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Home , Cylinder (locomotive), Lap Engine, Smethwick Engine, Soho Manufactory

Industrial DAVID HULSE DAVID With his assistant John Calley, The eighteenth-century engines were from below the natural drainage level of from the mines. Newcomen experimented for many years, trying to harness the properties of . His work came to fruition in the year 1712 when he was able to demonstrate the first atmospheric a coal , pumping water from mine near Dudley Castle in South Staffordshire. by the weight of the earth’s powered acting against a vacuum atmosphere, of on the underside that was created the by the condensation of were 1). The engines steam (see Figure in this way because, in the powered technology early eighteenth century, had not advanced enough to make the forces which would restrain of steam raised to a high pressure. before 1800 of steam INFRASTRUCTURE The properties properties The The water-extraction problem would problem The water-extraction In 1663/4 when the water-extraction difficult to remove the water that the to remove difficult accumulated in them. be solved as soon as someone found a of mechanical power to cheap source work the water pumps. During the 16th drained and 17th centuries mines were sometimes mostly by horse power, to work the teams of horses requiring pumps at a single mine. its height, Thomas crisis was reaching Newcomen was born at Dartmouth. as an After an apprenticeship to he began selling tools ironmonger On his the Cornish mining industry. visits to the mines he began to realise there financial reward what a great would be if he could develop a the mechanical means for removing could then be flood water: ore safely quickly and extracted much more ne of the most important of the late industrial problems 17th century was the drainage

breakthrough. O The cutting-edge technology of the 18th century was the atmospheric engine, driven by the pressure of atmosphere helped the earth’s along by steam. These engines first powered the pumps that removed water from mines but later became the major source of power for industries of all kinds. David Hulse takes a look at a 300-year-old of mines, particularly coal mines. Coal wood as the major source had replaced of fuel for trades such as glass- and soap-making and metal working and demand for it was high. So coal mines and greater pushed to greater were and more depths and it became more

