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507 Mechanical Movements: Mechanisms and Devices
Epicyclic trains, oblique rollers, trip hammers, and lazy-tongs are among the ingenious mechanisms defined and illustrated in this intriguing collection. Spanning the first century of the Industrial Revolution, this 1868 compilation features simplified, concise illustrations of the mechanisms used in hydraulics, steam engines, pneumatics, presses, horologes, and scores of other machines.
The movements of each of the 507 mechanisms are depicted in drawings on the left-hand page, and the facing page presents a brief description of the item's use and operation. Ranging from simple to intricately complex, the mechanisms offer a fascinating view of the variety of small components that constitute complex machinery. A detailed index provides easy reference to specific mechanisms.
Inventors, tinkerers, and anyone with an interest in the history of invention and technology will find this volume a treasury of information and inspiration.
The movements of each of the 507 mechanisms are depicted in drawings on the left-hand page, and the facing page presents a brief description of the item's use and operation. Ranging from simple to intricately complex, the mechanisms offer a fascinating view of the variety of small components that constitute complex machinery. A detailed index provides easy reference to specific mechanisms.
Inventors, tinkerers, and anyone with an interest in the history of invention and technology will find this volume a treasury of information and inspiration.
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 2, 2011
One doesn't "read" this little book; it is one of those treasures you pick up, study a bit, pick up again, etc. It is a book for old nerds, people fascinated with the ingenuity of man and with how things (mechanical) work. Its a reprint; originally published in 1868 but the mechanics do not change. Does require visual (perception) acquity.
August 9, 2014
This book isn't really like other books--it's half diagrams and half explanations. What it does, it does well, although some of the diagrams will still require more thought to figure out.
The mechanisms can also be found at http://507movements.com/ along with animated versions of some of the movements.
I look forward to building some of these mechanisms as 3d-printed objects.
The mechanisms can also be found at http://507movements.com/ along with animated versions of some of the movements.
I look forward to building some of these mechanisms as 3d-printed objects.
Want to read
May 19, 2024Drawings online https://507movements.com/index01.html
some animated.
some animated.
December 30, 2025
I guess that this book is not your everyday reading of a NY Times “best seller of the year”. But in its own way I found it fascinating. It was first published in 1903 and therefore is now about 120 years old and the technology was also that old: it comes from an era of steam engines and early machine tools and many of the patents mentioned appear to correspond with the advent of the steam engine and water wheels. That is from the late 1700’s and into the 1800’s. As the blurb at the front states, the book is about: “Five Hundred and Seven Mechanical Movements Embracing all those which are most important in Dynamics, Hydraulics, Hydrostatics, Pneumatics, Steam Engines, Mill and other Gearing, Presses, Horology, and Miscellaneous Machinery; and including many movements never before published and several which have only recently come into use.” It’s by Henry T. Brown and originally published by Brown & Seward, 1903 This edition is copyright © 2012.
Brown writes in his preface: .....”The want of a comprehensive collection of illustrations and descriptions of Mechanical Movements has long been seriously felt by artisans, inventors, and students of the mechanic arts. It was the knowledge of this want which induced the compilation of the collection here presented. The movements which it contains have been already illustrated and described in occasional instalments scattered through five volumes of the American Artisan, by the readers of which their publication was received with so much favour as was believed to warrant the expense of their reproduction with some revision in a separate volume.
Although the collection embraces about three times as many movements as have ever been contained in any previous American publication, and a considerably larger number than has ever been contained in any foreign one, it has not been the object of the compiler to merely swell the number, but he has endeavoured to select only such as may be of really practical value; and with this end in view, he has rejected many which are found in nearly all the previously published collections, but which he has considered only applicable to some exceptional want.
So if you really want to find some sort of mechanism that will convert reciprocating motion into rotation you will find it here. And vice versa. But not only simple stuff like this: you’ll also find the “Mangle Mechanism” ..which I found really hard to mentally conceive which will give rotation in one direction followed by rotation int the other direction.
The index (at the front of the book) gives a good idea of the coverage. In this index the numerals do not indicate the pages, but they refer to the engravings. Here is a short extract:
A. Æolipile, 474.
B. Balance, compensation, 319.
Barometer, 501.
