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industrial biography-第52部分

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to meet any large demand。  It was therefore requisite to devise

machine…tools which should not blunder; nor turn out imperfect

work; machines; in short; which should be in a great measure

independent of the want of dexterity of individual workmen; but which

should unerringly labour in their prescribed track; and do the work

set them; even in the minutest details; after the methods designed by

their inventor。  In this department Maudslay was eminently successful;

and to his laborious ingenuity; as first displayed in Bramah's

workshops; and afterwards in his own establishment; we unquestionably

owe much of the power and accuracy of our present self…acting

machines。



Bramah himself was not backward in admitting that to Henry Maudslay's

practical skill in contriving the machines for manufacturing his

locks on a large scale; the success of his invention was in a great

degree attributable。  In further proof of his manual dexterity; it may

be mentioned that he constructed with his own hands the identical

padlock which so severely tested the powers of Mr。 Hobbs in 1851。  And

when it is considered that the lock had been made for more than half

a century; and did not embody any of the modern improvements; it will

perhaps be regarded not only as creditable to the principles on which

it was constructed; but to the workmanship of its maker; that it

should so long have withstood the various mechanical dexterity to

which it was exposed。



Besides the invention of improved machine…tools for the manufacture

of locks; Maudslay was of further service to Bramah in applying the

expedient to his famous Hydraulic Press; without which it would

probably have remained an impracticable though a highly ingenious

machine。  As in other instances of great inventions; the practical

success of the whole is often found to depend upon the action of some

apparently trifling detail。  This was especially the case with the

hydraulic press; to which Maudslay added the essential feature of the

self…tightening collar; above described in the memoir of Bramah。  Mr。

James Nasmyth is our authority for ascribing this invention to

Maudslay; who was certainly quite competent to have made it; and it

is a matter of fact that Bramah's specification of the press says

nothing of the hollow collar;*

 'footnote。。。

The words Bramah uses in describing this part of his patent of 1795

are these〃The piston must be made perfectly watertight by leather

or other materials; as used in pump…making。〃  He elsewhere speaks of

the piston…rod 〃working through the stuffing…box。〃  But in practice;

as we have above shown; these methods were found to be altogether

inefficient。

 。。。'

on which its efficient action mainly depends。  Mr。 Nasmyth

says〃Maudslay himself told me; or led me to believe; that it was he

who invented the self…tightening collar for the hydraulic press;

without which it would never have been a serviceable machine。  As the

self…tightening collar is to the hydraulic press; so is the

steamblast to the locomotive。  It is the one thing needful that has

made it effective in practice。  If Maudslay was the inventor of the

collar; that one contrivance ought to immortalize him。  He used to

tell me of it with great gusto; and I have no reason to doubt the

correctness of his statement。〃  Whoever really struck out the idea of

the collar; displayed the instinct of the true inventor; who

invariably seeks to accomplish his object by the adoption of the

simplest possible means。



During the time that Maudslay held the important office of manager of

Bramah's works; his highest wages were not more than thirty shillings

a…week。  He himself thought that he was worth more to his masteras

indeed he was;and he felt somewhat mortified that he should have to

make an application for an advance; but the increasing expenses of

his family compelled him in a measure to do so。  His application was

refused in such a manner as greatly to hurt his sensitive feelings;

and the result was that he threw up his situation; and determined to

begin working on his own account。



His first start in business was in the year 1797; in a small workshop

and smithy situated in Wells Street; Oxford Street。  It was in an

awful state of dirt and dilapidation when he became its tenant。  He

entered the place on a Friday; but by the Saturday evening; with the

help of his excellent wife; he had the shop thoroughly cleaned;

whitewashed; and put in readiness for beginning work on the next

Monday morning。  He had then the pleasure of hearing the roar of his

own forge…fire; and the cheering ring of the hammer on his own anvil;

and great was the pride he felt in standing for the first time within

his own smithy and executing orders for customers on his own account。

His first customer was an artist; who gave him an order to execute

the iron work of a large easel; embodying some new arrangements; and

the work was punctually done to his employer's satisfaction。  Other

orders followed; and he soon became fully employed。  His fame as a

first…rate workman was almost as great as that of his former master;

and many who had been accustomed to do business with him at Pimlico

followed him to Wells Street。  Long years after; the thought of these

early days of self…dependence and hard work used to set him in a

glow; and he would dilate to his intimate friends up on his early

struggles and his first successes; which were much more highly prized

by him than those of his maturer years。



With a true love of his craft; Maudslay continued to apply himself;

as he had done whilst working as Bramah's foreman; to the best

methods of ensuring accuracy and finish of work; so as in a measure

to be independent of the carelessness or want of dexterity of the

workman。  With this object he aimed at the contrivance of improved

machine…tools; which should be as much self…acting and

self…regulating as possible; and it was while pursuing this study

that he wrought out the important mechanical invention with which his

name is usually identifiedthat of the Slide Rest。  It continued to

be his special delight; when engaged in the execution of any piece of

work in which he took a personal interest; to introduce a system of

identity of parts; and to adapt for the purpose some one or other of

the mechanical contrivances with which his fertile brain was always

teeming。  Thus it was from his desire to leave nothing to the chance

of mere individual dexterity of hand that he introduced the slide

rest in the lathe; and rendered it one of the most important of

machine…tools。  The first device of this kind was contrived by him for

Bramah; in whose shops it continued in practical use long after he

had begun business for himself。  〃I have seen the slide rest;〃 says

Mr。 James Nasmyth; 〃the first that Henry Maudslay made; in use at

Messrs。 Bramah's workshops; and in it were all those arrangements

which are to be found in the most modern slide rest of our own day;*

 'footnote。。。

In this lathe the slide rest and frame were moveable along the

traversing…bar; according to the length of the work; and could be

placed in any position and secured by a handle and screw underneath。

The Rest; however; afterwards underwent many important modifications;

but the principle of the whole machine was there。

 。。。'

all of which are the legitimate offspring of Maudslay's original

rest。  If this tool be yet extant; it ought to be preserved with the

greatest care; for it was the beginning of those mechanical triumphs

which give to the days in which we live so much of their

distinguishing character。〃



A very few words of explanation will serve to illustrate the

importance of Maudslay's invention。  Every person is familiar with the

uses of the common turning…lathe。  It is a favourite machine with

amateur mechanics; and its employment is indispensable for the

execution of all kinds of rounded work in wood and metal。  Perhaps

there is no contrivance by which the skill of the handicraftsman has

been more effectually aided than by this machine。  Its origin is lost

in the shades of antiquity。  Its most ancient form was probably the

potter's wheel; from which it advanced; by successive improvements;

to its present highly improved form。  It was found that; by whatever

means a substance capable of being cut could be made to revolve with

a circular motion round a fixed right line as a centre; a cutting

tool applied to its surface would remove the inequalities so that any

part of such surface should be equidistant from that centre。  Such is

the fundamental idea of the ordinary turning…lathe。  The ingenuity and

experience of mechanics working such an instrument enabled them to

add many improvements to it; until the skilful artisan at length

produced not merely circular turning of the most beautiful and

accurate description; but exquisite figure…work; and complicated

geometrical designs; depending upon the cycloida
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