The Effect Of The Steam Engine On

The Effect Of The Steam Engine On The Industrial R Essay, Research Paper The steam engine, how did it effect the Industrial Revolution? The Industrial Revolution, which was started in England around 1770, would result in some of the greatest technological advancements in history. One of the major and most popular inventions during the Industrial Revolution was the steam engine. The invention of the steam engine dates way back to even before the Industrial Revolution, the earliest date being around 1698. It wasn t until the late 17th century and early 18th century that the steam engine crabbed interest in many inventors. This strong interest in the improvement of the steam engine would change the outcome of the Industrial Revolution forever.Thomas Savery, of England, built the

first crude steam powered machine in 1698. Savery built his machine to help pump water out of coalmines. This machine was so simple that it had no moving parts. It also used up lots and lots of coal just to pump a small quantity of water. The first steam engine that had significant use was that of Thomas Newcomen known as The Newcomen Engine. The Newcomen engine, invented independently of that of Savery, constitutes unquestionably the greatest revolutionary advance in the whole history of mechanical power. This engine was used in the Cornish mining shafts as a mean to pump water out of the shaft. The Newcomen engine is probably one of the simplest steam engines invented compared to the modern steam engines not including Savery s engine. The engine consists of a large vertical

cylinder that is fitted with a piston that is connected to a chain to one end of a beam. The beam is pivoted and connected at the other end to the pump. The steam is supplied by a large boiler, which has a valve where the steam is forced through. Once the steam builds up pressure, it is force through the valve pushing the piston down and bringing the beam along with it. So as you can see, it is very simply machine with probably very little purpose.It is not until a man by the name of James Watt comes along, that the steam engine gains a more useful status in the Industrial world. Although Watt did not invent the steam engine, but rather improve vastly on The Newcomen engine, he is basically referred to as the inventor of the modern steam engine. Watt s greatest discovery came in

1765 when came up with the theory of separate condensation. The made the steam engine a much more useful and economic source of power and for almost hundred years after, there were variations or improvement made on it. Now that Watt had his newly developed steam engine, it was only a matter of time before he would capitalize on it. It wasn t until Watt meets a man by the name of Boulton, that he forms a firm by the name of Boulton & Watt. This firm would become the leader in Steam engine production with Watt s newly improved steam engine. Since the capital needed to produce the steam engines was high, it was Boulton s money that was used in the production of the steam engine, but there were many difficulties in trying to raise the capital. Many banks were suspicious about

them and did not lend them money because it was considered a risky business venture. It wasn t until 1784 when Lowe, Vere & Co., and Matthews took over the banking of Boulton & Watt. Now that they had a secure source of financing behind them, the business took off. This is when the steam engine comes to change the Industrial Revolution forever. The first important use of the steam engine came in 1776 when Boulton & Watt decided to build one steam engine free of charge so that that could show the Cornish miners how successful it could be in removing the water from the mine shafts. This proved to be of great interest to the Cornish because one of their biggest problems was the flooding of the mining shafts. Once Boulton & Watt proved that their engine was of great