industrial biography-第2章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Pumping…engines wanted for his colliery
Is introduced to James Watt
Progress of Watt in inventing the steam…engine
Interviews with Dr。 Roebuck
Roebuck becomes a partner in the steam…engine patent
Is involved in difficulties； and eventually ruined
Advance of the Scotch iron trade
Discovery of the Black Band by David Mushet
Early career of Mushet
His laborious experiments
His inventions and discoveries in iron and steel； and death
CHAPTER IX。
INVENTION OF THE HOT BLASTJAMES BEAUMONT NEILSON。
Difficulty of smelting the Black Band by ordinary process until the
invention of the hot blast
Early career of James Beaumont Neilson
Education and apprenticeship
Works as an engine…fireman
As colliery engine…wright
Appointed foreman of the Glasgow Gas…works； afterwards manager and engineer
His self…education
His Workmen's Institute
His experiments in iron…smelting
Trials with heated air in the blast…furnace
Incredulity of ironmasters
Success of his experiments； and patenting of his process
His patent right disputed； and established
Extensive application of the hot blast
Increase of the Scotch iron trade
Extraordinary increase in the value of estates yielding Black Band
Scotch iron aristocracy
CHAPTER X。
MECHANICAL INVENTIONS AND INVENTORS。
Tools and civilization
The beginnings of tools
Dexterity of hand chiefly relied on
Opposition to manufacturing machines
Gradual process of invention
The human race the true inventor
Obscure origin of many inventions
Inventions born before their time
〃Nothing new under the sun〃
The power of steam known to the ancients
Passage from Roger Bacon
Old inventions revived
Printing
Atmospheric locomotion
The balloon
The reaping machine
Tunnels
Gunpowder
Ancient firearms
The steam gun
The Congreve rocket
Coal…gas
Hydropathy
Anaesthetic agents
The Daguerreotype anticipated
The electric telegraph not new
Forgotten inventors
Disputed inventions
Simultaneous inventions
Inventions made step by step
James Watt's difficulties with his workmen
Improvements in modern machine…tools
Their perfection
The engines of 〃The Warrior〃
CHAPTER XI。
JOSEPH BRAMAH。
The inventive faculty
Joseph Bramah's early life
His amateur work
Apprenticed to a carpenter
Starts as cabinet…maker in London
Takes out a patent for his water…closet
Makes pumps and ironwork
Invention of his lock
Invents tools required in lock…making
Invents his hydrostatic machine
His hydraulic press
The leathern collar invented by Henry Maudslay
Bramah's other inventions
His fire…engine
His beer…pump
Improvements in the steam…engine
His improvements in machine…tools
His number…printing machine
His pen…cutter
His hydraulic machinery
Practises as civil engineer
Altercation with William Huntington； 〃S。S。〃
Bramah's character and death
CHAPTER XII。
HENRY MAUDSLAY。
The Maudslays
Henry Maudslay
Employed as powder…boy in Woolwich Arsenal
Advanced to the blacksmiths' shop
His early dexterity in smith…work
His 〃trivet〃 making
Employed by Bramah
Proves himself a first…class workman
Advanced to be foreman of the works
His inventions of tools required for lock…making
His invention of the leathern collar in the hydraulic press
Leaves Bramah's service and begins business for himself
His first smithy in Wells Street
His first job
Invention of the slide…lathe
Resume of the history of the turning…lathe
Imperfection of tools about the middle of last century
The hand…lathe
Great advantages of the slide rest
First extensively used in constructing Brunel's Block Machinery
Memoir of Brunel
Manufacture of ships' blocks
Sir S。 Bentham's specifications
Introduction of Brunel to Maudslay
The block…machinery made； and its success
Increased operations of the firm
Improvements in the steam…engine
Invention of the punching…machine
Further improvements in the slide…lathe
Screw…cutting machine
Maudslay a dexterous and thoughtful workman
His character described by his pupil； James Nasmyth
Anecdotes and traits
Maudslay's works a first…class school for workmen
His mode of estimating character
His death
CHAPTER XIII。
JOSEPH CLEMENT。
Skill in contrivance a matter of education
Birth and parentage of Joseph Clement
Apprenticed to the trade of a slater
His skill in amateur work
Makes a turning…lathe
Gives up slating； and becomes a mechanic
Employed at Kirby Stephen in making power…looms
Removes to Carlisle
Glasgow
Peter Nicholson teaches him drawing
Removes to Aberdeen
Works as a mechanic and attends College
London
Employed by Alexander Galloway
Employed by Bramah
Advanced to be foreman
Draughtsman at Maudslay and Field's
Begins business on his own account
His skill as a mechanical draughtsman
Invents his drawing instrument
His drawing…table
His improvements in the self…acting lathe
His double…driving centre…chuck and two…armed driver
His fluted taps and dies
Invention of his Planing Machine
Employed to make Babbage's Calculating Machine
Resume of the history of apparatus for making calculations
Babbage's engine proceeded with
Its great cost
Interruption of the work
Clement's steam…whistles
Makes an organ
Character and death
CHAPTER XIV。
FOX OF DERBYMURRAY OF LEEDSROBERTS AND WHITWORTH OF MANCHESTER。
