The Project Gutenberg eBook of A History of the Growth of the Steam-Engine
Title: A History of the Growth of the Steam-Engine
Author: Robert Henry Thurston
Release date: April 19, 2011 [eBook #35916]
Language: English
Credits: Produced by Chris Curnow, Harry Lamé and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
file was produced from images generously made available
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Transcriber's Notes:
Some minor typographical errors have been corrected. Where necessary, illustrations have been edited to include the reference letters used in the text or to increase their visibility.
Full notes can be found here.
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THE INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC SERIES.
A HISTORY
OF THE
GROWTH OF THE STEAM-ENGINE.
BY
ROBERT H. THURSTON, A. M., C. E.,
PROFESSOR OF ENGINEERING STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, PAST PRESIDENT
AMERICAN SOCIETY MECHANICAL ENGINEERS, MEMBER OF SOCIETY OF CIVIL
ENGINEERS, SOCIÉTÉ DES INGÉNIEURS CIVILS, VEREIN DEUTSCHE
INGENIEURE, OESTERREICHISCHER INGENIEUR- UND
ARCHITEKTEN-VEREIN; ASSOCIATE BRITISH
INSTITUTION OF NAVAL ARCHITECTS,
ETC., ETC.
SECOND REVISED EDITION.
NEW YORK:
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY,
1, 3, AND 5 BOND STREET.
1886.
COPYRIGHT, 1878, 1884,
By ROBERT H. THURSTON.
PREFACE.
This little work embodies the more generally interesting portions of lectures first written for delivery at the Stevens Institute of Technology, in the winter of 1871-’72, to a mixed audience, composed, however, principally of engineers by profession, and of mechanics; it comprises, also, some material prepared for other occasions.
These lectures have been rewritten and considerably extended, and have been given a form which is more appropriate to this method of presentation of the subject. The account of the gradual development of the philosophy of the steam-engine has been extended and considerably changed, both in arrangement and in method. That part in which the direction of improvement during the past history of the steam-engine, the course which it is to-day taking, and the direction and limitation of that improvement in the future, are traced, has been somewhat modified to accord with the character of the revised work.
The author has consulted a large number of authors in the course of his work, and is very greatly indebted to several earlier writers. Of these, Stuart[1] is entitled to particular mention. His “History” is the earliest deserving the name; and his “Anecdotes” are of exceedingly great interest and of equally great historical value. The artistic and curious little sketches at the end of each chapter are from John Stuart, as are, usually, the drawings of the older forms of engines.
Greenwood’s excellent translation of Hero, as edited by Bennett Woodcroft (London, 1851), can be consulted by those who are curious to learn more of that interesting old Greek treatise.
Some valuable matter is from Farey,[2] who gives the most extended account extant of Newcomen’s and Watt’s engines. The reader who desires to know more of the life of Worcester, and more of the details of his work, will find in the very complete biography of Dircks[3] all that he can wish to learn of that great but unfortunate inventor. Smiles’s admirably written biography of Watt[4] gives an equally interesting and complete account of the great mechanic and of his partners; and Muirhead[5] furnishes us with a still more detailed account of his inventions.
For an account of the life and work of John Elder, the great pioneer in the introduction of the now standard double-cylinder, or “compound,” engine, the student can consult a little biographical sketch by Prof. Rankine, published soon after the death of Elder.
The only published sketch of the history of the science of thermo-dynamics, which plays so large a part of the philosophy of the steam-engine, is that of Prof. Tait—a most valuable monograph.
The section of this work which treats of the causes and the extent of losses of heat in the steam-engine, and of the methods available, or possibly available, to reduce the amount of this now immense waste of heat, is, in some respects, quite new, and is equally novel in the method of its presentation. The portraits with which the book is well furnished are believed to be authentic, and, it is hoped, will lend interest, if not adding to the real value of the work.
