Distinguished Figures in Mechanism and Machine Science: Their Contributions and Legacies (eBook)

Marco Ceccarelli was born in Rome in 1958. He received his mechanical engineering degree cum laude in 1982 at the University "La Sapienza" of Rome. At the same University he completed a Ph.D. in Applied Mechanics in 1988. In 1987 he was visiting scholar at Stanford University, U.S.A., and in 1990 he received a CNR-NATO annual grant as visiting professor at the Technical University of Valencia, Spain. Since 1990 he teaches courses on Mechanics of Machinery and Mechanisms and Mechanics of Robots at the School of Engineering at the University of Cassino. Since 1996 he is Director of LARM, the Laboratory of Robotics and Mechatronics of DiMSAT, the Department of Mechanics, Structures, Environment and Territory at the University of Cassino. Since 2001 he has been appointed Full Professor of Mechanics of Machinery and Mechanisms at the University of Cassino. From 2003 to 2005 he has been Vice Director of DiMSAT. He is member of ASME (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers), AIMETA (Italian Society for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics), AEIM (Spanish Society of Mechanical Engineers), SIRJ (Italian Association of Robotics and Automation), IEEE (the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers), FeIbIM (Iberoamerican Federation for Mechanical Engineering). He is author or co-author of more than two hundreds and fifty papers, which have been presented at Conferences or published in national and international journals. More information at the web page http:llwebuser.unicas.itlweblarmllarmindex.htm

TABLE OF CONTENTS 6
PREFACE BY THE SERIES EDITOR, PROFESSOR M. CECCARELLI 8
PREFACE 10
ARCHIMEDES ( 287 – 212 BC) 12
Biographical Notes 12
Archimedes’ Works 17
Review of Main Works on Mechanism Design 25
Modern Interpretation of Main Contributions in Machines and Mechanisms Design 35
Acknowledgments 38
References 39
AGUSTÍN DE BETANCOURT Y MOLINA ( 1758 – 1824) 42
Biographical Notes 42
List of Main Works 46
Review of Main Works on the Design of Mechanisms 48
On the Circulation of Works 63
Modern Interpretation of Main contributions to Mechanism Design 67
References 69
OENE BOTTEMA ( 1901 – 1992) 72
Biographical Notes 72
Bottema’s Main Works 75
Review of Main Work Related to Mechanism Design 75
On the Reception of His Work 86
Acknowledgements 86
References 86
WILLIAM KINGDON CLIFFORD ( 1845 – 1879) 90
Biographical Notes 90
List of Main Works 94
Review of Main Works on Mechanism and Machine Science 95
Modern Interpretation of Contributions to Mechanism and Machine Science 109
References 125
NICOLAUS COPERNICUS ( 1473 – 1543) 128
Biographical Notes 128
Astronomical Studies and Observations 131
Review of Fundamental Manuscripts 132
Copernicus’ Contribution to Mechanics of Celestial Bodies Compared to the Existing Theories 135
Modern Interpretation of Copernicus’ Contribution to General Mechanics and Mechanism Design 137
Summary 142
Acknowledgements 144
References 144
ALEXANDER YERSHOV ( 1818 – 1867) 146
Biographical Notes 146
List of Main Works 149
Review of Main Works on Mechanism Design 149
Foundation of Collection of Mechanisms in IMTSS 156
About Higher Technical Education in Western Europe 156
Regulations’ Project of Imperial Moscow Technical Supreme School 159
Modern Interpretation of Main Contributions to Mechanism Design 159
Acknowledgements 160
References 160
FERDINAND FREUDENSTEIN ( 1926 – 2006) 162
Biographical Notes 162
List of (Main) Works 175
Review of Main Works on Mechanism Design 183
Modern Interpretation of Main Contributions to Mechanism Design 191
Acknowledgements 192
KURT HAIN ( 1908 – 1995) 194
Biographical Notes 194
List of Main Works 201
Review of Main Works on Mechanism Design 203
Modern Interpretation of Main Contributions to Mechanism Design 222
References 226
HERON OF ALEXANDRIA ( c. 10 – 85 AD) 228
Introduction 228
Biographical Notes 229
List of Main Works 231
Review of Main Works on Mechanism Design 233
Modern Interpretation of Main Contributions to Mechanism Design 235
Conclusions 250
Appendix 250
References 255
WILLIBALD LICHTENHELDT ( 1901 – 1980) 258
Biographical Notes 258
List of (Main) Works 263
Review of Main Works on Mechanism Design 265
Modern Interpretation of Main Contributions to Mechanism Design 270
References 274
XIAN-ZHOU LIU ( 1890 – 1975) 278
Biographical Notes 278
Works on Mechanism and Machine Theory 280
Modern Interpretation of Main Contributions to Mechanism Design 287
Acknowledgement 288
References 288
GIULIO MOZZI ( 1730 – 1813) 290
Biographical Notes 290
A Review of the Treatise by Giulio Mozzi 293
On the Circulation of the Treatise 297
Modern Interpretation of Main Contributions to Mechanism Design 299
Acknowledgements 302
References 302
THÉODORE OLIVIER ( 1793 – 1853) 306
Biographical Notes 306
List of Works 309
Review of Main Works on Mechanism Design 316
Modern Interpretation of Main Contributions to Mechanism Design 323
References 328
UFIMTSEV ANATOLY GEORGIEVICH ( 1880 – 1936) 330
Biographical Notes 330
List of Main Inventions 333
Review of Main Works on Mechanism Design 334
Modern Interpretation of Main Contributions to Mechanism Design 343
Summary 346
Acknowledgements 346
References 346
JAMES WATT ( 1736 – 1819) 348
Biographical Notes 348
Review of Main Work on Mechanism Design 357
On the Circulation of Works 363
Modern Interpretation of Main Contribution to Mechanism Design 367
Concluding Remarks 377
Acknowledgements 379
References 379
WALTER WUNDERLICH ( 1910 – 1998) 382
Biographical Notes 382
List of Main Works 384
A Review of Walter Wunderlich’s Scientific Work 386
Modern Interpretation of Main Contributions to Mechanism Design 399
Acknowledgement 401
References 401

