industrial biography-第38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！



of　the　failure　of　his　engines　through　〃villainous　bad　workmanship。〃

Sometimes　the　cylinders；　when　cast；　were　found　to　be　more　than　an

eighth　of　an　inch　wider　at　one　end　than　the　other；　and　under　such

circumstances　it　was　impossible　the　engine　could　act　with　precision。

Yet　better　work　could　not　be　had。　　First…rate　workmen　in　machinery　did

not　as　yet　exist；　they　were　only　in　process　of　education。　　Nearly

everything　had　to　be　done　by　hand。　　The　tools　used　were　of　a　very

imperfect　kind。　　A　few　ill…constructed　lathes；　with　some　drills　and

boring…machines　of　a　rude　sort；　constituted　the　principal　furniture

of　the　workshop。　　Years　after；　when　Brunel　invented　his

block…machines；　considerable　time　elapsed　before　he　could　find

competent　mechanics　to　construct　them；　and　even　after　they　had　been

constructed　he　had　equal　difficulty　in　finding　competent　hands　to

work　them。*

　＇footnote。。。

BEAMISH'S　Memoir　of　Sir　I。　M。　Brunel；　79；　80。

　。。。＇



Watt　endeavoured　to　remedy　the　defect　by　keeping　certain　sets　of

workmen　to　special　classes　of　work；　allowing　them　to　do　nothing　else。

Fathers　were　induced　to　bring　up　their　sons　at　the　same　bench　with

themselves；　and　initiate　them　in　the　dexterity　which　they　had

acquired　by　experience；　and　at　Soho　it　was　not　unusual　for　the　same

precise　line　of　work　to　be　followed　by　members　of　the　same　family　for

three　generations。　　In　this　way　as　great　a　degree　of　accuracy　of　a

mechanical　kind　was　arrived　at　was　practicable　under　the

circumstances。　　But　notwithstanding　all　this　care；　accuracy　of　fitting

could　not　be　secured　so　long　as　the　manufacture　of　steam…engines　was

conducted　mainly　by　hand。　　There　was　usually　a　considerable　waste　of

steam；　which　the　expedients　of　chewed　paper　and　greased　hat　packed

outside　the　piston　were　insufficient　to　remedy；　and　it　was　not　until

the　invention　of　automatic　machine…tools　by　the　mechanical　engineers

about　to　be　mentioned；　that　the　manufacture　of　the　steam…engine

became　a　matter　of　comparative　ease　and　certainty。　　Watt　was　compelled

to　rest　satisfied　with　imperfect　results；　arising　from　imperfect

workmanship。　　Thus；　writing　to　Dr。　Small　respecting　a　cylinder　18

inches　in　diameter；　he　said；　〃at　the　worst　place　the　long　diameter

exceeded　the　short　by　only　three…eighths　of　an　inch。〃　　How　different

from　the　state　of　things　at　this　day；　when　a　cylinder　five　feet　wide

will　be　rejected　as　a　piece　of　imperfect　workmanship　if　it　be　found

to　vary　in　any　part　more　than　the　80th　part　of　an　inch　in　diameter！



Not　fifty　years　since　it　was　a　matter　of　the　utmost　difficulty　to　set

an　engine　to　work；　and　sometimes　of　equal　difficulty　to　keep　it

going。　　Though　fitted　by　competent　workmen；　it　often　would　not　go　at

all。　　Then　the　foreman　of　the　factory　at　which　it　was　made　was　sent

for；　and　he　would　almost　live　beside　the　engine　for　a　month　or　more；

and　after　easing　her　here　and　screwing　her　up　there；　putting　in　a　new

part　and　altering　an　old　one；　packing　the　piston　and　tightening　the

valves；　the　machine　would　at　length　begot　to　work。*

　＇footnote。。。

There　was　the　same　clumsiness　in　all　kinds　of　mill…work　before　the

introduction　of　machine…tools。　　We　have　heard　of　a　piece　of　machinery

of　the　old　school；　the　wheels　of　which；　when　set　to　work；　made　such　a

clatter　that　the　owner　feared　the　engine　would　fall　to　pieces。　　The

foreman　who　set　it　agoing；　after　working　at　it　until　he　was　almost　in

despair；　at　last　gave　it　up；　saving；　〃I　think　we　had　better　leave　the

cogs　to　settle　their　differences　with　one　another：　　they　will　grind

themselves　right　in　time！〃

　。。。＇