Among other works which have been of great assistance to the author, and will be found, perhaps, equally valuable to some of the readers of this little treatise, are several to which reference has not been made in the text. Among them the following are deserving of special mention: Zeuner’s “Wärmetheorie,” the treatises of Stewart and of Maxwell, and McCulloch’s “Mechanical Theory of Heat,” a short but thoroughly logical and exact mathematical treatise; Cotterill’s “Steam-Engine considered as a Heat-Engine,” a more extended work on the same subject, which will be found an excellent companion to, and commentary upon, Rankine’s “Steam-Engine and Prime Movers,” which is the standard treatise on the theory of the steam-engine. The works of Bourne, of Holley, of Clarke, and of Forney, are standards on the practical every-day matters of steam-engine construction and management.
The author is almost daily in receipt of inquiries which indicate that the above remarks will be of service to very many young engineers, as well as to many to whom the steam-engine is of interest from a more purely scientific point of view.
[1] “History of the Steam-Engine,” London, 1824. “Anecdotes of the Steam-Engine,” London, 1829.
[2] “Treatise on the Steam-Engine,” London, 1827.
[3] “Life, Times, and Scientific Labors of the Second Marquis of Worcester,” London, 1865.
[4] “Lives of Boulton and Watt,” London, 1865.
[5] “Life of James Watt,” D. Appleton & Co., New York, 1859. “Mechanical Inventions of James Watt,” London, 1854.
CONTENTS.
| CHAPTER I. | ||
| The Steam-Engine as a Simple Machine. | ||
| PAGE | ||
| Section I.—The Period of Speculation—From Hero to Worcester, b. c. 200 to a. d. 1650 | 1 | |
| Introduction—the Importance of the Steam-Engine, 1; Hero and his Treatise on Pneumatics, 4; Hero’s Engines, b. c. 200, 8; William of Malmesbury on Steam, a. d. 1150, 10; Hieronymus Cardan on Steam and the Vacuum, 10; Malthesius on the Power of Steam, a. d. 1571, 10; Jacob Besson on the Generation of Steam, a. d. 1578, 11; Ramelli’s Work on Machines, a. d. 1588, 11; Leonardo da Vinci on the Steam-Gun, 12; Blasco de Garay’s Steamer, a. d. 1543, 12; Battista della Porta’s Steam-Engine, a. d. 1601, 13; Florence Rivault on the Force of Steam, a. d. 1608, 15; Solomon de Caus’s Apparatus, a. d. 1615, 16; Giovanni Branca’s Steam-Engine, a. d. 1629, 16; David Ramseye’s Inventions, a. d. 1630, 17; Bishop John Wilkins’s Schemes, a. d. 1648, 18; Kircher’s Apparatus, 19. | ||
| Section II.—The Period of Application—Worcester, Papin, and Savery | 19 | |
| Edward Somerset, Marquis of Worcester, a. d. 1663, 19; Worcester’s Steam Pumping-Engines, 21; Jean Hautefeuille’s Alcohol and Gunpowder Engines, a. d. 1678, 24; Huyghens’s Gunpowder-Engine, a. d. 1680, 25; Invention in Great Britain, 26; Sir Samuel Morland, a. d. 1683, 27; Thomas Savery and his Engine, a. d. 1698, 31; Desaguliers’s Savery Engines, a. d. 1718, 41; Denys Papin and his Work, a. d. 1675, 45; Papin’s Engines, a. d. 1685-1695, 50; Papin’s Steam-Boilers, 51. | ||
| CHAPTER II. | ||
| The Steam-Engine as a Train of Mechanism. | ||
| The Modern Type as developed by Newcomen, Beighton, and Smeaton | 55 | |
| Defects of the Savery Engine, 55; Thomas Newcomen, a. d. 1705, 57; the Newcomen Steam Pumping-Engine, 59; Advantages of Newcomen’s Engine, 60; Potter’s and Beighton’s Improvements, a. d. 1713-’18, 61; Smeaton’s Newcomen Engines, a. d. 1775, 64; Operation of the Newcomen Engine, 65; Power and Economy of the Engine, 69; Introduction of the Newcomen Engine, 70. | ||
