Philo of Byzantium (or Greek: Φίλων ὁ Βυζάντιος) was also known as Philo Mechanicus or Philon, and he was probably a Greek engineer, inventor and a writer from late 3rd century BC. Pertaining to the latter part, Philo compiled his large treatise known as Mechanike syntaxis (or Compendium of Mechanics) that can be majorly divided into nine book sections. Of these sections, book numbers 4 (on catapults), 5 (on pneumatics), 7 (on building fortresses) and 8 (on besieging and defending towns) have survived, while the others though lost, were thoroughly cross-referenced by the ancient author himself. Suffice it to say, the fascinating treatise offers glimpses into various types of contraptions, including what might be the world’s first water mill; a repeating crossbow mechanism; and even an eight-sided ink pot with its intrinsic supply mechanism. However the one that really stands out, relates to what is often touted as history’s first robot – the automatic servant of Philo.
Described in book number 5 – Pneumatica, the automaton in question entails a human-like robot in the form of a maid. To that end, ‘she’ held a wine jug in her right hand. And when any visitor put a cup on her left hand palm, the robot would automatically pour the wine in an initial stage – and then backed it up by pouring water for the proper composition of the drink. This is how the mechanism had been described by experts who had conducted the “Ancient Greek Technology” exhibition at the Evagoras & Kathleen Lanitis Center (in Cyprus)
Description of the operation
Inside the maid,there are two airtight containers (with wine and water, respectively). At their bottom there are two tubes leading their content through her right hand to the lip of the jug of wine. Two air pipes start at the top of the containers, go through their bottom and lead curved into her stomach. Her left arm is linked, through the articulation, to her shoulders, while a winding rod (spring) that is positioned in extension of the restraining rod raises it. Two pipes start at the same point (joint) and come down (going through and freeing the curved perforated ends of the air pipes). The pipes of the joint have two holes or tears at their ends, with the hole in contact with the container of wine preceding that which is connected with the water container.
When the cup is placed into the maid’s palm, her hand comes down and the tubes of the joint are lifted. The hole in one pipe is aligned with the air pipe of the wine container, air enters the container and wine flows from the tube into the cup. When the cup of wine is half- full, the hand (due to weight) descends further, the passage of the air pipe of wine obstructs and the flow stops. At the same time the other tube is aligned with the air pipe of the water container and it begins to flow thus diluting the wine. When the cup is full, the hand (due to weight) descends further, the passage of the air pipe with water obstructs and the flow stops. Also, if the cup is removed at any moment, the left hand rises, the tubes of the joint descend, cutting off the air pipes, creating vacuum in the containers and stopping the liquid flow. The maid then fills the cup with wine or diluted with water of desired quantity depending on the time it is pulled from her palm.
No comments:
Write σχόλια