The pneumatics of Hero of AlexandriaHero, of Alexandria
History
The pneumatics of Hero of Alexandria
Hero, of Alexandria
Discoveries in science -- History; Inventions -- History; Pneumatics
In any place provided with running water make a figure of some animal
in bronze or any other material: when a cup is offered to it, the
animal shall drink with a loud noise so as to present the appearance of
thirst. The following is the construction. A B (fig. 28) is a vessel
into which a stream of running water, C, falls. In A B place a bent
siphon or inclosed diabetes, D E F, one leg of which must project below
the bottom of the vessel. Underneath this let there be an air-tight
pedestal, G H K L, also containing a bent siphon, M N X. Below the
orifice F place a funnel, O P, the tube of which must descend into the
pedestal leaving a passage for the water between its extremity and the
bottom. Let the mouth of the animal be at R, from which a concealed
tube, R S T, must run along one of the feet, or some other part, into
the pedestal. When the vessel A B is filled, the water will overflow
and run into the funnel, filling the pedestal G H K L and emptying
the vessel A B; in like manner, when the pedestal is full, the water
will overflow through the siphon M N X and empty the pedestal; and, as
this becomes empty, the air will enter through the mouth R to fill up
the void that is left. If, then, we apply a drinking vessel at R, the
liquid will be violently attracted and sucked down instead of the air,
until the pedestal within has become empty. Then the vessel A B is
again filled and emptied, and the same will take place as before. In
order that the cup may be applied at the right time, that is, when the
water is being drawn off from the pedestal, let something be contrived
that will move when struck by water from the discharge through the
siphon M N X. When this is seen to move, apply the drinking cup.
29. _An Automaton which may be made to drink at any time, on a Liquid
being presented to it._
[Illustration: Diagram of apparatus as described in text]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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