industrial biography-第40章

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His　study　of　the　principles　of　hydraulics；　in　the　course　of　his

invention　of　the　press；　enabled　him　to　introduce　many　valuable

improvements　in　pumping…machinery。　　By　varying　the　form　of　the　piston

and　cylinder　he　was　enabled　to　obtain　a　rotary　motion；*

　＇footnote。。。

Dr。　Thomas　Young；　in　his　article　on　Bramah　in　the　Encyclopaedia

Britannica；　describes　the　〃rotative　principle〃　as　consisting　in

making　the　part　which　acts　immediately　on　the　water　in　the　form　of　a

slider；　〃sweeping　round　a　cylindrical　cavity；　and　kept　in　its　place

by　means　of　an　eccentric　groove；　a　contrivance　which　was　probably

Bramah's　own　invention；　but　which　had　been　before　described；　in　a

form　nearly　similar；　by　Ramelli；　Canalleri；　Amontons；　Prince　Rupert；

and　Dr。　Hooke。

　。。。＇

which　he　advantageously　applied　to　many　purposes。　　Thus　he　adopted　it

in　the　well　known　fire…engine；　the　use　of　which　has　almost　become

universal。　　Another　popular　machine　of　his　is　the　beer…pump；　patented

in　1797；　by　which　the　publican　is　enabled　to　raise　from　the　casks　in

the　cellar　beneath；　the　various　liquors　sold　by　him　over　the　counter。

He　also　took　out　several　patents　for　the　improvement　of　the

steam…engine；　in　which；　however；　Watt　left　little　room　for　other

inventors；　and　hence　Bramah　seems　to　have　entertained　a　grudge

against　Watt；　which　broke　out　fiercely　in　the　evidence　given　by　him

in　the　case　of　Boulton　and　Watt　versus　Hornblower　and　Maberly；　tried

in　December　1796。　　On　that　occasion　his　temper　seems　to　have　got　the

better　of　his　judgment；　and　he　was　cut　short　by　the　judge　in　the

attempt　which　he　then　made　to　submit　the　contents　of　the　pamphlet

subsequently　published　by　him　in　the　form　of　a　letter　to　the　judge

before　whom　the　case　was　tried。*

　＇footnote。。。

A　Letter　to　the　Right　Hon。　　Sir　James　Eyre；　Lord　Chief　Justice

of　the　Common　Pleas；　on　the　subject　of　the　cause　Boulton　and

Watt　v。　Hornblower　and　Maberly；　for　Infringement　on　Mr。　Watt's　Patent

for　an　Improvement　of　the　Steam　Engine。　　By　Joseph　Bramah；　Engineer。

London；　1797。

　。。。＇

In　that　pamphlet　he　argued　that　Watt's　specification　had　no　definite

meaning；　that　it　was　inconsistent　and　absurd；　and　could　not　possibly

be　understood；　that　the　proposal　to　work　steam…engines　on　the

principle　of　condensation　was　entirely　fallacious；　that　Watt's　method

of　packing　the　piston　was　〃monstrous　stupidity；〃　that　the　engines　of

Newcomen　（since　entirely　superseded）　were　infinitely　superior；　in　all

respects；　to　those　of　Watt；　conclusions　which；　we　need　scarcely

say；　have　been　refuted　by　the　experience　of　nearly　a　century。



On　the　expiry　of　Boulton　and　Watt's　patent；　Bramah　introduced　several

valuable　improvements　in　the　details　of　the　condensing　engine；　which

had　by　that　time　become　an　established　power；the　most　important　of

which　was　his　〃four…way　cock；〃　which　he　so　arranged　as　to　revolve

continuously　instead　of　alternately；　thus　insuring　greater　precision

with　considerably　less　wear　of　parts。　　In　the　same　patent　by　which　he

secured　this　invention　in　1801；　he　also　proposed　sundry　improvements

in　the　boilers；　as　well　as　modifications　in　various　parts　of　the

engine；　with　the　object　of　effecting　greater　simplicity　and

directness　of　action。



In　his　patent　of　1802；　we　find　Bramah　making　another　great　stride　in

mechanical　invention；　in　his　tools　〃for　producing　straight；　smooth；

and　parallel　surfaces　on　wood　and　other　materials　requiring　truth；　in

a　manner　much　more　expeditious　and　perfect　than　can　be　performed　by

the　use　of　axes；　saws；　planes；　and　other　cutting　instruments　used　by

