an autobiography-第64部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

nteresting　toil　and　cheerful　exertion；　had　caused　the　place　to　assume　the　aspect　of　a　smoothly　working　self…acting　machine。

Being　blessed　with　a　sound　constitution；　I　was　enabled　to　perform　all　my　duties　with　hearty　active　good…will。　　And　as　I　had　occasional　journeys　to　make　in　connection　with　our　affairs　and　interests；　these　formed　a　very　interesting　variety　in　the　ordinary　course　of　my　daily　work。　　The　intimate　and　friendly　intercourse　which　I　was　so　fortunate　as　to　cultivate　with　the　heads　of　the　principal　engineering　firms　of　my　time；　kept　me　well　posted　up　in　all　that　was　new　and　advanced　in　the　way　of　improvements　in　mechanical　processes。　　I　had　at　the　same　time　many　pleasant　opportunities　of　making　suggestions　as　to　further　improvements；　some　of　which　took　root　and　yielded　results　of　no　small　importance。　　These　visits　to　my　friends　were　always　acceptable；　if　I　might　judge　from　the　hearty　tone　of　welcome　with　which　I　was　generally　received。

I　do　not　know　what　may　be　the　case　in　other　classes　of　businesses　or　professions；　but　as　regards　engineer　mechanists　and　metal　workers　generally；　there　is　an　earnest　and　frank　intercommunication　of　ideas　an　interchange　of　thoughts　and　suggestionswhich　has　always　been　a　source　of　the　highest　pleasure　to　me；　and　which　I　have　usually　found　thoroughly　reciprocated。　　The　subjects　with　which　engineers　have　to　deal　are　of　a　wide　range；　and　jealousy　in　intercommunication　is　almost　entirely　shut　out。　　Many　of　my　friends　were　special　〃characters。〃　For　the　most　part　they　had　made　their　own　way　in　the　world；　like　myself。　　I　found　among　them　a　great　deal　of　quaint　humour。　Their　talk　was　quite　unconventional；　and　yet　their　remarks　were　well　worth　being　treasured　up　in　the　memory　as　things　to　be　thought　about　and　pondered　over。　　Sometimes　they　gave　the　key　to　the　comprehension　of　some　of　the　grandest　functions　in　Nature；　and　an　insight　into　the　operation　of　those　invariable　laws　which　regulate　the　universe。　For　all　Nature　is；　as　it　were；　a　grand　workshop；　ruled　over　by　an　ever　present　Almighty　Master；of　whose　perfect　designs　and　works　we　are　as　yet　only　permitted　to　obtain　hasty　and　imperfect　glimpses。

To　return　to　my　own　humbler　progress。　　From　an　early　period　of　my　efforts　as　a　mechanical　engineer；　I　had　been　impressed　with　the　great　advantages　that　would　result　from　the　employment　of　small　high…pressure　steam…engines　of　a　simple　and　compact　construction。　These；　I　thought；　might　suit　the　limited　means　and　accommodation　of　small　factories　and　workshops　where　motive　power　was　required。　　The　highly　satisfactory　results　which　followed　the　employment　of　steam…engines　of　this　class；　such　as　I　supplied　shortly　after　beginning　business　in　Manchester；　led　to　a　constantly　increasing　demand　for　them。　　They　were　used　for　hoisting　in　and　out　the　weighty　bales　of　goods　from　the　lofty　Manchester　warehouses。　　They　worked　the　〃lifts；〃　and　also　the　pumps　of　the　powerful　hydraulic　presses　used　in　packing　the　bales。

These　small　engines　were　found　of　service　in　a　variety　of　ways。　When　placed　in　the　lower　parts　of　the　building　the　waste　steam　was　utilised　in　warming　the　various　apartments　of　the　house。　The　steam　was　conveyed　in　iron　pipes；　and　thus　obviated　the　risk　of　fire　which　attended　the　use　of　stoves　and　open　fire…grates。　I　remember　being　much　pleased　with　seeing　a　neat　arrangement　of　a　〃hot…closet〃　heated　by　the　waste　steam　conveyed　from　the　bottom　of　the　building。　　This　was　used　for　holding　the　dinners　and　teas　of　the　minor　clerks　and　workpeople。　Another　enclosed　place；　heated　by　waste　steam；　was　used　for　drying　wet　clothes　and　jackets　during　rainy　weather。　　Much　attention　was　paid　by　the　employers　to　their　workpeople　in　these　respects。　The　former　exhibited　a　great　deal　of　kindly　thoughtfulness。　But　men　and　master　were　alike。　　It　was　a　source　of　the　greatest　pleasure　to　me；　when　looking　round　the　warehouses　and　factories；　to　see　the　intelligent　steady　energy　that　pervaded　every　department；　from　the　highest　to　the　lowest。

I　never　lost　sight　of　the　importance　of　extending　the　use　of　my　small　steam…engine　system。　　It　was　the　most　convenient　method　of　applying　steam　power　to　individual　machines。　　Formerly；　the　power　to　drive　a　machine　was　derived　from　a　very　complicated　arrangement　of　shafting　and　gearing　brought　from　a　distant　engine。　　But　by　my　system　I　conveyed　the　power　to　the　machine　by　means　of　a　steam　pipe；　which　enabled　the　engine　to　which　it　was　attached　to　be　driven　either　fast　or　slow；　or　to　be　stopped　or　started；　just　as　occasion　required。　　It　might　be　run　while　all　the　other　machines　were　at　rest；　or；　in　the　event　of　a　breakdown　of　the　main　engine　of　the　factory；　the　small　engine　might　still　be　kept　going　or　even　assist　in　the　repairs　of　the　large　one。

