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PAPER NO. DXXX. 
 
 A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 By Wm. L. Chase, Worcester, Mass. 
 
 ,,M ,Y d II I I 
 
 presented at 
 
 THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SECTION 
 
 — B — 
 
 OF THE 
 
 WORLD’S ENGINEERING CONGRESS, CHICAGO, ILL., U. S. A. 
 
 JULY, 1893. 
 
 Accepted by tbe Council of tlie American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 
 and forming part of Volume XIV. of the Transactions. 
 
 For additional copies, address — 
 
 No. 12 West 31st Street, 
 
 New York City, N. Y., U. S. A. 
 
* DXXX. 
 
 A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 BY WM. L. CHASE, WORCESTER, MASS. 
 
 Some Possibilities in the Extension and Use, by the Engineer- 
 ing Professions, of the Dewey Decimal System. 
 
 I have long had a growing impression that great service could 
 be rendered by some general and uniform system of classifying, 
 for preservation and reference, notes, memoranda, clippings, 
 trade catalogues, books, periodical articles, etc. This feeling 
 has been largely fostered by Mr. Melvil Dewey’s “Decimal 
 Classification and Relative Index,” published by the Library 
 Bureau, Boston. A short time ago, in order to discover whether 
 my leading impression and Mr. Dewey’s book had conspired to 
 unbalance me on the subject, or whether there is an actual need 
 of something in this line, I sent to a number of the members of 
 this Society, and to a few other gentlemen, a circular letter 
 soliciting what I thought would be fairly representative opin- 
 ions. While the result as to the main issue in sending out the 
 circular is perhaps still in doubt, I have been stimulated to pre- 
 sent the question to this larger audience, satisfied that it will 
 at least promote a healthful discussion of the need, and that, 
 through this organization, if at all, may be supplied whatever 
 need exists. 
 
 It was made evident by the responses to my circular that it 
 will be necessary to give here a brief description of the Dewey 
 system, which was developed chiefly in the interest of library 
 economy, and in which the whole field of knowledge is arbitrarily 
 divided into nine classes, represented by the Arabic numerals in 
 hundreds place, namely : 
 
 Philosophy, 100. ; Religion, 200. ; Sociology, 300. ; Philol- 
 ogy, 400. ; Natural Science, 500. ; Useful Arts, 600. ; Fine Arts, 
 700. ; Literature, 800. ; History, 900. ; Cyclopaedias, Periodicals? 
 etc., too general in character to fit any of these classes, make a 
 tenth class, marked 000. Each class is divided into nine or less 
 
 * Presented at the Chicago Meeting (August, 1893) of the American Society of 
 Mechanical Engineers, and forming part of Volume XIV. of the Transactions. 
 
A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 divisions, and each division into nine or less sections, repre- 
 sented respectively by the numerals in tens and units places. 
 Subdivision is further carried out decimally to such an extent 
 as may be necessary to define any desired minute classification 
 of a subject. Naught in each place, division, section, etc., holds 
 its normal power, and signifies that the material so marked is 
 too general to be subdivided. Mr. Dewey’s classification tables 
 occupy in his fourth edition 360 6^"x 9-J-" pages. Supplementing 
 the tables are 186 pages devoted to a relative subject index, 
 which contains more than 20,000 alphabetically arranged refer- 
 ences to the heads, subheads, etc., contained in the tables, 
 including synonymous and alternative names, catch titles, etc. , 
 with the classification number of each, giving its exact place in 
 the tables. 
 
 To index and file an item, it is marked with its classification 
 number and placed in the numerical order thus indicated in the 
 collection which it joins. To find an item, the subject index is 
 consulted for the classification mark, which gives the numerical 
 place in the collection of all the items the collection contains 
 under the head sought. The items under each head may be 
 arranged alphabetically by authors or titles, and, if the collec- 
 tion is large enough to require it, the items may be alphabeti- 
 cally indexed under any head, though generally the items them- 
 selves, properly arranged, furnish their own index. 
 
 Notwithstanding the generous proportions to which the latest 
 edition of Mr. Dewey’s book has brought his work, it must be 
 changed in some headings under engineering and greatly extended 
 to fit it for general use. In a limited way I have attempted 
 to expand some of Mr. Dewey’s tables under that subject for my 
 own use. In doing this I have come more and more to believe 
 in the possible usefulness of the scheme, in some degree, to all 
 concerned. The degree of that usefulness depends upon the 
 amount and character of the interest which can be brought to 
 the support of the work of perfecting the tables. It is my pur- 
 pose at this time to invite discussion of the advisability of 
 undertaking, through a competent committee or otherwise, to 
 make a general classification of engineering by experts in the 
 several departments. With this object in view I shall present, 
 first, in illustration of the Dewey plan, the divisions under the 
 sixth class, Useful Arts ; the sections under the second or 
 engineering division of that class, and some of the decimal sub- 
 
 
4 A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 divisions of the first or mechanical engineering section of that 
 division : and second, in illustration of what I have attempted 
 to do in extending Mr. Dewey’s work, the corresponding decimal 
 subdivisions of my extended tables, with the relative subject 
 index covering the same. Following these I shall endeavor to 
 point out some of the merits of the system and some of the ends 
 that it seems to me can be served by extending it. 
 
 The following heads are given as they stand in Mr. Dewey’s 
 fourth edition : 
 
 600. Useful Arts. 
 
 601. Philosophy. Theories, etc. 
 
 (502. Compends. Outlines. 
 
 603. Dictionaries. Cyclopedias. 
 
 604. Essays. Lectures. Addresses. 
 
 605. Periodicals. Magazines. Reviews. 
 
 606. Societies. Fairs. Exhibitions. 
 
 607. Education. Schools of Technology. 
 
 Divided Geographically like History Tables. 
 
 608. Patents. Inventions. 
 
 609. History of Useful Arts in General. 
 
 610 . Medicine. 
 