ingenia 52 toapressure of 1.5–2.0pounds steam wouldhavebeenraised withinthe the beginningofworking period, the ofalmost8feet. diameter. Thepistonmadea working and madefrom brass,was21inchesin powering , positionedvertically to drainsafelyawayatthesurface.The from themineworkings150feetbelow movement brought 10gallonsofwater movements ineachminute,andon lead. Theenginemade12pumping hemispherical domemadefrom beaten boiler madefrom copperwitha The Newcomenengineof1712hada engine The firstcommercial steam could notbemadeatthattime. Large, safe,steam-tightvesselssimply When theenginewassetinmotion at working speed oftheengine:oneach condensing spraycontrolled the cylinder andthecyclecontinued. thepiston tothetopof returned the heavyweightsattachedthen a workingstroke. Thepumprods with the otherendofcylinder, completing vacuum, thepistonwouldbedrawnto steam and,ontheformationofa spray ofcoldwaterwouldcondensethe thecylinderfull,a it.With underneath into thecylinderfrom withintheboiler by theascendingpistondrew thesteam the verticalcylinder. Thesuction created then drawthepistontootherendof the otherendofrocking beamwould released andtheheavypumprods at boiler top,catcheswouldhavebeen and thepistonasnearpossibleto rocking beamoftheenginestationary theoverhead per square inch.With INFRASTRUCTURE The accumulatedwaterfrom the iue1 A Figure 1: piston couldcompleteitsfullmovement. from thepoweringcylinderbefore the gallons ofwaterhadtoberemoved stroke ofNewcomen’s engineaboutsix working steam engineintheworld. : itwillbetheoldest displayed attheThinkTank in water were raised. Theengineistobe stroke oftheengine 229gallonsof Bridge Street inSmethwick.Oneach the canalandwassituatedattopof feet from thebottomtotoplockon engine raisedwateradistanceof38 in serviceonthecanaluntil1891.This Navigation Companyin1779andwas was builtfortheBirminghamCanal for thesameamountofcoalconsumed. doubled thepoweroutputofengine eliminated: thissingleimprovement each stroke oftheenginewas cooling ofthepoweringcylinderon powering cylinder. Theheatingandthen water-cooled vesselawayfrom the 1769. Watt created hisvacuumina patented theseparatecondenserin described aboveuntilJamesWatt Engines workedontheprinciple The Smethwickengine A BoultonandWatt pumping engine (Courtesy ofJ.S.Allen.) weight ofthepumprods. again bytheoverbalancing stroke. Thepistonisraised constitutes theworking ‘atmospheric’ engine,andthis it down,hencethedescription on thetopofpistonforces atmospheric pressure acting under thepiston.The water, causingavacuum condensed byajetofcold closed andthesteamis The steamvalveisthen upward stroke ofthepiston. fills thecylinderduring atmosphere) intheboilerand inch abovethepressure of the (to 1.5–2.0poundspersquare engine. Steamisgenerated features oftheNewcomen diagram showingthemain 53 ingenia engine which was built at in 1778/9. This the water view shows where flowed into the well shaft being lifted 38 feet to before the flow by gravity to refill at the top . The boiler is housed in a separate at the back. room The was powered organisation The Figure 4:Figure of the section The front by low-pressure steam on the top of the steam on the top by low-pressure It piston and a vacuum on the underside. generation of a new represented pumping engine; these engines were quickly accepted by the Cornish mining Engines working with separate industry. condensers and using the expansive power. of steam developed more force flood water able to remove They were depth than mines to a much greater from had been possible with the Newcomen- type engine. The new design was so successful that the 75 Newcomen working in the engines which were Cornish mines in 1779 had all mineral within four years. been superceded steam engines only sold their improved with the customer on an agreement paid. was to be that an annual premium was based on calculating This premium the amount of coal which would have been used had the customer installed a One Newcomen-type engine. standard in fuel of the cost of the difference third had to be paid annually to the Boulton INFRASTRUCTURE engine of 1712, drawn in 1719 by Thomas Barney. This drawing was engine of 1712, drawn in 1719 by Thomas Barney. in 1868 and is now in the William Salt library in Stafford. rediscovered house down to the level of the basement, showing the about to first fireman world’s shovel coal onto the furnace. The photograph shows the as engine in miniature, constructed by the author to 1/16 size. Every part used in the construction is made materials which would from have been used by craftsmen The in the early 18th century. complete miniature Newcomen engine is 42,300 constructed from bricks laid with specially blended mortar in Flemish Bond; 3,800 ceramic tiles complete the roof.

Figure 3:Figure view of the engine A front Figure 2:Figure first , the Newcomen of the world’s The only pictorial record

