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Catalogue Of The Mechanical Engineering Collection In The Science Division Of The Victoria And Albert Museum, South Kensington
Catalogue Of The Mechanical Engineering Collection In The Science Division Of The Victoria And Albert Museum South Kensington Author:Various BOARD OF EDUCATION CATALOGUE OF THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING COLLECTION IN THE SCIENCE MUSEUM, SOUTH KENSINGTON. WITH DESCRIPTIVE AND HISTORICAL NOTES. PART I. STEAM ENGINES AND OTHER MOTORS LOCOMOTIVES AND RAILWAYS MECHANICAL MEASURING APPLIANCES PUMPS AND LIFTING MACHINERY POWER TRANSMISSION. - PREFACE. THIS Collection was commenced in 1807, by ... more »direction of the Lords of the Committee of Council on Education, with the view of affording in the best possible manner information and instruction on the immense variety of machinery in use in the manufactures of this country. A very valuable addition, consisting of models made by James Watt himself, or his workmen, was in 1876 presented to the Museum by Messrs. JamesWatt Co. A further large accession of machines and models was received from the Patent Office Museum when, in 1884, under the Patent Law Amendment Act, that Museum was discontinued and its collection was handed over to the Science and Art Department, now merged in the Board of Education. From time to time purchases of particularly interesting objects have been made, but to a very large extent the Collection has been assisted by gifts and loans of machinery, models, and drawings from manufacturers and inventors, and it continues to rely mainly upon such sources for its augmentation. It is not the object of the Collection to attempt to indicate the present state of the arts in any particular branch of engineering. Its aim is rather to illustrate broadly the steps by which advances have beenmade up to the present day to show students and others at the same time the general principles which underlie all its branches, and to offer to the engineer suggestions or ideas from other branches of his profession that may prove fruitful in the work upon which he may be engaged. Many of the machines are shown in motion daily from 11 a.m. till closing time, the motive power being supplied by acompressed air service. Where practicable, these objects are fitted with selfclosing air-valves, by means of which visitors may start them at will. Other objects are arranged so that visitors may work them by turning a handle or by other means, and there are a few that can be shown in motion only by an attendant. The Sections of the Collection relating to Electrical Engineering have ieen excluded from this Edition of the Catalogue owing to their transference to the Western Hall, where they could be grouped with other objects there relating to Electricity. The greater number of the objects in the Mechanical Engineering Collection have been photographed...« less