industrial biography-第46章

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inspection　by　Sir　Samuel　Bentham　and　the　Lords　of　the　Admiralty　in

1801；　and　having　been　fully　approved　by　them；　Brunel　was　authorized

to　proceed　with　the　execution　of　the　requisite　machinery　for　the

manufacture　of　the　ship's　blocks　required　for　the　Royal　Navy。　　The

whole　of　this　machinery　was　executed　by　Henry　Maudslay；　it　occupied

him　very　fully　for　nearly　six　years；　so　that　the　manufacture　of

blocks　by　the　new　process　was　not　begun　until　September；　1808。



We　despair　of　being　able　to　give　any　adequate　description　in　words　of

the　intricate　arrangements　and　mode　of　action　of　the　block…making

machinery。　　Let　any　one　attempt　to　describe　the　much　more　simple　and

familiar　process　by　which　a　shoemaker　makes　a　pair　of　shoes；　and　he

will　find　how　inadequate　mere　words　are　to　describe　any　mechanical

operation。*

　＇footnote。。。

So　far　as　words　and　drawings　can　serve　to　describe　the　block…making

machinery；　it　will　be　found　very　ably　described　by　Mr。　Farey　in　his

article　under　this　head　in　Rees's　Cyclopaedia；　and　by　Dr。　Brewster　in

the　Edinburgh　Cyclopaedia。　　A　very　good　account　will　also　be　found　in

Tomlinson's　Cyclopaedia　of　the　Useful　Arts；　Art。　　〃Block。〃

　。。。＇

Suffice　it　to　say；　that　the　machinery　was　of　the　most　beautiful

manufacture　and　finish；　and　even　at　this　day　will　bear　comparison

with　the　most　perfect　machines　which　can　be　turned　out　with　all　the

improved　appliances　of　modern　tools。　　The　framing　was　of　cast…iron；

while　the　parts　exposed　to　violent　and　rapid　action　were　all　of　the

best　hardened　steel。　　In　turning　out　the　various　parts；　Maudslay　found

his　slide　rest　of　indispensable　value。　　Indeed；　without　this

contrivance；　it　is　doubtful　whether　machinery　of　so　delicate　and

intricate　a　character　could　possibly　have　been　executed。　　There　was

not　one；　but　many　machines　in　the　series；　each　devoted　to　a　special

operation　in　the　formation　of　a　block。　　Thus　there　were　various

sawing…machines；the　Straight　Cross…Cutting　Saw；　the　Circular

Cross…Cutting　Saw；　the　Reciprocating　Ripping…saw；　and　the　Circular

Ripping…Saw。　　Then　there　were　the　Boring　Machines；　and　the　Mortising

Machine；　of　beautiful　construction；　for　cutting　the　sheave…holes；

furnished　with　numerous　chisels；　each　making　from　110　to　150　strokes

a　minute；　and　cutting　at　every　stroke　a　chip　as　thick　as　pasteboard

with　the　utmost　precision。　　In　addition　to　these　were　the　Corner…Saw

for　cutting　off　the　corners　of　the　block；　the　Shaping　Machine　for

accurately　forming　the　outside　surfaces；　the　Scoring　Engine　for

cutting　the　groove　round　the　longest　diameter　of　the　block　for　the

reception　of　the　rope；　and　various　other　machines　for　drilling；

riveting；　and　finishing　the　blocks；　besides　those　for　making　the

sheaves。



The　total　number　of　machines　employed　in　the　various　operations　of

making　a　ship's　block　by　the　new　method　was　forty…four；　and　after

being　regularly　employed　in　Portsmouth　Dockyard　for　upwards　of　fifty

years；　they　are　still　as　perfect　in　their　action　as　on　the　day　they

were　erected。　　They　constitute　one　of　the　most　ingenious　and　complete

collections　of　tools　ever　invented　for　making　articles　in　wood；　being

capable　of　performing　most　of　the　practical　operations　of　carpentry

with　the　utmost　accuracy　and　finish。　　The　machines　are　worked　by　a

steam…engine　of　32…horse　power；　which　is　also　used　for　various　other

dockyard　purposes。　　Under　the　new　system　of　block…making　it　was　found

that　the　articles　were　better　made；　supplied　with　much　greater

rapidity；　and　executed　at　a　greatly　reduced　cost。　　Only　ten　men；　with

the　new　machinery；　could　perform　the　work　which　before　had　required　a

