |
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advantage air-pump apparatus applied ascend atmospheric engine atmospheric pressure axle beam boil boiler bottom canals carriage centre chimney circumstances cistern coal cock cold water communication condenser connected consequently considerable constructed contained contrivance crank cubic foot cubic inch cylinder descend diminished elastic force equal expense feet filled fire flue foot fuel furnace gine grate greater heat horse power inches of mercury inclined plane increased invention latent heat lesser piston lever liquid Liverpool and Manchester load locomotive engines machine mechanical effect mercury method miles an hour motion moving power necessary opened paddle board paddle wheel passengers passes performance pipe piston-rod placed pounds practical produced propelling proportion pump quantity of water railroad railway raised resistance speed square inch steam engine sufficient supply of steam surface temperature thermometer tion tons transport tube turnpike roads vacuum valve vapour velocity vessel Watt weight wheel
Popular passages
Page 38 - ... which is but at such a distance. But this way hath no bounder, if the vessels be strong enough ; for I have taken a piece of a whole cannon, whereof the end was burst, and filled it...
Page 140 - H, which leads from this four-way cock into the chimney; so that the waste steam, after working the piston, is carried off through this tube, and passes into the chimney. The upper end of the piston-rod is furnished with a cross-bar, which is placed in a direction at right angles to the length of the boiler, and also to the piston-rod. This...
Page 37 - An admirable and most forcible way to drive up water by fire, not by drawing or sucking it upwards, for that must be as the philosopher calleth it, infra spheeram activitatis, which is but at such a distance. But this way hath no bounder, if the vessels be strong enough...
Page 38 - I have seen the water run like a constant fountain stream forty feet high. One vessel of water rarefied by fire driveth up forty of cold water ; and a man that tends the work is but to turn two cocks, that, one vessel of water being consumed, another begins to force and refill with cold water, and so successively, the fire being tended and kept constant, which the...
Page 42 - A small quantity which remained in the flask began to boil, and steam issued from its mouth. It occurred to him to try what effect would be produced by inverting the flask and plunging its mouth in the cold water.
Page 149 - ... surround and intersect these islands, was regarded as the dream of enthusiasts. Nautical men and men of science rejected such speculations with equal incredulity, and with little less than scorn for the understanding of those who could for a moment entertain them. Yet we have witnessed...
Page 69 - ... the engine, which I found to be several times the full of the cylinder. Astonished at the quantity of water required for the injection, and the great heat it had acquired from the small quantity of water in the form of steam which had been used in filling the cylinder, and thinking I had made some mistake, the following experiment was...
Page 41 - I have thought that it would not be difficult to work machines in which, by means of a moderate heat and at a small cost, water might produce that perfect vacuum which has vainly been sought by means of gunpowder.
Page 38 - ... so that they are strengthened by the force within them, and the one to fill after the other. I have seen the water run like a constant fountain-stream forty feet high ; one vessel of •water rarified by fire, driveth up forty of cold water.