Hisadditionstothesteam-enginewereofgreatpracticalvalue,oneofwhich,theself-actingapparatusattachedtotheboilerforthepurposeofregulatingtheintensityoffireunderit,andconsequentlytheproductionofsteam,isstillingeneraluse。Thiswasinventedbyhimasearlyas1799。HealsosubsequentlyinventedtheDslidevalve,oratleastgreatlyimprovedit,whileheaddedtothepoweroftheair-pump,andgaveanewarrangementtotheotherparts,withaviewtothesimplificationofthepowersoftheengine。
TomaketheDvalveworkefficiently,itwasfoundnecessarytoformtwoperfectlyplanesurfaces,toproducewhichheinventedhisplaningmachine。Hewasalsothefirsttoadoptthepracticeofplacingthepistoninahorizontalpositioninthecommoncondensingengine。Amonghisothermodificationsinthesteam-engine,washisimprovementofthelocomotiveasinventedbyTrevithick;anditoughttoberememberedtohishonourthathemadethefirstlocomotivethatregularlyworkeduponanyrailway。
ThiswastheengineerectedbyhimforBlenkinsop,toworktheMiddletoncollieryrailwaynearLeeds,onwhichitbegantorunin1812,andcontinuedinregularuseformanyyears。Inthisengineheintroducedthedoublecylinder——Trevithick’senginebeingprovidedwithonlyonecylinder,thedefectsofwhichweresupplementedbytheadditionofafly-wheeltocarrythecrankoverthedeadpoints。
ButMatthewMurray’smostimportantinventions,consideredintheireffectsonmanufacturingindustry,werethoseconnectedwiththemachineryforhecklingandspinningflax,whichheverygreatlyimproved。HishecklingmachineobtainedforhimtheprizeofthegoldmedaloftheSocietyofArts;andthisaswellashismachineforwetflax-spinningbymeansofspongeweightsprovedofthegreatestpracticalvalue。Atthetimewhentheseinventionsweremadetheflaxtradewasonthepointofexpiring,thespinnersbeingunabletoproduceyarntoaprofit;andtheiralmostimmediateeffectwastoreducethecostofproduction,toimproveimmenselythequalityofthemanufacture,andtoestablishtheBritishlinentradeonasolidfoundation。Theproductionofflax-machinerybecameanimportantbranchofmanufactureatLeeds,largequantitiesbeingmadeforuseathomeaswellasforexportation,givingemploymenttoanincreasingnumberofhighlyskilledmechanics。*
[footnote……
Amongmorerecentimproversofflax-machinery,thelateSirPeterFairbairnisentitledtohighmerit:theworkturnedoutbyhimbeingoffirst-rateexcellence,embodyingnumerousinventionsandimprovementsofgreatvalueandimportance。
Mr。Murray’sfacultyfororganisingwork,perfectedbyexperience,enabledhimalsotointroducemanyvaluableimprovementsinthemechanicsofmanufacturing。Hispre-eminentskillinmill-gearingbecamegenerallyacknowledged,andtheeffectsofhislaboursarefelttothisdayintheextensiveandstillthrivingbranchesofindustrywhichhisingenuityandabilitymainlycontributedtoestablish。Allthemachinetoolsusedinhisestablishmentweredesignedbyhimself,andhewasmostcarefulinthepersonalsuperintendenceofallthedetailsoftheirconstruction。Mr。MurraydiedatLeedsin1826,inhissixty-thirdyear。
WehavenotyetexhaustedthelistofclaimantstotheinventionofthePlaningMachine,forwefindstillanotherinthepersonofRichardRobertsofManchester,oneofthemostprolificofmodeminventors。Mr。Robertshasindeedachievedsomanyundisputedinventions,thathecanreadilyaffordtodividethehonourinthiscasewithothers。Hehascontrivedthingssovariousastheself-actingmuleandthebestelectro-magnet,wetgas-metersanddryplaningmachines,ironbillard-tablesandturret-clocks,thecentrifugalrailwayandthedrillslotting-machine,anapparatusformakingcigarsandmachineryforthepropulsionandequipmentofsteamships;sothathemayalmostberegardedastheAdmirableCrichtonofmodemmechanics。
