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。”*
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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。