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The pneumatics of Hero of Alexandria

Chapter 27: 22. A Vessel from which a variety of Liquids may be made to flow through one Pipe.
By of Alexandria Hero
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About This Book

A systematic practical handbook of machines and demonstrations that uses air, steam, heat, and water to produce mechanical effects. The text gives clear descriptions, construction details, and diagrams for siphons, valves, pumps, fountains, jets, self‑acting mechanisms, and ritual or theatrical contrivances driven by pressure and temperature changes. Explanations focus on the mechanical principles behind pneumatic and hydraulic behaviors and on ways to control flow and timing, with numbered propositions that pair instructional steps with illustrative figures for building and operating each apparatus.

22. A Vessel from which a variety of Liquids may be made to flow through one Pipe.

Several kinds of liquid having been poured into a vessel through one mouth, it is required that through the same pipe they shall flow out separately at pleasure. Let A B (fig. 22) be a vessel closed at the neck by the partition C D; and let there be in it several vertical partitions, extending to the partition C D and making as many chambers as we wish to pour in liquids. Suppose, for the present, that these are two in number, and let the partition be E F. In the partition C D pierce fine holes, as in a sieve, opening into each chamber, and air holes, G, H, close to the partition, also opening into the chambers: again, at the bottom let there be small tubes, K, L, communicating with the chambers and opening into the common pipe M. If, having first closed the vents G, H, and the pipe M, we pour one of the liquids through the mouth of the vessel, it will enter into neither chamber, as the air has no means of escape: but if one of the vents be opened, the liquid will pass into that chamber to which the vent belongs; and if, after closing this vent again, we pour in the other liquid and set free the other vent, the liquid will pass into the other chamber. Now let all the vents and the sieve-like holes be closed, and, on opening the pipe M, no discharge can take place until one of the vents be opened; when, the air having found an entrance, the liquid contained in that chamber will flow out. If this vent be closed and the other opened, the same result will follow.