monkey engine

A form of pile-driver, having a monkey or ram weighing about 400 pounds, moving in a wooden frame. The monkey is held by a staple in a pair of tongs, and is drawn up 10 or 15 feet, or higher, if nece ary, by means of a winch. At the top of the lift the handles of the tongs come into contact with two inclined planes, which cause the tongs to open and drop the monkey. The tongs, being then lowered, become self-engaged with the staple, and so the work proceeds. The pile-heads are hardened by fire to withstand concu ion. [PILE-DRIVER.] monkey-flower, s. Bot.: The genus Mimulus (q. v.). The Gaping Monkey-flower is Mimulus ringens; the Orange Monkey-flower or Orange-flower is pine, pit, sire, sir, marine; gō, pot, IMG:content-1356.png:[blocks in formation] Naut .: A supplementary rail, above and lighter than the quarter-rail.