Nowthecaseisaltogetherdifferent。Theperfectionofmodernmachine-toolsissuchthattheutmostpossibleprecisionissecured,andthemechanicalengineercancalculateonadegreeofexactitudethatdoesnotadmitofadeviationbeyondthethousandthpartofaninch。Whenthepowerfuloscillatingenginesofthe’Warrior’wereputonboardthatship,theparts,consistingofsomefivethousandseparatepieces,werebroughtfromthedifferentworkshopsoftheMessrs。PennandSons,wheretheyhadbeenmadebyworkmenwhoknewnottheplacestheyweretooccupy,andfittedtogetherwithsuchprecisionthatsosoonasthesteamwasraisedandletintothecylinders,theimmensemachinebeganasiftobreatheandmovelikealivingcreature,stretchingitshugearmslikeanew-borngiant,andthen,afterpractisingitsstrengthalittleandprovingitssoundnessinbodyandlimb,itstartedoffwiththepowerofaboveathousandhorsestotryitsstrengthinbreastingthebillowsoftheNorthSea。
Suchareamongthetriumphsofmodernmechanicalengineering,dueinagreatmeasuretotheperfectionofthetoolsbymeansofwhichallworksinmetalarenowfashioned。Thesetoolsarethemselvesamongthemoststrikingresultsofthemechanicalinventionoftheday。
Theyareautomataofthemostperfectkind,renderingtheengineandmachine-makerinagreatmeasureindependentofinferiorworkmen。Forthemachinetoolshavenounsteadyhand,arenotcarelessnorclumsy,donotworkbyruleofthumb,andcannotmakemistakes。Theywillrepeattheiroperationsathousandtimeswithouttiring,orvaryingonehair’sbreadthintheiraction;andwillturnout,withoutcomplaining,anyquantityofwork,alloflikeaccuracyandfinish。
Exercisingastheydosoremarkableaninfluenceonthedevelopmentofmodemindustry,wenowpropose,sofarasthematerialsatourdisposalwilladmit,togiveanaccountoftheirprincipalinventors,beginningwiththeschoolofBramah。
CHAPTERXI。
JOSEPHBRAMAH。”ThegreatInventorisonewhohaswalkedforthupontheindustrialworld,notfromuniversities,butfromhovels;notascladinsilksanddeckedwithhonours,butascladinfustianandgrimedwithsootandoil。”——ISAACTAYLOR,UltimateCivilization。
Theinventivefacultyissostronginsomementhatitmaybesaidtoamounttoapassion,andcannotberestrained。Thesayingthatthepoetisborn,notmade,applieswithequalforcetotheinventor,who,thoughindebtedliketheothertocultureandimprovedopportunities,neverthelessinventsandgoesoninventingmainlytogratifyhisowninstinct。Theinventor,however,isnotacreatorlikethepoet,butchieflyafinder-out。Hispowerconsistsinagreatmeasureinquickperceptionandaccurateobservation,andinseeingandforeseeingtheeffectsofcertainmechanicalcombinations。
Hemustpossessthegiftofinsight,aswellasofmanualdexterity,combinedwiththeindispensablequalitiesofpatienceandperseverance,——forthoughbaffled,asheoftenis,hemustbereadytoriseupagainunconqueredeveninthemomentofdefeat。Thisisthestuffofwhichthegreatestinventorshavebeenmade。Thesubjectofthefollowingmemoirmaynotbeentitledtotakerankasafirst-classinventor,thoughhewasamostprolificone;but,asthefounderofaschoolfromwhichproceededsomeofthemostdistinguishedmechanicsofourtime,heisentitledtoaprominentplaceinthisseriesofmemoirs。
JosephBramahwasbornin1748atthevillageofStainborough,nearBarnsleyinYorkshire,wherehisfatherrentedasmallfarmunderLordStrafford。Josephwastheeldestoffivechildren,andwasearlydestinedtofollowtheplough。Afterreceivingasmallamountofeducationatthevillageschool,hewassettoworkuponthefarm。
Fromanearlyperiodheshowedsignsofconstructiveskill。Whenamereboy,heoccupiedhisleisurehoursinmakingmusicalinstruments,andhesucceededinexecutingsomecreditablepiecesofworkwithveryimperfecttools。Aviolin,whichhemadeoutofasolidblockofwood,waslongpreservedasacuriosity。Hewassofortunateastomakeafriendofthevillageblacksmith,whosesmithyhewasinthepracticeoffrequenting。Thesmithwasaningeniousworkman,and,havingtakenalikingfortheboy,hemadesundrytoolsforhimoutofoldfilesandrazorblades;andwiththesehisfiddleandotherpiecesofworkweremainlyexecuted。
Josephmighthaveremainedaploughmanforlife,butforanaccidentwhichhappenedtohisrightankleattheageof16,whichunfittedhimforfarm-work。Whileconfinedathomedisabledhespenthistimeincarvingandmakingthingsinwood;andthenitoccurredtohimthat,thoughhecouldnotnowbeaploughman,hemightbeamechanic。
