Digital book index

Nick,
How do I prop my monitor up whilst I'm in bed and what stops it falling on the floor when I drop off to sleep :-))
Martin P
Looks interesting

Not an inknown occurence I believe :-)
You could try a PDA Martin.
John

Yes John but I have medical reasons for falling asleep what's your excuse :-)) Why do I need a PDA, I would then need a magnifying glass to read it.
Martin P

Thanks Nick, the older books are just the sort of antique info I was after. Books from back then are a bit rare and pricey.
And for those who read them in bed (personally I favour reading in the bath, which is not a happy environment for a computer), you can save the PDFs and print them.
Steve

"Steve" wrote (snip):-
Quite so, I was about to bid on A M Low's 'Two Stroke Engines' on ebay when I discovered I could download here it for free!
Nick H

I've downloaded 2 full DVD's from these sites over the past few months , including large numbers of copies of books for which I have already paid serious money.
Means that I do not have to scan pages, damage the originals etc etc. More importantly, I can do a full word search over multiple books ..........
Gems include all those serious books on engines totally overlooked when Stationary Engine listed their (very limited) choice of best books -- all 6 volumes of Rankin Kennedy 's Modern Power Generators, masses of ICS volumes on engines, the full set of Audel's Engineering, the Cyclopedia of Engineering etc etc.
BTW, I prefer the access page, 'tho the url given in this thread does give a quicker introductory listing (& includes a few other titles).
95% of the tomes are pre'25, so those of us who collect big hot tube stuff are in our element. Don't forget to adjust for 'merican when you search -- just try engine & engines as the keywords, & you'll get pages on steam, gas, oil -- plus masses on aviation, rail & marine. Often multiple editions, so you can track Dugald Clerk as he writes his seminal books on oil & gas engines from 1880 thru' to 1910-ish. Easy to search by title or author, as well as keyword.
For any naval buffs out there, just drool as you download the annual Naval Chronicles from 1790's onwards. Read all about Nelson from contemporary sources -- truly amazing, & would cost a small(?) fortune if you could ever find them.
A truly wonderful source for those wanting to do serious research, bone up on history, or just understand more about the engineering principles behind our hobby. Even several texts just on "How to repair" gas, oil & steam engines, or how to drive your traction engine or locomotive ....
Far too little on motorcycles, but masses on autos!
Really sad to have rammed down your throat just how right are those GOM rants about the contemporary dumbing down of the UK education system, lack of effort, & sheer lack of knowledge of modern males..... & how much we owe to the innovators of 100 years ago, slaving over their slide rules & quill pens.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy .....
Colin

Thanks Colin, I thought there may a few more of us out there that appreciate this....and you have pointed out aspects I hadn't discovered.
Can I ask a question .. apart from the lithograph and description in Dugalds work via the link provided, have you spotted any technical details on the Hugon engines of 1865 to 1867 ? I was fascinated by the one newly arrived at the Anson Museum (it is incomplete as regards the gas system, and maybe more) and thought I would dig in the archives to find what is missing. The link in this thread to Dugalds work has given valuable info and lithographs, but have you spotted any other info (did no-one ever take a photo of one ?).
Just a thought, and if you are after info vis-a-vis 1842/1843 I have copies of Practical Mechanics from then so drop me a line.
Steve

Steve --
I've never researched Hugon engines, but Google search for Hugon engine yielded immediate hits. --------------------------------------
1. Image on request from : Photo of Hugon gas engine, 1865. Hugon gas engine, 1865. This engine, patented by P Hugon, was the first gas engine in which ignition by flame was successfully achieved. The ignition flame is carried to and fro in a cavity inside a slide valve, moved by a cam so as to get a rapid cut-off, and permanent flames are positioned at the ends of the valve to relight the flame ports after each explosion.
Picture Reference: 10326718 Subject: TRADE & INDUSTRY > Fuel & Power > STATIONARY ENGINES, GAS" Inventory No.: 1868-0025 Credit: Science Museum =========================
2. The Project Gutenberg EBook of Scientific American Supplement, No. 484, April 11, 1885, by Various
Contains lecture by Clerk, with multiple references to Hugon. ====================
3. Various others, which I haven't probed.
Hope this helps, Colin

Steve --
Realised that the Hugon photo is probably the same engine that went to the Anson ....... dooh.
One very interesting snippet on Goggle was the briefest of extracts from a paper called "Gas-Engines & Organs" or some such. Published in late 19th century, & made specific reference to at least two Hugon-patent engines in use to power organs in England -- I think in Clerkenwell & York Minster.
Full version costs money, or a deeper Google search.....
Colin

Thanks Colin.
I had already been to the Science and Society page and only found a placecard saying scan available on request - do you actually see an image ? If so maybe you can cut and paste it somewhere I can see it.
The one at the Anson engine museum is on loan from the Science Museum, and the Science Museum evolved from the Patent Office Museum in which there was a Hugon engine mentioned in Dugald's book (and a Lenoir engine). The book mentions that they modified this engine so that they no longer needed the troublesome rubber bladders to pump the gas for the ignition flame. This part is missing from the one at the Anson museum, so we can say with some certainty it is the same engine. It is the fact that these bits are missing that led me to search to see if I can find a photo. It is probably the only surviving engine, and it is incomplete.
I have put some of the guff I have collected on the following web page (which I hope you can link to, but then newsgroups sometimes do funny things with links : snipped-for-privacy@btinternet.com/Hugon/Hugon.html
Best Regards Steve