Now　the　case　is　altogether　different。　　The　perfection　of　modern

machine…tools　is　such　that　the　utmost　possible　precision　is　secured；

and　the　mechanical　engineer　can　calculate　on　a　degree　of　exactitude

that　does　not　admit　of　a　deviation　beyond　the　thousandth　part　of　an

inch。　　When　the　powerful　oscillating　engines　of　the　'Warrior'　were　put

on　board　that　ship；　the　parts；　consisting　of　some　five　thousand

separate　pieces；　were　brought　from　the　different　workshops　of　the

Messrs。　Penn　and　Sons；　where　they　had　been　made　by　workmen　who　knew

not　the　places　they　were　to　occupy；　and　fitted　together　with　such

precision　that　so　soon　as　the　steam　was　raised　and　let　into　the

cylinders；　the　immense　machine　began　as　if　to　breathe　and　move　like　a

living　creature；　stretching　its　huge　arms　like　a　new…born　giant；　and

then；　after　practising　its　strength　a　little　and　proving　its

soundness　in　body　and　limb；　it　started　off　with　the　power　of　above　a

thousand　horses　to　try　its　strength　in　breasting　the　billows　of　the

North　Sea。



Such　are　among　the　triumphs　of　modern　mechanical　engineering；　due　in

a　great　measure　to　the　perfection　of　the　tools　by　means　of　which　all

works　in　metal　are　now　fashioned。　　These　tools　are　themselves　among

the　most　striking　results　of　the　mechanical　invention　of　the　day。

They　are　automata　of　the　most　perfect　kind；　rendering　the　engine　and

machine…maker　in　a　great　measure　independent　of　inferior　workmen。　　For

the　machine　tools　have　no　unsteady　hand；　are　not　careless　nor　clumsy；

do　not　work　by　rule　of　thumb；　and　cannot　make　mistakes。　　They　will

repeat　their　operations　a　thousand　times　without　tiring；　or　varying

one　hair's　breadth　in　their　action；　and　will　turn　out；　without

complaining；　any　quantity　of　work；　all　of　like　accuracy　and　finish。

Exercising　as　they　do　so　remarkable　an　influence　on　the　development

of　modem　industry；　we　now　propose；　so　far　as　the　materials　at　our

disposal　will　admit；　to　give　an　account　of　their　principal　inventors；

beginning　with　the　school　of　Bramah。





CHAPTER　XI。



JOSEPH　BRAMAH。



〃The　great　Inventor　is　one　who　has　walked　forth　upon　the　industrial

world；　not　from　universities；　but　from　hovels；　not　as　clad　in　silks

and　decked　with　honours；　but　as　clad　in　fustian　and　grimed　with　soot

and　oil。〃ISAAC　TAYLOR；　Ultimate　Civilization。





The　inventive　faculty　is　so　strong　in　some　men　that　it　may　be　said　to

amount　to　a　passion；　and　cannot　be　restrained。　　The　saying　that　the

poet　is　born；　not　made；　applies　with　equal　force　to　the　inventor；

who；　though　indebted　like　the　other　to　culture　and　improved

opportunities；　nevertheless　invents　and　goes　on　inventing　mainly　to

gratify　his　own　instinct。　　The　inventor；　however；　is　not　a　creator

like　the　poet；　but　chiefly　a　finder…out。　　His　power　consists　in　a

great　measure　in　quick　perception　and　accurate　observation；　and　in

seeing　and　foreseeing　the　effects　of　certain　mechanical　combinations。

He　must　possess　the　gift　of　insight；　as　well　as　of　manual　dexterity；

combined　with　the　indispensable　qualities　of　patience　and

perseverance；for　though　baffled；　as　he　often　is；　he　must　be　ready

to　rise　up　again　unconquered　even　in　the　moment　of　defeat。　　This　is

the　stuff　of　which　the　greatest　inventors　have　been　made。　　The　subject

of　the　following　memoir　may　not　be　entitled　to　take　rank　as　a

first…class　inventor；　though　he　was　a　most　prolific　one；　but；　as　the

founder　of　a　school　from　which　proceeded　some　of　the　most

distinguished　mechanics　of　our　time；　he　is　entitled　to　a　prominent

place　in　this　series　of　memoirs。



Joseph　Bramah　was　born　in　1748　at　the　village　of　Stainborough；　near

Barnsley　in　Yorkshire；　where　his　father　rented　a　small　farm　under