The first Fox of Derby originally a butler
His genius for mechanics
Begins business as a machinist
Invents a Planing Machine
Matthew Murray's Planing Machine
Murray's early career
Employed as a blacksmith by Marshall of Leeds
His improvements of flax…machinery
Improvements in steam…engines
Makes the first working locomotive for Mr。 Blenkinsop
Invents the Heckling Machine
His improvements in tools
Richard Roberts of Manchester
First a quarryman； next a pattern…maker
Drawn for the militia； and flies
His travels
His first employment at Manchester
Goes to London； and works at Maudslay's
Roberts's numerous inventions
Invents a planing machine
The self…acting mule
Iron billiard…tables
Improvements in the locomotive
Invents the Jacquard punching machine
Makes turret…clocks and electro…magnets
Improvement in screw…steamships
Mr。 Whitworth's improvement of the planing machine
His method of securing true surfaces
His great mechanical skill
CHAPTER XV。
JAMES NASMYTH。
Traditional origin of the Naesmyths
Alexander Nasmyth the painter； and his family
Early years of James Nasmyth
The story of his life told by himself
Becomes a pupil of Henry Maudslay
How he lived and worked in London
Begins business at Manchester
Story of the invention of the Steam Hammer
The important uses of the Hammer in modem engineering
Invents the steam pile…driving machine
Designs a new form of steam…engine
Other inventions How he 〃Scotched〃 a strike
Uses of strikes
Retirement from business
Skill as a draughtsman
Curious speculations on antiquarian subjects
Mr。 Nasmyth's wonderful discoveries in Astronomy
described by Sir John Herschel
CHAPTER XVI。
WILLIAM FAIRBAIRN。
Summary of progress in machine…tools
William Fairbairn's early years
His education
Life in the Highlands
Begins work at Kelso Bridge
An apprentice at Percy Main Colliery； North Shields
Diligent self…culture
Voyage to London
Adventures
Prevented obtaining work by the Millwrights' Union
Travels into the country； finds work； and returns to London
His first order； to make a sausage…chopping machine
Wanderschaft
Makes nail…machinery for a Dublin employer
Proceeds to Manchester； where he settles and marries
Begins business
His first job
Partnership with Mr。 Lillie
Employed by Messrs。 Adam Murray and Co。
Employed by Messrs。 MacConnel and Kennedy
Progress of the Cotton Trade
Memoir of John Kennedy
Mr。 Fairbairn introduces great improvements in the gearing； &c。
of mill machinery
Increasing business Improvements in water…wheels
Experiments as to the law of traction of boats
Begins building iron ships
Experiments on the strength of wrought iron
Britannia and Conway Tubular Bridges
Reports on iron
On boiler explosions
Iron construction
Extended use of iron
Its importance in civilization
Opinion of Mr。 Cobden
Importance of modern machine…tools
Conclusion
INDUSTRIAL BIOGRAPHY。
CHAPTER I。
IRON AND CIVILIZATION。
〃Iron is not only the soul of every other manufacture； but the main
spring perhaps of civilized society。〃FRANCIS HORNER。
〃Were the use of iron lost among us； we should in a few ages be
unavoidably reduced to the wants and ignorance of the ancient savage
Americans； so that he who first made known the use of that
contemptible mineral may be truly styled the father of Arts and the
author of Plenty。〃JOHN LOCKE。
When Captain Cook and the early navigators first sailed into the
South Seas on their voyages of discovery； one of the things that
struck them with most surprise was the avidity which the natives
displayed for iron。 〃Nothing would go down with our visitors；〃 says
Cook； 〃but metal； and iron was their beloved article。〃 A nail would
buy a good…sized pig； and on one occasion the navigator bought some
four hundred pounds weight of fish for a few wretched knives
improvised out of an old hoop。
〃For iron tools；〃 says Captain Carteret； 〃we might have purchased
everything upon the Freewill Islands that we could have brought away。
A few pieces of old iron hoop presented to one of the natives threw
him into an ecstasy little short of distraction。〃 At Otaheite the
people were found generally well…behaved and honest； but they were
not proof against the fascinations of iron。 Captain Cook says that
one of them； after resisting all other temptations； 〃was at length
ensnared by the charms of basket of nails。〃 Another lurked about for
several days； watching the opportunity to steal a coal…rake。
The navigators found they could pay their way from island to island
merely with scraps of iron； which were as useful for the purpose as
gold coins would have been in Europe。 The drain； however； being
continuous； Captain Cook became alarmed at finding his currency
almost exhausted； and he relates his joy on recovering an old anchor
which the French Captain Bougainville had lost at Bolabola； on which
he felt as an English banker would do after a severe run upon him for
gold； when suddenly placed in possession of a fresh store of bullion。
The avidity for iron displayed by these poor islanders will not be
wondered at when we consider that whoever among them was so fortunate
as to obtain possession of an old nail； immediately became a man of
greater power than his fellows； a
