industrial biography-第43章

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self…tightening　collar　is　to　the　hydraulic　press；　so　is　the

steamblast　to　the　locomotive。　　It　is　the　one　thing　needful　that　has

made　it　effective　in　practice。　　If　Maudslay　was　the　inventor　of　the

collar；　that　one　contrivance　ought　to　immortalize　him。　　He　used　to

tell　me　of　it　with　great　gusto；　and　I　have　no　reason　to　doubt　the

correctness　of　his　statement。〃　　Whoever　really　struck　out　the　idea　of

the　collar；　displayed　the　instinct　of　the　true　inventor；　who

invariably　seeks　to　accomplish　his　object　by　the　adoption　of　the

simplest　possible　means。



During　the　time　that　Maudslay　held　the　important　office　of　manager　of

Bramah's　works；　his　highest　wages　were　not　more　than　thirty　shillings

a…week。　　He　himself　thought　that　he　was　worth　more　to　his　masteras

indeed　he　was；and　he　felt　somewhat　mortified　that　he　should　have　to

make　an　application　for　an　advance；　but　the　increasing　expenses　of

his　family　compelled　him　in　a　measure　to　do　so。　　His　application　was

refused　in　such　a　manner　as　greatly　to　hurt　his　sensitive　feelings；

and　the　result　was　that　he　threw　up　his　situation；　and　determined　to

begin　working　on　his　own　account。



His　first　start　in　business　was　in　the　year　1797；　in　a　small　workshop

and　smithy　situated　in　Wells　Street；　Oxford　Street。　　It　was　in　an

awful　state　of　dirt　and　dilapidation　when　he　became　its　tenant。　　He

entered　the　place　on　a　Friday；　but　by　the　Saturday　evening；　with　the

help　of　his　excellent　wife；　he　had　the　shop　thoroughly　cleaned；

whitewashed；　and　put　in　readiness　for　beginning　work　on　the　next

Monday　morning。　　He　had　then　the　pleasure　of　hearing　the　roar　of　his

own　forge…fire；　and　the　cheering　ring　of　the　hammer　on　his　own　anvil；

and　great　was　the　pride　he　felt　in　standing　for　the　first　time　within

his　own　smithy　and　executing　orders　for　customers　on　his　own　account。

His　first　customer　was　an　artist；　who　gave　him　an　order　to　execute

the　iron　work　of　a　large　easel；　embodying　some　new　arrangements；　and

the　work　was　punctually　done　to　his　employer's　satisfaction。　　Other

orders　followed；　and　he　soon　became　fully　employed。　　His　fame　as　a

first…rate　workman　was　almost　as　great　as　that　of　his　former　master；

and　many　who　had　been　accustomed　to　do　business　with　him　at　Pimlico

followed　him　to　Wells　Street。　　Long　years　after；　the　thought　of　these

early　days　of　self…dependence　and　hard　work　used　to　set　him　in　a

glow；　and　he　would　dilate　to　his　intimate　friends　up　on　his　early

struggles　and　his　first　successes；　which　were　much　more　highly　prized

by　him　than　those　of　his　maturer　years。



With　a　true　love　of　his　craft；　Maudslay　continued　to　apply　himself；

as　he　had　done　whilst　working　as　Bramah's　foreman；　to　the　best

methods　of　ensuring　accuracy　and　finish　of　work；　so　as　in　a　measure

to　be　independent　of　the　carelessness　or　want　of　dexterity　of　the

workman。　　With　this　object　he　aimed　at　the　contrivance　of　improved

machine…tools；　which　should　be　as　much　self…acting　and

self…regulating　as　possible；　and　it　was　while　pursuing　this　study

that　he　wrought　out　the　important　mechanical　invention　with　which　his

name　is　usually　identifiedthat　of　the　Slide　Rest。　　It　continued　to

be　his　special　delight；　when　engaged　in　the　execution　of　any　piece　of

work　in　which　he　took　a　personal　interest；　to　introduce　a　system　of

identity　of　parts；　and　to　adapt　for　the　purpose　some　one　or　other　of

the　mechanical　contrivances　with　which　his　fertile　brain　was　always

teeming。　　Thus　it　was　from　his　desire　to　leave　nothing　to　the　chance

of　mere　individual　dexterity　of　hand　that　he　introduced　the　slide

