Below you’ll find animated diagrams and explanations of how various mechanisms work. Some of these have been crucial to major evolutions in mechanisms and technology, and allow us to do anything from fire weaponry to make cars move with the press of a pedal. Mechanical engineering is a complex and beneficial discipline, and this is a great chance to experience some of the fruits of that industry’s labour.
So if you were ever curious about how things worked inside the case, this is the ideal chance to find out. Take a look, and get learning!
Maltese Cross mechanism powers second hand movement in the clock:
Radial engines are used in aircraft. Today, however, most aircraft use turbine engines:
Reciprocating movements power steam engines in locomotives:
Sewing machine:
Manual transmission mechanism, also known as “stick shift” is used to change gears in vehicles:
This mechanism is called constant-velocity joint and is used in front-wheel drive vehicles:
Torpedo-boat destroyer system is used to destroy fleet in naval military operations:
The Wankel engine is a type of internal combustion engine which uses a rotary design to convert pressure into a rotating motion instead of using reciprocating pistons:
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+ Bonus – mechanism you can watch forever
If you like this post, check my new project todayilearned.co.uk, a blog about unusual and interesting things.
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surprise butsecks
they don't always come gift wrapped
suprise, more kinky butsecks!
OMG YOU GOT ME!!!
The plural of aircraft is aircraft. There is no such word as aircrafts. You might want to correct that
dont you have anything better to do then pick up on peoples tiny mistakes?
corrected
PEOPLE'S, DON'T ask my name!
name? don't you know your name?
I think you meant "Don't", "than", and "people's". You're welcome.
Why do so many people have such unreasonable expectations when it comes to writing? If it gets the point across, who cares? FYI, comma's go before the closing quotation marks. So that's "“Don’t,” “than,” and “people’s.”" The article is cool though. (:
great article but i'm going on a tangent here. we always need to have correct grammar! it is not ok to misspell a word or make a habit of bad writing. hao destracting is dis?
The plural of comma is commas, you're just adding more work for yourself. Is this your daily workout?
Not to mention the fact that Graham R. Knotsi might be from somewhere outside of the United States, where commas go OUTSIDE of the quotation marks. Furthermore, correct writing on the Internet is very important these days; such easy publishing methods, like blogging, lower grammatical standards significantly since nit-picking editors are no longer breathing down authors' necks. It's our job as critical readers to hold writers to high standards. Incorrect grammar can lead to incorrect stories.
@Troll: Actually, the plural of comma is NOT commas, it's commata.
@ Coldwell – I'm from Ireland, living in England (i.e. somewhere outside the United States). Commata (cheers, Stephen) go inside the quotation marks.
It’d actually be ” persons’ ” instead of “people’s.” “People” literally means a specific civilization or culturally homogeneous group of persons. lololollolz
That's not true according to AP style. "Persons" should really only be used if they're missing.
hehe i almost liked bef's bevy of comments better than the superb animations. kudos to both.
That two-slider mechanism, number 3, is a classic "I can't believe this works" novelty, but I don't think I've ever seen it in a steam engine.
the mechanism in number 3 is also a fine way to draw an ellipse.
These are awesome. (how many words do I need in this thing??)
Thankyou so much!!! I have been looking for the Maltese cross for about a year now because I forgot its name and I have been wanting to make one, and I wanted to find a way of working out the proportions. THANKYOU!!!
That "Maltese cross" is often called the Geneva mechanism. It used to be seen in automobile odometers and digital clocks, before electronic displays took over both functions.
all i have to say is poop and the french suck
I agree with bef the french do indeed suck, they suck bobbin
I knew a French maid that sucked, oh boy oh boy DID SHE SUCK!
very interesting!
Good stuff. I love the maltese cross and the sewing machine. The mysterious has been made plain. Thanks. Some of these commentators seem to be on the wrong page–need to get their heads out of their asses.
really useful… bcoz we never know whts behind…
thanks
absolutely brilliant! more, more, more! please?
That's a REALLY useful set of animations… I always wondered how the Wankel engine worked… now I know. Thanks!
Thanks for this, there is a lot of interesting things to think about with these designs. The sewing machine is the hardest to understand. Imagine, this guy (..or girl)falling asleep with this idea that popped in their heads, lol..wow. awesome! Yay to thinkers!
I always was interested how aircraft engines work. It appeared very simple
Just to clarify, you'll only see radial engines in older airplanes, and saying most aircraft use turbine engines is a gross generalization; piston engines still power most small aircraft, but they aren't radial.
yes, yes, i was thinking the very same thing
These are absolutely amazing!
I am mechanically & scientifically uneducated, but extremely literate, & speak English French & Spanish, with a university degree from the UK.
It means a great deal to me in my 60's to actually see these mechanisms working & to imagine the ingenious minds that configured them.
