Historical Scientific Innovations

Engravings of early scientific devices and machines, illustrating concepts of perpetual motion and early engineering, with detailed artistic designs and historical significance.

The project of Francesco de Lama, an Italian Jesuit from Brescia, based on sound aeronautical principles though his calculations were somewhat at fault. Date: 1670

Perpetual motion: Grindstone driven, via work and spur, by an overshot water wheel. An Archimedean screw raises the used water to the reservoir, and the whole is supposed to work by perpetual motion. Engraving from 'Theatrum Machinarum Novum' by George Andreas Bockler (Nuremberg, 1673).

The project of Francesco de Lama, an Italian Jesuit from Brescia, based on sound aeronautical principles though his calculations were somewhat at fault. Date: 1670

Diagram of Arkwright's water frame; 1878. The water frame is the name given to a water-powered spinning frame which was an easy way to create cotton thread. The first time the machine was used in 1768. It was able to spin 128 threads at a time; which was the easiest and fastest method than ever before. It was developed by Richard Arkwright; who patented the technology in 1767

A surveyor's level. From Gaultherus Rivius 'Architechtur...Mathematischen Kunst', Nuremberg, 1547. Engraving

Illustration showing Galvanometer or multiplier: instrument invented by Sebweigger in Germany and used to measure existence, direction and intensity of currents. 1887

Screw of the Warrior, 1861. Diagram of the propellor of an ironclad steamship, showing water level. 'This vessel, the first completed of our new iron-clad ships-of-war, and by far the noblest and most efficient fighting-ship in commission in the world...The rapidity with which the works have been carried on since the ship was launched is most creditable to the contractors, the Thames Shipbuilding Company, and the manner in which the whole of the works of a novel and exceedingly difficult character have been executed has given perfect satisfaction to the inspectors appointed by the Government..

Engraving depicting the sorting of lead shots being sifted shot is allowed to roll down an inclined plane. Dated 19th Century

Two horizontal water wheels, the left with highly curved blades more efficient than flat blades on right. Early form of turbine. From Andreas Bockler 'Theatrum Machinarum Novum', Nuremberg, 1673. Copperplate engraving.

Maschinen zur Lederherstellung 1890: Ausstoßmaschine, digital restaurierte Reproduktion einer Originalvorlage aus dem 19. Jahrhundert, Originaldatum n...

Illustration showing a winch and rollers used to move a heavy block of stone. Based on Ramelli's 'le diverse artificiose machine' 1620

Perpetual motion: Grinding mill driven by horizontal water wheel, which is itself driven by water from a cistern. The wheel is supposed also to raise water to the cistern by an Archimedean screw. The wheel, C, has curved blades, an early form of water turbine. Engraving from 'Theatrum Machinarum Novum' by George Andreas Bockler (Nuremberg, 1673).

Engraving depicting Schanschieff's battery being used to power a table lamp and a miner's lamp. The battery plates were zinc and carbon and the liquid sulphate of mercury

Muncke's battery

Fire engine, from Isaac de Caus' Nouvelle Invention de Lever l'Eau Plus Hault, 1664. Artist: Isaac de Caus

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler

An engraving depicting a pendant oil lamp designed to cast as little a shadow as possible. The ring tubing at the bottom is the oil reservoir, and the oil passes to the wick using fine tubes supporting the central position. Dated 19th century

Illustration demonstrating the expansion of air by heat designed by Philo of Byzantium. Philo of Byzantium (280 BC- 220 BC) an Ancient Greek engineer and writer on mechanics. Dated 17th Century

Siege engine. Roman era. Arrow laucher, with torsion mechanism.

An engraving depicting a large clock tower clock, driven by weights, shown at the International Exhibition, London, 1862. Designed and built by J. W. Benson of London. Dated 19th century

Engraving of Moser's earth closet which when the seat was closed discharged earth or ash into the bucket. Dated 19th Century

Gas engine, engine after Otto & Langen, around 1887, historical, digitally improved reproduction of a model from the 19th century.

Illustration showing Kelvin's (Thompson's) mirror galvanometer, showing how the light source at D is reflected off the mirror of the galvanometer on to the scale E, E. The angle of the mirror, and so the measurement read off the scale, depends here on the current flowing through the Wheatstone bridge, A,A', B,B'. 1874

Fishing at couffe, vintage engraving. Fishing at couffe, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1876. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10679903

Flamsteed's equatorially mounted sextant fitted with telescope. Side showing gearing for aligning sextant. Flamsteed was the first Astronomer Royal. From 'Historia Coelestis Britannica' John Flamsteed (London 1725). Engraving.

