SUMMARY OF MECHANICAL PROGRESS

THE REAL beginning of the present age of machinery dates from Watt’s invention of the double-acting steam engine which was patented in 1782. Prior to that date the steam engine was used merely for pumping water, but now in its new form it was adapted for use in driving industrial machinery. But, as we have shown in another chapter, it was not until John Wilkinson invented his boring machine in 1774 that it was possible to bore the cylinders that Watt used in his engine.

In the field of machine tools there were several notable inventions. Henry Maudslay invented the slide rest for lathes and later in 1797 the screwcutting lathe. Joseph Bramah invented the hydraulic press and Maudslay furnished the cup leather packing that made it a success. Woodworking machinery, and particularly mortising machines for making pulley blocks, were invented by Samuel Bentham and patented in 1791 and 1793.
In the textile industry we find the spinning jenny invented by Hargreaves in 1770, Richard Arkwright’s roll-drawing spinning machine invented in 1769 and 1775, and Crompton’s mule spinner invented between 1774 and 1779, but never patented. In addition to this there was the invention of the cotton gin in 1794 by our own Eli Whitney and Dr. Cartwright’s series of patents on the power-driven[377] loom granted between 1785 and 1788. In 1799 Louis Roberts invented a machine that would make a continuous web of paper. The machine was developed in England by the Fourdrinier Brothers and has ever since borne their name.

1801-1810

Just before the Nineteenth Century dawned the patents on Watt’s steam engine expired and the invention became public property.
Trevithic applied steam power to the propulsion of a coach in 1801. This was the forerunner of the automobile and it led to the invention of the first steam railway and locomotive three years later. Steam was also applied to the propulsion of boats in this decade and reached the practical stage when Fulton built the Clermont in 1807. The first application of steam to the driving of a loom is accredited to William Horrocks in 1803. Jacquard’s loom attachment for producing various patterns was invented in 1801. The first knitting machine in which the latch needle was used was patented in France in 1806 by Jeandeau.
Among the machine-tool developments the most important were Bramah’s invention of the planer in 1802 and Brunel’s mortising machine in 1801. A process of making malleable iron castings was invented by Lucas in 1804. The percussion lock for guns was invented by Forsyth in 1807.

1811-1820

The second decade saw a much wider application of steam and considerable development in locomotives. Hedley’s “Puffing Billy” was built in 1813, and Stephenson’s first locomotive in 1814.
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In the same year Fulton built the first steam war vessel and five years later the Atlantic was crossed for the first time by a steamer, the Savannah. The rotary steam printing press belongs to this decade.
The circular knitting machine was invented by Brunel in 1816. About 1818 Eli Whitney invented the milling machine, and in 1819 Blanchard invented his “gun-stocking” lathe with which irregular forms could be turned out. The breech-loading musket was patented in this country by Thornton and Hall in 1811.

1821-1830

In this decade we find the conversion of electricity into mechanical motion and many other important electrical developments, which, however, are omitted from this list as we are confining ourselves to mechanical inventions. There were marked developments in steam railroads. Stephenson built the “Rocket” which won prizes on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, and the first locomotive was imported into this country in 1829. The tubular locomotive boiler was invented by Seguin in 1828 and Ericsson’s portable steam fire engine was built in 1830. In the previous year an important improvement in spinning mules was made when John Thorpe invented the ring frame.

1831-1840

Important railroad developments mark the opening of this decade. The famous locomotive “John Bull” was imported from England in 1831 to operate on the Camden and Amboy Railroad. The following year saw the first American-built locomotive, “Old Ironsides,” which was built at Philadelphia by[379] the Baldwin Locomotive Works. Stephenson’s link motion, also claimed by W. T. James, was invented in 1832.
However, the most important development of the decade was the invention of the reaper. Hussey’s patent was obtained in 1833 and McCormick’s the following year.
Colt’s revolver (1836); Perkin’s portable ice machine (1834); Anthony’s (1831), Tolle’s (1834), and Burden’s (1835) developments in machines for making horseshoes; and Isaac Babbit’s antifriction-bearing metal are other notable developments.

1841-1850

It was in 1841 that F. E. Sickels invented the drop cut-off valve gear, and the Corliss valve gear was patented in 1849 and 1851. Nasmyth’s steam hammer was invented in 1842.
Hoe’s revolving printing press was invented in 1845. The next year Sloan patented the gimlet-pointed screw. In 1847 Savage invented the time lock, and in 1849 Hibbert patented the latch needle for knitting machines. American machine-made watches appeared in 1850. However, the most important invention of the decade was Howe’s sewing machine in 1845.

1851-1860

The year 1851 saw an important improvement in the harvester when Seymour invented his self-raker, also an advance in firearms when Maynard invented the breech-loading rifle. Three years later Smith & Wesson came forth with their magazine rifle which was the forerunner of the “Winchester.” In that year Wilson invented the four-motion feed for sewing machines.
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One of the most notable inventions of the decade was Bessemer’s converter for producing steel (1855), and the following year Siemens produced the regenerative furnace.
Gifford’s injector (1858) marked a most important advance in steam engineering. The hand-turned turret for lathes was invented by Stephen Fitch about 1853, and the automatically revolving turret was brought out in 1855.
Other inventions of the decade were Herman’s diamond drill (1854), Ericsson’s air engine (1855), the pedal-operated bicycle by Ernest Michaux (1855), use of wood pulp in the manufacture of paper by Voelter (1858), and the ammonia absorption ice machine invented by Carré.