 620. Engineering. 
 
 .01, Statistics ; .02, Quantities and Cost : .03, Contracts and Specifications ; 
 .04, Designs and Drawings ; .05, Executive ; .06, Working and 
 Maintenance ; .07, Law's ; .08, Patents ; .09, Reports. 
 
 .1, Strength of Materials ; .2, Compends; .3, Dictionaries, Cyclopedias? 
 .4, Essays ; .5, Periodicals ; .6, Societies ; .7, Study and Teaching ; 
 .8, Tables and Calculations ; .9, History of Engineering. 
 
 621. Mechanical Engineering. 
 
 .1 Steam Engineering. ( See 536.81.) 
 
 .11 Mechanism of Steam Engine. 
 
 .12 Marine Engines and Ship Propulsion. (See 699.) 
 
 .13 Locomotive Engines. 
 
 .14 Traction Engines. 
 
 .15 Portable Engines. 
 
 .16 Stationary Engines. 
 
 .17 
 
 .18 Steam Generation. Boilers. Furnaces. 
 
 .19 Steam Heating. (See 697, 536.83, 628.8, 644.) 
 
A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 5 
 
 621. 
 
 .2 Water Engines or Motors. 
 
 .21 Water Wheels. (See 532.84.) 
 
 .22 Overshot and Breast Wheels. 
 
 .23 Undershot Wheels. 
 
 .24 Turbines. 
 
 .25 Water Pressure Engines. ( See 532.82.) 
 
 .26 Hydraulic Presses. ( See 532.81.) 
 
 .27 Hydraulic Ratn. ( See 532.83.) 
 
 .28 
 
 .29 Mill Dams, Sluices, etc. (See 627.8.) 
 
 • 4 Air and Gas Engines and Other Motors, 
 
 .41 Caloric Engines. 
 
 .42 Compressed Air Engines. 
 
 .43 Ignited Gas Engines. (See 536.82.) 
 
 .44 Binary Vapor Engines. 
 
 .45 Windmills. 
 
 .46 Animal Motors. Tread Mills. 
 
 .47 Solar Engines. 
 
 .5 Air Compressors. Ice Machines. 
 
 .6 Blowing and Pumping Engines. 
 
 .61 Piston Blowers. 
 
 .62 Rotary Blowers. Fans. 
 
 .63 Centrifugal Blowers. 
 
 .64 Steam Pumps and Pumping Engines. 
 
 .65 Piston Pumps. 
 
 .66 Rotary Pumps. 
 
 .67 Centrifugal Pumps. 
 
 .63 Fire Engines. (See 353.3, Fire Department ; 614.81, Fires.) 
 
 622. Mining Engineering. 
 
 623. Military and Naval Engineering. 
 
 624. Bridges and Roofs. 
 
 625. Railroad and Road Engineering. 
 
 626. Canal Engineering. 
 
 627. River, Harbor, and General Hydraulic Engineering. 
 
 628. Sanitary Engineering. 
 
 629. Other Branches of Engineering. 
 
 630. Agriculture. 
 
 640. Domestic Economy, Hotels, Flats. 
 
 650. Communication and Commerce. 
 
 660. Chemical Technology. 
 
 669. Metallurgy and Assaying. 
 
 670. Manufactures. 
 
6 
 
 A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 680. Mechanic Trades. 
 
 690. Building. 
 
 The following examples are taken from my draught of the ex- 
 tended tables, in which, to avoid confliction with the published 
 signification of the decimals I have employed the letter E, to 
 represent Mechanical Engineering instead of Mr. Dewey’s num- 
 ber 621 . 
 
 E .1 Steam Engineering. 
 
 .11 Theory and general practice. 
 
 .Ill Steam economy. 
 
 .1111 Systems, Instruments and Records of measurements and tests of 
 engines and boilers. 
 
 .1112 Expansion, Superheating, Jacketing, Cylinder condensation, etc. 
 Simple, Compound, and Multi-cylinder efficiency. 
 
 High pressure efficiency. 
 
 .1113 Boiler economy. 
 
 Feed-water heaters, Filters, Purifiers, Fuel economizers. 
 
 Back pressure relieving and feed-water heating apparatus. 
 
 Exhaust steam purifiers, Oil separators, etc. 
 
 Boiler and tube cleaners. 
 
 Life, deterioration, etc.. Corrosion, Incrustation, Scale. 
 
 .1114 Steam m. Water power. 
 
 .112 Dangers, Accidents, Engine failures, Boiler explosions. 
 
 .119 Lubricators, Revolution counters and registers. 
 
 .12 Marine steam engineering. 
 
 Steamship propulsion. 
 
 Paddle, screw, hydraulic. 
 
 Marine engines. 
 
 Paddle, screw. 
 
 Simple, compound, triple, etc., cylinder. 
 
 Non-condensing, oondensing. (Surface ; jet.) 
 
 .13 Steam locomotive engineering. 
 
 Locomotive engines. 
 
 Traction and portable engines. 
 
 Steam road machines, rollers, etc. 
 
 .15 Steam blowing, compressing, and pumping machinery. 
 
 .152 Blowing engines. 
 
 .153 Steam air compressors and Refrigerating machinery. 
 
 .154 Steam fire engines and pumps. 
 
 Portable, installed. 
 
 Direct piston engines and pumps. 
 
 Piston engines and rotary pumps. 
 
 .155 Steam water works and sewage pumping engines. 
 
 Direct piston. 
 
 Direct crank. 
 
 Crank and beam. 
 
A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 7 
 
 Simple, compound, triple, etc., cylinder. 
 
 Non-condensing, condensing. (Surface ; jet.) 
 
 .156 General steam pumping machinery. 
 
 .1561 Boiler feed, Tank, and Pressure pumps, Injectors, etc. 
 
 .1562 Vacuum and Circulating pumps, Sugar pumps. 
 
 Condensing apparatus pumps. 
 
 .1563 Mining, Wrecking, Sinking, and Deep well pumps. 
 
 .16 Stationary steam engines. 
 
 .162 Plain slide valve engines. 
 
