■,nA ■ REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MECHANIC MSS*' \‘ ARTS OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY. From the Proceedings of the University Convocation, held at Albany, N.Y. July 7th, 8th and 9th, 1874. Department of Mechanic Arts, Cornell University. 137 REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MECHANIC ARTS OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY. This department was organized at the very opening of the univer- sity, with the view of complying with the requirements of the fourth section of chapter 130 of the laws of congress, passed in 1862. The provision of the act is, that in all the colleges which receive the benefit of the grant “ the leading object shall be, without ex- cluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agricul- ture and the mechanic arts, in such manner as the legislatures of the States may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pur- suits and professions of life.” 44 Professorships of industrial mechanics and physics, civil engi- neering, mathematics, languages (French and German), and practical mechanics were early established and filled. Professorships of archi- tecture, shop-practice and free-hand drawing have since been added. Models illustrating mechanical movements, motions, etc., models of engineering and architecture have been imported or manufactured in our shops. A large amount of well-selected machinery has been acquired, and, in 1870, the Hon. Hiram Sibley, of Rochester, N. Y., provided for the erection of a special building for the use of the department. He also gave $10,000 for increasing its equip- ment, and has since increased his gifts, thus placing it in a con- dition to do its work in the most satisfactory manner. 44 There are now closely connected with the lecture rooms in which the theoretical side of mechanics is presented, other rooms for the designing and manufacture of working models and machinery, fitted with power and appliances for working in wood and the metals, in which the practical side is presented. 44 The machine-shop is conducted wholly as a means of instruction, and each student in the department of mechanics is required to devote at least two hours per day to work in the shop, without pecuniary compensation for his labor, where he will not only obtain theory and practice combined, but will also have opportunities to construct, as well as use, tools of the greatest accuracy. 18 138 University Convocation. “ Each candidate for the degree of bachelor of mechanical engineer- ing will be required to design or construct some machine or piece of apparatus, or conduct a series of experiments approved by the department, and such as promise to be of public utility. “ Practice will be given in work of the best kind, as well as com- prehensive demonstration of the principles of mechanism and ex- perience in the best methods of working.” (Registers, 1873-74.) The department has for its special use a fine stone building, known as the Sibley building. It is 100 feet by 42 feet, three stories and basement, with engine-room 36 feet by 20 feet, at its rear. It con- tains six rooms 38x40, two on each floor. The two upper rooms are devoted to free-hand and mechanical drawing ; both are well equipped with tables, draughting stands, models, designs, etc. The two rooms on the second floor are lecture or recitation rooms, so arranged that they can be thrown into one. They are furnished with seats of an approved style (with rests for note-taking during lectures), black- boards, cases containing models, etc. On the same floor, and over the engine-room, are two private rooms or studies for professors. The two rooms on the first floor are devoted to the printing-office and machine-shop. The engine-room contains a steam-engine, a grinding-machine, steam-heating apparatus, etc. The machine-shop contains 60 feet of improved work-benches (fitted with drawers for containing small tools, working clothes of students, with vises, punch and shears, gas-burners, soldering, etc.), five lathes, two planers, one shaping-machine, one universal milling- machine, one drill-press, two grinding-machines, and a novel steam- engine of 25 horse-power, the invention of Professor J. E. Sweet. The shop is also well supplied with small tools, such as the Morse twist drills, from No. 60 to two inches in diameter, reamers both “ flutted ” and “ flat,” from one-quarter inch to two inches, hard- ened steel mandrils ground to Whitworth’s gauge, same sizes, ham- mers, wrenches, files, etc. The printing-office contains two power presses for book and other work, and one small foot-press, two cutting machines, three compos- ing tables, twelve cases, about 150 fonts of type, varying in size, from small fancy fonts to fonts of 600 pounds, including fonts for mathematical, German, Greek and Portuguese work. The department has also a wood- working shop, 28x75 feet, two stories high, situated at the rear of the Sibley building, and contain- ing work-benches, etc., for carpenter and cabinet work. Department of Mechanic Arts, Cornell University. 