The Steam Engine Explained and Illustrated: With an Account of Its Invention and Progressive Improvement, and Its Application Ro, Navigation and Railways; Including a Memoir of Watt (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Dionysius Lardner

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 026564903X ISBN 13: 9780265649039

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2017

Synopsis

Explore the birth and rise of the steam engine through clear, illustrated science and history.

This authoritative volume traces early engines by Savery and Newcomen, the inventive work of James Watt, and the dramatic impact of steam on industry, transport, and daily life. With diagrams, explanations of physical principles, and a detailed life of Watt, it shows how steam power evolved from a scientific curiosity to a driving force of modern technology.

The book combines historical narrative with practical explanations, so readers gain both context and understanding. It covers the core ideas behind condensation, expansion, and the development of double-acting engines, as well as the engineering advances that made locomotives and railways possible. It also includes discussions of boiler design, gauges, and the ways engineers measured and improved engine performance.
What you’ll experience

• Clear explanations of how steam pushes a piston and how engineers measure force and efficiency
• A historical journey from early atmospheric engines to Watt’s innovations and rail propulsion
• Illustrations and diagrams that illuminate complex concepts and machinery
• Biographical sketches and a memoir section about Watt’s life and contributions

Ideal for readers of engineering history, the Industrial Revolution, and anyone curious about how steam transformed transport and industry.

Ideal for readers of technical history and those interested in the people behind major innovations. This edition helps readers connect past breakthroughs to modern engines and locomotives.

• Foundational history of steam engines from Savery to Watt
• Plain explanations of key principles like condensation, expansion, and steam pressure
• Detailed sections on boilers, valves, and locomotive development
• Illustrations that clarify how major components work together

Ideal for readers of engineering history and those curious about the steam era’s pivotal machines.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 026564903X
• ISBN 13: 9780265649039
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 588