The British contribution to the world of Technlogy

             

        Steam was the thing of focus for many scientists during the 18^th century. This century witnessed toilsome research carried out by scientists and technologists about how to get steam to function as the chief source of power to run machines in industries. The path to this scientific achievement was not without impediments. It was a hard nut to crack. But, there was one scientist, who was too determined to give up. He was James Watt.

                  James Watt, was a Scottish mechanical engineer, who was held in great esteem by other pioneers of the industrial Revolution. He was an important member of the Lunar Society. He was a good companion to his friends and partners. He was always interested in expanding his horizons.

                

                 James Watt developed a condenser, a double acting engine and governor to make the experiment of steam engine a success. His unswerving goal was to make the steam engine exigent to a potential power source. His modifications to the English inventor who created the first practical steam engine called Newcomen steam engine, for pumping water. Newcomen, an ironmonger by trade, was specialized in trying to improve ways to pump out the water from coal and tin mines, which was a major problem in those days.

                

                 The improvements done to Newcomen’s steam engine by James Watt, were fundamental to the changes brought by the industrial Revolution. The picture below shows the achievement of Newcomen.

               

                   Not only, does Watt’s steam engine,  a mile stone in the field of manufacturing sector, but also, has become the backbone of the technology. Indeed, without his achievement, the technological world would become partially crippled.

               

                  While working as an instrument maker at the University of Glasgow, Watt became interested in steam engines and its principles. He felt that the existing engine designs dissipated a great deal of heat energy, during the process of repeatedly cooling and reheating the cylinder. Watt introduced a modified mechanism which made use of a separate condenser to avoid this waste of energy. Instead, it improved the power, efficiency, and expense considerably. Finally, his own achievement, gave him the idea to modify its purpose to produce rotary motion. This new application explored the possibilities of using steam engine for the purposes beyond pumping water. His concept of horsepower and the SI unit of power, the watt, form the basis of the modern study.

                   It was only a decade before the French Revolution, when John Wilkinson,an English iron worker, got an idea of improving a smooth cylinder into cast iron, to create a better cannon barrel. This an advancement, in no time brought forth many types of accurate millitary armaments.The machine boring did not get confined to the area of defence. Further, it spread its tentacles to many machine applications.It stood as a precedent to the Industrial Revolution. 

                   The mid 18th century came across the invention of an English spinner who found a way to rotate eight spools of cotton at one time, instead of just one. At first, the operation was a done manually. But, innovative entrepreneurs started harnessing water power to turn large numbers of spinners at the same time. At a time when the textile industry which ruled the roost, the Spinning technology added another feather to its cap, However, it the cotton growers had a tough time to cope with the demand. 
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