The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-11-01
A MECHANICAL DICTIONARY.


MECHANICAL DICTIONARY, which has Just been
published by the wellknown RIVERSIDE PRESS
This work Ia the result of twenty-five years APP
plication, much OF the time having been passed
by the Author in the United States Patent ONCE,
where he was engaged In editing the Patent ONCE
Report, and classifying patents and subsequent,
ly editing the "0niclal Gazette" and systematic
| ing for examination the 10000 applications for
patents which yearly are presented to the office,
| Sitting at the very center and focus OF the me-
chanical thought of the country, he saw the ne
Cessity for a compendious Description OF the
Tools Machines, Processes, and Appliances Of the
Arts and SCiences,-in short, Dictionary Of Me-
chanicdl Terms.
There may be Misrepresentation as to the char
acter and scope Of this work occasioned By It's |
name. The Author gives satisfactory reasons in
his Preface for adopting the form of Dlcliona'
ry, and not that OF an Encyclopedia"
and yet the title, Mechanical Dictionary leads
many to expect nothing more than a description
Of machinery with an occasional dissertation |
upon cog-wheels, levers mechanical movements |
and similar dry and technical information.
Now while all this may indeed be found In the |
work. II is by no means It's prominent characters
TIC II deals with the mechanical side of every |
subject that can be known or mentioned, and as |
|
cal side, the work becomes encyclopaedia
glance at the articles and indexes to be found |
under the heads of Fine Arts, Astronomy, Music,
Surgey and Domestic Appliances will suffice to
convince one that many subjects which do not at
first blush seem to come within the scope Of Me-
chlnical Dictionary, have each their mechanical
side and are therefore appropriate.
THE SYSTEM OF NDExING.
The value of work of reference depends
largely upon its Index When one has question
to ask of an ordinary Cyclopedia 1t is frequently
very difficult to determine under which title or
heading to look.
The Author has invented q system of what he
terms SPECIFIC INDEXES, by the use of which
the inquirer is guided straight to the information
he is In quest of, even though he be entirely ig
norant of the name of thing, and have but the
most vague and general notion of iIs use. This
is accomplished by grouping under the general
title of each science, art trade, or profession a
list, or Specific index" of every article in the
book bearing any relation to the subject In ques-
ton. The titles of these Indexes are In turn
grouped at the beginning of the book, 80 that by
glance one may determine which clew to fol-
low.
Beside the use above mentioned these spicihc
ty for investigating thoroughly all that pertains
directly or indirectly to any special subject, by
using the Index under the title of that subject as
a sort of head center and following at It's various
branches through all their raml6catlons.
Fifteen thousand words are thus assembled in
what may be called these professional and trade
UOCdbuldrieS.
Another unique and valuable feature Of the
work is
HISTORY OF INVENTIONS.
In these days of modern improvements" one
Is very apt to placidly accept the result Of long
ages of ingenuity, without stopping to inquire in.
to the history of the thousand and one appliances
for comfort by which we are surrounded Yet
nothing can be more instructive or entertaining
than to follow the gradual developement Of me-
chanical Ideas from crude forms of early times
to the perfect fruition Of to-day.
The author has given in connection with de-
scription of each machine, tool, instrument, or
mechanical appliance, a more or less circumsan-
tial account Of its history. A sort Of mechanical
biography in which the varying fortunes of each
article is narrated In chronological sequence.
The work also contains another extremely val.
liable and entirely original feature which the
author has been pleased to term
|
Rather formidable looking title, but simple
enough in Its Specification.
There are many terms In use among various
trades and professions which are not to be found
in any lexicon, because they are not Kings Eng
lish." By constant use they have become semi
legitimate, and once in a while few of them
have established their claim to respectability and
been admitted to the citizenship of "Webster's
Dictionary" But thousands of Others less FORUM
ate, have no abiding gplace and, though indis.
pensable, have not yet been recognized in etymo.
logical society. Here, then, is a rallying.plaec
for these words Of doubtful fame" and under
title of the thing to which each term pertains we
find them comfortably provided for.
Thus, under "Anchor" we find list of 26 nauti.
cal terms used by Jack Tar In manipulating that
useful implement under Mold" may be found
1877 "Molder's Terms" which are current amongst
foundry workmen, Miners, Nelson's and Engl-
neers have each their own vocabulary, thorough.
ly defined in the proper places.
The value of this Vocabulary must be apparent.
1t Is sort Of supplement to "Webster's Dictlona-
ry." Various technical operations are incapable
of being explained without the use of these
words, and the only wonder Is, that q special
Technical Dictionary" has never been published
before.
The idea OF classifying them, so that all terms
pertaining to any special trade or profession may
be found appended to the article treating upon
the same, is truly admirable By this means one
may thoroughly inform himself concerning any
particular business, and venture among the
knowing ones with unrutfied composure.
Philologsts may gather here abundant material
for investigation and pause to marvel at this pro-
life source of Word.making.
The work treats of 20 900 subjects, and Is illus.
trated with 1900 carefully prepared engravings.
1t would indeed be correct to say that the illus.
trations are fully 1900 in number inasmuch as q
variety of distinct forms of a machine or tool
sOmetimes as many as forty are frequently as
sociated in single cut, and might, had the OBJ.
jeCt been to spread them out and make show,
have been enumerated as separate figures.
The book also contains seventy-fiVe full-page
plates, and for general typographical excellence,
quality of paper and binding, the work is unsur.
passed. 1t may be had by subscription only, in
bound volumes, containing in all 1881 pages at
from S24 TO $50 per set according to style of bind
ing. Address the publishers, HURD AND HoUGH.
TON, 10 Astor Place, New York, for further partic
ularS, or to ]. W. Kreps, General Agent 19l Smith
field st., Pittsburgh, Penn.
|
BLACKwooD's MAGAZINE, for october has been
| republished by the LEONARD SCOTT PUBIIsHINg