Vintage Industrial Inventions

Detailed engravings of historical industrial mechanisms, including pumps, gramophones, and lighting devices, showcasing vintage engineering designs.

Illustration depicting George Everest's Theodolite, a precise level. George Everest (1790-1866) a Welsh surveyor and geographer, and Surveyor General of India. Dated 19th Century

Gregory's fire ladders.

Engraving depicting a cross-section of lead chambers for the production of sulphuric acid. Dated 19th century

Benjamin Franklin's (1706-1790) first electrical machine, 1764. Engraving. "Historia biográfica de los Presidentes de los Estados Unidos" (Biographical story of the Presidents of the United States). Published in Barcelona by Montaner y Simón, 1885.

An engraving depicting a simple water clock: the water is allowed to escape at the bottom at a controlled rate. The divisions allowed for the passing of each hour differ according to the dimensions of the vessel and the head of water still in it. Dated 19th century

The cutaway drawing of the A-4 (Aggregate-4) rocket. Later renamed the V-2 (Vengeance Weapon-2), The rocket was developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the German rocket team at Peenemuende, Germany on the Baltic Sea. At the end of World War II, the team of German engineers and scientists came to the United States and continued rocket research for the Army at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.

An engraving depicting a sectional view of a solid fuel stove by J. Dunnachie, shown at the Smoke Abatement Exhibition, London. Dated 19th century

Graduation work, salt production, historic image, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon encyclopedia, 1897

Single cylinder of a gasoline engine, illustration

Cryophore of wollaston, vintage engraved illustration. Industrial encyclopedia E.-O. Lami - 1875.

Dam of Ash Fork, vintage engraved illustration. Industrial encyclopedia E.-O. Lami - 1875.

Siren, invented by Charles Cagniard de la Tour (1777-1859), French engineer and physicist. Engraving, London, 1874.

Engraving depicting one of the early traffic lights. It was 7.3m high, with signal arms, installed at junction of Parliament Square and Great George Street, London. Dated 19th Century

A phototheodolite by the Hartl company, theodolite is a precision instrument for measuring angles in the horizontal and vertical planes, 1881, digital...

Spout half size, vintage engraved illustration. Industrial encyclopedia E.-O. Lami - 1875.

Diagram of Bunsen's Geyser Theory. Diagram shows convection of water with hot water rising in centre and falling back somewhat cooled. Eventually temperature at bottom rises and eruption released pressure. The cycle is then repeated. Dated 19th century

Illustration depicting a 19th century, draining (drainage) plough and different drain types

Aviation: The carcharodus flocciferus (1852) developed by Giffard, Aviation, digitally restored reproduction of an original 19th century model, original date unknown

Engraving depicting a Geissler tube, an early gas discharge tube used to demonstrate the principles of electrical glow discharge, similar to modern neon lighting. Invented by Heinrich Geißler (1814-1879) a German glassblower, physicist and inventor. Dated 19th Century

Skiopticon image from the Department of Photography at the Royal Institute of Technology. Use by Professor Helmer Bäckström as lecture material. Bäckström was Sweden's first professor in photography at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm 1948-1958.Turn-shaped dark field lighting for opaque objects, with light fields / cards.

A woodcut engraving depicting a selection of Surgeon's instruments including forceps Dated 16th century

Illustration showing The first transformer. The iron ring is wound with two separate coils of wire, A and B. Both coils are wired in sections. Current through A from a battery induces a current in B. Engraving after a sketch in Faraday's notebook. From Bence Jones 'The Life and Letters of Faraday', London; 1870

Illustration depicting Rowe's diving chest: copper cylinder with leather sleeves, divers would be dependent on air contained in the cylinder. Dated 18th Century

Plan, cross-section and elevation of the trestle on which to work on a block of marble. Engraving by R. Bénard after Bourgeois.

Inscribed Clay Cylinder from Ancient Babylonia, Historic, digital reproduction of an original 19th century original

Morse, underwater electric, vintage engraved illustration. Industrial encyclopedia E.-O. Lami - 1875.

Alessandro Volta (1745-1827) Italian physicist. His wet battery (pile) from his paper published in 'Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society', London, 1800

Early design of a quick firing cannon, 1482. Artist: Unknown

The 1909 Model of the Antionette Motor

This diagram of the plans of the Antoinette Monoplane date to the early 1920s. In the first years of flying machines, there were two types: the biplane that was composed of two firmly connected planes (the type of the Wright borthers machine) and the monoplane or single gliding plane that was used by Jean Bleriot to fly across the English Channel in 1909. The monoplanes first flight was in 1911. It was built in France and was a military airplane. Shown here are the side elevation, the front elevation, and plan view (looking at the machine from the top).