Bergbau. Abholzen von Stollen und Schächten. Mining. Timbering of drifts and adits. Publication of the Meyers encyclopedia, Vol. 7, Leipzig, Germany, 1910. LicenseRF Copyright: xZoonar.com/SergeyxKohlx 23253166

Hydraulic mechanical toy, 1657.

Sanitary toilets with flushing tank and siphoned and ventilated devices without mechanism. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1886

Eine Wasseruhr, Gerät zur Zeitmessung, bei dem als Hilfsmedium Wasser verwendet wird, digital restaurierte Reproduktion einer Originalvorlage aus dem ...

Mexican steam bath, Mexico, around 1880 / Mexikanisches Dampfbad, Mexiko, um 1880, Historisch, historical, digital improved reproduction of an original from the 19th century / digitale Reproduktion einer Originalvorlage aus dem 19. Jahrhundert,.

The Maxim Repeating Cannon. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1886

An engraving depicting a Coventry silk weaver. Dated 19th century

An engraving depicting a sectional view of a gas plant. Dated 19th century

Bell to vaporize the mercury and melting silver minerva, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1844.

Illustration showing Electric clock by Hipp of Neuchatel, From Amdee Guillemin 'Electricity and Magnetism', London, 1891.

A woodcut engraving depicting the Hero of Alexandria's device to secretly setting fire to the sacrifice on an altar: A) Fire: C) Sliding Shutter: D) Sacrifice. Hero of Alexandria (10 AD - 70 AD) a mathematician and engineer. Dated 17th century

Engraving depicting a Wheatstone stereoscope. Sir Charles Wheatstone (1802-1875) an English scientist and inventor of the Victorian Era. Dated 19th Century

Engraving depicting a Wheatstone stereoscope. Sir Charles Wheatstone (1802-1875) an English scientist and inventor of the Victorian Era. Dated 19th Century

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; A hand driven pulley and gearing system

Engraving depicting a paddle churn used for butter making. Dated 19th Century

An engraving depicting a sectional view of a windmill (post mill) for grinding corn. Dated 19th century

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; A horse powered milling machine;

An engraving depicting Redier's registering barometer. A barometer is a scientific instrument used in meteorology to measure atmospheric pressure. Invented by Antoine Redier (1817-1892) a French inventor, engineer and watchmaker. Dated 19th century

Sectional view of a crucible with a blow pipe centre. Dated 20th century

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler

Determination of alcohol in the beer, vintage engraving. Determination of alcohol in the beer, vintage engraved illustration. Magasin Pittoresque 1869. Copyright: xZoonar.com/PatrickxGuenettex 10678690

Zamboni's dry battery

Illustration depicting a Galvanometer showing magnet and rotating coil. A galvanometer is an electromechanical instrument used for detecting and indicating electric current. Galvanometers developed from the observation that the needle of a magnetic compass is deflected near a wire that has electric current flowing through it, first described by Hans Oersted in 1820. They were the first instruments used to detect and measure small amounts of electric currents. "

Newcomen steam engine. From 'The Universal Magazine' London 1747, based on Beighton's 1717 engraving of engine at the Griff mine near Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. Copperplate engraving

Acetylene lamp, vintage engraved illustration. Industrial encyclopedia E.-O. Lami - 1875.

Mechanical dyeing process in operation at Messrs Markendales, Salford, Lancashire, England. Engraving from Scientific American, New York, 1887.

Dampening mixer, vintage engraved illustration. Industrial encyclopedia E.-O. Lami - 1875.

19th century illustration of a wind-powered butter churn; 1893

An engraving depicting a man wearing a safety harness while stirring a vat of white soap. Dated 19th century

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler

Rubber top hats invented by Rivet, illustration from L'Illustration, Journal Universel, No 441, Volume XVIII, August 7-14, 1851.

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; A water powered saw

Illustration showing the examination of a live frog under a microscope. German, 1895

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; A hand operated irrigation pump

An engraving depicting a sulphur stack, in which sulphur was dried. Dated 19th century

science acoustics accrual of the echo copper engraving after Athanasius Kircher (1602 - 1680),

Robert Boyle (1627-91) experiments on Spring of the Air. Apparatus similar to Guericke's water barometer. Found water could only be raised 33ft 6ins. Edition of Boyle's works published 1725. Engraving

Lana's design of an airship of 1670, woodcut, 1888, historic engraving

syringe shown complete, in section and, centre, the plunger

An engraving depicting the arc welding using an apparatus invented by Nicolas de Bernardo and Stanislaw Olszewski of St Petersburg. The equipment was DC and was powered by a battery or dynamo. The operator is holding the carbon in one hand and coloured glass to protect his eyes in the other. Dated 19th century

Illustration showing perpetual motion by magnetism. A is a spherical magnet. A piece of iron lies at D and is attracted up the slide GB to E. Here it strikes the wall of the container and drops down to D again. From Athansius Kircher Magnes sive de Arte Magnetica, Cologne, 163

Refrigeration: Sectional view of ice-house showing ramming down of ice. Pit dug and lined with brick, poor conductor of heat. Roof covered with thatch for same reason. Each piece of ice dipped in water before packed in ice-house, so forming solid mass with minimum surface area exposed. Drain at bottom. Woodcut, London, 1838

Drawing showing Pumps powered by an undershot water wheel being used to raise water to tank at K in order to operate fountains in the courtyard and ornamental gardens in the background. From a German edition of Agostino Ramelli Le diverse et artificiose machine, published in 1620.

