industrial biography-第55章

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strikes；　and　they　were　frequently　accustomed　to　turn　out　in　times

when　trade　was　brisk；　thereby　bringing　the　whole　operations　of　the

manufactories　to　a　standstill；　and　throwing　all　the　other　operatives

out　of　employment。　　A　long…continued　strike　of　this　sort　took　place　in

1824；　when　the　idea　occurred　to　the　masters　that　it　might　be　possible

to　make　the　spinning…mules　run　out　and　in　at　the　proper　speed　by

means　of　self…acting　machinery；　and　thus　render　them　in　some　measure

independent　of　the　more　refractory　class　of　their　workmen。　　It　seemed；

however；　to　be　so　very　difficult　a　problem；　that　they　were　by　no

means　sanguine　of　success　in　its　solution。　　Some　time　passed　before

they　could　find　any　mechanic　willing　so　much　as　to　consider　the

subject。　　Mr。　Ashton　of　Staley…bridge　made　every　effort　with　this

object；　but　the　answer　he　got　was　uniformly　the　same。　　The　thing　was

declared　to　be　impracticable　and　impossible。　　Mr。　Ashton；　accompanied

by　two　other　leading　spinners；　called　on　Sharp；　Roberts；　and　Co。；　to

seek　an　interview　with　Mr。　Roberts。　　They　introduced　the　subject　to

him；　but　he　would　scarcely　listen　to　their　explanations；　cutting　them

short　with　the　remark　that　he　knew　nothing　whatever　about

cotton…spinning。　　They　insisted；　nevertheless；　on　explaining　to　him

what　they　required；　but　they　went　away　without　being　able　to　obtain

from　him　any　promise　of　assistance　in　bringing　out　the　required

machine。



The　strike　continued；　and　the　manufacturers　again　called　upon　Mr。

Roberts；　but　with　no　better　result。　　A　third　time　they　called　and

appealed　to　Mr。　Sharp；　the　capitalist　of　the　firm；　who　promised　to

use　his　best　endeavours　to　induce　his　mechanical　partner　to　take　the

matter　in　hand。　　But　Mr。　Roberts；　notwithstanding　his　reticence；　had

been　occupied　in　carefully　pondering　the　subject　since　Mr。　Ashton's

first　interview　with　him。　　The　very　difficulty　of　the　problem　to　be

solved　had　tempted　him　boldly　to　grapple　with　it；　though　he　would　not

hold　out　the　slightest　expectation　to　the　cotton…spinners　of　his

being　able　to　help　them　in　their　emergency　until　he　saw　his　way

perfectly　clear。　　That　time　had　now　come；　and　when　Mr。　Sharp

introduced　the　subject；　he　said　he　had　turned　the　matter　over　and

thought　he　could　construct　the　required　self…acting　machinery。　　It　was

arranged　that　he　should　proceed　with　it　at　once；　and　after　a　close

study　of　four　months　he　brought　out　the　machine　now　so　extensively

known　as　the　self…acting　mule。　　The　invention　was　patented　in　1825；

and　was　perfected　by　subsequent　additions；　which　were　also　patented。



Like　so　many　other　inventions；　the　idea　of　the　self…acting　mule　was

not　new。　　Thus　Mr。　William　Strutt　of　Derby；　the　father　of　Lord　Belper；

invented　a　machine　of　this　sort　at　an　early　period；　Mr。　William

Belly；　of　the　New　Lanark　Mills；　invented　a　second；　and　various　other

projectors　tried　their　skill　in　the　same　direction；　but　none　of　these

inventions　came　into　practical　use。　　In　such　cases　it　has　become

generally　admitted　that　the　real　inventor　is　not　the　person　who

suggests　the　idea　of　the　invention；　but　he　who　first　works　it　out

into　a　practicable　process；　and　so　makes　it　of　practical　and

commercial　value。　　This　was　accomplished　by　Mr。　Roberts；　who；　working

out　the　idea　after　his　own　independent　methods；　succeeded　in　making

the　first　self…acting　mule　that　would　really　act　as　such；　and　he　is

therefore　fairly　entitled　to　be　regarded　as　its　inventor。



By　means　of　this　beautiful　contrivance；　spindle…carriages；　bearing

hundreds　of　spindles；　run　themselves　out　and　in　by　means　of　automatic

