Ingenious Mechanisms: (Four Volume Set) (Volume 1) (Ingenious Mechanisms for Designers & Inventors): Franklin D. Jones: 9780831110840: Amazon.com: Books

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• 5.0 out of 5 stars I value this set sufficiently to put it in my will.

  Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2013

  The four book set is great. They really were indeed in the advertised "excellent condition" when they arrived. The first volume was written in 1930, the second in 1936, the third in 1951, and the fourth in 1967. My particular set was printed in the second printing in 1969. Each volume starts with cams. Some of the cam mechanisms are incredibly difficult to visualize, but with some study the words eventually clarify the illustrations. The writing in very concise. There are no "frivolous" words in the descriptions. I was particularly interested some mechanisms, one which I found, a Geneva Mechanism, and two that I have not yet found but might be in there, a variable stroke mechanism similar to that used on a shaper, and a fly-ball governor. Each volume has a table of contents and also an index. I have looked both places and have not found the two mechanisms mentioned above. Different wording in the index might reveal what I want or, by just looking through the volumes I might still stumble upon that which I seek. Every time I open them up, whether I find what I am looking for or not, I find something of interest and value. My grandson and I have made some of these mechanisms out of wood, which was great fun and very instructional. He actually earned a Boy Scout merit badge with one of the wooden models. We haven't made anything that is overly complicated so far, but each item gets more involved. This is a great set that I value enough to place in my will for my grandson.
  

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• 4.0 out of 5 stars It's just OK

  Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2009

  This is a nicely bound set of books. I'm not sure it's really that usefull. Information is not presented in an way that you can directly use it, but it does cover lots of ideas, has pictures, and could lead you to something you could then further research and use. The text appears to have been taken directly from the patent office documents, so it's a dry read filled with legalese with everything over explained in such a way as to decrease clarity not to mention any practical applications.

  As far as the Ingenious part goes...well, not so much. There are some clever items however. In all, I'd say it was a little over-sold and not as good as I was expecting. That being said, however, I am not inclined to return it. It may actually be of some use to me one day, and if not it is fairly entertaining to browse.

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• 5.0 out of 5 stars Essential

  Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2013

  I have been looking for this since I was a cadet mechanical engineer - now that I have my own product development company, it is an essential stimulator of new ideas [particularly for the younger folk] and a reminder of some of the principals that become lost in the mists of time. There are other, simpler, references in the category that we use often, but this is the essential "encyclopaedia" for Industrial Designers and Engineers.
  

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• 4.0 out of 5 stars Remarkable Document

  Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2013

  Great resource, although it should be noted that the 4 volumes are 4 susequent editions: there are differences, but they are not immediately obvious.
  

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