This digital collection features selected scientific instruments, apparatus, and analytical tools from the Institute's museum as well as photographs, rare-book engravings, and illustrations depicting various types of equipment and machinery found in laboratories, manufacturing plants, and mechanical treatises. Inventions from book wheels to fireballs can be found here, alongside more modern innovations such as Gammacells and Geiger counters.
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Roman glass round bottom vase
- 1 – 200
Translucent green, glass round-bottomed vase with heavy rainbow luster throughout. Base of the vase is round and then attaches to a vertical tube in the center, top of the tube has an ornamental curved design that…
- Subject Glass, Glassware, Roman, Glass blowing and working, Glassware
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694 items
Le diverse et artificiose machine del capitano Agostino Ramelli
- The Various and Ingenious Machines of Captain Agostino Ramelli
- 1588
Le diverse et artificiose machine belongs to a new genre that emerged in the late 16th century, the "theatre of machines," which offered original mechanical solutions to the problems of everyday life. Ramelli's book…
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Plate 100: Device for draining water from a swamp or foundation by river current
- 1588
Mechanics: undershot waterwheel; horizontal crankshaft; force pump; horizontal working beam; crank and connecting rod.
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Plate 101: Device for draining water from a swamp or pool by river current
- 1588
Mechanics: undershot waterwheel; Archimedean screw; angle spur gears; lantern and crown gear.
- Author Ramelli, Agostino, 1531-approximately 1600
- Subject Water-power, Water-wheels, Machinery
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Plate 102: Device for two men to drain water from a foundation
- 1588
Mechanics: hand crank; force pump; spur gear and lantern; spur gear and rack.
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Plate 103: Device for two men to drain water from a foundation
- 1588
Mechanics: hand crank; force pump.
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Plate 104: Single-person-operated device to drain water from a marsh, pool, or foundation
- 1588
Mechanics: hand crank; force pump; worm and worm gear; spur gear and rack.
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Plate 105: Device for two men to drain water from a marsh or foundation
- 1588
Mechanics: capstan bars; oscillating double-wing pump.
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Plate 106: Device for two men to drain water from a foundation, marsh, or pool
- 1588
Mechanics: hand crank; swinging-vane rotary pump; spur gear and lantern.
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Plate 107: Device for two men to drain water from a marsh or foundation
- 1588
Mechanics: hand crank; swinging-vane rotary pump; spur gear and lantern.
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Plate 108: Device for two men to drain water from a marsh or foundation
- 1588
Mechanics: hand crank; sliding-vane rotary pump.
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Plate 109: Device for two men to drain water from a marsh or foundation
- 1588
Mechanics: hand crank; gated-lobe rotary pump.
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Plate 10: Single-person-operated device for drawing water from a well
- 1588
Mechanics: hand crank; force pump; double interrupted crown gears and lantern gear; worm and worm gear; lantern and rack; flywheel; roller guides.
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Plate 110: Device for two men to drain water from a foundation, marsh, or pool
- 1588
Mechanics: hand crank; horizontal crankshaft; force pump; horizontal working beam; crank and connecting rod; flywheel.
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Plate 111: Cofferdam used to drain relatively high water
- 1588
Workmen use buckets to drain water from the section walled off by the cofferdam in order to secure foundations for construction.
- Author Ramelli, Agostino, 1531-approximately 1600
- Subject Cofferdams, Machinery, Water
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Plate 112: Cofferdam used to drain relatively low water
- 1588
Workmen use shadoofs, counterweighted buckets on poles, to drain water from the section walled off by the cofferdam in order to secure foundations for construction.
Mechanics: shadoof.
- Author Ramelli, Agostino, 1531-approximately 1600
- Subject Cofferdams, Machinery, Water
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Plate 113: Grain mill powered by channel current
- 1588
Mechanics: undershot waterwheel; spur gear and lantern; lantern and crown gear.
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Plate 115: Grain mill powered by channel running off an elevated pool
- 1588
Mechanics: horizontal waterwheel; spur gear and lantern.
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Plate 116: Grain mill powered by water running off an elevated pool or fountain
- 1588
The water is then pumped back to the source.
Mechanics: overshot waterwheel; horizontal crankshaft; force pump; lantern and crown gear; crank and connecting rod.
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Plate 117: Grain mill powered by river current
- 1588
Millstone can be raised and lowered by screws to accommodate change in river levels. Boards attached to beam S, which can be raised or lowered, modulate the river's force through the mill.
Mechanics: undershot…
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Plate 118: Grain mill powered by channel current
- 1588
Millstone can be raised and lowered by a lever.
Mechanics: undershot waterwheel; lantern and crown gear.
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Plate 119: Grain mill powered by channel current
- 1588
Millstone can be raised or lowered by a wedge. This mill grinds and sifts flour at same time.
Mechanics: overshot waterwheel; lantern and crown gear.
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Plate 11: Device for raising water from a river or low place
- 1588
This machine can be operated by one or two men.
Mechanics: internal vertical treadwheel; lift pump; double interrupted crown gears and lantern gear; worm and worm gear; lantern and rack; roller guides.
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Plate 120: Grain mill powered by water current or horse
- 1588
Millstone can be raised and lowered by counterweights.
Mechanics: horse whim; spur gear and lantern.