University of Virginia Library

MECHANICAL LABORATORY.

Strength of Materials.—The Sinclair Laboratory for work in testing
structural materials was founded on the original donation of Mrs. John
Sinclair, of New York City, as a memorial to her late husband. The
collection has since been considerably enlarged. It contains a Riehle
100,000-lb. machine, arranged for tensile, compressive, and transverse tests,
with an attachment for taking autographic diagrams; an Olsen 100,000-lb.
machine; an Olsen torsion machine of 50,000-inch-pounds capacity; a
Ewing machine for finding the modulus of elasticity; hand machines for
testing rods and wires under pull, and small specimens of timber and cast
iron under transverse loads. It is also equipped with accessory measuring
instruments; these include a Riehle extensometer, an Olsen compressometer,
and a Ewing optical extensometer of great delicacy.

Hydraulics.—The laboratory equipment for work in hydraulics comprises
a steel tank for weir experiments with interchangeable bronze
notches; a hook gauge for measurement of surface levels; a stand-pipe
provided with a set of standard bronze orifices for experiments on efflux;
commercial pipe and elbows arranged for determining friction losses; and
the necessary scales, tanks, manometers, etc. It also includes a pum

which is piped to circulate water from a cement cistern to a tank in the
attic of the building.

Cement Testing.—The laboratory is also completed equipped for making
the standard cement tests. It contains a Fairbank's tensile tester of
1,000 lbs. capacity; an Olsen steaming oven for accelerated tests; an Olsen
drying oven with automatic temperature regulation; moist air closets; and
all the required small apparatus.

Fuel and Oil Testing.—For the determination of the heating value
of coal, petroleum, etc., the laboratory has an Emerson bomb calorimeter.
For gas calorimetry, a Junker calorimeter made by the American Meter
Co. is used. For investigating the coefficient of friction of lubricants,
the laboratory has an Olsen-Cornell Oil Tester, and is further equipped
with such small apparatus as flash and chill point testers, hydrometers,
viscosimeters, etc., used in the determination of the physical properties
of oils.

Steam Testing.—The laboratory equipment is designed to illustrate
the theory involved in Mechanical Engineering, to give practical instruction
in the handling of machinery, and to teach the fundamental methods
of experimental work. It contains a Ball high-speed engine; a De Laval
turbine with condensing and non-condensing nozzles, which is directly
connected to a 25 kw. alternating current generator; an Otto gasoline
engine with a special piston for alcohol; a Wheeler surface condenser to
which the exhaust from any of the steam units may be connected; a steam
pump; steam traps, etc. For boiler tests, the boilers of the University
Heating and Lighting Plant are used.

The instrument room contains all necessary apparatus for carrying
out complete tests. Among this may be mentioned indicators, thermometers,
gauges, planimeters, with standards for their correction and calibration;
an Orsat apparatus; separating and throttling calorimeters, etc.