1861-1870

The Civil War directed attention of inventors to military and naval improvements. Dr. Gatling invented his machine gun in 1862, the same year that Ericsson built the “Monitor.” It is interesting to note that the revolving turret was patented in that year by Theodore R. Timby. Dynamite was invented in 1867, and the Whitehead torpedo in the same year. Barbed wire was invented in 1861. The same year saw the first passenger elevator invented by Otis; the shoe-sewing machine invented by McKay, and Col. Green’s invention of the drive well, which was brought about by the necessity of supplying his troops with water.
The pneumatic rock drill was invented by Burleigh in 1866, and Westinghouse invented the air brake in 1869. The latter, with Sholes’s invention of the typewriter in the previous year, were undoubtedly the most notable inventions of the decade.
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In 1865 the cylindrical grinder marked a decided forward step in machine tools.

1871-1880

This decade was marked by great activity, particularly in the field of electricity. While we are confining ourselves to mechanical inventions we cannot but mention Bell’s telephone (1876), Edison’s carbon filament lamp (1878), and Berliner’s transmitter and Edison’s carbon microphone which belong to the decade, although their patents were not issued until 1891 and 1892 respectively.
The web printing press was invented by Hoe in 1871. Ingersoll’s compressed air rock drill appeared in the same year. A marked improvement in the Westinghouse air brake was patented in 1872, and the automatic car coupler appeared in 1873. The positive motion loom was invented by Lyall in 1872.
The harvester was improved by Gorham’s twine binder in 1874, and in the same year a machine for making barbed wire was produced.
The Centennial year saw an important development in milling processes when the roller mill was introduced to take the place of the time-honored millstones. The middlings purifier was invented by George T. Smith in 1875. The hydraulic dredge was invented in 1876, also the universal grinder, and a machine for making cigarettes.
Edison’s invention of the phonograph and Otto’s invention of the gas engine give prominence to the year 1877 and the Remington typewriter to the year 1878.

1881-1890

The inventions of most far-reaching importance in this decade were Mergenthaler’s linotype machine,[382] which was invented in 1884 and further developed into a practical machine in 1890; Gottlieb Daimler’s invention of the automobile in 1883, and J. B. Dunlop’s invention of the pneumatic tire in 1890.
Berliner in 1887 invented the flat-disk talking machine known as the “Gramophone.” The snapshot “Kodak” camera appeared in 1888. In this year De Laval invented his steam turbine, while Harvey invented his process for annealing armor plate.
The following year nickel steel was invented. In 1883 Sir Hiram Maxim invented the machine gun. Hugo Bilgram’s generating system of gear cutting was invented in 1881.
A less prominent, though very important, invention of the same year was the buttonhole machine patented by Reece.
Incidentally this decade saw the completion of the Brooklyn Suspension Bridge in 1883, and the Great Forth Bridge in 1890.

1891-1900

The last decade of the Nineteenth Century gave us Parson’s steam turbine (1891) and Curtis’s steam turbine (1896); also Rudolf Diesel’s heavy-oil engine.
Langley’s model for a motor-driven airplane was built in 1896 and actually flew. Santos-Dumont made his first ascension in a dirigible in 1898, and Count Friedrich von Zeppelin built his first rigid dirigible in 1900.
J. B. Holland built a steam-driven submarine, and Simon Lake constructed the first submarine to be driven by an internal combustion engine.
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This decade was largely devoted to the development of the automobile, which gradually evolved into a truly commercial machine. About 1900, Benjamin Holt invented the “caterpillar” tractor. The decade also saw the invention of the Lanston “monotype,” and Henry Wise Wood’s “autoplate” machine which revolutionized stereotyping.
In 1899 William Draper brought out a loom with an automatic shuttle-changing mechanism. Hulett invented the automatic ore unloader in 1898. Improvements were also made in automatic machine tools. J. E. Gleason improved the Bilgram gear cutter in 1898, and at the close of the century Taylor and White brought out their high-speed cutting tools which revolutionized machine tools.
The decade was also remarkable for the invention of X-rays, wireless telegraphy, and certain chemical processes, none of which really belong in this summary.

1901-1910

In this decade the automobile reached a marvelous state of perfection and a tremendous industry was built up which had a marked influence on the development of machine tools and the production of iron and steel. James A. Gailey invented a dryblast process for steel production, getting rid of the moisture in air by subjecting it to a freezing process. Fellow’s gear-cutting machine was perfected and Bullard brought out the vertical turret lathe. There were important developments of the steam turbine.
There is one invention that makes this decade stand out from among all others. On December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers made a successful flight in a biplane driven by a gasoline engine, and opened up a new world for conquest. Man took[384] to wings and the dream of ages was realized. During the decade rapid progress was made in developing the flying machine. The invention of the monoplane soon followed.
It was in this decade that the gyroscope emerged from the laboratory and toy shop and began to be applied to practical uses. Schlick utilized the gyroscope to prevent ships from rolling. The gyrocompass was invented and reached a commercial stage in 1910.

1911-1920

It is difficult to pick out the most important inventions of this decade because sufficient time has not elapsed to determine which are most deserving of mention. The Great World War stimulated invention in all civilized lands. Aeronautics developed faster in the five years of war than it could in twenty-five years of peace. Of course, engines of war developed to a remarkable degree. Among the lighter pieces we saw the development of the Lewis gun, and then the Browning gun. The most important invention was the tank. Many advances should be classed as remarkable developments rather than basically new inventions. The war of and against the submarine brought forth many ingenious devices.
Of the peace-time inventions, the most remarkable is the optophone, the instrument which enables the blind to read ordinary printed matter.

And thus the march of progress continues unchecked. We are tempted to give our imaginations free play and forecast the developments that the future holds in store for us, but unfortunately we cannot claim any prophetic instinct or inspiration.

 by A. Russell Bond