rest　in　the　lathe；　and　rendered　it　one　of　the　most　important　of

machine…tools。　　The　first　device　of　this　kind　was　contrived　by　him　for

Bramah；　in　whose　shops　it　continued　in　practical　use　long　after　he

had　begun　business　for　himself。　　〃I　have　seen　the　slide　rest；〃　says

Mr。　James　Nasmyth；　〃the　first　that　Henry　Maudslay　made；　in　use　at

Messrs。　Bramah's　workshops；　and　in　it　were　all　those　arrangements

which　are　to　be　found　in　the　most　modern　slide　rest　of　our　own　day；*

　＇footnote。。。

In　this　lathe　the　slide　rest　and　frame　were　moveable　along　the

traversing…bar；　according　to　the　length　of　the　work；　and　could　be

placed　in　any　position　and　secured　by　a　handle　and　screw　underneath。

The　Rest；　however；　afterwards　underwent　many　important　modifications；

but　the　principle　of　the　whole　machine　was　there。

　。。。＇

all　of　which　are　the　legitimate　offspring　of　Maudslay's　original

rest。　　If　this　tool　be　yet　extant；　it　ought　to　be　preserved　with　the

greatest　care；　for　it　was　the　beginning　of　those　mechanical　triumphs

which　give　to　the　days　in　which　we　live　so　much　of　their

distinguishing　character。〃



A　very　few　words　of　explanation　will　serve　to　illustrate　the

importance　of　Maudslay's　invention。　　Every　person　is　familiar　with　the

uses　of　the　common　turning…lathe。　　It　is　a　favourite　machine　with

amateur　mechanics；　and　its　employment　is　indispensable　for　the

execution　of　all　kinds　of　rounded　work　in　wood　and　metal。　　Perhaps

there　is　no　contrivance　by　which　the　skill　of　the　handicraftsman　has

been　more　effectually　aided　than　by　this　machine。　　Its　origin　is　lost

in　the　shades　of　antiquity。　　Its　most　ancient　form　was　probably　the

potter's　wheel；　from　which　it　advanced；　by　successive　improvements；

to　its　present　highly　improved　form。　　It　was　found　that；　by　whatever

means　a　substance　capable　of　being　cut　could　be　made　to　revolve　with

a　circular　motion　round　a　fixed　right　line　as　a　centre；　a　cutting

tool　applied　to　its　surface　would　remove　the　inequalities　so　that　any

part　of　such　surface　should　be　equidistant　from　that　centre。　　Such　is

the　fundamental　idea　of　the　ordinary　turning…lathe。　　The　ingenuity　and

experience　of　mechanics　working　such　an　instrument　enabled　them　to

add　many　improvements　to　it；　until　the　skilful　artisan　at　length

produced　not　merely　circular　turning　of　the　most　beautiful　and

accurate　description；　but　exquisite　figure…work；　and　complicated

geometrical　designs；　depending　upon　the　cycloidal　and　eccentric

movements　which　were　from　time　to　time　added　to　the　machine。



The　artisans　of　the　Middle　Ages　were　very　skilful　in　the　use　of　the

lathe；　and　turned　out　much　beautiful　screen　and　stall　work；　still　to

be　seen　in　our　cathedrals；　as　well　as　twisted　and　swash…work　for　the

balusters　of　staircases　and　other　ornamental　purposes。　　English

mechanics　seem　early　to　have　distinguished　themselves　as　improvers　of

the　lathe；　and　in　Moxon's　'Treatise　on　Turning；'　published　in　1680；

we　find　Mr。　Thomas　Oldfield；　at　the　sign　of　the　Flower…de…Luce；　near

the　Savoy　in　the　Strand；　named　as　an　excellent　maker　of　oval…engines

and　swash…engines；　showing　that　such　machines　were　then　in　some

demand。　　The　French　writer　Plumier*

　＇footnote。。。

PLUMIER；　L'Art　de　Tourner；　Paris；　1754；　p。　155。　　。。。＇

also　mentions　an　ingenious　modification　of　the　lathe　by　means　of

which　any　kind　of　reticulated　form　could　be　given　to　the　work；　and；

from　it's　being　employed　to　ornament　the　handles　of　knives；　it　was

called　by　him　the　　〃Machine　a　manche　de　Couteau　d'Angleterre。〃　　But

the　French　artisans　were　at　that　time　much　better　skilled　than　the

English　in　the　use　of　tools；　and　it　is　most　probable　that　we　owe　to

