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How Things Work

The machines of the next era, explained. One drawing, one page.

How Things Work (1967) explained the machines of its day, from turbines to camera shutters, one drawing and one page at a time. Poring over it as kids is a big part of why we became engineers. This is our attempt at the same book for the machines being built today.

bucket runner nozzle needle jet tailwater Fig. 1 PELTON WHEEL After “Water Turbines (Pelton)”, How Things Work (1967), p. 60 current anormal current boverload: wire melts, arc is quenched in the sand end cap quartz sand fuse wire ceramic Fig. 2 PRINCIPLE OF A FUSE After “Short-Circuit (Fuse)”, How Things Work (1967), p. 116 light flux time opening exposure closing shutter leaf pivot actuating ring Fig. 3 LEAF SHUTTER After “Diaphragm Shutters”, How Things Work (1967), p. 184