Codex Atlanticus - Civil Machinery

This machine was explicitly designed by Leonardo to automate the excavation of a canal, reducing time and effort. In fact, it is substantially constituted by an enormous two-armed crane, operated by a single cord, moved in turn by the principle of weight and counterweight.

The entire machine is mounted on what appears to be a system of tracks, allowing it to be shifted forward gradually as the excavation of the canal proceeds.

This is one of the most beautiful folios of the entire Codex Atlanticus, made particularly fascinating by the variety of drawings, the refined of execution, the graphic precision, and not least, for the "disorder" with which Leonardo realized them.

The sheet shows various methods for lifting and transporting water.

Dominating the center is a complicated machine consisting of a mill wheel driven by the motor force of a stream.

In the upper right, we see another hydraulic wheel that scoops up water from a well, emptying it into a fountain, seen spouting forth its water.

In this folio as well, many devices are crowded together, in a somewhat disorderly manner, but as usual, to a great visual effect.
Highly accurate in their graphic realization, they all connect to the problem of raising water.

The most interesting is the one on the upper right quadrant: a mill wheel turned by the current of a river drives the movement of a water screw that scoops up water and transports it to the top of a tower.

Here, once again, we find ourselves before one of the most beautiful drawings in the Codex Atlanticus, where graphical accuracy is matched with the refined use of watercolour.

The drawings show two projects regarding a pump-powered fountain: below, the hydraulic devices itself;

above, the architectural elaboration of the fountain.

This folio bears two drawings of unrelated themes. The most imposing of the two is the drawing of a large hydraulic machine, devised for raising water: it is a sort of siphon into which a bellows pumps air; the air then pushes the water contained in the siphon upward in tube.

But even more curious is the second drawing: a man appears seated before a particular optical instrument, observing an armillary sphere through a hole in the first of two frames; at the same time, using his right hand, he traces the drawing on a second frame, situated between the first frame and the sphere. According to experts, this would be a perspectograph, an instrument allowing one to draw the three-dimensional objects upon a plane surface.

This is one of the most famous folios of the Codex Atlanticus, since the drawing it shows is often defined as Leonardo's automobile.

Indeed, it is the drawing for a self-moving carriage, which would appear to anticipate modern devices for automated locomotion.

Substantially, the problem was finding the manner of substituting the traditional animal traction with more efficient mechanical devices: in this case, the combination of spring-motors and gears seemed to be a possible solution.

This is one of the most beautiful technological projects of the Codex Atlanticus. Also, its combination of black and red pencils makes the entire drawing particularly enjoyable. This is a complex machine that, by means of a system of weights, counterweights, and gears mounted inside a framing, moves a vertical stamping tip that beat upon a slab of metal. This in turn, again by means of gears and counterweights, is moved forward and backward.  

The device has been interpreted in various manners: some have seen it as a simple gold-beating machine; others, as a stamping press for the production of gold coins or of plaquettes made of precious metals to be used as decorative elements.

In this case the problem was that of rendering the work of carding fabrics more efficient, rapid, and productive: the process consisted in brushing the fabric using special instruments produced from the thorny blossoms of the dry thistle. This caused the fibers of the fabric to rise, making the cloth soft and velvety.

With the project of this teasling machine, Leonardo intended to make the processing faster and increase production, since the machine allowed the simultaneous teaseling of five pieces of cloth mounted on two rollers, which were activated by the gear mechanisms shown to the lower left. Additionally, the process of brushing the fabric would be automated and no longer manual, because the fabric was carded at the lower part of the machine, where the thorny brushes were arranged, as explained in the handwritten caption.