The Pneumatics of Hero of Alexandria

BUT IF IT SHOULD PLEASE US TO SEE IT OUTPUT AS MUCH

wine as the water that is put into a vessel, proceed as follows.

Again, let there be the vessel full of water A.B. and the vessel full of wine G.H. However, let the tube E.E. be outside the vessel A.B., and within the said A.B. let the sphere D float, from which hangs a cord that passes through the two pulleys S.T. and is attached to the tube E.E., so that it remains suspended. For the rest, let everything stand according to the reasons stated above; for if we pour water into the vessel A.B., the sphere, or ball, will rise, and consequently, it will lower the tube E.E., from which, as it lowers, the wine will flow.

A technical diagram of a hydraulic apparatus illustrating Theorem XXVI. It shows two vessels: vessel B on the left containing water and a floating sphere D, and vessel H on the right containing wine. A wooden frame supports a horizontal beam with two pulleys labeled T and S. A rope connects the floating sphere D to a sliding siphon tube E in vessel H. As water is added to vessel B, the sphere rises, pulling the rope and lowering the siphon in vessel H to dispense wine. Labels include A, G, L, E, P, R, N, T, S, H, and B.

In this other way, one may also do the same: let the cord from which the sphere D is suspended pass through the pulley S, and lead to the other pulley T, and passing through this, let it be tied to the bent pipe. What will happen is that as the sphere D rises, the bent pipe suspended by the cord will be lowered, and by lowering, will consequently spill as much wine as the water that is put into the vessel, in which the ball will float on the surface.

METHOD BY WHICH WATER IS EXPRESSED

in fires. Theor. XXVII.

Let there be two small cylinders Modioli small measures/cylinders of wood or bronze, as will be most convenient, hollowed inside and worked most excellently on a lathe, so that the two pistons emboli plungers or cylinders, made for this purpose with excellence, might enter them most precisely,

worked equally in every part, which are K. L. And make it so that their outer surface most effectively touches the inner surface of the cylinders. Let the cylinders be A. B. C. D., and the pistons, or cylinders, as I have said, the K. L. Afterward, let the two cylinders be bored one opposite the other, and in these holes let the pipe X.O. be fixed, which has the clack-valves assarij valves/flaps or opposite plates P.R., as was said above in Theor. X, which open on the exterior part of the cylinders, and have in their base the round holes S.T. with the valves stopped meaning: the valves act as stoppers so that they open into the cylinders. These will be in the shape of two Ω Greek letter Omega, which should be fixed well like fibers, so that the little valves assiculi small pegs or pins on the outside

A detailed mechanical diagram of a hand-operated fire pump (Theorem XXVII). Two vertical cylinders (modioli) labeled A B and C D contain pistons (emboli) labeled K and L. These pistons are connected by rods (M) to a horizontal lever (regolo AA) balanced on a central pivot (bilico 3). A complex system of pipes (labeled 6, 8, 9, 5, 4) connects the cylinders to a swiveling delivery nozzle at the top (3). Intake valves (assarij) are shown at the bottom (S, T). The labels include AA, K, L, M, E, G, H, Y, X, O, P, R, B, 3, 6, 8, 9, S, T, and Z.

cannot exit nor be extracted in any way. But the pistons or cylinders that enter through the small cylinders should have the rulers or wooden rods Z, which are attached with buckles to another lever regolo ruler/lever of ash-wood A. A. AA. with a pin, as is seen from 7, and this is placed on a pivot like 3, but it can move easily in raising and lowering it. Afterward, let the pipe X.O. be bored in the middle at 4, and let another pipe be inserted into it, perforated with it at 5, and to this, let another pipe be soldered, inside of which the other pipe 6 is placed and accommodated, as the figure demonstrates. It is the same as that which was said in the IX Theorem of the concave sphere, that the water pours upward. Afterward, let one end of the lever AA. AA. be raised interchangeably, now one and now the other, so that the levers will raise the cylinders through the small cylinders, which instead of breath a reference to the "pneuma" or air will pull the water, and in depressing them, will force it to enter the pipes. And with the help of the valves, it will no longer be able to return backward, but being driven by the violent force of the cylinders or pistons, it will exit through the hole BB. And the expression ejection will be done here and there, where the need requires, if the upper part is accommodated, as was described above in Theorem IX.