hundred　and　ten　men　to　execute；　and　not　fewer　than　160；000　blocks　of

various　kinds　and　sizes　could　be　turned　out　in　a　year；　worth　not　less

than　541；000L。*

　＇footnote。。。

The　remuneration　paid　to　Mr。　Brunel　for　his　share　in　the　invention

was　only　one　year's　savings；　which；　however；　were　estimated　by　Sir

Samuel　Bentham　at　17；663l。；　besides　which　a　grant　of　5000L。　was

afterwards　made　to　Brunel　when　labouring　under　pecuniary

difficulties。　　But　the　ANNUAL　saving　to　the　nation　by　the　adoption　of

the　block…making　machinery　was　probably　more　than　the　entire　sum　paid

to　the　engineer。　　Brunel　afterwards　invented　other　wood…working

machinery；　but　none　to　compare　in　merit　and　excellence　with　the

above；　For　further　particulars　of　his　career；　see　BEAMISH'S　Memoirs

of　Sir　Marc　Isambard　Brunel；　C。E。　　London。　　1862。　　。。。＇



The　satisfactory　execution　of　the　block…machinery　brought　Maudslay　a

large　accession　of　fame　and　business；　and　the　premises　in　Margaret

Street　proving　much　too　limited　for　his　requirements；　he　again

resolved　to　shift　his　quarters。　　He　found　a　piece　of　ground　suitable

for　his　purpose　in　Westminster　Road；　Lambeth。　　Little　more　than　a

century　since　it　formed　part　of　a　Marsh；　the　name　of　which　is　still

retained　in　the　adjoining　street；　its　principal　productions　being

bulrushes　and　willows；　which　were　haunted　in　certain　seasons　by　snipe

and　waterfowl。　　An　enterprising　riding…master　had　erected　some

premises　on　a　part　of　the　marsh；　which　he　used　for　a　riding…school；

but　the　speculation　not　answering；　they　were　sold；　and　Henry　Maudslay

became　the　proprietor。　　Hither　he　removed　his　machinery　from　Margaret

Street　in　1810；　adding　fresh　plant　from　time　to　time　as　it　was

required；　and　with　the　aid　of　his　late　excellent　partner　he　built　up

the　far…famed　establishment　of　Maudslay；　Field；　and　Co。　　There　he　went

on　improving　his　old　tools　and　inventing　new　ones；　as　the　necessity

for　them　arose；　until　the　original　slide…lathes　used　for　making　the

block…machinery　became　thrown　into　the　shade　by　the　comparatively

gigantic　machine…tools　of　the　modern　school。　　Yet　the　original　lathes

are　still　to　be　found　in　the　collection　of　the　firm　in　Westminster

Road；　and　continue　to　do　their　daily　quota　of　work　with　the　same

precision　as　they　did　when　turned　out　of　the　hands　of　their　inventor

and　maker　some　sixty　years　ago。



It　is　unnecessary　that　we　should　describe　in　any　great　detail　the

further　career　of　Henry　Maudslay。　　The　rest　of　his　life　was　full　of

useful　and　profitable　work　to　others　as　well　as　to　himself。　　His

business　embraced　the　making　of　flour　and　saw　mills；　mint　machinery；

and　steam…engines　of　all　kinds。　　Before　he　left　Margaret　Street；　in

1807；　he　took　out　a　patent　for　improvements　in　the　steam…engine；　by

which　he　much　simplified　its　parts；　and　secured　greater　directness　of

action。　　His　new　engine　was　called　the　Pyramidal；　because　of　its　form；

and　was　the　first　move　towards　what　are　now　called　Direct…acting

Engines；　in　which　the　lateral　movement　of　the　piston　is　communicated

by　connecting…rods　to　the　rotatory　movement　of　the　crank…shaft。　　Mr。

Nasmyth　says　of　it；　that　〃on　account　of　its　great　simplicity　and

GET…AT…ABILITY　of　parts；　its　compactness　and　self…contained

steadiness；　this　engine　has　been　the　parent　of　a　vast　progeny；　all

more　or　less　marked　by　the　distinguishing　features　of　the　original

design；　which　is　still　in　as　high　favour　as　ever。〃　　Mr。　Maudslay　also

directed　his　attention　in　like　manner　to　the　improvement　of　the

marine　engine；　which　he　made　so　simple　and　effective　as　to　become　in

a　great　measure　the　type　of　its　class；　and　it　has　held　its　ground

