Dynamic Analysis of an Ancient Tilt-Hammer

Abstract

In the first centuries of the second Millennium A. D., a sort of industrial revolution took place in Western Europe and many new machines were introduced. After this phase, there was stagnation in new machine appearance for a long time. Progresses in technology, however, did not cease but continued till the 18th century, when the Industrial Revolution exploded and the great growth in technology took place. Before this last event, the evolution of technology consisted more of updating of existing solutions than of introducing basic innovations. Nonetheless, from the early Middle Ages onwards engineers were able to advance many machines to a notable level of complexity and technological sophistication, showing considerable skill and power of observation. As an example, this paper describes a tilt hammer. The evolution of this machine is briefly depicted, and a particular hammer is then looked at, which presents non straightforward dynamical problems. A simple elastodynamic analysis is carried out and the operation of the machine is thoroughly explained.