machinery；　at　the　proper　speed；　without　a　hand　touching　them；　the

only　labour　required　being　that　of　a　few　boys　and　girls　to　watch　them

and　mend　the　broken　threads　when　the　carriage　recedes　from　the　roller

beam；　and　to　stop　it　when　the　cop　is　completely　formed；　as　is

indicated　by　the　bell　of　the　counter　attached　to　the　working　gear。

Mr。　Baines　describes　the　self…acting　mule　while　at　work　as　〃drawing

out；　twisting；　and　winding　up　many　thousand　threads；　with　unfailing

precision　and　indefatigable　patience　and　strengtha　scene　as　magical

to　the　eye　which　is　not　familiarized　with　it；　as　the　effects　have

been　marvellous　in　augmenting　the　wealth　and　population　of　the

country。〃*

　＇footnote。。。

EDWARD　BAINES；　Esq。；　M。P。；　History　of　the　Cotton　Manufacture；　212。

　。。。＇



Mr。　Roberts's　great　success　with　the　self…acting　mule　led　to　his

being　often　appealed　to　for　help　in　the　mechanics　of　manufacturing。

In　1826；　the　year　after　his　patent　was　taken　out；　he　was　sent　for　to

Mulhouse；　in　Alsace；　to　design　and　arrange　the　machine　establishment

of　Andre　Koechlin　and　Co。；　and　in　that　and　the　two　subsequent　years

he　fairly　set　the　works　a…going；　instructing　the　workmen　in　the

manufacture　of　spinning…machinery；　and　thus　contributing　largely　to

the　success　of　the　French　cotton　manufacture。　　In　1832　he　patented　his

invention　of　the　Radial　Arm　for　〃winding　on〃　in　the　self…acting　mule；

now　in　general　use；　and　in　future　years　he　took　out　sundry　patents

for　roving；　slubbing；　spinning；　and　doubling　cotton　and　other　fibrous

materials；　and　for　weaving；　beetling；　and　mangling　fabrics　of　various

sorts。



A　considerable　branch　of　business　carried　on　by　the　firm　of　Sharp；

Roberts；　and　Co。　　was　the　manufacture　of　iron　billiard…tables；　which

were　constructed　with　almost　perfect　truth　by　means　of　Mr。　Roberts's

planing…machine；　and　became　a　large　article　of　export。　　But　a　much

more　important　and　remunerative　department　was　the　manufacture　of

locomotives；　which　was　begun　by　the　firm　shortly　after　the　opening　of

the　Liverpool　and　Manchester　Railway　had　marked　this　as　one　of　the

chief　branches　of　future　mechanical　engineering。　　Mr。　Roberts　adroitly

seized　the　opportunity　presented　by　this　new　field　of　invention　and

enterprise；　and　devoted　himself　for　a　time　to　the　careful　study　of

the　locomotive　and　its　powers。　　As　early　as　the　year　1829　we　find　him

presenting　to　the　Manchester　Mechanics'　Institute　a　machine

exhibiting　the　nature　of　friction　upon　railroads；　in　solution　of　the

problem　then　under　discussion　in　the　scientific　journals。　　In　the

following　year　he　patented　an　arrangement　for　communicating　power　to

both　driving…wheels　of　the　locomotive；　at　all　times　in　the　exact

proportions　required　when　turning　to　the　right　or　left；an

arrangement　which　has　since　been　adopted　in　many　road　locomotives　and

agricultural　engines。　　In　the　same　patent　will　be　found　embodied　his

invention　of　the　steam…brake；　which　was　also　a　favourite　idea　of

George　Stephenson；　since　elaborated　by　Mr。　MacConnell　of　the　London

and　North…Western　Railway。　　In　1834；　Sharp；　Roberts；　and　Co。　　began　the

manufacture　of　locomotives　on　a　large　scale；　and　the　compactness　of

their　engines；　the　excellence　of　their　workmanship；　and　the　numerous

original　improvements　introduced　in　them；　speedily　secured　for　the

engines　of　the　Atlas　firm　a　high　reputation　and　a　very　large　demand。

Among　Mr。　Roberts's　improvements　may　be　mentioned　his　method　of

manufacturing　the　crank　axle；　of　welding　the　rim　and　tyres　of　the

wheels；　and　his　arrangement　and　form　of　the　wrought…iron　framing　and

axle…guards。　　His　system　of　templets　and　gauges；　by　means　of　which