 Horizontal, vertical. 
 
 .163 Automatic shaft governor engines. 
 
 Horizontal, vertical. 
 
 Simple, compound, triple, etc., cylinder. 
 
 Non-condensing, condensing. (Surface ; jet.) 
 
 .164 Releasing valve gear engines (Corliss type). 
 
 Horizontal, vertical. 
 
 Simple, compound, triple, etc., cylinder. 
 
 Non-condensing, condensing. (Surface ; jet.) 
 
 .165 Single acting double cylinder engines. 
 
 Vertical. 
 
 Simple and compound cylinder. 
 
 Non-condensing, condensing. (Surface ; jet.) 
 
 .166 Steam turbines, Rotary engines, etc. 
 
 .167 Special direct connected steam engines and machinery. 
 
 Rolling mill engines. 
 
 Steam dynamos. 
 
 Hoisting, conveying, and elevator engines. 
 
 (See Ropeways, Hoisting machinery, etc., E .86.) 
 
 Steam shovels and dredges. 
 
 Steam hammers. (See Forging, E .95.) 
 
 E .18 Steam generation and transmission. 
 
 .182 Steam boilers. 
 
 .1821 General practice, Construction, Riveted joints, Staying, Bracing, etc. 
 .1822 Marine boilers. 
 
 Tubular, Scotch. 
 
 .1823 Locomotive, Traction, and Portable boilers. 
 
 .1826 Stationary boilers and settings. 
 
 Internally fired boilers : Fire-box, Vertical. 
 
 Cornish, Lancashire, Galloway, Scotch. 
 
 Externally fired boilers. 
 
 Plain cylinder, Return flue, Return tubular, French, Water-tube, 
 Sectional. 
 
 Boiler settings. 
 
 Fronts, Grate bars, Braces, Arch bars, Walls. 
 
 .183 Boiler fittings. 
 
 Water gauges, Cocks, Low-water alarms. 
 
 .184 Mechanical stokers, Coal and ash conveyers. 
 
 Oil feed apparatus, Burners, etc. 
 
 Damper regulators. 
 
 .185 Steam transmission and distribution 
 
8 
 
 A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 .1851 General matter. 
 
 Flow of steam in pipes, Condensation, Velocity, Friction loss etc. 
 .1852 Central station steam transmission and distribution, Street mains, 
 Conduits, etc. 
 
 Steam fittings, Piping, Valves, Coverings, Packing, Pressure regu- 
 lators, Indicating and Recording pressure gauges, Traps, Steam 
 loop, Exhaust heads. 
 
 Steam Heating. {See 697., Heating and Ventilation of Buildings.) 
 Heating systems. 
 
 Live, exhaust. 
 
 Direct and indirect radiation. 
 
 Central coil and forced air blast. 
 
 .2 Hydraulic Engineering. 
 
 .21 Theory and general practice. 
 
 .211 Water power economy. 
 
 .2111 Systems, Instruments and Records of measurements and tests of 
 Water power. Water wheels, Motors, etc. 
 
 .2115 Water supply. {See Water Works, Sanitary Engineering.) 
 
 Flow of rivers, Volume, Constancy, etc. 
 
 Reservoirs and storage. 
 
 Measurement of water flow, Weirs, Tumbling bays, etc. 
 
 Artesian wells, Well-boring machinery. 
 
 .212 Dangers, Accidents, etc. 
 
 .22 Marine hydraulic engineering. 
 
 .221 Power, Utilization of ocean waves. 
 
 Hydraulic dock machinery. {See E .28, Hydraulic power utilization.) 
 Hydraulic ship propulsion. {See E .12, Marine steam engineering.) 
 .23 Mill Dams, Bulkheads, Penstocks, etc. 
 
 .232 Mill dams. 
 
 .233 Bulkheads, Gates and fittings. 
 
 .234 Penstocks. 
 
 .235 Sluices, Tail Races, Fish-ways, etc. 
 
 .24 Water wheels, Motors, etc. 
 
 .242 Overshot and Breast wheels. 
 
 .243 Undershot and Jet wheels. 
 
 .244 Turbine wheels. 
 
 .2441 Fourneyron, or Outward discharge. 
 
 .2442 Jonval, or Downward discharge. 
 
 .2443 American, or Inward discharge. 
 
 .245 Water motors, Water pressure engines, Water meters. 
 
 .25 Hydraulic pumping machinery. {See E .15, Steam pumps, etc.; 
 
 E .35, Electric pumps.) 
 
 .252 Hand pumps, Hydraulic rams, etc. 
 
 .253 Power hydraulic pressure pumps. Accumulators, etc. 
 
 .254 Power fire pumps, Hand fire engines. 
 
 .256 General power pumping machinery. 
 
 .2561 Power boiler feed and Tank pumps, Centrifugal pumps. 
 
 .2562 Power vacuum pumps. 
 
 .2563 Power wrecking pumps, Ejectors, Power deep well pumps, etc. 
 
 .26 Hydraulic power utilization. 
 
A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 9 
 
 .261 General matter. 
 
 .262 Dock machinery. ( See E .221, Marine liydrauli^" engineering.) 
 
 Elevators, Hoists, Charging apparatus, Presses' Buffers, Forging 
 and Riveting. ( See E .95.) 
 
 .285 Hydraulic transmission and distribution. 
 
 .2851 General matter. Plow of Water in Pipes, Friction loss, Discharge 
 orifices. Hose and Nozzles, Water hammer. 
 
 .2852 Central station hydraulic power transmission and distribution. 
 Street mains, Conduits, etc. 
 
 .4 Hydraulic fittings, Piping, Valves, Packing, Pressure regulators, 
 Indicating and Recording pressure gauges, etc. 
 
 .4 Heat, Air, Gas, and Oil Engineering. 
 
 .41 Theory and general practice. 
 
 .411 Gas, Oil, and Heat economy. 
 
 Systems, Instruments and Records of measurements and tests of 
 ; Heat and its effects. 
 
