How Our Exhibits Work: Methodology & Disclosures
Every exhibition in CUTAWAY ATLAS is developed from primary engineering patents, manufacturing literature, and physical teardowns. This page explains our research standards and the necessary limits of 2D interactive visualizations.
1. Primary Source Verification
We anchor each exhibit in a documented invention or manufacturing specification rather than generic diagrams. For example:
- Exhibit 01 (Click Pen): Modeled precisely after Nolan Kent Rhoades' US Patent 3,205,863 A assigned to The Parker Pen Company, featuring separate guide ribs and a rotating sawtooth indexing cam.
- Exhibit 02 (Zipper): Based on Gideon Sundbäck's US Patent 1,219,881 A (Hookless Fastener Company), showing symmetrical cup-and-cone interlocking teeth.
- Exhibit 03 (Escapement): Models the standard modern Swiss lever horological escapement documented by Horopedia, with club-tooth escape wheel and synthetic corundum pallet jewels.
- Exhibit 04 (Loudspeaker): Reflects dynamic moving-coil design originating with Chester Rice and Edward Kellogg (US Patent 1,707,570), modeling Lorentz electrodynamic force in an annular magnetic gap.
- Exhibit 05 (Toilet): References J. J. Smith's US Patent 2,784,416 for buoyant flappers and Kohler hydraulic documentation of siphonic trapways.
- Exhibit 06 (Elevator): Built around 1:1 geared overhead traction principles and safety gear documentation codified in ASME A17.1 and Otis technical literature.
2. Educational Approximations & Modeling Limits
A browser simulation is an educational visual model, not an engineering simulation package or finite-element analysis (FEA). Specifically:
- Dimensional scaling: Clear legibility on smartphone screens requires selective exaggeration of clearances, detent angles, and spring pitches.
- Fluid dynamics: Toilet siphonage and acoustic soundwaves are rendered as two-dimensional laminar vectors rather than turbulent computational fluid dynamic (CFD) meshes.
- Kinematic timing: Watch balance oscillations and elevator travel speeds can be toggled into slow motion or step-by-step modes to allow human inspection of microsecond mechanical events.
3. Not Certified Engineering Advice
The diagrams, calculations, and explanations on CUTAWAY ATLAS are published strictly for educational and curatorial purposes. They must not be used for construction, repair, commercial manufacturing, or safety compliance. Always refer to applicable professional engineering codes and certified manufacturer service manuals.