The sewing machine is particularly amazing – I just stared & stared at it until I could understand it
Some people here have tried to explain in words – it doesn't work .You have to grasp it visually.
By the way, those who criticize your English are way off track. Your presentation of all this is brilliant .I can pick out spelling & grammatical errors in 3 languages, but I could NEVER explain these machines as you've done.
I thank you for educating me.
Are there any other posts like this that you do ?
Very simple lol
Just as these are elements of instruments intended to deliver precision, power and reliability, so language is an equally critical implement that requires equal standards of excellence. It's interesting and fitting that both should come to be addressed on the same page. We don't tolerate shoddy engineering and manufacturing in the products we use and we shouldn't tolerate shoddy grammar, spelling and syntax either (but we should extend grace and leeway to people for whom a particular language is not their primary one).
No criticism of the web site author here, but I do deplore the commentators who are satisfied with the "just good enough to get by" attitude and of those who criticise faithful upholding of linguistic standards. They're just too lazy to make the effort and can't be bothered to keep growing and excelling in the most powerful human instrument of all — language!! These are the ones who couldn't seem to get a grasp of the blindingly obvious purpose of their education while in school and somehow missed the fact that their school years are not the sum of education, but the process of becoming equipped for it!
Did I make any grammatical or spelling errors in this comment? Could be, but I heartily welcome (and implore) corrections, as we all should. How else am I going to grow and improve in my use of the most powerful implement ever devised?
The manual transmission animation is flawed. The gear highlighted as first is actually fourth, and the gear highlighted as first is fourth, and so on. First hear turns the smallest crankshaft gear which turns the largest driveshaft gear, allowing low speeds and high torque using the property of leverage. Also the gear to the right should only be highlighten when it is engaged, not at all times, otherwise the gear ratios would bind the transmission.
I enjoyed the posting, despite poor punctuation / grammar, until the "Bonus" diagram. Maybe straight women enjoy simple engineering too. While you're addressing your ignorance about language, try working on your stereotypes about humans as well.
This is a great resource for thinking over mechanics when you are stuck on a design.
comprehensive 3D explanation, great work.
Boss your bonus is bes in all
did you know mothers Wankel Rotary engine has the highest wear and tear, but the highest torque. fuckin yeaaa m8888888!!!!
awesome…the sewing machine was one I've always been curious about, but the stick tranny was an epiphany
can anyone tell me more sites to know more things like these
its really amazing and told in a simple way……
Years and years have gone by and I have always wondered how a sewing machine worked. Thanks for solving this long time childhood mystery.
Sewing machine is kinda weird – central part is hovering and isn’t connected to anything – thread goes around this thing. something isn’t right there
I too have a Innovis 1200, mine does not rattle, but i swear it is spkooed. Either the lever for up, down bangs or something inside bangs, and when it has been running awhile the breaks. The 4 4 fits perfect, but the 5 7 won’t slide down and catch. But it does not rattle.
These are really cool, you just want to stare at them for a wile.
He who excuses himself, accuses himself. -Gabriel Meurier
Some really fantastic information , Gladiola I identified this.
I always was concerned in this subject and stock still am, appreciate it for putting up.
Wow! Thank you! I continuously wanted to write on my website something like that. Can I take a portion of your post to my blog?
Somebody necessarily help to make significantly articles I might state.
That is the first time I frequented your web page and up to now?
I amazed with the analysis you made to create this particular
put up amazing. Fantastic process!
knowledgable and adaptable
Scratch a lover and find an enemy. – German Proverb
I just reread that, thought about it for a minute, and realized that I’d apparently confused myself. The bobbin case slides into a cavity in the base of the machine. There is no axle. The axle is a lie.
The ball in the center of the graphic represents the bobbin reel, which is a small spindle filled with thread.
Sorry for the three post set. Not firing on all cylinders here.
The bobbin (the rotating part in the bottom) is a free floating case and does not so much slide onto an axle as fit into a cavity. There is an unaffixed axle on the back side that the bobbin case floats on. If you have the chance to look at a sewing machine, the bobbin (a small spool of thread) is set into a bobbin case and threaded through the case, which is an odd little stubby, cylindrical cap of sorts, with a hinged flap that controls the tension of the case on the bobbin reel. The bobbin thread is wound through grooves in the case and then upward over the throat plate of the machine. The case is inserted into the base of the machine and slid onto a one sided axle. The loop of top thread dropped down by the needle is dragged through the bobbin case by the bobbin thread, and flipped around the bobbin case and the axle. This threads the bobbin in a straight line along the base of the fabric by threading it through loops of the top thread.
I loved these. I stared at the sewing machine one for about five minutes. I've sewn a bit, but seeing the illustration really clarified the motion. Nice!
looooool bef
cool!!! want more!!!