 Gas and oil as fuel, Illuminants, etc. 
 
 Lubricating oils, Oil testing machines. 
 
 Coal vs. Water gas, etc. 
 
 Thermometers, Pyrometers and temperatures, Calorimeters. 
 
 .412 Dangers, Accidents, Explosions, etc. 
 
 .48 Aerial navigation. 
 
 Balloons, Flying machines, Air ships. 
 
 .44 Heat, Air, and Gas engines. 
 
 .441 Theories, General matter. 
 
 .442 Solar engines. 
 
 .448 Hot air engines. 
 
 .444 Compressed air engines, Rock drills, etc. 
 
 .445 Gas engines, Vapor engines. 
 
 .446 Windmills, Wind engiues, etc. 
 
 .45 Power air pumps and machinery. 
 
 .452 Positive blowers, Pressure blowers. 
 
 .453 Power air compressors. 
 
 .456 Fan blowers, Exhausters, etc. 
 
 .48 Heat, Air, Gas, and Oil production, Distribution, etc. 
 
 .481 Production and Application of heat, Combustion. 
 
 Fuels, comparative efficiency. 
 
 Furnaces, general. 
 
 Smoke consumption, prevention. 
 
 Chimneys and Forced draught. 
 
 Chimney construction, Stability, Duty, etc. 
 
 Heating and ventilating. ( See 697, Heating and Ventilating 
 Buildings, and E .1852, Steam Heating.) 
 
 Drying and Evaporation. 
 
 Dry kilns and apparatus. 
 
 Evaporating apparatus. 
 
 Annealing, Hardening, and Tempering. 
 
 Annealing and Case hardening furnaces, 
 apparatus aud materials. 
 
 .482 Gas manufacture. 
 
 Plants, Retorts, Producers, Purifiers, Condensers, Storage, etc. 
 
10 
 
 A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 .483 Natural gas and oil. 
 
 l^ells, Well boring and machinery. 
 
 .484 Oil producing, Refining, Purifying, etc. 
 
 Oil presses, Stills, Filters, Purifiers, etc. 
 
 .485 Heat, air, gas, and oil transmission and distribution. 
 
 .4851 General matter. 
 
 Flow of air, gas, and oil in pipes, Velocity, Friction loss, Conden- 
 sation, etc. 
 
 .4852 Central station Air, Gas, and Oil transmission and distribution. 
 
 Street mains, Conduits, etc. 
 
 Compressed air power transmission. 
 
 Pneumatic despatch apparatus. 
 
 Natural gas and oil pipe lines, etc. 
 
 Air, gas, and oil piping, Fittings, Valves, Packing, Pressure regu- 
 lators, Indicating and Recording pressure gauges, etc. 
 
 Dust and shavings collectors, Separators, Piping, Hoods, etc. 
 
 The following is the relative subject index covering the ex- 
 tended tables given above : 
 
 Absorption dynamometers E .111 ;E .211 
 
 Accidents. 
 
 Boiler and engiue E .112 
 
 Gas, oil, and heat E .412 
 
 General E .012 
 
 Hydraulic E .212 
 
 Annealing E .481 
 
 Artesian wells E .2115 
 
 Asbestos packing E .1852 
 
 Ash conveyers, boiler E .184 
 
 Boiler. (See Steam Boiler.) 
 
 Breast water wheels E .242 
 
 Bulkheads E .283 
 
 Calorimeters E .1111 ; E .411 
 
 Case hardening E ,481 
 
 Centrifugal pumps E .2561 
 
 Chimneys E .481 
 
 Circulating pumps E .1562 
 
 Coal and ash conveyers, boiler E .184 
 
 Coal vs. Water gas E .411 
 
 Combustion E .481 
 
 Compressed air engines, Rock drills, etc E .444 
 
 pipe fittings E .4852 
 
 power transmission E .4852 
 
 pressure regulators E .4852 
 
 Condensation in gas pipes E .4851 
 
 steam cylinder E .1112 
 
 pipes E .1851 
 
 pipes, general E .0851 
 
 Conduits. 
 
 Air, gas and oil E .4852 
 
A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 11 
 
 Conduits. — Continued. 
 
 General E .0852 
 
 Steam E .1852 
 
 Water E .2852 
 
 Current meters E .2115 
 
 Damper regulators, steam boiler E .184 
 
 Dangers. 
 
 Boiler and engine . E .112 
 
 Gas, oil and heat E .412 
 
 Hydraulic E .212 
 
 Deep well pumps, Steam E .1568 
 
 Power 2568 
 
 Dock machinery, hydraulic E .262 
 
 Drying E .481 
 
 Dry kilns E .481 
 
 Dust and shavings collectors E .4852 
 
 Duty of boilers and engines E .1111 
 
 chimneys E .481 
 
 heat, gas and oil E .411 
 
 Water power, wheels, motors E .211 
 
 Dynamometers E .1111 ;E .211 
 
 Economy. 
 
 Boiler .E .1111 ;E .181 
 
 Heat, gas and oil E .411 
 
 Gas E .411 
 
 Oil E .411 
 
 Efficiency. 
 
 High-pressure steam E .1112 
 
 Steam vs. Waterpower E .1114 
 
 Water power and Water wheel E .2111 
 
 Engines. 
 
 Air E .44 
 
 Gas E .445 
 
 Heat E .44 
 
 Hydraulic E .245 
 
 Solar E .442 
 
 Steam. {See Steam Engines.) 
 
 Vapor E .445 
 
 W T ind E .446 
 
 Water pressure E .245 
 
 Engineering. 
 
 Air, heat, gas, and oil E .4 
 
 Hydraulic E .2 
 
 Steam E .1 
 
 Evaporating E .481 
 
 Expansion of steam E .1112 
 
 Explosions. 
 
 Boiler. E .112 
 
 Fly wheel E .112 
 
 Gas E .412 
 
 General E .012 
 
12 
 
 A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 Fan blowers and exhausters 
 
 Feed water filters, heaters and purifiers. . . 
 
