Book on the 'Theory of Machines and Mechanisms' for the serious student

Time to take your engineering knowledge up a notch? Check out this book I discovered on Amazon the other day. For the non-professional engineer it may be a little weighty, but boy...it's all there! (This fourth edition is aimed at senior undergraduate or graduate students in mechanical engineering.)

Theory of Machines and Mechanisms covers the study of displacements, velocities, accelerations, and static and dynamic forces required for the proper design of mechanical linkages, cams, and geared systems. The authors present the background, notation, and nomenclature essential for students to understand the various independent technical approaches that exist in the field of mechanisms, kinematics, and dynamics.

The book includes a CD with working model animations of many figures from the text to help students visualize and comprehend their movement. A companion website for instructors provides additional information and resources, including PowerPoint-based slides of figures from the text.

Here is where you can get Theory of Machines and Mechanisms

---

Incredible life-sized peacock automaton by James Cox created in 1777

The folks over at the amazing Atlas Obscura blog did a great round-up of animal themed automata the other day. Among them was this life size peacock automaton created in 1777 by James Cox. The automaton is The State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

From the video description:

Peacock clock at the State Hermitage Museum in Russia. Made in the 18th century by James Cox, an English clock maker, and sold to Potemkin (a favorite of the Catherine the Great) as spare parts. It took 9 years for a Russian mechanic named Ivan Kulibin to put it together again. Well worth it. It is run only once a year during June to preserve the mechanism, so you have very few chance to see it work. Made of gilded bronze silver and glass, it measures 3 meters in height. The dial of the clock is embedded into the head of a mushroom with a dragonfly moving on top to indicate the time.

Here is the full article at Atlas Obsura titled Five Astounding Animal Automata.

[ Thanks Falk! ]

---

Learn to make rolling ball kinetic sculptures with artist Tom Harold

Artist Tom Harold noticed that many people in online forums had the same questions about getting started building rolling ball sculptures out of steel.

Seeing that no videos existed to directly address these questions, he put together the starter video shown here. This video is part one of a series that may end up being about three or four videos in length. This one focuses mostly on welding 1/8 inch steel rod. Great stuff!

You cans see more of Tom Harold's kinetic sculpture on his web site.

---

The Unwelcome Dinner Guest automaton by Dug North has a new price for the holidays!

I've changed the price for The Unwelcome Dinner Guest for the upcoming holiday season. I've also decided to include one of the original pencil sketches I created when designing the piece. Here is a gift you cannot get anywhere else!

The automaton depicts a backyard scene with a picket fence, doghouse, and birdhouse mounted to a pole. Apparently the dog has recently been fed because his bowl is overfull with food. Sadly for the dog, his leash has become wrapped around the birdhouse pole and he cannot reach his food bowl. This situation provides the perfect opportunity for the local bird to enjoy a big meal, free of charge. All the poor dog can do is wag its tail, jump, and bark at the bird.

An article I wrote on how to make the piece was featured in a magazine called 'Gizmos & Gadgets' (shown at right).

Here is the page on my site the shows the video, images, and purchasing details for The Unwelcome Dinner Guest by Dug North.

---

Printed version of 'Clockwork Game ' graphic novel is in the works and seeks support!

Clockwork Game tells the story of the legendary chess-playing automaton known as 'The Turk'. Currently, you can read the whole thing online for free. Now author and illustrator, Jane Irwin, hopes to give the story the print edition it deserves. The Kickstarter video is shown above.

The project is entering its final week. She's already reached one stretch goal and has her sights set on the second. This is going to be a wonderful book and I can't wait to get mine. Here is where you can learn more and support the Clockwork Game Graphic Novel.

---

Duck Machine - mechanical sculpture by Dave Cranmer

It's Wednesday. Please take a few moments to enjoy the gentle rise and fall of ducks and the mechanism that makes it happen. Also, the holidays are coming, so please use the Amazon links you find on this blog when you do your shopping. Thanks!

[ Thanks Christoph! ]

---

A pedal-powered steampunk flying machine automaton

I love the sculptural detail of this motorized automaton: the ball chain used to drive parts of the mechanism, and the illuminated dirigible. According to Falk Keuten of the excellent Spiel und Kunst mit Mechanik blog, the piece is by Viktor Grigoriev from St.Petersburg, Russia's most famous automaton artist.

[ Thanks Christoph and Tom! ]

---

The world's biggest cuckoo clock in Triberg, Germany

The World Biggest Cuckoo Clock is located in its own house in Triberg, Germany. The construction of the clock was based on 100 year old cuckoo clock, but at a scale of 60 to 1! The cuckoo bird itself measures nearly 14 feet long, and weights an incredible 330 pounds.

Here is a short presentation about the clock and its construction presented by an animatronic clock-seller:

Here is a video of the cuckoo emerging. Clearly the bird isn't entirely traditional and possesses its own animatronic components. As grand as this is, I would have preferred a simple, traditional cuckoo bird.

Here is where you can learn more about the world's biggest cuckoo clock.

[ Thanks Falk! ]

---

Antique bubble-blowing polar bear automaton

The good folks at Douglas Fisher Antique Automata just posted this amazing piece by Roullet & Decamps dating to around 1905. This is one of the best antique automata I've seen in quite a long time!

From the Douglas Fisher web site:

When bubble mixture present in chalice and automaton wound by the key and bayonet start/stop rod actuated, the polar bear turns his head to the left as his right hand holding bubble hoop scoops up mixture from the chalice held in left hand and lifts hoop in front of face, pausing for a moment then suddenly blowing to exude a stream of many bubbles which blow around the room. He then quickly turns his head to the left and opens his mouth to clearly reflect on the fun of the action, scooping more liquid for the next of many bubbles blown in repeating sequence again and again.

The bear has a clever movement within torso which animates the arm, head, and mouth. It also contains a bellows which provides the air needed for the bear to blow the bubbles. As with many automata of this era, the body is made papier-mâché covered in real fur. It figure stands 17 inches high, has glass eyes, and carved wood teeth.

Here is where you can learn more about this antique bubble-blowing polar bear automaton.

---