almost　unchanged　for　nearly　thirty　years。　　The　'Regent；'　which　was　the

first　steamboat　that　plied　between　London　and　Margate；　was　fitted

with　engines　by　Maudslay　in　1816；　and　it　proved　the　forerunner　of　a

vast　number　of　marine　engines；　the　manufacture　of　which　soon　became

one　of　the　most　important　branches　of　mechanical　engineering。



Another　of　Mr。　Maudslay's　inventions　was　his　machine　for　punching

boiler…plates；　by　which　the　production　of　ironwork　of　many　kinds　was

greatly　facilitated。　　This　improvement　originated　in　the　contract

which　he　held　for　some　years　for　supplying　the　Royal　Navy　with　iron

plates　for　ships'　tanks。　　The　operations　of　shearing　and　punching　had

before　been　very　imperfectly　done　by　hand；　with　great　expenditure　of

labour。　　To　improve　the　style　of　the　work　and　lessen　the　labour；

Maudslay　invented　the　machine　now　in　general　use；　by　which　the　holes

punched　in　the　iron　plate　are　exactly　equidistant；　and　the　subsequent

operation　of　riveting　is　greatly　facilitated。　　One　of　the　results　of

the　improved　method　was　the　great　saving　which　was　at　once　effected

in　the　cost　of　preparing　the　plates　to　receive　the　rivets；　the　price

of　which　was　reduced　from　seven　shillings　per　tank　to　ninepence。　　He

continued　to　devote　himself　to　the　last　to　the　improvement　of　the

lathe；in　his　opinion　the　master…machine；　the　life　and　soul　of

engine…turning；　of　which　the　planing；　screw…cutting；　and　other

machines　in　common　use；　are　but　modifications。　　In　one　of　the　early

lathes　which　he　contrived　and　made；　the　mandrill　was　nine　inches　in

diameter；　it　was　driven　by　wheel…gearing　like　a　crane　motion；　and

adapted　to　different　speeds。　　Some　of　his　friends；　on　first　looking　at

it；　said　he　was　going　〃too　fast；〃　but　he　lived　to　see　work　projected

on　so　large　a　scale　as　to　prove　that　his　conceptions　were　just；　and

that　he　had　merely　anticipated　by　a　few　years　the　mechanical　progress

of　his　time。　　His　large　removable　bar…lathe　was　a　highly　important

tool　of　the　same　kind。　　It　was　used　to　turn　surfaces　many　feet　in

diameter。　　While　it　could　be　used　for　boring　wheels；　or　the　side…rods

of　marine　engines；　it　could　turn　a　roller　or　cylinder　twice　or　three

times　the　diameter　of　its　own　centres　from　the　ground…level；　and

indeed　could　drive　round　work　of　any　diameter　that　would　clear　the

roof　of　the　shop。　　This　was　therefore　an　almost　universal　tool；

capable　of　very　extensive　uses。　　Indeed　much　of　the　work　now　executed

by　means　of　special　tools；　such　as　the　planing　or　slotting　machine；

was　then　done　in　the　lathe；　which　was　used　as　a　cutter…shaping

machine；　fitted　with　various　appliances　according　to　the　work。



Maudslay's　love　of　accuracy　also　led　him　from　an　early　period　to

study　the　subject　of　improved　screw…cutting。　　The　importance　of　this

department　of　mechanism　can　scarcely　be　overrated；　the　solidity　and

permanency　of　most　mechanical　structures　mainly　depending　on　the

employment　of　the　screw；　at　the　same　time　that　the　parts　can　be

readily　separated　for　renewal　or　repair。　　Any　one　can　form　an　idea　of

the　importance　of　the　screw　as　an　element　in　mechanical　construction

by　examining　say　a　steam…engine；　and　counting　the　number　of　screws

employed　in　holding　it　together。　　Previous　to　the　time　at　which　the

subject　occupied　the　attention　of　our　mechanic；　the　tools　used　for

making　screws　were　of　the　most　rude　and　inexact　kind。　　The　screws　were

for　the　most　part　cut　by　hand：　　the　small　by　filing；　the　larger　by

chipping　and　filing。　　In　consequence　of　the　great　difficulty　of　making

them；　as　few　were　used　as　possible；　and　cotters；　cotterils；　or

forelocks；　were　employed　instead。　　Screws；　however；　were　to　a　certain