ingenia 54 iue5 The firstengineintheworld Figure 5: However, thisproved tobe a ratchetandpaularrangement. time therotary motionwasachievedby originally installedin1779andatthis Birmingham manufacturer. Itwas Bristol engineer)forJamesPickard, a designed byMatthewWasborough (a by theuseofaflywheelandcrank,was successfully toproduce rotary motion, imagined. was notaseasytoachievemightbe produce continuousrotary motion.This machinery theengineswouldneedto move water. Inorder topowerother movement ofthepumprod usedto linear motion,thatis,theupanddown The earlysteamenginesproduced Rotary motion paid £210peryear. Smethwick engine,theCanalCompany and Watt organisation.Forthe The firstengineintheworld the crankinAugust 1780. patent whichwasgrantedfor two men,reading through the Shown onthemodelare the James Pickard in1780. and thecrankwasfittedby Matthew Wasborough in1779 engine wasdesignedby flywheel andcrank.This directly bytheuseofa to achieverotary motion main enginehouse. in aseparatebuildingadjoiningthe this dateboilerswere usuallypositioned which isunusualforthelate1770s:by vertically abovethehaystackboiler, powering cylinderwaspositioned the crankwas3feetand7inches.The diameter of30inchesandthethrow of that thepoweringcylinderhada probably lookedlike.Allthatisknown represents whatthisenginemost grinding metals.ThemodelinFigure 5 work untilabout1879,drivingamillfor and flywheeltheenginecontinuedto and afteritsconversiontouseacrank was assembledatSnowHillin1779 in 1792. engines untilthePickard patentexpired method) toachieverotary motiononhis arrangement (the‘SunandPlanet’ hadtouseadifferent long controversy, withtheresult that obtained apatentfortheirideain1780. mechanism. Pickard andWasborough fitted withtheflywheelandcrank unsuccessful andtheenginewaslater DrawingofthecompletedmodelLapengineshowing the waggon Figure 6: an enginethat woulddirectly produce In 1788JamesWatt designedandbuilt engine Boulton andWatt’s Lap INFRASTRUCTURE The originalNewcomen-typeengine The grantingofthispatentstarteda boiler andtheflywheelaboveleveloffactoryfloor. became known asthe‘Watt Governor’. by acentrifugaldevicewhich later to haveitsrotational speedcontrolled and pulleys. individual machinebyasystem ofbelts rotary powerwastransmittedtoeach lapping andpolishingmachinesthe wooden teeth,drove more thanforty almost 16feetindiameterwith304 shoes. Thelargeflywheelofthisengine, oncourt as thelargebucklesworn small manufactured components,such because itwasusedtolapandpolish became knownastheLapengine Manufactory inBirminghamwhere it erected atBoultonandWatt’s Soho energy whichpowered theengine. produced acontinuousoutputof vacuum andlow-pressure steam and downstrokes. Thiscombinationof also appliedtothepistononbothup the piston;low-pressure steamwas to thetopandthenundersideof steam. Thevacuumwasfirstdirected and alsobytheexpansiveforce of new enginewaspowered byvacuum single-acting pumpingengines.Watt’s mind andwere usuallyadaptationsof been designedandbuiltwiththisaimin provide rotary motion,buttheyhadnot beam engineshadbeenadaptedto rotary motion.Bythistimemanyother The enginewasthefirstin world The newrotative beamenginewas 55 ingenia Treatise on Treatise When the mill pond had refilled, the had refilled, When the mill pond a at 18 strokes The engine worked the remainder of the working week the of the working the remainder thus engine was used, atmospheric mill pond to refill. allowing the machines were spinning and weaving waterwheel. A line again driven by the connected the two shaft 105 feet long and large flanged independent drives engaged or disengaged couplings were was to be to select the drive which and the engine used. The waterwheel together. never used were minute, driving the factory countershaft per minute, and is at 50 revolutions thought to have generated about 45 The original engine stood horsepower. 47 feet tall, tall enough to pass through all five floors of the textile mill. The mill was demolished in 1811 and the engine was dismantled and sold for scrap; all is the mill pond. that now remains A high-pressure steam A high-pressure engine by powered engines were The pre-1800 by a vacuum; this vacuum was created steam. the condensation of low-pressure Our story ends with the development 1800 of engines operated by around , Volume 1 (1827). , Volume INFRASTRUCTURE the Steam Engine Arnold Mill in 1797. This drawing is taken from John Farey’s Arnold John Farey’s is taken from Mill in 1797. This drawing When the mill at Arnold was first The combined force from the two from The combined force connected was transmitted on connected pistons to the main oscillating beam of the chains, all adjusted to engine by three be in tension. Francis Thompson motion on this engine achieved rotary by fitting a large pin on the side of the countershaft gear. built in the early 1790s, a waterwheel of power for the was the only source With of the the outbreak factory. the demand for Napoleonic Wars worsted for military uniforms increased. demand meet this increased to In order the the mill started working throughout day and night. However after two complete days of non-stop working, the mill pond had emptied and production for production maintain had to stop. To cylinders were used, positioned were cylinders The above the other. vertically one that contained a piston upper cylinder up by the was pushed vertically The piston in the atmospheric pressure. pushed vertically lower cylinder was atmospheric down, again by the of this powering force The pressure. by a created engine was a vacuum the steam water spray condensing within each cylinder. Figure 8:Figure double-acting atmospheric engine, built at the Francis Thompson’s model of James Watt and his model of James Watt . Francis Thompson used the