Whensufficientlyrecovered,hewasaccordinglyputapprenticetooneAllott,thevillagecarpenter,underwhomhesoonbecameanexpertworkman。Hecouldmakeploughs,window-frames,orfiddles,withequaldexterity。Healsomadevioloncellos,andwassofortunateastoselloneofhismakingforthreeguineas,whichisstillreckonedagoodinstrument。Hedoubtlessfeltwithinhimthepromptingsofambition,suchaseverygoodworkmanfeels,andatalleventsentertainedthedesireofrisinginhistrade。Whenhistimewasout,heaccordinglyresolvedtoseekworkinLondon,whitherhemadethejourneyonfoot。
Hesoonfoundworkatacabinet-maker’s,andremainedwithhimforsometime,afterwhichhesetupbusinessinaverysmallwayonhisownaccount。Anaccidentwhichhappenedtohiminthecourseofhisdailywork,againprovedhishelper,byaffordinghimadegreeofleisurewhichheatonceproceededtoturntosomeusefulaccount。
Partofhisbusinessconsistedinputtingupwater-closets,afteramethodinventedorimprovedbyaMr。Allen;butthearticlewasstillveryimperfect;andBramahhadlongresolvedthatifhecouldonlysecuresomeleisureforthepurpose,hewouldcontrivesomethingthatshouldsupersedeitaltogether。Aseverefallwhichoccurredtohiminthecourseofhisbusiness,andlaidhimup,thoughverymuchagainsthiswill,nowaffordedhimtheleisurewhichhedesired,andheproceededtomakehisproposedinvention。Hetookoutapatentforitin1778,describinghimselfinthespecificationas”ofCrossCourt,CarnabyMarket[GoldenSquare],Middlesex,CabinetMaker。”HeafterwardsremovedtoashopinDenmarkStreet,St。Giles’s,andwhiletherehemadeafurtherimprovementinhisinventionbytheadditionofawatercock,whichhepatentedin1783。Themeritsofthemachineweregenerallyrecognised,andbeforelongitcameintoextensiveuse,continuingtobeemployed,withbutfewalterations,untilthepresentday。Hiscircumstancesimprovingwiththeincreaseduseofhisinvention,Bramahproceededtoundertakethemanufactureofthepumps,pipes,&c。,requiredforitsconstruction;and,rememberinghisfriendtheYorkshireblacksmith,whohadmadehisfirsttoolsforhimoutoftheoldfilesandrazor-blades,hesentforhimtoLondontotakechargeofhisblacksmith’sdepartment,inwhichheprovedamostusefulassistant。Asusual,thepatentwasattackedbypiratessosoonasitbecameproductive,andBramahwasunderthenecessity,onmorethanoneoccasion,ofdefendinghispropertyintheinvention,inwhichhewascompletelysuccessful。
WenextfindBramahturninghisattentiontotheinventionofalockthatshouldsurpassallothersthenknown。Thelockstheninusewereofaveryimperfectcharacter,easilypickedbydexterousthieves,againstwhomtheyaffordedlittleprotection。Yetlocksareaveryancientinvention,though,asinmanyothercases,theartofmakingthemseemsinagreatmeasuretohavebecomelost,andaccordinglyhadtobefoundoutanew。Thusthetumblerlock——whichconsistsintheuseofmoveableimpedimentsactedonbytheproperkeyonly,ascontradistinguishedfromtheordinarywardlocks,wheretheimpedimentsarefixed——appearstohavebeenwellknowntotheancientEgyptians,therepresentationofsuchalockbeingfoundsculpturedamongthebas-reliefswhichdecoratethegreattempleatKarnak。Thiskindoflockwasrevived,oratleastgreatlyimproved,byaMr。Barronin1774,anditwasshortlyafterthistimethatBramahdirectedhisattentiontothesubject。Aftermuchstudyandmanyexperiments,hecontrivedalockmoresimple,moreserviceable,aswellasmoresecure,thanBarron’s,asisprovedbythefactthatithasstoodthetestofnearlyeightyyears’experience,*
[footnote……
ThelockinventedbyBramahwaspatentedin1784。Mr。BramahhimselffullysetforththespecificmeritsoftheinventioninhisDissertationontheConstructionofLocks。Inasecondpatent,takenoutbyhimin1798,heamendedhisfirstwiththeobjectofpreventingthecounterfeitingofkeys,andsuspendingtheofficeofthelockuntilthekeywasagaininthepossessionoftheowner。Thisheeffectedbyenablingtheownersotoaltertheslidersastorenderthelockinaccessibletosuchkeyifappliedbyanyotherpersonbuthimself,oruntiltheslidershadbeenrearrangedsoastoadmitofitsproperaction。WemaymentioninpassingthatthesecurityofBramah’slocksdependsonthedoctrineofcombinations,ormultiplicationofnumbersintoeachother,whichisknowntoincreaseinthemostrapidproportion。Thus,alockoffiveslidesadmitsof3,000variations,whileoneofeightwillhavenolessthan1,935,360changes;inotherwords,thatnumberofattemptsatmakingakey,oratpickingit,maybemadebeforeitcanbeopened。