Blower, fan, 497. Brake, friction, 242.
C. Cams, 95, 96, 97, 117, 130, 138, 149, 150, 165, 217, 272, 276. Capstans, 412, 491.
Centrolinead, 408.
Clutches, 47, 48, 52, 53, 361.
Chasers, 375.
Clamps, bench, 174, 180, 381.
Clamps, screw, 190.
Cock, four-way, 395.
Column, oscillating, 445, 446.
Compasses, proportion, 409.
All the movements are accompanied by engravings with labelled parts and generally they are relatively easily followed. Though I did notice that in a few examples the labelling seemed incorrect of was missing even though it was referred to in the text. For example
With 478. He says “Another steam trap (Ray’s patent). Valve, a, closes and opens by longitudinal expansion and contraction of waste-pipe, A, which terminates in the middle of an attached hollow sphere”. OK all very well but there is no “a” in the diagram. A decent proof reading should have picked this up.
But, in general, the text and the diagrams work well together and he’s gone to a lot of trouble to give us text descriptions which are very thorough and helpful in interpreting the diagrams. Here is his last example of all. By itself it is incomprehensible. And by itself, the diagram is also incomprehensible but the two complement each other well and even I was able to understand how it works.
“507. Another form of epicyclic train designed for producing a very slow motion. m is a fixed shaft upon which is loosely fitted a long sleeve, to the lower end of which is fixed a wheel, D, and to the upper end a wheel, E. Upon this long sleeve there is fitted a shorter one which carries at its extremities the wheels, A and H. A wheel, C, gears with both D and A, and a train-bearing arm, m, n which revolves freely upon the shaft, m, p, carries upon a stud at n the united wheels, F and G. If A have 10 teeth, C 100, D 10, E 61, F, 49, G 41, and H 51, there will be 25,000 revolutions of the train-bearing arm, m, n, for one of the wheel, C.”
I was fascinated to note how many inventions and variations on inventions that there were around at the time. And I’ve pondered how this spate of inventiveness has not slowed down and what a catalogue of mechanical movements would look like today ..especially if one combines the mechanical with the electric and electronic. I think about photo-copiers and electronic printers and the devices for advancing and reversing the paper feed. And I think about the modern automobiles...especially the hybrid which I now drive and the anti-skid mechanisms and mechanisms for autonomous driving. Remarkable stuff. Clearly, the equivalent modern catalogue would be simple massive. Too big for a book.
Will I ever use anything in the book? Probably not....though the “mangle wheel and pinion” remains semi -engraved in my memory. (Though “mangle doesn’t make the index and I had to rely on modern word search to find it).
Overall, I rate it four stars. It certainly won’t appeal to many. But I found it interesting and informative.
Brown writes in his preface: .....”The want of a comprehensive collection of illustrations and descriptions of Mechanical Movements has long been seriously felt by artisans, inventors, and students of the mechanic arts. It was the knowledge of this want which induced the compilation of the collection here presented. The movements which it contains have been already illustrated and described in occasional instalments scattered through five volumes of the American Artisan, by the readers of which their publication was received with so much favour as was believed to warrant the expense of their reproduction with some revision in a separate volume.
Although the collection embraces about three times as many movements as have ever been contained in any previous American publication, and a considerably larger number than has ever been contained in any foreign one, it has not been the object of the compiler to merely swell the number, but he has endeavoured to select only such as may be of really practical value; and with this end in view, he has rejected many which are found in nearly all the previously published collections, but which he has considered only applicable to some exceptional want.
So if you really want to find some sort of mechanism that will convert reciprocating motion into rotation you will find it here. And vice versa. But not only simple stuff like this: you’ll also find the “Mangle Mechanism” ..which I found really hard to mentally conceive which will give rotation in one direction followed by rotation int the other direction.
The index (at the front of the book) gives a good idea of the coverage. In this index the numerals do not indicate the pages, but they refer to the engravings. Here is a short extract:
A. Æolipile, 474.
B. Balance, compensation, 319.
Barometer, 501.
