Broken lever versus continuous lever; the force of falling water

Broken lever compared with the continuous lever

The lever e b above is the continuous lever, the levers d K below the broken one, which represents the effect of the three wheels. In the whole lever two pounds balance 15 hung at the end of the counter-lever; in the broken lever the same 2 pounds balance 1000. The broken lever is therefore 66 and 10/15 times more powerful, and by the same measure slower.

Train of three wheels

A geared train of three wheels is drawn at the upper right and tabulated with the figures 30, 4; 10, 1; 10, 2 against 1000 pounds. A wheel, Leonardo notes elsewhere on the sheet, is in matters of force simply a lever suited to continuous operation.

Balance beam with counterpoise

A balance beam at the top is divided and lettered, set with 30 of lever against 4 of counter-lever and small counts (a-b, a-2, 15), the arrangement carried through the lever comparison.

Weighing the percussion of falling water

Water c b falls onto pan b of a balance; weigh first the weight plus blow, then the water alone between n c, and the surplus reveals the force of the blow. A further weighing of the thrust of the column m o distinguishes percussion on water from percussion on a hard, resistant body.

Computing the mechanical advantage

Columns of figures work the ratio out numerically, setting 1000 against 15 to reach the quotient 66 with the fractional remainder 10/15, the factor by which power is gained and speed lost.

Asta di bilancia con:

Sistema di tre ruote con:

Leva ' rotta ' con:

Operazioni aritmetiche:

Figure di leva ' rotta' e sistema di ruote:

A sanguigna. Due figure di bilancia:

Figura di bilancia: caduta d'acqua su un piatto della bilancia, colle lettere:

Balance beam, lettered:

System of three wheels, lettered:

Broken lever, lettered:

Arithmetical calculations:

Figures of a broken lever and a wheel system:

In red chalk. Two balance figures:

Balance figure: water falling on a scale pan, lettered: