Proving rings are very simple mechanical devices for measuring force. Due to their simplicity, they are often used as calibration standards for other force measurements. Here’s an article from NIST on the history of proving rings (How did the Proving Ring Come About | NIST). Large proving rings are beautiful examples of precision machining. Morehouse […]
HP calculators aren’t for everyone, but many engineers wouldn’t use anything else. The Museum of HP Calculators has lots of interesting information. Of particular interest is the HP-01 which was the first calculator watch released in 1977. You can find them listed on eBay today for thousands of dollars. If you are a fan of […]
Crowned pulleys used to be a common way of powering stationary farm implements with flat belts before the Power Take Off (PTO) became standard. The shape of the pulley was key to keeping the belts from falling off. Why do crowned pulleys keep a flat belt on track? – tec-science
A good explanation of why Hit and Miss engines work and why they exist. http://hpwizard.com/hit-and-miss.html Here’s an example of a very slow running hit and miss engine.
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers maintains a list of landmarks which represent significant mechanical engineering achievements. https://www.asme.org/about-asme/engineering-history/landmarks/landmarks-by-topic