An Autobiography [182]
the area of the diagram according to the individual age, every one may see how much of life is consumed, and what is left--D.V.. Here is my brief record:
AGE YEAR. -- 1808. BORN 19TH AUGUST. 9 1817. WENT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, EDINBURGH. 13 1821. ATTENDED THE SCHOOL OF ARTS. 21 1829. WENT TO LONDON, TO MAUDSLAY'S. 23 1831. RETURNED TO EDINBURGH, TO MAKE MY ENGINEERS' TOOLS. 26 1834. WENT TO MANCHESTER, TO BEGIN BUSINESS. 28 1836. REMOVED TO PATRICROFT, AND BUILT THE BRIDGEWATER FOUNDRY. 31 1839. INVENTED THE STEAM HAMMER. 32 1840. MARRIAGE. 34 1842. FIRST VISIT TO FRANCE AND ITALY. 35 1843. VISIT TO ST. PETERSBURG, STOCKHOLM, DANNEMORA. 37 1845. APPLICATION OF THE STEAM HAMMER TO PILE-DRIVING. 48 1856. RETIRED FROM BUSINESS, TO ENJOY THE REST OF MY LIFE IN THE ACTIVE PURSUIT OF MY MOST FAVOURITE OCCUPATIONS.
I have not in this list referred to my investigations in connection with astronomy. All this will be found referred to in the text. It only remains for me to say that I append a resume of my inventions, contrivances, and workshop "dodges," to give the reader a summary idea of the Active Life of a working mechanic. And with this I end my tale.
CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF MECHANICAL INVENTIONS AND TECHNICAL CONTRIVANCES.
by James Nasmyth.
1825. A mode of applying Steam Power for the Traction of Canal Barges, without injury to the Canal Banks.
A CANAL having been formed to connect Edinburgh with the Forth and Clyde Canal, and so to give a direct waterway communication between Edinburgh and Glasgow, I heard much talk about the desirableness of substituting Steam for Horse power as the means of moving the boats and barges along the canal. But, as the action of paddle wheels had been found destructive to the canal banks, no scheme of that nature could be entertained. Although a tyro in such matters, I made an attempt to solve the problem, and accordingly prepared drawings, with a description of my design, for employing Steam power as the tractive agency for trains of canal barges, in such a manner as to obviate all risk of injury to the banks.
[Image]
The scheme consisted in laying a chain along the bottom of the canal, and of passing any part of its length between three grooved and notched pulleys or rollers, made to revolve with suitable velocity by means of a small steam-engine placed in a tug-boat, to the stern of which a train of barges was attached.* [footnote... Had this simple means of "tugging" vessels through water-ways been employed in our late attempts to ascend the rapids of the Nile, some very important results might have issued from its adoption. ...] The steam-engine could thus warp its way along the chain, taking it up between the rollers of the bow of the tug-boat, and dropping it into the water at the stern, so as to leave the chain at the service of the next following tug-boat with its attached train of barges. By this simple mode of employing the power of a steam-engine for canal boat traction, all risk of injury to the banks would be avoided, as the chain and not the water of the canal was the fulcrum or resistance which the steam-engine on the tug-boat operated upon in thus warping its way along the chain; and thus effectually, without slip or other waste of power, dragging along the train of barges attached to the stern of the steam-tug. I had arranged for two separate chains, so as to allow trains of barges to be conveyed along the canal in opposite directions, without interfering with each other.
I submitted a complete set of drawings, and a full description of my design in all its details, to the directors of the Canal Company; and I received a complimentary acknowledgment of them in writing. But such was the prejudice that existed, in consequence of the injury to the canal banks resulting from the use of paddle Wheels, that it extended to the use of steam power in any form, as a substitute for ordinary horse traction; and although I had taken every care to point out the essential difference of my system (as above indicated)
AGE YEAR. -- 1808. BORN 19TH AUGUST. 9 1817. WENT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, EDINBURGH. 13 1821. ATTENDED THE SCHOOL OF ARTS. 21 1829. WENT TO LONDON, TO MAUDSLAY'S. 23 1831. RETURNED TO EDINBURGH, TO MAKE MY ENGINEERS' TOOLS. 26 1834. WENT TO MANCHESTER, TO BEGIN BUSINESS. 28 1836. REMOVED TO PATRICROFT, AND BUILT THE BRIDGEWATER FOUNDRY. 31 1839. INVENTED THE STEAM HAMMER. 32 1840. MARRIAGE. 34 1842. FIRST VISIT TO FRANCE AND ITALY. 35 1843. VISIT TO ST. PETERSBURG, STOCKHOLM, DANNEMORA. 37 1845. APPLICATION OF THE STEAM HAMMER TO PILE-DRIVING. 48 1856. RETIRED FROM BUSINESS, TO ENJOY THE REST OF MY LIFE IN THE ACTIVE PURSUIT OF MY MOST FAVOURITE OCCUPATIONS.
I have not in this list referred to my investigations in connection with astronomy. All this will be found referred to in the text. It only remains for me to say that I append a resume of my inventions, contrivances, and workshop "dodges," to give the reader a summary idea of the Active Life of a working mechanic. And with this I end my tale.
CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF MECHANICAL INVENTIONS AND TECHNICAL CONTRIVANCES.
by James Nasmyth.
1825. A mode of applying Steam Power for the Traction of Canal Barges, without injury to the Canal Banks.
A CANAL having been formed to connect Edinburgh with the Forth and Clyde Canal, and so to give a direct waterway communication between Edinburgh and Glasgow, I heard much talk about the desirableness of substituting Steam for Horse power as the means of moving the boats and barges along the canal. But, as the action of paddle wheels had been found destructive to the canal banks, no scheme of that nature could be entertained. Although a tyro in such matters, I made an attempt to solve the problem, and accordingly prepared drawings, with a description of my design, for employing Steam power as the tractive agency for trains of canal barges, in such a manner as to obviate all risk of injury to the banks.
[Image]
The scheme consisted in laying a chain along the bottom of the canal, and of passing any part of its length between three grooved and notched pulleys or rollers, made to revolve with suitable velocity by means of a small steam-engine placed in a tug-boat, to the stern of which a train of barges was attached.* [footnote... Had this simple means of "tugging" vessels through water-ways been employed in our late attempts to ascend the rapids of the Nile, some very important results might have issued from its adoption. ...] The steam-engine could thus warp its way along the chain, taking it up between the rollers of the bow of the tug-boat, and dropping it into the water at the stern, so as to leave the chain at the service of the next following tug-boat with its attached train of barges. By this simple mode of employing the power of a steam-engine for canal boat traction, all risk of injury to the banks would be avoided, as the chain and not the water of the canal was the fulcrum or resistance which the steam-engine on the tug-boat operated upon in thus warping its way along the chain; and thus effectually, without slip or other waste of power, dragging along the train of barges attached to the stern of the steam-tug. I had arranged for two separate chains, so as to allow trains of barges to be conveyed along the canal in opposite directions, without interfering with each other.
I submitted a complete set of drawings, and a full description of my design in all its details, to the directors of the Canal Company; and I received a complimentary acknowledgment of them in writing. But such was the prejudice that existed, in consequence of the injury to the canal banks resulting from the use of paddle Wheels, that it extended to the use of steam power in any form, as a substitute for ordinary horse traction; and although I had taken every care to point out the essential difference of my system (as above indicated)