| CHAPTER III. | ||
| The Development of the Modern Steam-Engine. James Watt and his Contemporaries. | ||
| Section I.—James Watt and his Inventions | 79 | |
| James Watt, his Birth and Parentage, 79; his Standing in School, 81; he learns his Trade in London, 81; Return to Scotland and Settlement in Glasgow, 82; the Newcomen Engine Model, 83; Discovery of Latent Heat, 84; Sources of Loss in the Newcomen Engine, 85; Facts experimentally determined by Watt, 86; Invention of the Separate Condenser, 87; the Steam-Jacket and other Improvements, 90; Connection with Dr. Roebuck, 91; Watt meets Boulton, 93; Matthew Boulton, 93; Boulton’s Establishment at Soho, 95; the Partnership of Boulton and Watt, 97; the Kinneil Engine, 97; Watt’s Patent of 1769, 98; Work of Boulton and Watt, 101; the Rotative Engine, 103; the Patent of 1781, 104; the Expansion of Steam—its Economy, 105; the Double-Acting Engine, 110; the “Compound” Engine, 110; the Steam-Hammer, 111; Parallel Motions, the Counter, 112; the Throttle-Valve and Governor, 114; Steam, Vacuum, and Water Gauges, 116; Boulton & Watt’s Mill-Engine, 118; the Albion Mill and its Engine, 119; the Steam-Engine Indicator, 123; Watt in Social Life, 125; Discovery of the Composition of Water, 126; Death of James Watt, 128; Memorials and Souvenirs, 128. | ||
| Section II.—The Contemporaries of James Watt | 132 | |
| William Murdoch and his Work, 132; Invention of Gas-Lighting, 134; Jonathan Hornblower and the Compound Engine, 135; Causes of the Failure of Hornblower, 137; William Bull and Richard Trevithick, 138; Edward Cartwright and his Engine, 140. | ||
| CHAPTER IV. | ||
| The Modern Steam-Engine. | ||
| The Second Period of Application—1800-1850—Steam-Locomotion on Railroads | 144 | |
| Introduction, 144; the Non-Condensing Engine and the Locomotive, 147; Newton’s Locomotive, 1680, 149; Nathan Read’s Steam-Carriage, 150; Cugnot’s Steam-Carriage, 1769, 151; the Model Steam-Carriage of Watt and Murdoch, 1784, 153; Oliver Evans and his Plans, 1786, 153; Evans’s Oruktor Amphibolis, 1804, 157; Richard Trevithick’s Steam-Carriage, 1802, 159; Steam-Carriages of Griffiths and others, 160; Steam-Carriages of Goldsworthy Gurney, 1827, 161; Steam-Carriages of Walter Hancock, 1831, 165; Reports to the House of Commons, 1831, 170; the Introduction of the Railroad, 172; Richard Trevithick’s Locomotives, 1804, 174; John Stevens and the Railroad, 1812, 178; William Hedley’s Locomotives, 1812, 181; George Stephenson, 183; Stephenson’s Killingworth Engine, 1813, 186; Stephenson’s Second Locomotive, 1815, 187; Stephenson’s Safety-Lamp, 1815, 187; Robert Stephenson & Co., 1824, 190; the Stockton & Darlington Engine, 1825, 191; the Liverpool & Manchester Railroad, 1826, 193; Trial of Competing Engines at Rainhill, 1829, 195; the Rocket and the Novelty, 198; Atmospheric Railways, 201; Character of George Stephenson, 204; the Locomotive of 1833, 204; Introduction of Railroads in Europe, 206; Introduction of Railroads in the United States, 207; John Stevens’s Experimental Railroad, 1825, 207; Horatio Allen and the “Stourbridge Lion,” 1829, 208; Peter Cooper’s Engine, 1829, 209; E. L. Miller and the S. C. Railroad, 1830, 210; the “American” Type of Engine of John B. Jervis, 1832, 212; Robert L. Stevens and the T-rail, 1830, 214; Matthias W. Baldwin and his Engine, 1831, 215; Robert Stephenson on the Growth of the Locomotive, 220. | ||
