| One of the most important inventions of the mid- to late 1800s, the internal-combustion engine generated mechanical energy by burning fuel in a combustion chamber. The introduction of the new engine led almost immediately to the development of the automobile, which had been largely unfeasible with the unwieldy steam engine. Shown here is a 1925 Morris engine, the basic unit for a family car. It features four in-line cylinders with aluminum pistons. The valves are opened by push rods operated by a camshaft and closed by springs. Power is transmitted by means of the crankshaft to the gearbox. |
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