Skiopticon image from the Department of Photography at the Royal Institute of Technology. Use by Professor Helmer Bäckström as lecture material. Bäckström was Sweden's first professor in photography at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm 1948-1958.graded photometer.

B742006 F&S REPORT TO SANDIA DRILL RIGS & BITS BOB LITTLEJOHN APR 16 74EG&G/NTS PHOTO LAB Publication Date: 4/16/1974 BITS, DRILL; DIAGRAMS; DISPLAYING; DRILLING MACHINE PARTS; DRILLING RIGS; DRILLING TOOLS; DRILLS; EDGERTON, GERMESHAUSEN & GRIER; EG&G; LITTLEJOHN, BOB; MACHINERY PARTS; NEVADA; NEVADA TEST SITE; NTS; NUCLEAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGY; NUCLEAR TESTING; NUCLEAR TESTS; TEST SITES; UGT; UNDERGROUND TESTING; F&S REPORT TO SANIDA-DRILL RIG historical images. 1972 - 2012. Department of Energy. National Nuclear Security Administration. Photographs Related to Nuclear Weapons Testing at the Nevada Test Site.

An engraving depicting a wheel with feet used on a road engine that will go up steps. Designed by Bramah Joseph Diplock (1857-1918) an English inventor. Dated 20th century

A cylindrograph, panoramic photograph, made by Moessard and a stereo camera, 1881, digitally restored reproduction of a 19th century original, exact d...

Walker's flying car, and his drawing of the attitude of the Condor when rising with its prey, when it would need maximum lift. From The Mechanics' Magazine, London, 1877

Diagram of Rocket That Took Mammals Nearly No Miles Into Space -- This is a diagram of Aero Jet Aerobee sounding rocket used by the Air Force to carry mammals approximately 40 mills into the upper atmosphere to test their reactions under conditions of extreme altitude and zero gravity. The Air Force explained zero gravity as the weightless state encountered at the crest of the trajectory in rocket flights. The Air Force said today two monkeys and two mice were recovered alive, unharmed and in good health after tests at Holloman Air Force Base, Alamogordo, N.M. The pressurized nose section, which carries the mammals and recording equipment, parachutes to earth. September 26, 1952. (Photo by Department of Defence Photo).

Woodcut illustration showing a revolver with an extractor. The gun was broken and the magazine depressed so that the extractor could rapidly clear the spent cartridges. Dated 1895.

Structure of the eye, anatomical plate.

Traditional musical instruments from Morocco, North Africa. Old 19th century engraved illustration from El Mundo Ilustrado 1879

Zeiss binoculars with prisms for maximum stereoscopic effect. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1897

Engraving depicting a trebuchet - a war engine for projecting missiles. Dated 17th century

Aeronautical navigation device, Appareil de Navigation Aerienne, System Kaufmann, detail, 1869, Historic, digitally restored reproduction of an original 19th century model, exact original date unknown

Automatic knitting machine, produced by Spiers & Grieve, Leicester, United Kingdom, illustration from L'Industria, Rivista tecnica ed economica illustrata, Milan, 1901.

Engraving depicting Henry Bell's design for an aerial machine, which had a rudder and two screw propellers. Henry Bell (1767-1830) a Scottish engineer. Dated 19th Century

Drawing of the 8-Foot Transonic Pressure Tunnel.

JSC2003-E-42551 (For Release 18 June 2003) --- This graphic shows the Experiment Logistics Modules-Exposed (ELM-ES) of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), Japan's primary contribution to the International Space Station (ISS), is shown in a processing facility. There are two JEM logistics modules, one each for the Pressurized Module and the Exposed Facility, that serve as on-orbit storage areas that house materials for experiments, maintenance tools and supplies. The ELM-ES is a pallet that can hold 3 experiment payloads for the JEM Exposed Facility.

Drawing to explain how a British submarine's twelve torpedoes are fired. Here six torpoedoes are shown in their tubes, and a further six are in storage and have, when required, to be moved up to the rear door of the tube by slinging out a running cradle. The outer (sea) doors are opened and closed by rods operated hydraulically. Date: 1939

A woodcut engraving depicting an automaton which made Hercules shoot a dragon. Dated 17th century

This illustration dates to the 1870s and shows Stephenson's link motion. At the time, locomotives were fitted with an ingenious apparatus for reversing the engines that was first adopted by Englishman George Stephenson. Here you see thelink motion, where A, B are two eccentrics oppositely placed on the driving shaft and their rods joined to the ends of the curved bar or link, C D. A slit extends nearly th whole length of this bar and in it works stud E, forming part of the lever, F, g movable about the fixed joint, G, and having its extremity, F, jointed to the rod H that moves like a slide va

engraving depicting Geddes' turnip sowing machine. his machine made a simultaneous two-row sowing of seed and distribution of bone meal. 1851

Fire alarm at Paris in 1889, France. Europe. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1889

Photograph of the Tower Telescope used at Mt Wilson Observatory, California. Dated 20th Century

Skiopticon image from the Department of Photography at the Royal Institute of Technology. Use by Professor Helmer Bäckström as lecture material. Bäckström was Sweden's first professor in photography at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm 1948-1958.Affe the opening. Photographic manual. Nature and Culture. Stockholm. 1942. p. 67.

This 1870s illustration explains Parallel Motion as understood by James Watt, the Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer. James Watt (1736-1819) was said to have discovered the power of steam when he placed his hand in front of kettle that held a very hot liquid. Watts improvements to the steam engine were key to the changes that came with the Industrial Revolution. The text reads: A B is half the beam, A being the main centre; B E, the main links, connecting the piston-rod, F, with the end of the beam; G D, the air-pump links, from the centre of which rthe air-pump-rod is suspended; C D m

Woodcut illustration showing a revolver with an extractor. The gun was broken and the magazine depressed so that the extractor could rapidly clear the spent cartridges. Dated 1895.

Hauptstrommaschine with round housing

The Keene magazine gun. Originally published in January 1880 in Scribners Monthly Magazine

Wallchart of handguns, illustration from Meyers Konversationslexikon, a German encyclopedia, 1897

H-1 engine major components with callouts (chart 1). The H-1 engine was used in a cluster of eight on the the first stage of Saturn I (S-I stage) and Saturn IB (S-IB stage). The engines were arranged in a double pattern four engines, located inboard, were fixed in a square pattern around the stage axis, while the remaining four engines were located outboard in a larger square pattern and each outer engine was gimbaled. Each H-1 engine had a thrust of 188,000 pounds for a combined thrust of over 1,500,000 pounds.

Wall telephone, Strowger system, illustration from L'Industria, Rivista tecnica ed economica illustrata, Milan, 1907.

Emerson's Patent Axel Lubricator, Industrial America - Invention

The Hotchkiss magazine gun. Originally published in January 1880 in Scribners Monthly Magazine

A demonstration of the Earth's rotation using Foucault's pendulum. Wood engraving, 1881. Leon Foucault (1819-1860) French physicist.

An engraving depicting a cycle lamp: incandescent bulb powered by a wet battery. Dated 19th century

Engineering: a steam engine. Lithograph 1852.

Diagram showing how to insert a Eastman negative film roll into a camera. George Eastman (1854-1932) an American entrepreneur who founded Eastman Kodak Company. Dated 19th Century

Engraving depicting detail of the mountain railway at Mont Cenis. Dated 19th century

Images take for NASA Document L-1220

Historic illustration of pistols and guns, 19th century, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon encyclopedia, 1889

Portable Astronomical Transit Instrument, Engineering - Surveryor's Instruments

Illustration showing a Mance Heliograph, a wireless solar telegraph that signals by flashes of sunlight (generally using Morse code) reflected by a mirror. Henry Christopher Mance (1840-1926), of the British Government Persian Gulf Telegraph Department, developed the first widely accepted heliograph about 1869 in British India. 1880

Projectile of 1500 kilograms of a Krupp gun being manufactured. Old illustration from La Nature 1887

This 1905 illustration shows Symingtons steamboat from 1801. William Symington(1764-1831) was a Scottish engineer and inventor, and the builder of the first practicalsteamboat, theCharlotte Dundas, which was first sailed in 1803.

Artist concept of the superhardened capsule for the MX missile in the Closely Spaced Basing mode, showing the missile and launch canister inside the capsule. Country: Unknown

Old model of the absolute barometer by Hans and Hermary. Old 19th century engraved illustration from La Nature 1886

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