RichardRobertswasbornin1789,atCarreghovaintheparishofLlanymynech。Hisfatherwasbytradeashoemaker,towhichheoccasionallyaddedtheoccupationoftoll-keeper。ThehouseinwhichRichardwasbornstoodupontheborderlinewhichthendividedthecountiesofSalopandMontgomery;thefrontdooropeningintheonecounty,andthebackdoorintheother。Richard,whenaboy,receivednexttonoeducation,andassoonashewasoffittingagewasputtocommonlabouringwork。Forsometimeheworkedinaquarrynearhisfather’sdwelling;butbeingofaningeniousturn,heoccupiedhisleisureinmakingvariousarticlesofmechanism,partlyforamusementandpartlyforprofit。Oneofhisfirstachievements,whileworkingasaquarryman,wasaspinning-wheel,ofwhichhewasveryproud,foritwasconsidered”agoodjob。”Thushegraduallyacquireddexterityinhandlingtools,andheshortlycametoentertaintheambitionofbecomingamechanic。
Therewereseveralironworksintheneighbourhood,andthitherhewentinsearchofemployment。Hesucceededinfindingworkasapattern-makeratBradley,nearBilston;underJohnWilkinson,thefamousironmaster——amanofgreatenterpriseaswellasmechanicalskill;forhewasthefirstman,asalreadystated,thatWattcouldfindcapableofboringacylinderwithanyapproachtotruth,forthepurposesofhissteam-engines。Afteracquiringsomepracticalknowledgeoftheartofworkinginwoodaswellasiron,RobertsproceededtoBirmingham,wherehepassedthroughdifferentshops,gainingfurtherexperienceinmechanicalpractice。Hetriedhishandatmanykindsofwork,andacquiredconsiderabledexterityineach。
Hewasregardedasasortofjack-of-all-trades;forhewasagoodturner,atolerablewheel-wright,andcouldrepairmill-workatapinch。
HenextmovednorthwardtotheHorsleyironworks,Tipton,wherehewasworkingasapattern-makerwhenhehadthemisfortunetobedrawninhisowncountyforthemilitia。HeimmediatelylefthisworkandmadehiswayhomewardtoLlanymynech,determinednottobeasoldierorevenamilitiaman。Buthomewasnottheplaceforhimtorestin,andafterbiddingahastyadieutohisfather,hecrossedthecountrynorthwardonfootandreachedLiverpool,inthehopeoffindingworkthere。Failinginthat,hesetoutforManchesterandreacheditatdusk,verywearyandverymiryinconsequenceoftheroadbeinginsuchawretchedstateofmudandruts。Herelatesthat,notknowingapersoninthetown,hewentuptoanapple-stallostensiblytobuyapennyworthofapples,butreallytoaskthestall-keeperifheknewofanypersoninwantofahand。Wasthereanyturnerintheneighbourhood?Yes,roundthecorner。Thitherhewentatonce,foundthewood-turnerin,andwaspromisedajobonthefollowingmorning。
Heremainedwiththeturnerforonlyashorttime,afterwhichhefoundajobinSalfordatlatheandtool-making。Buthearingthatthemilitiawarrant-officerswerestillsearchingforhim,hebecameuneasyanddeterminedtotakerefugeinLondon。
Hetrudgedallthewayonfoottothatgreathiding-place,andfirsttriedHoltzapffel’s,thefamoustool-maker’s,butfailinginhisapplicationhenextwenttoMaudslay’sandsucceededingettingemployment。Heworkedthereforsometime,acquiringmuchvaluablepracticalknowledgeintheuseoftools,cultivatinghisskillbycontactwithfirst-classworkmen,andbenefitingbythespiritofactivecontrivancewhichpervadedtheMaudslayshops。Hismanualdexteritygreatlyincreased,andhisinventiveingenuityfullystimulated,hedeterminedonmakinghiswaybacktoManchester,which,evenmorethanLondonitself,atthattimepresentedabundantopeningsformenofmechanicalskill。HencewefindsomanyofthebestmechanicstrainedatMaudslay’sandClement’s——Nasmyth,Lewis,Muir,Roberts,Whitworth,andothers——shortlyrisingintodistinctionthereasleadingmechaniciansandtool-makers。