Engraving depicting James Thomson's turbine operating horizontally. Dated 19th century

An electric signal for railways invented by Mr. King of Paxton, Derbyshire and exhibited at The Crystal Palace Electric Exhibition in 1882. The signal worked by passing electricity through a series of signal-posts placed along a railway line, which would activate a clock hand demonstrating the length of time elapsed between trains. Date: March 18th 1882

Apparatus for indoor gymnastics, 1881, digitally restored reproduction of a 19th century original, exact date not known

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; A water powered irrigation pump

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; A horse powered milling machine

Mechanical crossbow on stand (euthytonon) attributed to Philo of Byzantium (active 150-100 BC). When arms CC wound back against skeins or sinews, the ends of ropes, here shown hanging down from ends of arms, were connected to hook, so holding arms back From "Poliorceticon sive de machinis tormentis telis" by Justus Lipsius (Antwerp, 1605) Engraving

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; A water powered saw

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; A water powered pulverising machine

Engraving depicting a radiometer invented by William Crookes (1832-1919) an English chemist and physicist who attended the Royal College of Chemistry in London. Dated 20th Century

Engraving depicting Christian August Hausen's glass-globe static electric machine (1743)

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; A hand operated irrigation pump

$Method of projecting the sun's image through a refracting telescope onto a screen in a darkened room (camera obscura) in order to study sunpots. From 'Selenographia' by Johannes Hevelius (Gedani, Gdansk. Danzig, 1647). Engraving.$

Engraving depicting Pulvermacher's chain: the patient would hold the handles of the zinc/copper/zinc chain, each link of which was wound round wood. The chain was plunged in vinegar which the wood absorbed: chemical action caused a current and the circuit was completed by the body. Dated 19th century

An engraving depicting a furnace for producing charcoal, at the same time collecting secondary products such as tar and pyroligenus acid (wood vinegar).

Refrigeration: sectional view of an ice house. Artist: Unknown

Sanitary lead for common use, without water or interception. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1886

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; A human powered milling machine

Sectional view of a fritting furnace, showing clay crucibles containing the materials being Ideated to form molten glass. London, 1888

Engraving depicting the process of making lead shots: interior of the shot tower near Waterloo Bridge, London, showing how the molten lead was dropped from the top of the tower fell into a tub water bellow. Arsenic was added to the lead to make the shot perfectly spherical, and to make it harder than if lead alone was used. Dated 19th century

An engraving depicting the "Minerva" balloon designed by Étienne-Gaspard Robert (1763-1837) a Belgium physicist, stage magician and developer of phantasmagoria. Dated 20th century

A woodcut engraving depicting an Archimedean Screw for raising water, powered by a water wheel. Dated 17th century

technics machines loom of Joseph-Marie Jacquard wood engraving 19th century,

A portable gas lamp for general railway use, patented by Mr Johnstone. It was first used on the Eastern Counties Railway, as a head light to the engine. Date: 11th Jan 1845

An engraving depicting the giant wine tun of Heidelberg, Germany. 1896

PENDULUM-ROOM AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HARTON COAL-PIT, 1854

An engraving depicting Thomas Savery's steam engine of 1699 for pumping water from mines. Double furnace (right) with boilers, whose steam passes to cylinders (P, P). It is next cooled, which causes a partial vacuum in P, P that sucks up water through the pipe, M. Thomas Savery (1650-1715) an English inventor and engineer. Dated 19th century

Dissociation of water, vintage engraved illustration. Industrial encyclopedia E.-O. Lami - 1875.

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; A water powered irrigation pump

Illustration from Theatrum Machinarum Novum 1661 by Georg Andreas Böckler; A milling machine powered by long drop weights

Experiments made by Otto von Guericke in 1654, in front of the Prince of Auerberg

Illustration showing Method of making a simple fire drill 1896

Portion of head with the eyes represented above each other and focused on an arrow; lines extend from the eyes to the mid and terminal points of the arrow; visual receptor portion of the brain is shown, and the sense of smell is indicated by a flower.

Thomas Edison current regulator presented at the International Exposition of Electricity. Paris, France. Europe. Old 19th century engraved illustration from El Mundo Ilustrado 1879

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