principles first pioneered by Thomas principles first pioneered Newcomen in 1712. It is believed that engines only eight double-action rotary ever made that operated by were Two in this way. atmospheric pressure The Arnold Mill engine power the rotary This engine provided to drive Robert Davison and John worsted mill at Arnold, Hawksley’s Nottingham, in 1797. The engine, Ashover designed by an engineer from called Francis Thompson in Derbyshire (1747–1809), has some unusual intended to achieve good features performance without infringing a patent on steam engine held by James Watt design. The most outstanding of these – is the double-acting cylinder features of the engine, the powering force achieved by the condensation of steam. Figure 7:Figure 1/16 scale The author’s The Lap engine was one of the first was one of the The Lap engine rated have its power output engines to James – calculated by in horsepower rotary the to be 10. It provided Watt machinery for 70 drive to the factory Manufactory years until the Soho in 1858. The engine ceased production the Science is now on display at Museum in London.

ingenia 56 iue1:The1/10scalemodelofthe Figure 10: installed in1804todrivethemachinery Trevithick, engineer, aCornish and these wasdesignedbyRichard high-pressure steam.Oneofthefirst Millengineinminiature showingtheundershotwaterwheel. TheArnold Figure 9: overcome thefluctuatingpressure itisnowrunbyalogiccontroller. The modeldoesworkasanatmosphericenginebutinorder to weight of12lbs. completely machinedhada 127 lbsandwhenitwas had aninitialweightof blank ofsteelforthisboiler piece ofmildsteel.The is machinedfrom asolid wall thicknessof4.5mmand sandstone. Theboilerhasa pieces ofmicaceous floor ismadefrom thin bricks inthebuildingand 8,200 reduction-fired clay on compressed air. There are demonstrations isnowrun will steambutfor Lambeth engine.Thismodel generation’s staplesource ofpower. be madein1700–becameanother large, steam-tightboilersthat couldnot generation’s technicalimpossibility–the the pressure oftheearlyengines.One pressure, tosteamproduced at25times pressure steam andatmospheric power, through thepoweroflow- had movedonfrom horseorwater of-the-art inindustrialpowersources pounds persquare inch. boiler pressure ofapproximately 45 revolutions perminutewhenworkingata The high-speedenginemade24 inches. Itwasratedat6horsepower. diameter withaworkingstroke of48 by adouble-actingcylinder8inchesin . Theenginewaspowered Abraham Darby’s foundryin originally madefrom castiron, castat engine was6feetindiameterand horizontal engines’. became knownas‘high-speed new generationofengineswhich a horizontalposition.Itisthefirstof completely newinnovationasitwasin Trevithick’s 1804enginewasa of adyehouseatLambethinLondon. INFRASTRUCTURE So injustunder100yearsthestate- The boilersupplyingthesteamto The cylinderwhichpowered Email: [email protected] is publishedinOctober2001. motiontoindustries, provided rotary book, describinghowbeam engines postage andpacking).His second ST15 8DSfor£12.50(including Oulton Road,Stone,Staffordshire, obtained fromtheauthorat133 canbe during the18thcentury development ofthesteamengine Copies ofDavidHulse’s bookonthe www.btinternet.com/~historical.engines details visitthewebsite talks ontheearlyengines;formore He isavailabletogiveillustrated engines. important oftheearlysteam constructed inminiaturethemost time hehasresearchedand making.Duringhisspare pottery usedin automated machinery patents forhisdesigns group ofpotteries.Heholds17 iue1:Therotary valvewhich Figure 11: Trevithick’s engine. side ofthepistonon controlled thesteamtoeach Royal Doulton Engineer ofthe Development as Chief from hisposition retired in1998 David Hulse 57 ingenia