139 During the summer, slitting, cross-cutting and jig-saws, a planing- machine, and wood-turning lathes, will be placed in this building. The power for driving the machinery is obtained from a turbine water wheel, placed in the gorge of Fall creek, about 750 feet distant from and 200 feet lower than the Sibley building, and is transmitted by means of an endless wire cable about 1,600 feet long. The same turbine drives a gang-pump also in the gorge, which forces water to the university buildings, the farthest of which (the Sage) is nearly one-half mile from the pumps. The department of architecture has its lecture, model and draught- ing rooms in the McGraw building. The department of civil engineering has its lecture, draughting and apparatus rooms temporarily in the chemical laboratory building. The direction of the department of mechanics is placed in charge of “ The Faculty of Sibley College of Mechanic arts,” which faculty is composed of President White, chairman, Professor practical mechanics, dean ; Professor Sweet, master mechanic ; Prof. Cleaves^ free-hand drawing; Professor Anthony, industrial mechanics and physics; Professor Babcock, architecture ; Professor Fuertes, civil engineering, and Professor Oliver, mathematics. The instruction embraces three courses, as follows : First. A special course has been arranged for such young men as have a fair knowledge of the machinist’s trade, who desire to better prepare themselves for “foreman” or leading positions in their business. Such students may enter the department without passing entrance examination, but are required to devote five hours per day to shop-practice, and four hours daily to machine or free- hand draughting. The instruction in shop-practice embraces the study and construc- tion of gearing and link work, strength and proportion of parts, accurate surfaces (such as face plates, straight edges, right angles), shop accounts, etc. In this course, students are allowed the use of the library, the same as all other students, and to attend such lectures and recitations as they are prepared to appreciate and comprehend ; such attendance is not obligatory, but a student registering for a course of lectures or recitations must attend and pass the same term examinations as regular students. On leaving the university, a certificate of pro- ficiency, attendance, etc., only, is granted. Second. An optional course under the direction of the dean. In this course, entrance examinations in grammar, geography, arith- metic and algebra, through quadratics, are required. 140 U N1 VERSITY Con VO c a ti on. Attendance upon ten (10) lectures or recitations per week, or their equivalent, in addition to two hours daily shop-practice, two hours daily in drawing, and the passing of the examinations at the close of each term, are necessary to remaining in the university. Third. A four years or full course, upon the satisfactory completion of which the student is entitled to the degree of bachelor of mechan- ical engineering. The entrance examinations for this year are the same as the pre- ceding, but hereafter six books of geometry in addition will be re- quired. This course of study embraces : In Mathematics : Algebra, geometry and conic sections. Trigonometry (plane and spherical.) Analytical geometry (of two and three dimensions). Descriptive geometry (with shades, shadows, etc.) Calculus (differential and integral). In Languages : Daily recitations, readings or conversations, in French for one year. The same in German. Or two years either French or German. In English, rhetoric and composition, twice per week for two terms. In Physics : Two lectures per week during second year. Three lectures per week during third year, and eight (8) hours per week, one term in physical laboratory practice. In Chemistry : Three lectures per week for two terms, and four hours per week laboratory practice. The remainder of the course is devoted to the special study of mechanics. The instruction being by lectures and recitations using for text-books, Rankine on Steam-engine, Applied Mechanics, Ma- chinery and Mill Work, Willis’ Principles of Mechanism, Warren’s Machine Construction and Drawing, Auchincloss on Valve and Link-Motion, Weisbach’s Mechanics, etc. The lectures embrace courses on “ The Strength and Preservation of Materials,” “ The Materials employed in Mechanical Construc- tion ” (such as cast and wrought iron, steel, zinc, tin, lead, copper, and alloys), “ Shop Practices,” “Shop Accounts,” “Arrangement Department of Mechanic Arts r , Cornell University. 