A book published more than four centuries ago still contains design that will whet the appetite of today's engineers, says Colin Ledsome CEng FIED. In 1588, a book was published in Italy, The Various and Ingenious Machines of Agustino Ramelli, which became the premier mechanical engineering reference book for the next two centuries. In 1976, a modern English translation of the book, by Gnudi and Ferguson, using the original lavishly engraved illustrations, was published, with additional explanatory notes and diagrams. More than four centuries after it was written, the book provides an intriguing view of the technologies of the 16th century. The illustrations show basic principles, rather than real constructions, and most would not have been realised as shown. There are a number of pumps for drawing water from a well, and a wide range of military equipment from portable bridges to screw jacks for prising open defensive grills. (Figures 1, 2, & 3.) Most of these use basic versions of technologies we are still very familiar with today. However, a few devices caught my eye, which I hadn't seen before.
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