ThemereenumerationofthevariousresultsofMr。Roberts’sinventiveskillduringtheperiodofhissettlementatManchesterasamechanicalengineer,wouldoccupymorespacethanwecanwellspare。Butwemaybrieflymentionafewofthemoreimportant。In1816,whilecarryingonbusinessonhisownaccountinDeansgate,heinventedhisimprovedsectorforcorrectlysizingwheelsinblankpreviouslytotheirbeingcut,whichisstillextensivelyused。Inthesameyearheinventedhisimprovedscrew-lathe;andinthefollowingyear,attherequestoftheboroughreeveandconstablesofManchester,hecontrivedanoscillatingandrotatingwetgasmeterofanewkind,whichenabledthemtosellgasbymeasure。Thiswasthefirstmeterinwhichawaterlutewasappliedtopreventtheescapeofgasbytheindexshaft,thewantofwhich,aswellasitsgreatcomplexity,hadpreventedtheonlyothergasmetertheninexistencefromworkingsatisfactorily。Thewaterlutewasimmediatelyadoptedbythepatenteeofthatmeter。Theplaningmachine,thoughclaimed,aswehaveseen,bymanyinventors,wasconstructedbyMr。Robertsafteranoriginalplanofhisownin1817,andbecamethetoolmostgenerallyemployedinmechanicalworkshops——actingbymeansofachainandrack——thoughithassincebeensupersededtosomeextentbytheplaningmachineofWhitworth,whichworksbothwaysuponanendlessscrew。Improvementsfollowedintheslide-lathegivingalargerangeofspeedwithincreaseddiametersforthesamesizeofheadstocks,&c。,inthewheel-cuttingengine,inthescale-beambywhich,withaloadof2oz。oneachend,thefifteen-hundredthpartofagraincouldbeindicated,inthebroaching-machine,theslotting-machine,andotherengines。
ButtheinventionsbywhichhisfamebecamemostextensivelyknownaroseoutofcircumstancesconnectedwiththecottonmanufacturesofManchesterandtheneighbourhood。Thegreatimprovementswhichheintroducedinthemachineformakingweavers’reeds,ledtotheformationofthefirmofSharp,Roberts,andCo。,ofwhichMr。
Robertswastheactingmechanicalpartnerformanyyears。Notlessimportantwerehisimprovementsinpower-loomsforweavingfustians,whichwereextensivelyadopted。ButbyfarthemostfamousofhisinventionswasunquestionablyhisSelf-actingMule,oneofthemostelaborateandbeautifulpiecesofmachineryevercontrived。Beforeitsinvention,theworkingoftheentiremachineryofthecotton-mill,aswellastheemploymentofthepiecers,cleaners,andotherclassesofoperatives,dependeduponthespinners,who,thoughreceivingthehighestratesofpay,werebymuchthemostgiventostrikes;andtheywerefrequentlyaccustomedtoturnoutintimeswhentradewasbrisk,therebybringingthewholeoperationsofthemanufactoriestoastandstill,andthrowingalltheotheroperativesoutofemployment。Along-continuedstrikeofthissorttookplacein1824,whentheideaoccurredtothemastersthatitmightbepossibletomakethespinning-mulesrunoutandinattheproperspeedbymeansofself-actingmachinery,andthusrendertheminsomemeasureindependentofthemorerefractoryclassoftheirworkmen。Itseemed,however,tobesoverydifficultaproblem,thattheywerebynomeanssanguineofsuccessinitssolution。Sometimepassedbeforetheycouldfindanymechanicwillingsomuchastoconsiderthesubject。Mr。AshtonofStaley-bridgemadeeveryeffortwiththisobject,buttheanswerhegotwasuniformlythesame。Thethingwasdeclaredtobeimpracticableandimpossible。Mr。Ashton,accompaniedbytwootherleadingspinners,calledonSharp,Roberts,andCo。,toseekaninterviewwithMr。Roberts。Theyintroducedthesubjecttohim,buthewouldscarcelylistentotheirexplanations,cuttingthemshortwiththeremarkthatheknewnothingwhateveraboutcotton-spinning。Theyinsisted,nevertheless,onexplainingtohimwhattheyrequired,buttheywentawaywithoutbeingabletoobtainfromhimanypromiseofassistanceinbringingouttherequiredmachine。