Lord　Strafford。　　Joseph　was　the　eldest　of　five　children；　and　was　early

destined　to　follow　the　plough。　　After　receiving　a　small　amount　of

education　at　the　village　school；　he　was　set　to　work　upon　the　farm。

From　an　early　period　he　showed　signs　of　constructive　skill。　　When　a

mere　boy；　he　occupied　his　leisure　hours　in　making　musical

instruments；　and　he　succeeded　in　executing　some　creditable　pieces　of

work　with　very　imperfect　tools。　　A　violin；　which　he　made　out　of　a

solid　block　of　wood；　was　long　preserved　as　a　curiosity。　　He　was　so

fortunate　as　to　make　a　friend　of　the　village　blacksmith；　whose　smithy

he　was　in　the　practice　of　frequenting。　　The　smith　was　an　ingenious

workman；　and；　having　taken　a　liking　for　the　boy；　he　made　sundry　tools

for　him　out　of　old　files　and　razor　blades；　and　with　these　his　fiddle

and　other　pieces　of　work　were　mainly　executed。



Joseph　might　have　remained　a　ploughman　for　life；　but　for　an　accident

which　happened　to　his　right　ankle　at　the　age　of　16；　which　unfitted

him　for　farm…work。　　While　confined　at　home　disabled　he　spent　his　time

in　carving　and　making　things　in　wood；　and　then　it　occurred　to　him

that；　though　he　could　not　now　be　a　ploughman；　he　might　be　a　mechanic。

When　sufficiently　recovered；　he　was　accordingly　put　apprentice　to　one

Allott；　the　village　carpenter；　under　whom　he　soon　became　an　expert

workman。　　He　could　make　ploughs；　window…frames；　or　fiddles；　with　equal

dexterity。　　He　also　made　violoncellos；　and　was　so　fortunate　as　to　sell

one　of　his　making　for　three　guineas；　which　is　still　reckoned　a　good

instrument。　　He　doubtless　felt　within　him　the　promptings　of　ambition；

such　as　every　good　workman　feels；　and　at　all　events　entertained　the

desire　of　rising　in　his　trade。　　When　his　time　was　out；　he　accordingly

resolved　to　seek　work　in　London；　whither　he　made　the　journey　on　foot。

He　soon　found　work　at　a　cabinet…maker's；　and　remained　with　him　for

some　time；　after　which　he　set　up　business　in　a　very　small　way　on　his

own　account。　　An　accident　which　happened　to　him　in　the　course　of　his

daily　work；　again　proved　his　helper；　by　affording　him　a　degree　of

leisure　which　he　at　once　proceeded　to　turn　to　some　useful　account。

Part　of　his　business　consisted　in　putting　up　water…closets；　after　a

method　invented　or　improved　by　a　Mr。　Allen；　but　the　article　was　still

very　imperfect；　and　Bramah　had　long　resolved　that　if　he　could　only

secure　some　leisure　for　the　purpose；　he　would　contrive　something　that

should　supersede　it　altogether。　　A　severe　fall　which　occurred　to　him

in　the　course　of　his　business；　and　laid　him　up；　though　very　much

against　his　will；　now　afforded　him　the　leisure　which　he　desired；　and

he　proceeded　to　make　his　proposed　invention。　　He　took　out　a　patent　for

it　in　1778；　describing　himself　in　the　specification　as　〃of　Cross

Court；　Carnaby　Market　＇Golden　Square＇；　Middlesex；　Cabinet　Maker。〃　　He

afterwards　removed　to　a　shop　in　Denmark　Street；　St。　　Giles's；　and

while　there　he　made　a　further　improvement　in　his　invention　by　the

addition　of　a　water　cock；　which　he　patented　in　1783。　　The　merits　of

the　machine　were　generally　recognised；　and　before　long　it　came　into

extensive　use；　continuing　to　be　employed；　with　but　few　alterations；

until　the　present　day。　　His　circumstances　improving　with　the　increased

use　of　his　invention；　Bramah　proceeded　to　undertake　the　manufacture

of　the　pumps；　pipes；　&c。；　required　for　its　construction；　and；

remembering　his　friend　the　Yorkshire　blacksmith；　who　had　made　his

first　tools　for　him　out　of　the　old　files　and　razor…blades；　he　sent

for　him　to　London　to　take　charge　of　his　blacksmith's　department；　in

which　he　proved　a　most　useful　assistant。　　A