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
There is another way in which, on lighting a fire, the doors will open.
As before, let a small temple stand upon a base, A B C D (fig. 38), on
which is an altar, E. Let a tube, F G H, pass through the altar and
be attached to a leathern bag, K, perfectly air-tight: beneath this
let a small weight, L, hang, from which a chain is attached across a
pulley to the chains round the hinges, so that, when the bag is folded
together, the weight L preponderates and shuts the doors, and when fire
is placed on the altar they are opened. For, as before, the air in the
altar growing hot, and expanding, will pass through the tube F G H into
the bag, and raise it up with the weight L; and then the doors will be
opened. The doors will either open of themselves, as the doors of baths
shut spontaneously, or they may have a counterbalancing weight to open
them. When the sacrifice is extinguished, and the air which has entered
the bag passes out, the weight, descending with the bag, will tighten
the chains and close the doors.
39. _Wine flowing from a Vessel may be arrested on the Introduction of
Water, but, when the Supply of Water ceases, the Wine flows again._
[Illustration: Diagram of apparatus as described in text]
If there be a vessel containing wine, and provided with three spouts,
wine shall flow through the middle of the three; and, when water is
poured in, the stream of wine shall cease, and water shall flow through
the other two; again, when the stream of water ceases, wine shall flow
through the middle spout: and this shall take place as often as we pour
in water. Let A B (fig. 39), be a vessel, the neck of which is closed
by the partition C D, and having a spout, E, at the bottom. Let two
tubes, F G H, K L M, terminating in spouts, pass through the partition
and project above it; and round the projecting parts place other tubes,
N, X, covered with lids at the top and extending to the partition
except a passage for the water. Another tube, P, reaching nearly up to
the partition, communicates with F G H. Having first closed the spout
E, fill the vessel A B with wine through an orifice, Q, which must
be carefully closed afterwards. When E is set free it will be found
that wine flows through it, for air enters from without into the void
created, through the orifice H and the tube P. Now, if we pour water
upon the partition C D, it will be carried out through the tubes F G
H, K L M; but, as the air has no means of entering the vessel A B,
the wine will cease to flow until all the water has escaped, when the
air finds an entrance again and the wine flows. Instead of the tube
P, another tube, R S, may be used, piercing through the partition,
about which another, T U, must lie, like the tubes N and X, but higher
than those, so that R S may rise above the lip of the vessel. The same
result will follow.
40. _On an Apple being lifted, Hercules shoots a Dragon which then
hisses._
[Illustration: Diagram of apparatus as described in text]
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