Thestrikecontinued,andthemanufacturersagaincalleduponMr。
Roberts,butwithnobetterresult。AthirdtimetheycalledandappealedtoMr。Sharp,thecapitalistofthefirm,whopromisedtousehisbestendeavourstoinducehismechanicalpartnertotakethematterinhand。ButMr。Roberts,notwithstandinghisreticence,hadbeenoccupiedincarefullyponderingthesubjectsinceMr。Ashton’sfirstinterviewwithhim。Theverydifficultyoftheproblemtobesolvedhadtemptedhimboldlytograpplewithit,thoughhewouldnotholdouttheslightestexpectationtothecotton-spinnersofhisbeingabletohelpthemintheiremergencyuntilhesawhiswayperfectlyclear。Thattimehadnowcome;andwhenMr。Sharpintroducedthesubject,hesaidhehadturnedthematteroverandthoughthecouldconstructtherequiredself-actingmachinery。Itwasarrangedthatheshouldproceedwithitatonce,andafteraclosestudyoffourmonthshebroughtoutthemachinenowsoextensivelyknownastheself-actingmule。Theinventionwaspatentedin1825,andwasperfectedbysubsequentadditions,whichwerealsopatented。
Likesomanyotherinventions,theideaoftheself-actingmulewasnotnew。ThusMr。WilliamStruttofDerby,thefatherofLordBelper,inventedamachineofthissortatanearlyperiod;Mr。WilliamBelly,oftheNewLanarkMills,inventedasecond;andvariousotherprojectorstriedtheirskillinthesamedirection;butnoneoftheseinventionscameintopracticaluse。Insuchcasesithasbecomegenerallyadmittedthattherealinventorisnotthepersonwhosuggeststheideaoftheinvention,buthewhofirstworksitoutintoapracticableprocess,andsomakesitofpracticalandcommercialvalue。ThiswasaccomplishedbyMr。Roberts,who,workingouttheideaafterhisownindependentmethods,succeededinmakingthefirstself-actingmulethatwouldreallyactassuch;andheisthereforefairlyentitledtoberegardedasitsinventor。
Bymeansofthisbeautifulcontrivance,spindle-carriages;bearinghundredsofspindles,runthemselvesoutandinbymeansofautomaticmachinery,attheproperspeed,withoutahandtouchingthem;theonlylabourrequiredbeingthatofafewboysandgirlstowatchthemandmendthebrokenthreadswhenthecarriagerecedesfromtherollerbeam,andtostopitwhenthecopiscompletelyformed,asisindicatedbythebellofthecounterattachedtotheworkinggear。
Mr。Bainesdescribestheself-actingmulewhileatworkas”drawingout,twisting,andwindingupmanythousandthreads,withunfailingprecisionandindefatigablepatienceandstrength——asceneasmagicaltotheeyewhichisnotfamiliarizedwithit,astheeffectshavebeenmarvellousinaugmentingthewealthandpopulationofthecountry。”*
[footnote……
EDWARDBAINES,Esq。,M。P。,HistoryoftheCottonManufacture,212。
Mr。Roberts’sgreatsuccesswiththeself-actingmuleledtohisbeingoftenappealedtoforhelpinthemechanicsofmanufacturing。
In1826,theyearafterhispatentwastakenout,hewassentfortoMulhouse,inAlsace,todesignandarrangethemachineestablishmentofAndreKoechlinandCo。;andinthatandthetwosubsequentyearshefairlysettheworksa-going,instructingtheworkmeninthemanufactureofspinning-machinery,andthuscontributinglargelytothesuccessoftheFrenchcottonmanufacture。In1832hepatentedhisinventionoftheRadialArmfor”windingon”intheself-actingmule,nowingeneraluse;andinfutureyearshetookoutsundrypatentsforroving,slubbing,spinning,anddoublingcottonandotherfibrousmaterials;andforweaving,beetling,andmanglingfabricsofvarioussorts。