141 and management of Shop and Machinery,” “Care and use of Tools,” “ Architecture,” and a special course of “ Laboratory Practice in Metallurgy and Mineralogy.” The course in drawing embraces, two hours daily in free-hand, one year. The same amount in linear drawing, projections (orthographic and isometric), and model drawing. Two hours daily in mechanical draughting, with shading, tinting, lettering, etc., in all making a complete course of two hours daily, extending throughout the four years. The same amount of shop-practice is required, but the shop is open and in operation during the month of July each year. Stu- dents are advised to avail themselves of the privilege of working in the shop during that month, many of them doing so. In order to accomplish the amount of instruction named, the entire time, five hours daily, of Prof. Cleaves is devoted to the drawing- room ; of Prof. Sweet, ten hours daily to shop-practice ; of the dean, three to five hours daily in lectures, recitations and mechanical draughting. For instruction in mathematics, languages, physics, chemistry, etc., the students in mechanics attend the same class-room exercises as students in other departments, passing the same examinations. Respectfully submitted, J. L. MORRIS, Dean. Course of study for the full course of four years, in the depart- ment of mechanic arts of Cornell University, arranged by year and term, together with the number of recitations per week : First Year — First Term — Recitations per week. Mathematics (geometry) 5 Languages (French or German) 5 Free-hand drawing, 2 hours daily 3-J Shop-practice 3£ 17 Second Term — Recitations per week. Mathematics (geometry and conic sections) 5 Languages (French or German) 5 Free-hand drawing 3-J- Shop-practice 3^ 17 142 University Convocation. Third Term — Recitations per week Mathematics (algebra completed) 5 Languages (French or German) 5 Linear drawing, etc 31 Shop-practice 31 17 * Second Year — First Term — Recitations per week. Mathematics (trigonometry and mensuration) 4 Languages (German or French) 3 or 5 Chemistry (with laboratory practice) 3 Physics (experimental mechanics) 2 Shop-practice 31 151 or 171 Second Term — Recitations per week. Mathematics (analytical geometry) 4 Languages (German or French) 3 or 5 Chemistry (with laboratory practice) 3 Physics (electricity and magnetism) 2 Shop-practice SI- 151- or 171- Third Term — Recitations per week. Mathematics (diff. calculus) 5 Languages (German or French) 3 or 5 Physics (electricity and magnetism) 2 Mechanical drawing, 6 hours per week 2 Shop-practice 31 15J or 171- Third Year — First Term — Recitations per week. Mathematics (int. calculus) 5 Descriptive geometry 5 Physics (heat) 3 .Rhetoric and composition 2 SI lop-practice 3J 18|- *In this year, if a student continues the study of the language studied in his first year, three recitations per week will only be required, hence languages are marked 3 or 5. Department of Mechanic Arts, Cornell University. 143 Second Term — Recitations per weelc. Physics (heat and acoustics) 3 Machine construction and drawing 4 Principles of mechanism 5 Rhetoric and composition 2 Shop-practice 3* m Third Term — Recitations per weelc. Machine construction and drawing 4 Steam-engine 4 Mill-work, lectures, etc 4 Shop-practice 3* 15* Fourth Year — First Term — Recitations per weelc. Applied mechanics (W eisbach) 5 Machine drawing 4 Water-wheels, lectures, etc 4 Shop-practice 31- 161 - Second Term — Recitations per week. Designing machinery 4 Physical laboratory practice 4 Applied mechanics 5 Shop-practice 3* 16* Third Term — Recitations per week. Architecture 2 Field practice with level, transit, etc 3 Special study 4 W orking draughts 4 Shop-practice and preparation of thesis 4 17 mO. L. MORRIS, Dean. Cornell University, Ithaca, jY Y., July 1, 1874. 144 University Convocation. NEW SCHEME OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE HUMAN BODY. By Professor Thomas S. Lambert, M. D., LL. D., of the Claverack Academy and Hudson River Institute. Some points that I shall present are new and cannot fail to have intense interest and value ; many of the points are old established truths, which are recapitulated because they will receive new light from the new ideas, and in combination with them they will induce additional thoughts and deductions which will themselves be new data and bases for further advances. Some of my deductions you would accept ; with others you may not at once agree, but you will accept the facts which alone for the most part, time will allow to present. I shall have served the purpose I now have in view if I shall throw out a few seed- thoughts which your own reflection and judg- ment will enable you to bring to full fruitage, since you are more capable of making deductions for yourselves than I am of making them for you. Dr. Cruikshank made a good bon mot when he said : “ I esteem that man most fortunate who, when he has done all he can, has inspired others to do better than he could do himself.” This is the point I have in view in presenting this subject before this learned body of thoughtful men and women. We readily notice that most of the organs of the body have had names given to their functions, which we perceive to be essential to properly understanding them, and for advancing or communicating our knowledge in regard to them, e. y., the function of the stomach is called digestion ; that of the lungs, respiration ; that of the heart and blood vessels, circulation. But when we come to some of the most important of all the organs in the body, we are surprised to find that no name has been given to their functions ; and when we speak about them we must use circumlocution, and that of a very indefinite character. The result of this is as might be expected, that the greatest con- fusion exists in regard to the functions of those important organs, and but little progress has been made in a direction which, of all others, great progress is desirable. 0112 855258