every　part　of　an　engine　or　tender　corresponded　with　that　of　every

other　engine　or　tender　of　the　same　class；　was　as　great　an　improvement

as　Maudslay's　system　of　uniformity　of　parts　in　other　descriptions　of

machinery。



In　connection　with　the　subject　of　railways；　we　may　allude　in　passing

to　Mr。　Roberts's　invention　of　the　Jacquard　punching　machinea

self…acting　tool　of　great　power；　used　for　punching　any　required

number　of　holes；　of　any　pitch　and　to　any　pattern；　with　mathematical

accuracy；　in　bridge　or　boiler　plates。　　The　origin　of　this　invention

was　somewhat　similar　to　that　of　the　self…acting　mule。　　The　contractors

for　the　Conway　Tubular　Bridge　while　under　construction；　in　1848；　were

greatly　hampered　by　combinations　amongst　the　workmen；　and　they

despaired　of　being　able　to　finish　the　girders　within　the　time

specified　in　the　contract。　　The　punching　of　the　iron　plates　by　hand

was　a　tedious　and　expensive　as　well　as　an　inaccurate　process；　and　the

work　was　proceeding　so　slowly　that　the　contractors　found　it

absolutely　necessary　to　adopt　some　new　method　of　punching　if　they

were　to　finish　the　work　in　time。　　In　their　emergency　they　appealed　to

Mr。　Roberts；　and　endeavoured　to　persuade　him　to　take　the　matter　up。

He　at　length　consented　to　do　so；　and　evolved　the　machine　in　question

during　his　evening's　leisurefor　the　most　part　while　quietly　sipping

his　tea。　　The　machine　was　produced；　the　contractors　were　enabled　to

proceed　with　the　punching　of　the　plates　independent　of　the　refractory

men；　and　the　work　was　executed　with　a　despatch；　accuracy；　and

excellence　that　would　not　otherwise　have　been　possible。　　Only　a　few

years　since　Mr。　Roberts　added　a　useful　companion　to　the　Jacquard

punching　machine；　in　his　combined　self…acting　machine　for　shearing

iron　and　punching　both　webs　of　angle　or　T　iron　simultaneously　to　any

required　pitch；　though　this　machine；　like　others　which　have　proceeded

from　his　fertile　brain；　is　ahead　even　of　this　fast…manufacturing　age；

and　has　not　yet　come　into　general　use；　but　is　certain　to　do　so　before

many　years　have　elapsed。



These　inventions　were　surely　enough　for　one　man　to　have　accomplished；

but　we　have　not　yet　done。　　The　mere　enumeration　of　his　other

inventions　would　occupy　several　pages。　　We　shall　merely　allude　to　a

few　of　them。　　One　was　his　Turret　Clock；　for　which　he　obtained　the

medal　at　the　Great　Exhibition　of　1851。　　Another　was　his　Prize

Electro…Magnet　of　1845。　　When　this　subject　was　first　mentioned　to　him；

he　said　he　did　not　know　anything　of　the　theory　or　practice　of

electro…magnetism；　but　he　would　try　and　find　out。　　The　result　of　his

trying　was　that　he　won　the　prize　for　the　most　powerful

electro…magnet：　　one　is　placed　in　the　museum　at　Peel　Park；　Manchester；

and　another　with　the　Scottish　Society　of　Arts；　Edinburgh。　　In　1846　he

perfected　an　American　invention　for　making　cigars　by　machinery；

enabling　a　boy；　working　one　of　his　cigar…engines；　to　make　as　many　as

5000　in　a　day。　　In　1852　he　patented　improvements　in　the　construction；

propelling；　and　equipment　of　steamships；　which　have；　we　believe；　been

adopted　to　a　certain　extent　by　the　Admiralty；　and　a　few　years　later；

in　1855；　we　find　him　presenting　the　Secretary　of　War　with　plans　of

elongated　rifle　projectiles　to　be　used　in　smooth…bore　ordnance　with　a

view　to　utilize　the　old…pattern　gun。　　His　head；　like　many　inventors　of

the　time；　being　full　of　the　mechanics　of　war；　he　went　so　far　as　to

wait　upon　Louis　Napoleon；　and　laid　before　him　a　plan　by　which

Sebastopol　was　to　be　blown　down。　　In　short；　upon　whatever　subject　he

turned　his　mind；　he　left　the　impress　of　his　inventive　faculty。　　If　it

was　imperfect；　he　improved　it；　if　incapable　of　improvement；　a