Internal Combustion Engine, The

Synopsis

The internal combustion engine was a key source of power in late 19th-century Britain - long before its role in transport. Gas engines, oil engines, petrol engines - all played their part in running the machinery of Britain’s workshops, farms and shops. Traces the development of the internal combustion engine from the ‘atmospheric’ engine of the 1860s to the four-cylinder/four-stroke automobile engine at the turn of the century - the forerunners of today’s car engines. The key technological advance, Otto’s four-stroke cycle, is explained by means of animation, but early examples of engines are shown, still in working order, such as Otto’s first four-stroke engine and Otto’s and Langen’s atmospheric engine.

Series

Technology and Change, C1750-1914, Course A281

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 25 min.

Year of production

1984

Availability

OUT OF DISTRIBUTION

Uses

Postgraduate courses in museum studies; history of technology courses; general courses on engineering/technology and society*

Production Company

Name

BBC Open University Productions

Distributor

Name

Open University Worldwide

Web

http://www.ouw.co.uk External site opens in new window

Phone

+44 (0) 1908 274066

Address

Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA

Notes

NB. As of May 2016 Open University Worldwide are no longer distributing DVDs. They have posted this message on their website: ‘Unfortunately Open University Worldwide Limited has decided that product sales are no longer viable given the reduced funding to Higher Education institutions and diminishing demand for the products we have traditionally stocked. At present the Open University Students Association (OUSA) will continue to sell the "Good Study Guide", and we are in discussion with other possible distributors to continue to make The Open University’s products available for purchase. As soon as we have any information on other channels of distribution we will update this notice’. Some products are still available via second hand dealers on Amazon.co.uk