James Watt is considered by many to be the father of the steam
engine. He nearly was, but not quite. What he did was invent the
separate condenser, which made the use of steam power
practicable.
He was born at Greenoch, Scotland, on January 19,1736, the son
of a merchant. He died in Heathfield Hall at Staffordshire on
August 19, 1819 at the age of 84 and was buried there in Handsworth
Parish Church. What he did between these two dates changed the
world.
As a child James was rather weak and did not attend school
regularly. He expressed an interest in mathematics and machines
and, at the age of 18 journeyed to London to learn the trade of
instrument maker. After a year he returned home because of poor
health.
Later he went to Glasgow and attempted to open a shop there but
was thwarted by a craft guild. He then managed to secure a position
as mathematical instrument maker at the University of Glasgow. He
did all sorts of mechanical jobs and made fiddles.
Watt was given the task of repairing a model of the Newcomen
atmospheric ‘steam’ engine, which was used for pumping
water from mines. He was appalled by the waste of steam and fuel in
the engines so he set about experimenting, studying the properties
of steam.
In Newcomen’s engine a piston was moved by atmospheric
pressure in a cylinder where a vacuum was created by using cooling
water to condense steam. The cylinder itself was used as a
condenser.
Watt realized that to achieve engine efficiency two conditions
had to be met. For a good vacuum the temperature of the condensed
steam should be as low as possible and the cylinder should always
be as hot as the steam that entered it.
In 1765 Watt found the answer when he developed his separate
condenser. Steam was admitted into this air-exhausted receptacle
and condensed there. This prevented loss of steam in the cylinder
from condensation. The temperature in the cylinder was kept
high.
GREAT EVENTS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.
This article is not a ‘response’ to the recent story we
did on the Newcomen Museum, even though it may seem to be. The
article was written by Bill Lenox several years ago and has been
held until we could find a proper illustration. The picture is from
an old textbook, ‘Outlines of the World’s History,’ by
William Swinton, published in 1874. Note that Watt’s last name
is spelled incorrectly. The 19th Century was indeed a time of great
invention and progress. Ed.
Watt proceeded to improve his invention. A steam-type stuffing
box for the piston rod permitted steam rather than air to press on
top of the piston. The cylinder was given an insulated casing.
Later improvements were: a sun-and-planet gear wheel that
provided rotary motion; a double-acting engine where steam powered
piston strokes alternately at the ends of the cylinder; a cut-off
that used the expansive power of steam, and a speed governor.
Watt became a partner of Matthew Boulton, who owned a
manufacturing works at Soho, near Birmingham. Boulton’s money
and business ability were great assets in the business of
manufacturing and marketing engines. We are sure that throughout
history many an invention has been left to rust unseen in some
deserted barn for lack of funds and know-how. Besides using all his
capital for the venture Boulton was helpful in getting Parliament
to extend the life of Watt’s patent.
In 1800 Watt and Boulton retired from the business and their
sons took over.
Watt contributed his talents to other sciences and was elected
to the Edinburgh and London Royal Societies. The units used to
measure electricity, the watt and the kilowatt, were named for him.
He devised a combustion furnace, developed ink for copying letters
and has a claim to having discovered the chemical composition of
water, although the latter has been involved in controversy.
James Watt was one of history’s inventive giants. Although
not the actual father of the steam engine he certainly was a good
stepfather who took Newcomen’s ‘infant’ and brought it
to maturity.