the　Flemish　and　French　Protestant　workmen　who　flocked　into　England　in

such　large　numbers　during　the　religious　persecutions　of　the　sixteenth

and　seventeenth　centuries；　the　improvement；　if　not　the　introduction；

of　the　art　of　turning；　as　well　as　many　other　arts　hereafter　to　be

referred　to。　　It　is　certain　that　at　the　period　to　which　we　refer

numerous　treatises　were　published　in　France　on　the　art　of　turning；

some　of　them　of　a　most　elaborate　character。　　Such　were　the　works　of

De　la　Hire；*

　＇footnote。。。

Machines　approuvees　par　l'　Academie；　1719。

　。。。＇

who　described　how　every　kind　of　polygon　might　be　made　by　the　lathe；

De　la　Condamine；*

　＇footnote。。。

Machines　approuvees　par　l'　Academie；　1733。

　。。。＇

who　showed　how　a　lathe　could　turn　all　sorts　of　irregular　figures　by

means　of　tracers；　and　of　Grand　Jean；　Morin；*

　＇footnote。。。

L'Art　de　Tourner　en　perfection；　49。

　。。。＇

　Plumier；　Bergeron；　and　many　other　writers。



The　work　of　Plumier　is　especially　elaborate；　entering　into　the

construction　of　the　lathe　in　its　various　parts；　the　making　of　the

tools　and　cutters；　and　the　different　motions　to　be　given　to　the

machine　by　means　of　wheels；　eccentrics；　and　other　expedients；　amongst

which　may　be　mentioned　one　very　much　resembling　the　slide　rest　and

planing…machine　combined。*

　＇footnote。。。

It　consisted　of　two　parallel　bars　of　wood　or　iron　connected　together

at　both　extremities　by　bolts　or　keys　of　sufficient　width　to　admit　of

the　article　required　to　be　planed。　　A　moveable　frame　was　placed

between　the　two　bars；　motion　being　given　to　it　by　a　long　cylindrical

thread　acting　on　any　tool　put　into　the　sliding　frame；　and；

consequently；　causing　the　screw；　by　means　of　a　handle　at　each　end　of

it；　to　push　or　draw　the　point　or　cutting…edge　of　the　tool　either

way。Mr。　George　Rennie's　Preface　to　Buchanan's　Practical　Essays　on

Mill　Work；　3rd　Ed。　xli。

　。。。＇

　From　this　work　it　appears　that　turning　had　long　been　a　favourite

pursuit　in　France　with　amateurs　of　all　ranks；　who　spared　no　expense

in　the　contrivance　and　perfection　of　elaborate　machinery　for　the

production　of　complex　figures。*

　＇footnote。。。

Turning　was　a　favourite　amusement　amongst　the　French　nobles　of　last

century；　many　of　whom　acquired　great　dexterity　in　the　art；　which　they

turned　to　account　when　compelled　to　emigrate　at　the　Revolution。　　Louis

XVI。　himself　was　a　very　good　locksmith；　and　could　have　earned　a　fair

living　at　the　trade。　　Our　own　George　III。　was　a　good　turner；　and　was

learned　in　wheels　and　treadles；　chucks　and　chisels。　　Henry　Mayhew

says；　on　the　authority　of　an　old　working　turner；　that；　with　average

industry；　the　King　might　have　made　from　40s。　to　50s。　a…week　as　a　hard

wood　and　ivory　turner。　　Lord　John　Hay；　though　one…armed；　was　an　adept

at　the　latter；　and　Lord　Gray　was　another　capital　turner。　　Indeed　the

late　Mr。　Holtzapffel's　elaborately　illustrated　treatise　was　written

quite　as　much　for　amateurs　as　for　working　mechanics。　　Among　other

noble　handicraftsmen　we　may　mention　the　late　Lord　Douglas；　who

cultivated　bookbinding。　　Lord　Traquair's　fancy　was　cutlery；　and　one

could　not　come　to　him　in　a　more　welcome　fashion　than　with　a　pair　of

old　razors　to　set　up。

　。。。＇

There　was　at　that　time　a　great　passion　for　automata　in　France；　which

gave　rise　to　many　highly　ingenious　devices；　such　as　Camus's　miniature

carriage　（made　for　Louis　XIV。　when　a　child）；　Degennes'　mechanical

peacock；　Vancanson's　duck；　and　Maillardet's　conjuror。　　It　had　the

effect　of　introducing　among　the　higher　order　of　artists　habits　of

nice　and　accurate　workmanship　in　executing　delicate　pieces　of

machinery；　and　the　same　combination　of　mechanical　powers　which　made

the　steel　spider　crawl；　the　duck　quack；　or