 Fisli- ways 
 
 Flow of air, gas, and oil in pipes 
 
 rivers 
 
 steam in pipes 
 
 water in pipes 
 
 Fly-wheel failures 
 
 Forced draught 
 
 Fourneyron turbine water wheels 
 
 Friction brakes 
 
 Fuel economizers 
 
 Fuels, gas and oil economy 
 
 comparative efficiency 
 
 Furnaces, general 
 
 Gas condensers 
 
 distribution 
 
 economy 
 
 explosions 
 
 fiow.in pipes 
 
 manufacture 
 
 natural 
 
 plants 
 
 producers 
 
 purifiers 
 
 storage 
 
 transmission 
 
 wells 
 
 Hand fire engines 
 
 pumps 
 
 Hardening 
 
 Heat calorimeters, Calorimetry 
 
 economy 
 
 engineering , 
 
 engines 
 
 pyrometers 
 
 tests, instruments, etc 
 
 Hook gauges 
 
 Horizontal engines. ( See Steam Engines.) 
 
 Hose and nozzles 
 
 Hydraulic accidents 
 
 buffers 
 
 charging apparatus 
 
 dock machinery 
 
 elevators 
 
 engineering 
 
 fittings 
 
 forging .... 
 
 hoists 
 
 packing 
 
 piping 
 
 .E Am 
 .E .111S 
 .E .235 
 .E .4851 
 .E .2115 
 .E .1851 
 .E .2851 
 .E .112 
 .E .481 
 .E .2441 
 
 E .1111; E .2111 
 .E .1113 
 .E .411 
 .E .481 
 .E .481 
 .E .482 
 .E .4852 
 .E .411 
 .E .412 
 .E .4851 
 .E .482 
 .E .483 
 .E .482 
 .E .482 
 .E .482 
 .E .482 
 .E .4852 
 .E .483 
 .E .254 
 .E .252 
 .E .481 
 .E .411 
 .E .411 
 .E .4 
 .E .44 
 .E .411 
 .E .411 
 .E .2111 
 
 .E .2851 
 .E .212 
 .E .262 
 .E .262 
 .E .262 
 E .262 
 .E .2 
 .E .2852 
 .E .95 ; E .262 
 .E .262 
 .E .2852 
 .E .2852 
 
A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 13 
 
 Hydraulic power transmission E .2852 
 
 presses E .262 
 
 pressure gauges E .2852 
 
 pressure regulators E .2852 
 
 rams E .252 
 
 riveting . . . .E .95 ; E .262 
 
 ship propulsion E .12; E .221 
 
 valves E .2852 
 
 Illuminants, gas and oil economy E .411 
 
 Incrustation, boiler E .1118 
 
 Instruments of testing boilers and engines E .1111 
 
 gas and oil E .411 
 
 heat and effects E .411 
 
 waterpower, wheels, motors E .2111 
 
 Indicator, steam engine E .1111 
 
 Jonval turbine water wheels E .2442 
 
 Low water alarm, boiler E .183 
 
 Lubricating oil production E .484 
 
 Lubricating instruments E .119 
 
 Marine boilers E .1822. 
 
 engines E .12 
 
 steam engineering E .12 
 
 Mechanical stokers E .184 
 
 Mill dams E .23 
 
 Oil burners, boiler E .184 
 
 distribution E .485 
 
 filters E .484 
 
 flow in pipes E .4851 
 
 manufacture E .482 
 
 pipe lines E .4852 
 
 presses E .484 
 
 purifiers E .484 
 
 refining E .484 
 
 separators ,E .1113 
 
 stills E . 484 
 
 testing machines E .411 
 
 tests, lubricating E .411 
 
 wells E .483 
 
 Packing. 
 
 Air, gas, and oil. . E .4852 
 
 General E .0852 
 
 Hydraulic E .2852 
 
 Steam. ... E .1852 
 
 Penstocks E .234 
 
 Pneumatic despatch apparatus E .4852 
 
 Pressure gauges, air, gas, and oil E .4852 
 
 steam E .1852 
 
 water E .2852 
 
 Regulators, air, gas, and oil E .4852 
 
 steam E .1852 
 
 water E .2852 
 
14 
 
 A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 Prony brake E .1111 ;E .2111 
 
 Pumps. 
 
 Boiler feed (power) E .2561 
 
 Centrifugal E .2561 
 
 Ejecting (power) E .2563 
 
 Electric. ( See Electric Pumps.) 
 
 Fire (power) E .254 
 
 Hand E .252 
 
 Hydraulic pressure (power) E .253 
 
 Steam. ( See Steam Pumps.) 
 
 Tank (power) E .2561 
 
 Vacuum (power) E .2562 
 
 Wrecking (power) E .2563 
 
 Purifiers. 
 
 Feedwater E .1113 
 
 Gas E .482 
 
 Oil E .484 
 
 Pyrometers E .411 
 
 Recording pressure gauges. 
 
 # Air, gas, and oil E .4852 
 
 General E .0852 
 
 Steam E .1852 
 
 Water E .2852 
 
 Records of tests of boiler and engines E .1111 
 
 gas and oil E .411 
 
 heat and effects E .411 
 
 water power, wheels, motors E .2111 
 
 Reducing motions, engine indicator E .1111 
 
 Revolution counters and registers E .119 
 
 Rod packing E .1852 
 
 Ropeways, steam hoisting E .167 
 
 Scale, boiler E .1113 
 
 Screw engines E .12 
 
 Sewage pumps E .155 
 
 Shavings and dust collectors. . . E .4852 
 
 Smoke consumption, prevention E .481 
 
 Sluices, water E .235 
 
 Solar engines E .442 
 
 Speed indicators and registers E .119 
 
 Steam air compressors E .153 
 
 boiler cleaners E .1113 
 
 cocks E .183 
 
 construction, general E .1821 
 
 corrosion E .1113 
 
 coverings E .1852 
 
 damper regulators E .184 
 
 deterioration E .1113 
 
 economy E .1113 
 
 explosions E .112 
 
 feeders, coal and oil E .184 
 
 feed- water heaters E .1113 
 
A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 15 
 
 Steam boiler purifiers E .1113 
 
 fittings E .183 
 
 fronts E .1826 
 
 fuel economizers E .1113 
 
 gauges E .183 
 
 grate bars E .1826 
 
 incrustation. E .1113 
 
 life E .1113 
 
 low- water alarms E .183 
 
 oil burners E .184 
 
 scale E .1113 
 
 settings E .1826 
 
 /stokers E .184 
 
 tube cleaners E .1113 
 
 water cocks and gauges E .183 
 
 Steam Boilers E .182 
 
 Cornish E .1826 
 
 Externally fired E .1826 
 
 Fire-box, locomotive E .1823 
 
 marine E .1822 . 
 