AGUSTÍN DE BETANCOURT Y MOLINA (1758–1824) (p. 31)

Juan Ignacio Cuadrado Iglesias
Mechanical Engineering and Materials Department, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Abstract.
Agustín de Betancourt, together with José María de Lanz, is known as co-author of "Essai sur la composition des machines", considered to be the first modern treatise on machines and the first book that contains a proposal for the classification of mechanisms based on criteria of transformation of motion. Two periods can be distinguished in his biographical trajectory: the first one is in Spain at the service of the Spanish Crown, from his birth in 1758 until 1808, and the second one is in Russia at the service of the Russian Empire from 1808 until his death in 1824. This paper is focused on the works and contributions developed in the Spanish period.

Biographical Notes

Agustín José Pedro del Carmen Domingo de Candelaria de Betancourt y Molina was born on the 1st of February, 1758 in Puerto de la Cruz (Canary Islands, Spain), in the bosom of an enlightened family. His primary education was carried out in the Dominican Monastery of La Orotava. Agustín de Betancourt himself will say later that, from all he had learned throughout his life, nothing was as useful as the development during his first years in the Canary Islands of some textile machines, such as the thread covering machine, which were made as a hobby and had been the origin of his attraction to the mechanical arts.

In his biography, several periods can be distinguished: from 1778 to 1784 there is a first formative period in Madrid, from 1785 to 1791 there is a second formative period in Paris in which the future Royal Laboratory of Machines was developed, from 1792 to 1793 there is a period in Madrid as Director of the Royal Laboratory of Machines, from 1793 to 1796 he visited England where he had the opportunity to learn about Watt’s works on the steam machine, from 1797 to 1798 he visited Paris where he published two important essays on the steam engine, for the period 1799 to 1807 he returned to Spain and created the School of Civil Engineering, for the period 1807 to 1808 he returned to Paris and published "Essai sur la composition des machines", in 1808 he moved to Russia, remaining there until his death in 1824.

Next, each one of these periods will be analyzed with greater detail. Under a grant of the Secretary of Industry, D. José Gálvez, Betancourt moved to Madrid in October of 1778. From 1778 to 1784 he studied in Madrid at the Reales Estudios de San Isidro, directed by his cousin Estanislao Lugo-Viña Molina, where he learned Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Mathematical Analysis, Theory of Curved Lines, Differential and Integral Calculus and Mechanics (static and dynamic) and at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando where he studied Physics and Drawing.

In 1783, D. José Moñino, Count of Floridablanca, first Secretary of State, put him in charge of a visit to inspect the mines of Almadén, given his recognized expertise.