Theater of Machines: Lifting Devices

Preface.

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Accordingly, a calculation is almost always included, by means of which everyone will more easily become capable of applying the machine to their intended load, force, and occasion.

Otherwise, a Mechanicus mechanic/engineer must always first take into account simplicity, but especially guard against strong gear ratios, and avoid gears and pinions as much as possible. Meanwhile, these also have their great advantage in machines: firstly, when one has little space and must therefore bring everything into a narrow area, and also cannot apply great force, and the time that is lost thereby does not come into consideration, or else the movement is not great and yet requires strong force. Secondly, for machines that one must carry and move about, such as the winches of carters, and the like.

And since this part is so important that it appropriates to itself the word mechanics, as it were, before all other mechanical arts, as has already been mentioned above, I have considered it appropriate to append a lengthy description and history of mechanics. This covers not only the beginning and their special types and divisions, but also the excellent utility and fame of the same, and indeed how mechanics has raised itself above all arts. However, because one could easily have accused me of partiality, I have preferred to use the words and work of another, and specifically of such a man who has performed his part in both theory and practice, to which the world-renowned Strasbourg clock in the so-called Minster bears glorious witness to this very hour. For it is this Dasypodius Conrad Dasypodius, a 16th-century mathematician and designer of the Strasbourg clock who has left us such a beautiful account of mechanics, with which we have filled the first chapter here.

With this intent, I have made a short repetition of the foundations of the simple erecting devices, or so-called five powers original: "fünff Potentien", so that even a beginner—and one who does not have the Theatrum generale General Theater (of machines) at hand—can help and advise himself at once. Above all, however, they can obtain sufficient information about the line of direction original: "Directions-Linie", because often, out of ignorance and insufficient knowledge of this line, a great deal of the force is lost.

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