| CHAPTER V. | ||
| The Modern Steam-Engine. | ||
| The Second Period of Application—1800-1850 (continued)—The Steam-Engine applied to Ship-Propulsion | 221 | |
| Introduction, 221; Ancient Prophecies, 223; the Earliest Paddle-Wheel, 223; Blasco de Garay’s Steam-Vessel, 1543, 224; Experiments of Dionysius Papin, 1707, 224; Jonathan Hulls’s Steamer, 1736, 225; Bernouilli and Gauthier, 228; William Henry, 1782, 230; the Comte d’Auxiron, 1772, 232; the Marquis de Jouffroy, 1776, 233; James Rumsey, 1774, 234; John Fitch, 1785, 235; Fitch’s Experiments on the Delaware, 1787, 237; Fitch’s Experiments at New York, 1796, 240; the Prophecy of John Fitch, 241; Patrick Miller, 1786-’87, 241; Samuel Morey, 1793, 243; Nathan Read, 1788, 244; Dundas and Symmington, 1801, 246; Henry Bell and the Comet, 1811, 248; Nicholas Roosevelt, 1798, 250; Robert Fulton, 1802, 251; Fulton’s Torpedo-Vessels, 1801, 252; Fulton’s First Steamboat, 1803, 253; the Clermont, 1807, 257; Voyage of the Clermont to Albany, 259; Fulton’s Later Steamboats, 260; Fulton’s War-Steamer Fulton the First, 1815, 261; Oliver Evans, 1804, 263; John Stevens’s Screw-Steamer, 1804, 264; Stevens’s Steam-Boilers, 1804, 264; Stevens’s Iron-Clad, 1812, 268; Robert L. Stevens’s Improvements, 270; the “Stevens Cut-off,” 1841, 276; the Stevens Iron-Clad, 1837, 277; Robert L. Thurston and John Babcock, 1821, 280; James P. Allaire and the Messrs. Copeland, 281; Erastus W. Smith’s Compound Engine, 283; Steam-Navigation on Western Rivers, 1811, 283; Ocean Steam-Navigation, 1808, 285; the Savannah, 1819, 286; the Sirius and the Great Western, 1838, 289; the Cunard Line, 1840, 290; the Collins Line, 1851, 291; the Side-Lever Engine, 292; Introduction of Screw-Steamers, 293; John Ericsson’s Screw-Vessels, 1836, 294; Francis Pettit Smith, 1837, 296; the Princeton, 1841, 297; Advantages of the Screw, 299; the Screw on the Ocean, 300; Obstacles to Improvement, 301; Changes in Engine-Construction, 302; Conclusion, 303. | ||
| CHAPTER VI. | ||
| The Steam-Engine of To-Day. | ||
| The Period of Refinement—1850 to Date | 303 | |
| Condition of the Steam-Engine at this Time, 303; the Later Development of the Engine, 304; Stationary Steam-Engines, 307; the Steam-Engine for Small Powers, 307; the Horizontal Engine with Meyer Valve-Gear, 311; the Allen Engine, 314; its Performance, 316; the Detachable Valve-Gear, 316; the Sickels Cut-off, 317; Expansion adjusted by the Governor, 318; the Corliss Engine, 319; the Greene Engine, 321; Perkins’s Experiments, 323; Dr. Alban’s Work, 325; the Perkins Compound Engine, 327; the Modern Pumping-Engine, 328; the Cornish Engine, 328; the Steam-Pump, 331; the Worthington Pumping-Engine, 333; the Compound Beam and Crank Engine, 335; the Leavitt Pumping-Engine, 336; the Stationary Steam-Boiler, 338; “Sectional” Steam-Boilers, 343; “Performance” of Boilers, 344. | ||
| Section II.—Portable and Locomotive Engines. | 347 | |
| The Semi-Portable Engine, 348; Performance of Portable Engines, 350; their Efficiency, 352; the Hoadley Engine, 354; the Mills Farm and Road Engine, 356; Fisher’s Steam-Carriage, 356; Performance of Road-Engines, 357; Trial of Road-Locomotives by the Author, 358; Conclusions, 358; the Steam Fire-Engine, 360; the Rotary Steam-Engine and Pump, 365; the Modern Locomotive, 368; Dimensions and Performance, 373; Compound Engines for Locomotives, 376; Extent of Modern Railroads, 378; | ||