Blower, fan, 497. Brake, friction, 242.
C. Cams, 95, 96, 97, 117, 130, 138, 149, 150, 165, 217, 272, 276. Capstans, 412, 491.
Centrolinead, 408.
Clutches, 47, 48, 52, 53, 361.
Chasers, 375.
Clamps, bench, 174, 180, 381.
Clamps, screw, 190.
Cock, four-way, 395.
Column, oscillating, 445, 446.
Compasses, proportion, 409.
All the movements are accompanied by engravings with labelled parts and generally they are relatively easily followed. Though I did notice that in a few examples the labelling seemed incorrect of was missing even though it was referred to in the text. For example
With 478. He says “Another steam trap (Ray’s patent). Valve, a, closes and opens by longitudinal expansion and contraction of waste-pipe, A, which terminates in the middle of an attached hollow sphere”. OK all very well but there is no “a” in the diagram. A decent proof reading should have picked this up.
But, in general, the text and the diagrams work well together and he’s gone to a lot of trouble to give us text descriptions which are very thorough and helpful in interpreting the diagrams. Here is his last example of all. By itself it is incomprehensible. And by itself, the diagram is also incomprehensible but the two complement each other well and even I was able to understand how it works.
“507. Another form of epicyclic train designed for producing a very slow motion. m is a fixed shaft upon which is loosely fitted a long sleeve, to the lower end of which is fixed a wheel, D, and to the upper end a wheel, E. Upon this long sleeve there is fitted a shorter one which carries at its extremities the wheels, A and H. A wheel, C, gears with both D and A, and a train-bearing arm, m, n which revolves freely upon the shaft, m, p, carries upon a stud at n the united wheels, F and G. If A have 10 teeth, C 100, D 10, E 61, F, 49, G 41, and H 51, there will be 25,000 revolutions of the train-bearing arm, m, n, for one of the wheel, C.”
I was fascinated to note how many inventions and variations on inventions that there were around at the time. And I’ve pondered how this spate of inventiveness has not slowed down and what a catalogue of mechanical movements would look like today ..especially if one combines the mechanical with the electric and electronic. I think about photo-copiers and electronic printers and the devices for advancing and reversing the paper feed. And I think about the modern automobiles...especially the hybrid which I now drive and the anti-skid mechanisms and mechanisms for autonomous driving. Remarkable stuff. Clearly, the equivalent modern catalogue would be simple massive. Too big for a book.
Will I ever use anything in the book? Probably not....though the “mangle wheel and pinion” remains semi -engraved in my memory. (Though “mangle doesn’t make the index and I had to rely on modern word search to find it).
Overall, I rate it four stars. It certainly won’t appeal to many. But I found it interesting and informative.
July 31, 2016
Visit http://507movements.com/ for the animated movements
January 11, 2022
This seems to be a scanned version of the original book where each page of the original has been scaled down to fill a square only about half the size of the page in what is an already small book. The combination of scanning artifacts and the small content size make this book a chore to read; the text is eye-straining to look at without a magnifying glass and even with one, there are scanned-in blotches that make some words completely unintelligible.
Aside from these issues the book is quite a good look into classical kinematic solutions. The author provides beautiful technical drawings for each specified movement alongside a short description which are usually brief but sometimes include fun information like the kind of machines that the movement is used in or an interesting historical tidbit regarding the mechanism. A big part of the fun in this book for me was further researching these side comments online as they often lead you down fun and interesting rabbit holes.
507 Mechanical Movements is an antiquated reference guide for the engineers of a world fresh out of the industrial revolution. Though some of its usefulness is lost in modern engineering, it gains twice as much in artistic value and as a glimpse into the history of engineering.
Aside from these issues the book is quite a good look into classical kinematic solutions. The author provides beautiful technical drawings for each specified movement alongside a short description which are usually brief but sometimes include fun information like the kind of machines that the movement is used in or an interesting historical tidbit regarding the mechanism. A big part of the fun in this book for me was further researching these side comments online as they often lead you down fun and interesting rabbit holes.
507 Mechanical Movements is an antiquated reference guide for the engineers of a world fresh out of the industrial revolution. Though some of its usefulness is lost in modern engineering, it gains twice as much in artistic value and as a glimpse into the history of engineering.