andstillholdsitsground。Foralongtime,indeed,Bramah’slockwasregardedasabsolutelyinviolable,anditremainedunpickedforsixty-sevenyearsuntilHobbstheAmericanmastereditin1851。A
noticehadlongbeenexhibitedinBramah’sshop-windowinPiccadilly,offering200L。toanyonewhoshouldsucceedinpickingthepatentlock。Manytried,andallfailed,untilHobbssucceeded,aftersixteendays’manipulationofitwithvariouselaborateinstruments。
Butthedifficultywithwhichthelockwaspickedshowedthat,forallordinarypurposes,itmightbepronouncedimpregnable。
Thenewlocksweremachinesofthemostdelicatekind,theactionofwhichdependedinagreatmeasureupontheprecisionwithwhichthesprings,sliders,levers,barrels,andotherpartswerefinished。Themeritsoftheinventionbeinggenerallyadmitted,therewasaconsiderabledemandforthelocks,andthenecessitythusaroseforinventingaseriesoforiginalmachine-toolstoenablethemtobemanufacturedinsufficientquantitiestomeetthedemand。Itisprobable,indeed,that,butforthecontrivanceofsuchtools,thelockcouldneverhavecomeintogeneraluse,astheskillofhand-workmen,nomatterhowexperienced,couldnothavebeenrelieduponforturningoutthearticlewiththatdegreeofaccuracyandfinishinallthepartswhichwasindispensableforitsproperaction。Inconductingthemanufacturethroughout,BramahwasgreatlyassistedbyHenryMaudslay,hisforeman,towhomhewasinnosmalldegreeindebtedforthecontrivanceofthosetool-machineswhichenabledhimtocarryonthebusinessoflock-makingwithadvantageandprofit。
Bramah’sindefatigablespiritofinventionwasonlystimulatedtofresheffortsbythesuccessofhislock;andinthecourseofafewyearswefindhimenteringuponamoreimportantandoriginallineofactionthanhehadyetventuredon。Hispatentof1785showsthedirectionofhisstudies。Watthadinventedhissteam-engine,whichwascomingintogeneraluse;andthecreationofmotive-powerinvariousotherformsbecameafavouritesubjectofinquirywithinventors。Bramah’sfirstinventionwiththisobjectwashisHydrostaticMachine,foundedonthedoctrineoftheequilibriumofpressureinfluids,asexhibitedinthewellknown’hydrostaticparadox。’Inhispatentof1785,inwhichhenolongerdescribeshimselfasCabinetmaker,but’Enginemaker’ofPiccadilly,heindicatedmanyinventions,thoughnoneofthemcameintopracticaluse,——suchasaHydrostaticalMachineandBoiler,andtheapplicationofthepowerproducedbythemtothedrawingofcarriages,andthepropellingofshipsbyapaddle-wheelfixedinthesternofthevessel,ofwhichdrawingsareannexedtothespecification;butitwasnotuntil1795thathepatentedhisHydrostaticorHydraulicPress。
ThoughtheprincipleonwhichtheHydraulicPressisfoundedhadlongbeenknown,andformedthesubjectofmuchcuriousspeculation,itremainedunproductiveofresultsuntilacomparativelyrecentperiod,whentheideaoccurredofapplyingittomechanicalpurposes。A
machineofthekindwasindeedproposedbyPascal,theeminentphilosopher,in1664,butmorethanacenturyelapsedbeforethedifficultiesinthewayofitsconstructionweresatisfactorilyovercome。Bramah’smachineconsistsofalargeandmassivecylinder,inwhichthereworksanaccurately-fittedsolidpistonorplunger。A
forcing-pumpofverysmallborecommunicateswiththebottomofthecylinder,andbytheactionofthepump-handleorlever,exceedingsmallquantitiesofwaterareforcedinsuccessionbeneaththepistoninthelargecylinder,thusgraduallyraisingitup,andcompressingbodieswhosebulkorvolumeitisintendedtoreduce。Henceitismostcommonlyusedasapacking-press,beingsuperiortoeveryothercontrivanceofthekindthathasyetbeeninvented;andthoughexercisingaprodigiousforce,itissoeasilymanagedthataboycanworkit。Themachinehasbeenemployedonmanyextraordinaryoccasionsinpreferencetoothermethodsofapplyingpower。ThusRobertStephensonusedittohoistthegigantictubesoftheBritanniaBridgeintotheirbed,*
[footnote……
TheweightraisedbyasinglepressattheBritanniaBridgewas1144
tons。