The electrical engineering student should find it possible to make tests in all lines of his profession, approximating, as nearly as pos sible, actual working conditions in the commer cial world. In order to give the greatest useful ness to the laboratory, the equipment should be kept abreast with the advances in the best engi neering practice.
Engineering Laboratory.— Erigiptertag' laboratories have been developed within the past 40 years along all lines of engineering and technical education. The divisions are many, but only a few of them will be considered here.
'The electrical engineering laboratory has' been discussed above under the head of Electrical Laboratory. Under the division of Mechanical may be placed railroad engineering, marine engineering and the like. Among the subdivisions under Civil Engineering are mining engineering, hydraulic engineering, sanitary en gineering and bridge engineering, for all of which laboraories have been developed.
The laboratory should be a solid structure with massive foundations for the heavy ma chines used. Boiler-rooms, engine-rooms, mate rial testing-rooms and general experimental rooms on Mechanical devices, are the requisites. The boilers tested comprise fire-tube, water tube and shell boilers. Tests are made of fuels, as to their steaming qualities, the ash and flue gases, by means of calorimeters, gas meters, thermometers, thermo-elements and balances. Engine tests may be made on many steam motors comprising steam turbines, simple slide valve, Corliss and compound engines of high and low pressure types. For these tests are needed steam gauges, thermometers, indicators communicating directly with the inside of the cylinders, together with °reducing motions" for 'obtaining automatic records of the steam pres sure within the cylinders during a complete stroke, from which data may be obtained by means of which to compute the energy put into the engine; and dynamometers to measure the output in useful work.
Another department is devoted to internal combustion motors. Under this class are in cluded hot air engines, oil and gas engines, which require dynamometers, gas meters and other measurers of the fuel supplied, and means for testing the products of combustion. In the mechanical laboratory, water motors, fans, blowers, air compressors, compressed air machines and tools, different methods of power transmission, as by shafting, gearing, belts, ropes and chains and the like, are studied.
Measurements of the coefficients of friction of different substances are found, and the effects of lubrication by different substances are in vestigated. Lubricants are tested under various conditions, such as at various temperatures, pressures and in the presence of different va pors or gases. The testing of materials is com mon to mechanical and civil engineering labo ratories. It will be outlined under the latter head.
In the civil engineering laboratories, calcu lating and measuring instruments are tested and calibrated. Among these instruments are tran sits and levels, and all instruments having graduated circles, cross-hairs and spirit levels; steel tapes; chains and bars for measuring lengths; chronometers for measuring time; barometers and thermometers. Here also is studied the magnetometer; and by means of it the strength of the horizontal component of the earth's magnetic field. The variation and dip of the earth field are also investigated. The of gravity' is determined.
In the hydraulic division of these labora tories are studied the flow of water in pipes, friction," the flow of water through dif ferent orifices under different conditions, the flow of water over weirs and its measurement. This Is very important in irrigation.
The laboratory devoted to the testing of materials is a very important one in all engi veering work. All kinds of materials used in engineering work are tested. The apparatus re quired comprises machines for testing the resist ance to compression, of tensile strength, of tor sion and flexure of materials. Cements are tested for their resistance to tension and com pression and for the length of time required for them to set. For the last test named, automatic apparatus has been devised which registers time and amount of °set." Forms in which to mold the briquettes, and water tanks in which to immerse them for setting, are among the required equipment. Tests on con cretes are made in a similar manner. Abra sicin machines are used to make tests on paving material and other material subject to wear.