hand　in　the　ordinary　way。〃　　The　specification　describes　the　object　of

the　invention　to　be　the　saving　of　manual　labour；　the　reduction　in　the

cost　of　production；　and　the　superior　character　of　the　work　executed。

The　tools　were　fixed　on　frames　driven　by　machinery；　some　moving　in　a

rotary　direction　round　an　upright　shaft；　some　with　the　shaft

horizontal　like　an　ordinary　wood…turning　lathe；　while　in　others　the

tools　were　fixed　on　frames　sliding　in　stationary　grooves。　　A

wood…planing　machine*

　＇footnote。。。

Sir　Samuel　Bentham　and　Marc　Isambard　Brunel　subsequently

distinguished　themselves　by　the　invention　of　wood…working　machinery；

full　accounts　of　which　will　be　found　in　the　Memoirs　of　the　former　by

Lady　Bentham；　and　in　the　Life　of　the　latter　by　Mr。　Beamish。

　。。。＇

was　constructed　on　the　principle　of　this　invention　at　Woolwich

Arsenal；　where　it　still　continues　in　efficient　use。　　The　axis　of　the

principal　shaft　was　supported　on　a　piston　in　a　vessel　of　oil；　which

considerably　diminished　the　friction；　and　it　was　so　contrived　as　to

be　accurately　regulated　by　means　of　a　small　forcing…pump。　　Although

the　machinery　described　in　the　patent　was　first　applied　to　working　on

wood；　it　was　equally　applicable　to　working　on　metals；　and　in　his　own

shops　at　Pimlico　Bramah　employed　a　machine　with　revolving　cutters　to

plane　metallic　surfaces　for　his　patent　locks　and　other　articles。　　He

also　introduced　a　method　of　turning　spherical　surfaces；　either　convex

or　concave；　by　a　tool　moveable　on　an　axis　perpendicular　to　that　of

the　lathe；　and　of　cutting　out　concentric　shells　by　fixing　in　a

similar　manner　a　curved　tool　of　nearly　the　same　form　as　that　employed

by　common　turners　for　making　bowls。　　〃In　fact；〃　says　Mr。　Mallet；

〃Bramah　not　only　anticipated；　but　carried　out　upon　a　tolerably　large

scale　in　his　own　worksfor　the　construction　of　the　patent　hydraulic

press；　the　water…closet；　and　his　locksa　surprisingly　large

proportion　of　our　modern　tools。〃*

　＇footnote。。。

〃Record　of　the　International　Exhibition；　1862。〃　　Practical　Mechanic's

Journal；　293。

　。。。＇

His　remarkable　predilection　in　favour　of　the　use　of　hydraulic

arrangements　is　displayed　in　his　specification　of　the　surface…planing

machinery；　which　includes　a　method　of　running　pivots　entirely　on　a

fluid；　and　raising　and　depressing　them　at　pleasure　by　means　of　a

small　forcing…pump　and　stop…cock；though　we　are　not　aware　that　any

practical　use　has　ever　been　made　of　this　part　of　the　invention。



Bramah's　inventive　genius　displayed　itself　alike　in　small　things　as

in　greatin　a　tap　wherewith　to　draw　a　glass　of　beer；　and　in　a

hydraulic　machine　capable　of　tearing　up　a　tree　by　the　roots。　　His

powers　of　contrivance　seemed　inexhaustible；　and　were　exercised　on　the

most　various　subjects。　　When　any　difficulty　occurred　which　mechanical

ingenuity　was　calculated　to　remove；　recourse　was　usually　had　to

Bramah；　and　he　was　rarely　found　at　a　loss　for　a　contrivance　to

overcome　it。　　Thus；　when　applied　to　by　the　Bank　of　England　in　1806；　to

construct　a　machine　for　more　accurately　and　expeditiously　printing

the　numbers　and　date　lines　on　Bank　notes；　he　at　once　proceeded　to

invent　the　requisite　model；　which　he　completed　in　the　course　of　a

month。　　He　subsequently　brought　it　to　great　perfection　the　figures　in

numerical　succession　being　changed　by　the　action　of　the　machine

itself；and　it　still　continues　in　regular　use。　　Its　employment　in　the

Bank　of　England　alone　saved　the　labour　of　a　hundred　clerks；　but　its

chief　value　consisted　in　its　greater　accuracy；　the　perfect　legibility

of　the　figures　printed　by　it；　and　the　greatly　improved　check　which　it

afforded。



We　next　find　him　occupying　himself　with　inventions　connected　with　the

