High-quality black-and-white photographs of large old machines and tools

[Frank S]

to minimize my usual spewing syllogistical thesis so I will stop here.
Ha ha I'll have to remember that one judging from the length of most of my posts

[Jon]

Steam hammer used for forging steel at the Midvale Steel Company, c. 1905.

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[Jon]

Installation of the Gargamelle chamber body. Placement of the chamber in the oblong shaped magnet coils. January 1970.

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[Jon]

George A. Van Biesbroeck (1880-1974), astronomer at Yerkes Observatory observing Mars when it approached close to the earth in 1926, and using the 40 inch refracting telescope, the largest of its kind in the world.

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[Toolmaker51]

With some spare time; I'll make up funny labels for all those handwheels. I count 7...Sure, they're for mirror alignment, but that's boring.

[suther51]

Real special label for the one with the wad of string (?) In the middle ;-)

Tactile identifier?

Eric

[mklotz]

With some spare time; I'll make up funny labels for all those handwheels. I count 7...Sure, they're for mirror alignment, but that's boring.

It's a refractor so mirror alignment isn't much of a problem. (The components that always work flawlessly are the ones that aren't there.) Regardless, I'm very impressed by the ability to precision grind a 40 inch lens back in those days.

You've got me wondering what is being controlled with all those ship wheels. I suspect most of them are controlling mechanical rather than optical properties of the instrument.

More on the Yerkes Observatory here...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerkes_Observatory

[Jon]

Avery 40-80 tractor. 1917.

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[Jon]

Fageol heavy-duty tractor and trailers. 1918.

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[Toolmaker51]

Seems trailer chassis have a LOT of plumbing, quite similar to the tractor.
Looks like the boxes are capable of side dump? Latches at the bottom, hinges atop.
And I'd want to be the fly on wall, for sales pitch on [non-existant] forward and starboard visibility. "Well sir, good point; but top speed is only 8mph, left hand turns are easy, and texting hasn't been invented yet."