An　important　feature　in　this　mode　of　conveying　power　by　means　of　piping　in　place　of　gearing　and　shifting　belts　and　belt　pulleyswas　the　ease　with　which　the　steam　could　be　conveyed　into　intricate　parts　of　the　building。　　The　pipes　which　I　used　were　of　wrought…iron；　similar　to　those　used　in　conveying　gas。　　They　could　be　curved　to　suit　any　peculiarity　of　the　situation；　and　when　the　pipes　were　lapped　with　felt；　or　enclosed　in　wooden　troughs　filled　with　sawdust；　the　loss　of　heat　by　radiation　was　reduced　to　a　minimum。　　The　loss　of　power　was　certainly　much　less　than　in　the　friction　of　a　long　and　perhaps　tortuous　line　of　shafting。　　With　steam　of　50　lbs。　to　the　inch；　a　pipe　of　one…inch　bore　will　convey　sufficient　steam　to　give　forth　five　horse…power　at　a　distance　of　two　or　three　hundred　feet　from　the　boiler。*　　＇footnote。。。　In　the　case　of　rambling　premises；　such　as　iron　shipbuilding　yards；　the　conveyance　of　steam　by　well…protected　pipes　put　underground　for　the　purpose　of　driving　engines　to　work　punching　and　plate…shearing　machines　（which　have　to　be　near　at　hand　when　the　work　is　required）；　has　very　great　practical　advantages。　　。。。＇

I　adopted　the　same　practice　in　working　the　refined　and　complex　machines　used　in　printing　coloured　patterns　on　calico。　　A　great　variety　of　colours　has　to　be　transferred　by　a　combination　of　rollerseach　carrying　its　proper　colour；　these　are　printed　on　the　calico　with　the　utmost　exactness；　and　result　in　the　complete　pattern。　　My　system　of　having　a　separate　engine　to　give　motion　to　these　colour…printing　machines　was　found　to　be　of　great　service；　and　its　value　was　recognised　by　its　speedy　and　almost　universal　adoption。　Every　connection　with　the　main　shaft；　with　its　gearing　and　belts　and　pulleysby　which　colour…printing　had　before　been　accomplishedwas　entirely　done　away　with；　because　each　machine　had　its　own　special　engine。　　The　former　practice　had　led　to　much　waste；　and　the　printing　was　often　confused　and　badly　done。　The　power　was　conveyed　from　a　great　central　steam…engine；　the　printing　machines　were　ranged　by　the　side　of　a　long　gallery；　and　by　means　of　a　〃clutch〃　each　machine　was　started　at　once　into　action。

The　result　of　this　was　a　considerable　shock　to　the　machine；　and　an　interference　with　the　relative　adjustments　of　the　six　or　eight　colour　rollers；　which　were　often　jerked　out　of　their　exact　relative　adjustment。　　Then　the　machines　had　to　be　stopped　and　the　rollers　readjusted；　and　sometimes　many　yards　of　calico　had　been　spoiled　before　this　could　be　done。

These　difficulties　were　now　entirely　removed。　　When　all　was　adjusted；　the　attendant　of　the　print…machine　had　only　to　open　gradually　the　steam　admission　valve　of　his　engine；　and　allow　it　to　work　the　machine　gently　at　its　first　off…go；　and　when　all　was　seen　to　be　acting　in　perfect　concert；　to　open　the　valve　further　and　allow　the　machine　to　go　at　full　speed。　　The　same　practice　was　adopted　in　slowing　off　the　machine；　so　as　to　allow　the　attendant　to　scrutinise　the　pattern　and　the　position　of　the　work；　or　in　stopping　the　machine　altogether。　　So　satisfactory　were　the　results　of　the　application　of　this　mode　of　driving　calico　printing　machines；　that　it　was　adopted　for　the　like　processes　as　applied　to　other　textile　fabrics；　and　it　is　now；　I　believe；　universally　applied　at　home　as　well　as　abroad。　　I　may　also　add　that　the　waste　steam；　as　it　issued　from　the　engine　after　performing　its　mechanical　duty　there；　was　utilised　in　a　most　effective　manner　by　heating　a　series　of　steam…tight　cylinders；　over　which　the　printed　cloth　travelled　as　it　issued　from　the　printing　machine；　when　it　was　speedily　and　effectively　dried。　　In　these　various　improvements　in　calico　printing　I　was　most　ably　seconded　by　Mr。　Joseph　Lese；　of　Manchester；　whose　practical　acquaintance　with　all　that　related　to　that　department　of　industry　rendered　him　of　the　greatest　service。　　There　was　no　〃Invention；〃　so　to　speak；　in　this　almost　obvious　application　of　the　steam…engine　to　calico…printing。　　It　required　merely　the　faculty　of　observation；　and　the　application　of　means　to　ends。　　The　main　feature　of　the　system；　it　will　be　observed；　was　in　enabling　the　superintendent　of　each　machine　to　have　perfect　control　over　it；to　set　it　in　motion　and　to　regulate　its　speed　without　the　slightest　jerk　or　shock　to　its　intricate　mechanism。　　In　this　sense　the　arrangement　was　of　great　commercial　value。

I　had　another　opportunity　of　introducing　my　small　engine　system　into　the　Government　Arsenal　at　Woolwich。　　In　1847　the　attention　of　the　Board　of　Ordnance　w