manufacture　of　pens　and　paper。　　His　little　pen…making　machine　for

readily　making　quill　pens　long　continued　in　use；　until　driven　out　by

the　invention　of　the　steel　pen；　but　his　patent　for　making　paper　by

machinery；　though　ingenious；　like　everything　he　did；　does　not　seem　to

have　been　adopted；　the　inventions　of　Fourdrinier　and　Donkin　in　this

direction　having　shortly　superseded　all　others。　　Among　his　other　minor

inventions　may　be　mentioned　his　improved　method　of　constructing　and

sledging　carriage…wheels；　and　his　improved　method　of　laying

water…pipes。　　In　his　specification　of　the　last…mentioned　invention；　he

included　the　application　of　water…power　to　the　driving　of　machinery

of　every　description；　and　for　hoisting　and　lowering　goods　in　docks

and　warehouses；since　carried　out　in　practice；　though　in　a　different

manner；　by　Sir　William　Armstrong。*

　＇footnote。。。

In　this；　as　in　other　methods　of　employing　power；　the　moderns　had　been

anticipated　by　the　ancients；　and　though　hydraulic　machinery　is　a

comparatively　recent　invention　in　England；　it　had　long　been　in　use

abroad。　　Thus　we　find　in　Dr。　Bright's　Travels　in　Lower　Hungary　a　full

description　of　the　powerful　hydraulic　machinery　invented　by　M。　Holl；

Chief　Engineer　of　the　Imperial　Mines；　which　had　been　in　use　since　the

year　1749；　in　pumping　water　from　a　depth　of　1800　feet；　from　the

silver　and　gold　mines　of　Schemnitz　and　Kremnitz。　　A　head　of　water　was

collected　by　forming　a　reservoir　along　the　mountain　side；　from　which

it　was　conducted　through　water…tight　cast…iron　pipes　erected

perpendicularly　in　the　mine…shaft。　　About　forty…five　fathoms　down；　the

water　descending　through　the　pipe　was　forced　by　the　weight　of　the

column　above　it　into　the　bottom　of　a　perpendicular　cylinder；　in　which

it　raised　a　water…tight　piston。　　When　forced　up　to　a　given　point　a

self…acting　stop…cock　shut　off　the　pressure　of　the　descending　column；

while　a　self…acting　valve　enabled　the　water　contained　in　the　cylinder

to　be　discharged；　on　which　the　piston　again　descended；　and　the

process　was　repeated　like　the　successive　strokes　of　a　steam…engine。

Pump…rods　were　attached　to　this　hydraulic　apparatus；　which　were

carried　to　the　bottom　of　the　shaft；　and　each　worked　a　pump　at

different　levels；　raising　the　water　stage　by　stage　to　the　level　of

the　main　adit。　　The　pumps　of　these　three　several　stages　each　raised

1790　cubic　feet　of　water　from　a　depth　of　600　feet　in　the　hour。　　The

regular　working　of　the　machinery　was　aided　by　the　employment　of　a

balance…beam　connected　by　a　chain　with　the　head　of　the　large　piston

and　pump…rods；　and　the　whole　of　these　powerful　machines　by　means　of

three　of　which　as　much　as　789；840　gallons　of　water　were　pumped　out　of

the　mines　every　24　hours　　were　set　in　operation　and　regulated

merely　by　the　turning　of　a　stopcock。　　It　will　be　observed　that　the

arrangement　thus　briefly　described　was　equally　applicable　to　the

working　of　machinery　of　all　kinds；　cranes；　&c。；　as　well　as　pumps；　and

it　will　be　noted　that；　notwithstanding　the　ingenuity　of　Bramah；

Armstrong；　and　other　eminent　English　mechanics；　the　Austrian　engineer

Holl　was　thus　decidedly　beforehand　with　them　in　the　practical

application　of　the　principles　of　hydrostatics。

　。。。＇

In　this；　as　in　many　other　matters；　Bramah　shot　ahead　of　the

mechanical　necessities　of　his　time；　and　hence　many　of　his　patents　（of

which　he　held　at　one　time　more　than　twenty）　proved　altogether

profitless。　　His　last　patent；　taken　out　in　1814；　was　for　the

application　of　Roman　cement　to　timber　for　the　purpose　of　preventing

dry　rot。



Besides　his　various　mechanical　pursuits；　Bramah　also　followed　to　a

certain　extent　the　professio