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Leonardo da Vinci (April 15, 1452 – May 2, 1519) was an Italian Renaissance architect, musician, anatomist, inventor, engineer, sculptor, geometer, and painter. He has been described as the archetype of the "Renaissance man" and as a universal genius, a man both infinitely curious and infinitely inventive.He's also said to be one of the greatest painters that ever lived.
There is a saying that if you put each of your feet in two boats, you will drown. But Leonardo Da Vinci proved it wrong. In his lifetime, Da Vinci was an engineer, artist, anatomist, physiologist and a lot more.
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| Leonardo is famous for his masterly paintings, such as The Last Supper, Mona Lisa and the Vitruvian man. He designed many inventions that anticipated modern technology like the helicopter, tank, solar power, calculator etc, although few of these designs were constructed in his lifetime. In addition, he advanced the study of anatomy, astronomy, and civil engineering. Of his works, only a few paintings survive, together with his notebooks (scattered among various collections) containing drawings, scientific diagrams and notes. The Columbia Encyclopedia (1963) states, "The richness and originality of intellect in his notebooks reveal one of the great minds of all time." |
| The anatomy of machines
This part of the exhibition intends to demonstrate that one of the most innovative aspects of Leonardo's technical contribution was his analysis of the components (the 'organs') of machines. He was the first to regard machines not as an indivisible whole, but as an assemblage of distinct elementary devices. |
Helical gear
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Working model after Leonardo da Vinci This model displays Leonardo's efforts in analysing and classifying the various combinations of screws, reels and wheels with teeth or pawls for transmitting movement. Leonardo recommends this system for its safety.
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Crankshaft
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Working model after Leonardo da Vinci. This study documents Leonardo's effort to classify the different mechanisms necessary for the transmission of movement. These mechanisms included the crankshaft (or draw-rod) mechanism, which turns continuous rotary motion into reciprocal linear motion.
Please click on the picture for a movie of the working model. 4.14MB
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Ball bearing
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Working model after Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo exerted himself to find ingenious techniques of reducing friction. Here, eight concave-sided spindles rotating on their own axes prevent lateral movements by the balls, which, however, can rotate freely. The sphere-and-spindle system reduces friction, allowing the top platform to turn easily even when carrying a heavy load.
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Working model after Leonardo da Vinci. In his studies on mechanical flight, Leonardo sought to find optimal combinations of a multitude of elementary mechanical devices. This is evident from this spectacular 1:1 scaled model. The wings are driven by the back pedals. The effect of this thrust is amplified by the hand-operated crank. |
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