Agostino Ramelli was an Italian engineer who significantly contributed to water wheels, mills (for grain and others), cranes, and jacking devices development during 16th century. His treatise “Le diverse et artificiose machine del Capitano Agostino Ramelli” -The various and ingenious machines of Captain Agostino Ramelli- had a great impact in the field of mechanical engineering. About his BIO, he served in the Army of Giacomo de Medici where he took contact with engineering disciplines. After a couple of years he realized about mathematics and geometry as an important tool for engineers and artists, and started his career as inventor.
Wikipedia has a very poor (¿?) article here about Agostino Ramelli, with a curious reference as a world wide web precursor due to his invention called “book wheel” or “reading wheel” which is basically a device designed to allow one person to read a variety of books in one location, simply turning a huge vertical or horizontal wheel where the books are located.
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| Captain Agostino Ramelli |
This treatise is a fine example of the exquisite work of sixteenth-century printers and engravers. Printed in folio format, thus allowing great detail to be placed in the numerous engraved plates, which a total of 195. Another particularity is the fact that was printed in French and Italian.
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| The... world wide web service precursor? Why don't we ask Mr. Berners-Lee's opinion? |
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| Grain mill |
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| Heavy duty crane example |
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| Military application (deffense breaking) |
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| Self explained... Ramelli has more than 5 different types of screw jack devices in his treatise |
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| Water wheel (human action) |
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| Water wheel (water action) |
