Men of Steam Power
The Men of the Steam Engine
Thomas Savery
Thomas Savery was born in Devonshire, England 1650. He began his career as a military engineer but is most known for his development and patent of the steam engine. Around that time, mines had a considerable hardship of ridding water that caused damaged and money loss within the mines. It was of deep thought of the time to figure out a way to get rid of the water, which was the hopes of Thomas Savery. In 1698, he presented his “Fire Engine” in front of King William III. He received his patent which reads,
“A grant to Thomas Savery of the sole exercise of a new invention by him invented, for raising of water, and occasioning motion to all sorts of mill works, by the important force of fire, which will be of great use for draining mines, serving towns with water, and for the working of all sorts of mills, when they have not the benefit of water nor constant winds; to hold for 14 years; with usual clauses.”
The engine worked by the use of heating and creating a vacuum that pulled water up through a piping network. However the use of it didn’t catch on with the mining industry and was more used for supplying water to towns, country houses and estates.
Thomas Newcomen
Thomas Newcomen was born in Dartmouth, England on February 28, 1664. He began research on the steam engine and worked with a man by the name of John Calley. However, Thomas Savery had also done work with the atmospheric steam engine, and had already received the patent. With that done, Newcomen went into partnership with Savery and presented his breakthrough piston to be added to the steam engine. His version of the engine could not be limited by pressure of the steam. The piston was pushed down after the condensation of steam created a vacuum. This was a breakthrough for the steam engine and made it easier and more functional to use.
James Watt
James Watt was born in Greenock, Scotland on January 19, 1736. While in an internship he came across the Newcomen steam engine that was sent in for him to repair and work on. The first thing he did was fix the boiler, as it was small and didn’t produce enough steam. He also discovered “Latent Heat” that a doctor had already actually discovered and researched. Latent heat is condensing steam which makes heating more effective and powerful. He added a separate condenser that saved much of the lost steam the previous inventors had. By using the works of others, Watt was able to assemble and make the best steam engine the world had seen at that time, far more efficient and complex than the others. He finished the large steam engine in 1765.
Bellis, M. (2014). James Watt- Inventor of the Modern Steam Engine. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from About.com : http://inventors.about.com/od/wstartinventors/a/james_watt_4.htm
Lira, C. T. (2013, May 13). The Savery Pump. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from Steam History: http://0.tqn.com/d/inventors/1/0/b/E/saveryengine2.jpg
Thomas Newcomen. (2014). Retrieved April 1, 2014, from Britannica: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/412902/Thomas-Newcomen
Thurston, R. H. (1878). A History of the Growth of the Steam Engine. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from About.com: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blsavery1.htm