May 19, 2024
Short and sweet, the book does what it says on the tin. It starts with pulley systems and moves to gears, ratchet gears, and more. Sometimes, the book depicts images from patented inventions. It shows watch and clock escapements, pulley systems to change directions, and other bits of fascinating tech.
I have one complaint about the book, but it is a nitpick if anything. The book is an odd shape, so it doesn't fit along with my other books too well. The dimensions make it square, but most of my books are rectangular.
I enjoyed the book. It taught me about different gear and pulley systems. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
I have one complaint about the book, but it is a nitpick if anything. The book is an odd shape, so it doesn't fit along with my other books too well. The dimensions make it square, but most of my books are rectangular.
I enjoyed the book. It taught me about different gear and pulley systems. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
June 8, 2024
Fascinating Stuff…
The only caveat that I have though, is that many of them are incomprehensible !
I was rather hoping to convert all of these into Lego constructions, But it looks like a substantial amount of assistive research will be required ( ! )
The only caveat that I have though, is that many of them are incomprehensible !
I was rather hoping to convert all of these into Lego constructions, But it looks like a substantial amount of assistive research will be required ( ! )
July 12, 2025
Fortunate happenstance stumbling across this. This is great stuff. I need to find a hard copy to put on my rebuild-the-world-after-the-apocalypse shelf. And it turns out there is a website that has many of the movements animated.
December 9, 2018
Great
August 28, 2019
Timeless book. So many mechanical movements that are still in use today. The advent of 3d printing are bringing many of them back, so this is a book that was, is and will be current.
November 24, 2020
A wonder. A treasure trove. A highpoint resource for human ingenuity.
May 7, 2021
An amazing reference to have for all sorts of mechanical motions and the parts/shapes involved.
March 30, 2023
Plusieur méchanisme très créatif outil de référence pour projet
February 10, 2024
Neat and thin book on mechanical movements.
Not as impressive as "1800 Mechanical Movements and Devices" by Gardner D. Hiscox.
Not as impressive as "1800 Mechanical Movements and Devices" by Gardner D. Hiscox.
March 30, 2025
A perfect simple set of illustrated mechanical movements with brief descriptions. Great as a set of information and inspiration for engineering, inventors, and tinkerers alike.
November 28, 2016
good exercise in mechanical thinking
interesting exploration of simple mechanisms, but explanations are for the most part too cryptic, forcing reader to puzzle through the drawings on their own. pretty sure a few of the drawings are inaccurate, but that's an acceptable error rate for a tome of this nature
interesting exploration of simple mechanisms, but explanations are for the most part too cryptic, forcing reader to puzzle through the drawings on their own. pretty sure a few of the drawings are inaccurate, but that's an acceptable error rate for a tome of this nature
September 4, 2008
I've bought this book three times- twice as modern reproductions (lost my first copy in the Pittsburgh-SF move) and once as an 1870s edition. Love love love this book. Great source of inspiration/ideas
March 26, 2009
A very interesting source of ideas for mechanical devices and movements. This is how the industrial world worked before the servo and solenoid, before the microcontroller and transistor. Its really amazing how inventive people were with machines to perform tasks we now take for granted.
February 16, 2015
507 Mechanical Movements
Interesting collection of illustrations showing how mechanisms work like they do. Nice to have the pictures and descriptions together so you can visualize the mechanisms in motion.
Interesting collection of illustrations showing how mechanisms work like they do. Nice to have the pictures and descriptions together so you can visualize the mechanisms in motion.
March 4, 2011
Tremendous reference for the mechanical geek. Truly inspiring for projects, and great for young minds studying the physics of mechanics. Am ordering a copy for my shop.
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May 4, 2013621.811 B8782 2012
January 24, 2015
A good book to have if you're into mechanical devices and movements. Go to http://507movements.com/ for animated mechanisms.
June 10, 2014
Excellent reference! Will be useful for my steampunk projects.
January 24, 2016
Rather amazing list of diagrams of mechanical wonders and inventions. Some were useful to apply.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews