Free summaries
Engineering & Technology — page 10
476 public-domain engineering & technology books, summarised. Page 10 of 10.
Bamboo, Considered as a Paper-making Material: With remarks upon its cultivation and treatment. Supplemented by a consideration of the present position of the paper trade in relation to the supply of raw material
Thomas Routledge
A visionary proposal for solving the Victorian era’s desperate paper shortage, this technical treatise argues that bamboo and sugar-cane waste are the untapped keys to an industrial future.
How to become an inventor
Aaron A. Warford
A hands-on guide for the curious youth, this book offers a practical gateway into the Victorian-era workshop, demystifying the mechanical and scientific wonders of the natural world. It serves as both a manual for amateur engineering and a primer on the foundational laws of physics, chemistry, and optics.
The Future of Road-making in America
Archer Butler Hulbert
The crumbling dirt paths of the early twentieth century were more than mere inconveniences; they were anchors dragging on the prosperity and spirit of the American nation. This collection of essays offers a blueprint for replacing that isolation with a modern, interconnected system of highways.
Remarks on a Pamphlet Lately published by the Rev. Mr. Maskelyne, Under the Authority of the Board of Longitude
John Harrison
A pioneering horologist fights back against institutional neglect and academic arrogance to defend his life's work of measuring time and longitude across the open sea.
Telephone troubles
Edward Mahon Wev
Tracing electrical faults through intricate wiring and stubborn switchboards requires patience, precise testing methods, and a disciplined ear for the subtle clicks of a telephone receiver.
A Pioneer Railway of the West
Maude Ward Lafferty
When workmen unearth a rusted bar of iron in a Kentucky freight yard, a forgotten era of American ingenuity comes rushing back to life.
Boynton bicycle railway system
Boynton Bicycle Railway Company
This technical document outlines the design, development, and purported benefits of a late-19th-century monorail system. It serves as both a manual for potential investors and a spirited argument for revolutionizing the American railroad.
Lecture on Artificial Flight: Given by request at the Academy of Natural Sciences
William G. Krueger
Artificial flight is no longer an absurd dream, but a mathematically demonstrable reality that will soon revolutionize human commerce, travel, and civilization.
Pneumatic conveying
Ernest George Phillips
Pneumatic conveying is the study of moving solid objects through air—using the invisible force of wind to perform the heavy lifting once reserved for human hands and shovels.
A Letter to the Kensington Canal Company on the Substitution of the Pneumatic Railway for the Common Railway by Which They Contemplate Extending Their Line of Conveyance
John Vallance
A visionary engineer challenges the status quo of 19th-century transportation, arguing that an atmospheric tunnel system offers a safer, cheaper, and more efficient alternative to the burgeoning steam-powered railway lines.
Pegasus
J. F. C. (John Frederick Charles) Fuller
This inquiry examines the intersection of technology and human resistance, arguing that the true challenge of progress lies not in engineering, but in overcoming the stubborn inertia of traditional thought.
Instruction book on ring spinning
Francis L. Lincoln
This slim manual serves as a grounded, practical field guide for the nineteenth-century textile professional, distilling the complexities of mill management into actionable, daily wisdom. It remains a fascinating document of industrial precision and human labor.
Two men on a mill
A. Harold Castonguay
A meticulous chronicle details the physical revival of a two-and-a-half-century-old water grist mill on Cape Cod, celebrating the enduring craftsmanship of early New England.
Facts and Figures Concerning the Hoosac Tunnel
John J. Piper
Massachusetts faces economic decay unless it pierces the mountain barrier of the West, transforming an impossible tunnel project into a vital commercial necessity.
Refraction and muscular imbalance, as simplified through the use of the ski-optometer
Daniel Woolf
Precision optics and structured muscular therapy transform eye examinations through the systematic application of the ski-optometer.
Remarks on the Proposed Railway Between Birmingham and London
Anonymous
The invention of the steam locomotive promises to transform national transit, replacing slow horse-drawn canals with rapid, economical railways connecting industrial hubs to the metropolis.
The New Wonder of the World: Buffalo, the Electric City
A. E. Richmond
Buffalo stands poised on the precipice of an industrial revolution, ready to claim its destiny as the electric capital of the world through the harnessed power of Niagara Falls.
C.A. Coey's School of Motoring, 1424-26 Michigan Ave. Chicago
Charles Andrew Coey
This book serves as a foundational guide for early twentieth-century motoring, offering a professional curriculum for the aspiring chauffeur and automobile mechanic.
Improvement in Fire-Arms and in the Apparatus Used Therewith: United States Patent Office Application
Samuel Colt
This technical document details the engineering refinements of an early nineteenth-century repeating firearm. It serves as a precise record of how a mechanical innovator solved the persistent problems of recoil, fouling, and rapid loading.
Preliminary Report on Gowganda Mining Division District of Nipissing Ontario
W. H. (William Henry) Collins
The rugged, silver-rich wilderness of Northern Ontario reveals its geological secrets in this detailed survey of the Gowganda region’s complex mineral deposits and ancient rock formations.
A Lost Chapter in the History of the Steamboat
John H. B. (John Hazlehurst Boneval) Latrobe
Before steam navigation revolutionized travel, inventors bickered over paddle designs while a quiet engineer's side wheels waited decades for their rightful acclaim.
The Water Supply of the El Paso and Southwestern Railway from Carrizozo to Santa Rosa, N. Mex.: American Society of Civil Engineers: Transactions, No. 1170
John Logan Campbell
Bringing pure mountain water across miles of unforgiving desert transforms a struggling railway and secures a lasting lifeline for the arid American Southwest.
International Bridge Authority, Sault Ste. Marie
Anonymous
Connecting the United States and Canada, the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge stands as a testament to cross-border cooperation and modern engineering. It transforms a historic waterway into a seamless path for international commerce and travel.
An Attempt to Analyse the Automaton Chess Player of Mr. De Kempelen: To Which is Added, a Copious Collection of the Knight's Moves over the Chess Board
Robert Willis
A mechanical marvel that once captivated the world is revealed here not as a product of clockwork, but as a masterclass in human deception and spatial misdirection.
Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. LXVIII, Sept. 1910: The New York Tunnel Extension of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Charles W. Raymond
This technical volume chronicles the monumental engineering feat of extending the Pennsylvania Railroad into the heart of Manhattan, forever transforming the transit landscape of New York City through sub-river tunnels and a grand terminal.
The construction and maintenance of earth roads
Richard Roswell Lyman
A practical guide to road building, this technical bulletin advocates for the humble earth road as the essential, cost-effective foundation for a modern, prosperous state infrastructure.
Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. LXVIII, Sept. 1910: The New York Tunnel Extension of the Pennsylvania Railroad
James H. Brace
HOOK This technical chronicle details the immense logistical and engineering feat of excavating the Cross-Town Tunnels, the critical subterranean link for the Pennsylvania Railroad’s expansion into Manhattan.
The Making of a Man: Being a Description of Artificial Limbs and How They May Be Adopted by Those Who Have Suffered Loss of Their Natural Limbs
N.Y.) George R. Fuller Co. (Rochester
The journey toward physical restoration begins not with a single step, but with the deliberate application of mechanical ingenuity to the human form. This archival document serves as a bridge between the physical loss of a limb and the restoration of a life’s functionality.
Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, vol. LXVIII, Sept. 1910: The New York Tunnel Extension of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Benjamin Franklin Cresson
This technical account documents the monumental engineering effort required to extend the Pennsylvania Railroad into Manhattan, focusing on the complex excavation and stabilization beneath Ninth Avenue. It serves as a meticulous record of the early twentieth-century ingenuity that transformed New York’s…
The art of lead burning
C. H. Fay
Mastering the dangerous yet essential craft of lead burning requires meticulous preparation, rigorous safety precautions, and steady hands.
Conservation Through Engineering: Extract from the Annual Report of the Secretary of the Interior
Franklin K. Lane
The American landscape, in all its material and human variety, requires a deliberate, scientific approach to ensure lasting prosperity. National progress depends not on hoarding resources, but on the efficient, intelligent application of engineering principles.
History of Steam on the Erie Canal
Anonymous
The Erie Canal stands at a crossroads of nineteenth-century innovation, where the immense promise of steam power consistently founders against the stubborn physics of narrow, shallow waterways. This technical report serves as a cold, analytical autopsy of failed attempts to replace horse-drawn barges with…
Marvel Carbureter and Heat Control: As Used on Series 691 Nash Sixes Booklet S
Anonymous
A clear eye for the mechanics of internal combustion guides every page of this manual, turning cold cast iron and fuel line adjustments into a study in physical precision.
Aeolus
Stewart, Oliver, Major
The flying machine is a living, breathing entity that demands freedom to evolve. Without the interference of state officials, the aerial sailing-ship promises a future of unprecedented speed and human connection.
Bridge Disasters in America: The Cause and the Remedy
George L. (George Leonard) Vose
This work serves as a sobering indictment of nineteenth-century engineering oversight and public apathy. It argues that bridge failures are not inevitable accidents but predictable, preventable consequences of negligence and a lack of rigorous, state-mandated safety standards.
Farming with Dynamite: A Few Hints to Farmers
E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company
This guide introduces the agricultural use of explosives as a practical tool for modernizing land management and increasing crop yields. It frames the power of industrial chemistry as a direct, manageable solution to the farmer's most persistent struggles.
Mine Pumping in Agricola's Time and Later
Robert P. Multhauf
The history of European deep-mining technology is defined not by static centuries, but by a continuous, overlooked evolution in mechanical drainage devices.
Delco Radio Owner's Manual Model 633
Delco-Remy Corporation
This technical guide provides the essential instructions for installing and maintaining a classic automotive radio system. It serves as a practical window into the mid-century intersection of mobile engineering and home entertainment.
The Stoker's Catechism
W. J. Connor
A practical guide written by a veteran stoker uses direct, step-by-step catechisms to pass trade knowledge to working men operating heavy industrial steam boilers.
Wireless Possibilities
A. M. (Archibald Montgomery) Low
The invisible currents of the air are not merely tools for entertainment; they are the fundamental vibrations of life waiting to be harnessed by the curious and the bold.
Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. LXX, Dec. 1910: Locomotive Performance On Grades Of Various Lengths, Paper No. 1172
B. S. (Beverly S.) Randolph
This technical inquiry into railway mechanics provides a foundational look at how grade length dictates the efficiency and load-bearing capacity of steam-powered locomotives. It serves as a rigorous investigation into the limits of engine performance on uneven terrain.
Cork: Being the story of the origin of cork, the processes employed in its manufacture & its various uses in the world to-day
Armstrong Cork Company
This comprehensive account tracks the journey of cork from its Mediterranean origins to its transformation into essential industrial goods. It serves as an informative guide to the history, harvesting, and diverse applications of a singular natural material.
Selenium cells
Thomas William Benson
Discover the fascinating science of building light-sensitive electrical cells from humble materials, copper plates, and elemental selenium.
Famous days in the century of invention
Gertrude L. (Gertrude Lincoln) Stone
Step back into a nineteenth century where a simple train ride or a spark of electricity transformed everyday existence through human grit and ingenuity.