 stationary E .1826 
 
 French E .1826 
 
 Galloway E .1826 
 
 Horizontal E .1826 
 
 Internally fired E .1826 
 
 Lancashire E .1826 
 
 Locomotive E .1823 
 
 Plain cylinder E .1826 
 
 Portable E .1823 
 
 Return Hue E .1826 
 
 Return tubular, marine E .1822 
 
 stationary E .1826 
 
 Safety E .1826 
 
 Scotch, marine E .1822 
 
 stationary E .1826 
 
 Sectional E .1826 
 
 Tubular, locomotive, etc E .1823 
 
 marine E .1822 
 
 stationary E .1826 
 
 vertical E .1826 
 
 Water- tube E .1826 
 
 Steam condensation, cylinder E .1112 
 
 in pipes E .1851 
 
 Steam conduits E .1852 
 
 coverings E .1852 
 
 dredges E .167 
 
 dynamos E .167 
 
 economy E .111 
 
 efficiency, engine E .1112 
 
 engine accidents E .112 
 
 back-pressure relieving apparatus E .1113 
 
16 
 
 A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 Steam engine failures 
 
 fly-wheel accidents 
 
 indicators 
 
 lubricator^ 
 
 revolution counters 
 
 shaft failures 
 
 speed counters and registers 
 
 tests 
 
 Steam Engines. 
 
 Automatic shaft governor 
 
 Blowing 
 
 Compound 
 
 Condensing 
 
 Corliss type 
 
 Elevator 
 
 Fire 
 
 Hoisting 
 
 Horizontal 
 
 Locomotive 
 
 Marine 
 
 Multi-cylinder 
 
 Non-condensing 
 
 Plain slide valve 
 
 Portable 
 
 Releasing valve gear 
 
 Rolling mill. . . . 
 
 Single acting, double cylinder. . . 
 
 Sewage 
 
 Slide valve 
 
 Stationary 
 
 Traction 
 
 Vertical 
 
 Water works 
 
 Steam Engineering 
 
 locomotive 
 
 marine 
 
 Steam exhaust heads 
 
 expansion 
 
 generation 
 
 heating 
 
 high-pressure efficiency 
 
 hoisting machinery 
 
 independent condensing apparatus. 
 
 injectors 
 
 jacketing 
 
 jet condensing 
 
 joint packing / 
 
 loop 
 
 lubricators 
 
 packing 
 
 pipe coverings 
 
 E .112 
 E .112 
 .E .1111 
 ,E .119 
 E .119 
 E .112 
 .E .119 
 E .1111 
 
 .E .163 
 .E .152 
 
 .E .12, .155, .163, .164, etc. 
 E .12, .155, .163, .164, etc. 
 .E .164 
 E .167 
 .E .154 
 
 .E .157 ; E .86 
 .E .162, .163, etc. 
 
 E .13 
 .E .12 
 
 E .12, .155, .163, .164, etc. 
 E .12, .155, .163., 164, etc. 
 .E .162 
 .E .13 
 .E .164 
 .E .167 
 .E .165 
 .E .155 
 .E .162 
 .E .16 
 .E .13 
 
 .E .162, .163, etc. 
 
 E .155 
 .E .1 
 .E .13 
 .E .12 
 .E .1852 
 .E .1112 
 .E .18 
 
 .E .1852, 697. 
 
 .E .1112 
 .E .167 
 .E .1562 
 .E .1561 
 .E .1112 
 
 . E .12, .155, .163, .164, etc. 
 
 .E .1852 
 
 .E .1852 
 
 .E .119 
 
 .E .1852 
 
 .E .1852 
 
A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 17 
 
 Steam piping 
 
 power vs. water power 
 
 pressure regulators 
 
 Steam pumps. 
 
 Air 
 
 Boiler feed 
 
 Circulating 
 
 Condensing apparatus 
 
 Deep well 
 
 Injectors 
 
 Mining 
 
 Sinking 
 
 Sugar 
 
 Tank 
 
 Vacuum 
 
 Wrecking 
 
 Steam refrigerating machinery 
 
 road machines 
 
 ship propulsion 
 
 shovels and dredges 
 
 street mains 
 
 superheating 
 
 surface condensing 
 
 transmission 
 
 traps 
 
 turbines 
 
 valves 
 
 Stokers, mechanical 
 
 Street mains. 
 
 Gas and oil. ......... 
 
 General 
 
 Steam 
 
 Water 
 
 Sugar pumps 
 
 Systems of testing boilers and engines 
 
 gas and oil 
 
 heat and effects . . . 
 water power, 
 
 wheels, motors 
 
 Tail Races 
 
 Thetmometers 
 
 Thermometric scales 
 
 Traps, steam 
 
 Turbine water wheels 
 
 Undershot water wheels 
 
 Vacuum pumps. 
 
 Steam 
 
 Power 
 
 Valve a . 
 
 Air, gas, and oil. 
 
