DISTRIBUTION n.
The steps or operations by which steam is supplied to and withdrawn from the cylinder at each stroke of the piston; viz., admission, suppression or cutting off, release or exhaust, and compression of exhaust steam prior to the next admission. Geographical distribution, the natural arrangements of animals and plants in…
DONKEY n.
ing water into the boilers, raising heavy weights, and like purposes. -- Donkey pump, a steam pump for feeding boilers, extinguishing fire, etc.; -- usually an auxiliary. -- Donkey's eye (Bot.), the large round seed of the Mucuna pruriens, a tropical leguminous plant.
DRY a.
ed also Zamboni's , from the names of the two earliest constructors of it. -- Dry pipe (Steam Engine), a pipe which conducts dry steam from a boiler. -- Dry plate (Photog.), a glass plate having a dry coating sensitive to light, upon which photographic negatives or pictures can be made, without moistening. -- Dry-pl…
DUPLEX a.
utting tools, on opposite sides of the piece operated upon. -- Duplex pumping engine, a steam pump in which two steam cylinders are placed side by side, one operating the valves of the other. -- Duplex querela Etym: [L., double complaint] (Eccl. Law), a complaint in the nature of an appeal from the ordinary to his im…
DUTY n.
The efficiency of an engine, especially a steam pumping engine, as measured by work done by a certain quantity of fuel; usually, the number of pounds of water lifted one foot by one bushel of coal (94 lbs. old standard), or by 1 cwt. (112 lbs., England, or 100 lbs., United States).
ELASTIC a.
property of expanding in all directions on the removal of external pressure, as the air, steam, and other gases and vapors. -- Elastic limit (Mech.), the limit of distortion, by bending, stretching, etc., that a body can undergo and yet return to its original form when relieved from stress; also, the unit force or str…