| Section III.—Marine Engines. | 379 | |
| The Modern Marine Engine, 379; the American Beam Engine, 379; the Oscillating Engine and Feathering Wheel, 381; the two “Rhode Islands,” 382; River-Boat Engines on the Mississippi, 384; Steam Launches and Yachts, 386; Marine Screw-Engines, 389; the Marine Compound Engine, 390; its Introduction by John Elder and others, 393; Comparison with the Single-Cylinder Engine, 395; its Advantages, 396; the Surface Condenser, 397; Weight of Machinery, 398; Marine Engine Performance, 398; Relative Economy of Simple and Compound Engines, 399; the Screw-Propeller, 399; Chain-Propulsion, or Wire-Rope Towage, 402; Marine Steam-Boilers, 403; the Modern Steamship, 405; Examples of Merchant Steamers, 406; Naval Steamers—Classification, 409; Examples of Iron-Clad Steamers, 412; Power of the Marine Engine, 415; Conclusion, 417. | ||
| CHAPTER VII. | ||
| The Philosophy of the Steam-Engine. | ||
| The History of its Growth; Energetics and Thermo-dynamics | 419 | |
| General Outline, 419; Origin of its Power, 419; Scientific Principles involved in its Operation, 420; the Beginnings of Modern Science, 421; the Alexandrian Museum, 422; the Aristotelian Philosophy, 424; the Middle Ages, 426; Galileo’s Work, 428; Da Vinci and Stevinus, 429; Kepler, Hooke, and Huyghens, 429; Newton and the New Mechanical Philosophy, 430; the Inception of the Science of Energetics, 433; the Persistence of Energy, 433; Rumford’s Experiments, 434; Fourier, Carnot, Seguin, 437; Mayer and the Mechanical Equivalent of Heat, 438; Joule’s Determination of its Value, 438; Prof. Rankine’s Investigations, 442; Clausius-Thompson’s Principles, 444; Experimental Work of Boyle, Black, and Watt, 446; Robison’s, Dalton’s, Ure’s, and Biot’s Study of Pressures and Temperatures of Steam, 447; Arago’s and Dulong’s Researches, 447; Franklin Institute Investigation, 447; Cagniard de la Tour—Faraday, 447; Dr. Andrews and the Critical Point, 448; Donny’s and Dufour’s Researches, 448; Regnault’s Determination of Temperatures and Pressures of Steam, 449; Hirn’s Experiments, 450; Résumé of the Philosophy of the Steam-Engine, 451; Energy—Definitions and Principles, 451; its Measure, 452; the Laws of Energetics, 453; Thermo-dynamics, 453; its Beginnings, 454; its Laws, 454; Rankine’s General Equation, 455; Rankine’s Treatise on the Theory of Heat-Engines, 456; Merits of the Great Philosopher, 456. | ||
| CHAPTER VIII. | ||
| The Philosophy of the Steam-Engine. | ||
| Its Application; its Teachings Respecting the Construction of the Engine and its Improvement | 457 | |
| Origin of all Energy, 457; the Progress of Energy through Boiler and Engine, 458; Conditions of Heat-Development in the Boiler, 458; the Steam in the Engine, 458; the Expansion of Steam, 459; Conditions of Heat-Utilization, 460; Loss of Power in the Engine, 462; Conditions affecting the Design of the Steam-Engine, 466; the Problem stated, 466; Economy as affected by Pressure and Temperature, 467; Changes which have already occurred, 468; Direction of Changes now in Progress, 470; Summary of Facts, 471; Characteristics of a Good Steam-Engine, 473; Principles of Steam-Boiler Construction, 476. | ||