 General 
 
 .E .1852 
 .E .1114 
 .E .1852 
 
 .E .1562 
 .E .1561 
 E .1562 
 .E .1562 
 E .1563 
 ,E .1561 
 .E .1563 
 .E .1563 
 E .1562 
 ,E .1561 
 .E .1562 
 .E .1563 
 E. 153 
 E .13 
 .E .12 
 .E .167 
 ,E .1852 
 .E .1112 
 
 E .12, .155, .163, .164, etc. 
 .E .185 
 .E .1852 
 E .166 
 E .1852 
 .E .184 
 
 .E. .4852 
 .E .0852 
 .E .1852 
 .E .2852 
 .E .1562 
 .E .1111 
 .E .411 
 .E .411 
 
 .E .214 
 .E .235 
 .E .411 
 .E .411 
 .E .185 
 .E .244 
 .E .243 
 
 .E .1562 
 .E .2562 
 
 .E .4852 
 .E .0852 
 
 2 
 
18 A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASiSlIICATIuN AND INDEX. 
 
 Valves. — Continued. 
 
 Steam E .1852 
 
 Water E .2852 
 
 Ventilating E .481 
 
 (See 697. ; E .1852.) 
 
 Vertical engines. ( See Steam Engine.) 
 
 Water cocks, boiler E .188 
 
 discharge orifices E .2851 
 
 flow in pipes E .2851 
 
 friction loss in pipes E .2851 
 
 gauges, boiler E .188 
 
 hammer E .2851 
 
 meters E .245 
 
 motors E .245 
 
 nozzles E .2851 
 
 Water power economy E .211 
 
 measurement E .2111 
 
 transmission E .2852 
 
 tests E .2111 
 
 utilization of ocean waves E .221 
 
 vs. Steam power . . . E .1114 
 
 pressure engines E .245 
 
 reservoirs E .2115 
 
 storage E .2115 
 
 supply E .2115 
 
 tumbling bays E .2115 
 
 weirs E .2115 
 
 wheels E .24 
 
 works pumps E .155 
 
 Wells, well boring, etc. 
 
 Artesian E .2115 
 
 Gas and oil E .488 
 
 Wind engines, 
 
 mills E .446 
 
 Who says: “Well, that is a useless lot of machinery ! Why 
 don’t you have an alphabetical index, and go direct from that to 
 what you want ? What advantage is there in ricochetting 
 through your classification tables ? ” I did not suppose, before 
 I sent out my recent circular, above referred to, that there was 
 a man at large in this broad land who needs to be convinced 
 of the advantages of classing in some shape any form of knowl- 
 edge or material that he expects to use ; of marshalling in line 
 all the elements of a subject and defining in some way their 
 established relationship, so that he can study the general sub- 
 ject or pick out any element of it without going through it 
 in detail. While I have discovered a few such, I am confirmed 
 in the belief that the classification question is one of manner 
 
A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 19 
 
 and extent and not of being. All considerable collections of 
 books, papers, or materials of any sort have to be handled by 
 some comprehensive system of classification, and the little col- 
 lections can be proportionately benefited by such provision. 
 There are numerous schemes in use, but I believe none of them 
 approach the Dewey system in the simplicity, exactness, and 
 clearness with which, by the decimal tables, the relationship 
 between the component parts of a subject, and between the sub- 
 ject itself and kindred subjects, can be defined ; in the capacity 
 to define accurately the growth of a subject by the addition of 
 numerals to the tables or by the decimal subdivision of nu- 
 merals already there ; nor in the mnemonic features which can be 
 employed without sacrificing any essential in the classification. 
 
 The relative subject index serves to guide both the indexer 
 and the searcher for indexed items, by the same directions, to 
 the same classified exposition of the subject, if a study of the 
 classification is necessary to fix the proper mark for an item, 
 and directly to the mark itself if such study is not necessary. 
 The classification mark once affixed tells what the item is, often 
 more quickly and clearly than could the best definition written 
 out, and it also tells where the item is to be put or where it is 
 to be found, with all the other items that the collection con- 
 tains of the same definition. If the classification tables be 
 established by expert knowledge, the work of properly indexing 
 and filing successive items can, by the aid of the subject index 
 and under competent direction, be turned over to very ordinary 
 intelligent labor. If the expert wishes to do his own indexing, 
 the time he saves, in simply affixing a number to define the sub- 
 ject and place in the collection of the item, is worth his consid- 
 eration. When it is desired to consult the information con- 
 tained in the collection on a given subject, the entire resources 
 of the collection on that subject can be withdrawn from 01- 
 re turned to the collection at once and intact. 
 
 So far as I have examined and understood the question, the 
 leading competitor of the De^wey system is the alphabetical sub- 
 ject index with direct references to shelf, book and page, or file 
 numbers. This plan leaves the indexer largely to his own 
 resources with each item. If the item requires study to fix its 
 place, his familiarity with the subject, his shelf or file list, or 
 the scattered alphabetical headings that may occur under the 
 subject, must guide him. When the place is found and the shelf 
 
20 
 
 A GENE UAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX 
 
 or file number written on the item, the index heads for each 
 item must be written out, or hunted up in the index of the en- 
 tire collection and reference to each item added in detail. The 
 item is placed in the collection, not with reasonable certainty 
 alongside all the items the collection contains of a given defini- 
 tion, but sometimes according to the accidents of orthography 
 or the assignment of shelf numbers. When it is desired to use 
 the material the alphabetical index of the entire collection must 
 be handled for each item, and when found the items must be 
 gathered one by one from their places, and then redistributed 
 in order to be put where they can again be found. 
 
 It is proposed here to work out, not a classification for the 
 specialist in any department, but a general scheme which can 
 be used by all, for all their material except that which concerns 
 the particular specialty of each, though the system is perfectly 
 adapted to carrying out and defining the remotest details. That, 
 of course, is a work that each individual or body of specialists 
 may carry as far as it might be thought profitable beyond a 
 point at which it would cease to be generally useful. For in- 
 stance, I have made a detailed classification of the work of a 
 great manufacturing industry in which I have defined in this 
 way the component groups, motions, and parts of one of the 
 decimal subdivisions under textile machinery ; namely, looms. 
 It may be profitable in this connection, and as a specific illus- 
 tration of its general working, to notice how the decimal system 
 meets some of the requirements of that use. 
 
 In the draughting room we used to depend on a subject index 
 catalogue, with references to the numbers of drawers in which 
 certain subjects were kept. Every little while some drawer 
 would get full, and a part of its contents would be moved to new 
 quarters. Then it became necessary to remark the drawer 
 number on the removed drawings, and to hunt up and remark 
 the corresponding references in the drawing index book, and on 
 the pattern number list cards. With the decimal system, each 
 drawing is marked as soon as its character is fully determined 
 with its classification number, which takes the place of a general 
 title on the drawing, and fixes once for all its place in the col- 
 lection. The drawings are filed in manilla portfolios which 
 contain a dozen or so sheets and which are marked with the 
 classification number and filed numerically by it. When a port- 
 folio gets too full its subject is, if necessary, further subdivided 
 
A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 21 
 
 decimally, or the drawings are divided by customers’ names or 
 some other alphabetical distinction into two or more portfolios 
 of the same class number. No subject index book is kept. The 
 drawings, with the general relative index of the system, are their 
 own index. No change is ever made in the reference marks on 
 the drawing or pattern number cards, except to add a figure to 
 the decimal mark, which happens if at all to but few drawings at 
 one time, and which is not therefore a discouraging job. No new 
 place for a subject ever has to be learned. When a place in the 
 collection gets too crowded, it only costs purely manual labor 
 to move along and provide for indefinite expansion at any point. 
 When a new subject comes up, its classification mark is estab- 
 lished beside related subjects or as an extended decimal of the 
 subject of which it is a natural offshoot. 
 
 These things, while they go far toward demonstrating the 
 practical usefulness of the system for the purpose, are but 
 incidental to the main object in view, which is still in course of 
 development, the provision of economical means of handling 
 lists of motions and groups of parts in making up, pushing, 
 and tracing detailed orders in the shop and in keeping cost of 
 manufacture. 
 
 Now, specifically, what is the use of a general engineering 
 classification ? 
 
 It could be made a time and energy saver to all engineers who 
 have established a habit of filing notes, catalogues, clippings, 
 etc., in that it enables them to turn over to assistants the work 
 of classifying, indexing, and filing ordinary material; or, if one 
 wishes to do the work himself, in that it reduces it to a simple 
 and manageable form. It would stimulate students and others 
 to acquire that habit, which is in itself an educator, and which 
 might lead to the collection and filing of valuable data which 
 would without such incentive pass out of mind and be forgotten, 
 or, in the absence of classification, pass into such a voluminous 
 alphabetical tangle that it might better be forgotten. Is the 
 man here who once started an index book, or card or envelope 
 system of collecting notes, etc., of his reading and experience, 
 and who finally gave it up and now keeps no such record because 
 it was too much work for the prospective return he could see, 
 or because the material got so “ numerous ” or so badly arranged 
 that he could find nothing in it when he wanted it ? This thing 
 would have helped him to a generous success. 
 
22 A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 The system, worked out in such form as to come into gen- 
 eral individual use, would add the element of interchangeability 
 to independent collections, which would thereby become of per- 
 manent and enhanced value, instead of becoming of more or less 
 impaired value when they pass from the hands of their collec- 
 tors. Worked out in a form to commend itself for the uniform 
 indexing of engineering libraries, periodicals, and the transactions 
 of engineering societies, the usefulness of the system would be 
 multiplied manyfold over what would be possible confined to 
 individual uses. 
 
 I need not, I suppose, say that it is not desired to limit dis- 
 cussion to the Dewey or to any decimal system. If some- 
 thing better can be developed, let us have that. It is to be 
 particularly noted here that the extended tables I have given 
 are not presented as complete or satisfactory in any sense. 
 I am not an expert under any of the heads represented, which 
 I have selected as better illustrating the character and capac- 
 ity of the scheme than other groups I have attempted to ex- 
 pand. It will be noticed that many of the subheads given 
 are not indicated decimally. This is partly due to my lack of 
 time and knowledge to define them properly, and in some in- 
 stances to a feeling that too minutely extended examples might 
 prove confusing illustrations. I may here remark that there 
 are in use some modifications of the strict numerical plan, which 
 tend to relieve the possible confusion in long-extended decimals, 
 by intermingling letters with the numerals. In one of these, 
 the whole alphabet is added to the nine numerals, making thirty- 
 five classes, divisions, sections, etc. It is a part of Mr. Dewey’s 
 plan to leave the letters to be used in place of figures by indi- 
 viduals who may desire to modify their tables from the pub- 
 lished form, which the publishers, protected by copyright, 
 insist shall not be used without the published meanings. This 
 and other modifications which need not be introduced here will 
 be fruitful studies if the work herein proposed is undertaken. 
 
 While I have contemplated the development of a classification 
 of mechanical engineering only, the present occasion is auspicious 
 for the discussion of a complete general classification of the 
 whole field of engineering, which can, I think, be divided much 
 more satisfactorily by ignoring some of the old divisions, par- 
 ticularly “ mechanical ” and “ civil,” and substituting new titles 
 based on the nature of the work. A comprehensive system 
 
A GENERAL ENGINEERING CLASSIFICATION AND INDEX. 
 
 23 
 
 developed under the joint auspices of such representative bodies 
 as these associated in the management of the Engineering Con- 
 gress, and kept up to date by a standing commission, would 
 command a support and attain a usefulness in the economical 
 handling of a great and growing engineering literature which 
 cannot be measured here and now. There is another work to 
 which such an alliance could give a great impetus. There has 
 already been recommended by the American Society of Mechan- 
 ical Engineers a standard size for trade catalogues, six by nine 
 inches, that being also the size of the Society’s Catalogue, Index, 
 and Transactions. The importance to all collectors, public and 
 private, of a standard uniform size for pamphlets and circular 
 publications could be effectively brought to the attention of a 
 great and influential constituency by the recommendation of the 
 proposed commission.