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industrial biography-第55部分
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citoyen!〃 Scowling looks were turned upon him; and he deemed it
expedient to take the first opportunity of escaping from the house;
which he did by a back…door; and made the best of his way to
Hacqueville。 From thence he went to Rouen; and succeeded in finding a
passage on board an American ship; in which he sailed for New York;
having first pledged his affections to an English girl; Sophia
Kingdom; whom he had accidentally met at the house of Mr。 Carpentier;
the American consul at Rouen。
Arrived in America; he succeeded in finding employment as assistant
surveyor of a tract of land along the Black River; near Lake Ontario。
In the intervals of his labours he made occasional visits to New
York; and it was there that the first idea of his block…machinery
occurred to him。 He carried his idea back with him into the woods;
where it often mingled with his thoughts of Sophia Kingdom; by this
time safe in England after passing through the horrors of a French
prison。 〃My first thought of the block…machinery;〃 he once said; 〃was
at a dinner party at Major…General Hamilton's; in New York; my second
under an American tree; when; one day that I was carving letters on
its bark; the turn of one of them reminded me of it; and I thought;
'Ah! my block! so it must be。' And what do you think。 were the
letters I was cutting? Of course none other than S。 K。〃 Brunel
subsequently obtained some employment as an architect in New York;
and promulgated various plans for improving the navigation of the
principal rivers。 Among the designs of his which were carried out;
was that of the Park Theatre at New York; and a cannon foundry; in
which he introduced improvements in casting and boring big guns。 But
being badly paid for his work; and a powerful attraction drawing him
constantly towards England; he determined to take final leave of
America; which he did in 1799; and landed at Falmouth in the
following March。 There he again met Miss Kingdom; who had remained
faithful to him during his six long years of exile; and the pair were
shortly after united for life。
Brunel was a prolific inventor。 During his residence in America; he
had planned many contrivances in his mind; which he now proceeded to
work out。 The first was a duplicate writing and drawing machine;
which he patented。 The next was a machine for twisting cotton thread
and forming it into balls; but omitting to protect it by a patent; he
derived no benefit from the invention; though it shortly came into
very general use。 He then invented a machine for trimmings and
borders for muslins; lawns; and cambrics;of the nature of a sewing
machine。 His famous block…machinery formed the subject of his next
patent。
It may be explained that the making of the blocks employed in the
rigging of ships for raising and lowering the sails; masts; and
yards; was then a highly important branch of manufacture。 Some idea
may be formed of the number used in the Royal Navy alone; from the
fact that a 74…gun ship required to be provided with no fewer than
1400 blocks of various sizes。 The sheaved blocks used for the running
rigging consisted of the shell; the sheaves; which revolved within
the shell; and the pins which fastened them together。 The fabrication
of these articles; though apparently simple; was in reality attended
with much difficulty。 Every part had to be fashioned with great
accuracy and precision to ensure the easy working of the block when
put together; as any hitch in the raising or lowering of the sails
might; on certain emergencies; occasion a serious disaster。 Indeed;
it became clear that mere hand…work was not to be relied on in the
manufacture of these articles; and efforts were early made to produce
them by means of machinery of the most perfect kind that could be
devised。 In 1781; Mr。 Taylor; of Southampton; set up a large
establishment on the river Itchen for their manufacture; and on the
expiry of his contract; the Government determined to establish works
of their own in Portsmouth Dockyard; for the purpose at the same time
of securing greater economy; and of being independent of individual
makers in the supply of an article of such importance in the
equipment of ships。
Sir Samuel Bentham; who then filled the office of Inspector…General
of Naval Works; was a highly ingenious person; and had for some years
been applying his mind to the invention of improved machinery for
working in wood。 He had succeeded in introducing into the royal
dockyards sawing…machines and planing…machines of a superior kind; as
well as block…making machines。 Thus the specification of one of his
patents; taken out in 1793; clearly describes a machine for shaping
the shells of the blocks; in a manner similar to that afterwards
specified by Brunel。 Bentham had even proceeded with the erection of
a building in Portsmouth Dockyard for the manufacture of the blocks
after his method; the necessary steam…engine being already provided;
but with a singular degree of candour and generosity; on Brunel's
method being submitted to him; Sir Samuel at once acknowledged its
superiority to his own; and promised to recommend its adoption by the
authorities in his department。
The circumstance of Mrs。 Brunel's brother being Under…Secretary to
the Navy Board at the time; probably led Brunel in the first instance
to offer his invention to the Admiralty。 A great deal; however;
remained to be done before he could bring his ideas of the
block…machinery into a definite shape; for there is usually a wide
interval between the first conception of an intricate machine and its
practical realization。 Though Brunel had a good knowledge of
mechanics; and was able to master the intricacies of any machine; he
laboured under the disadvantage of not being a practical mechanic and
it is probable that but for the help of someone possessed of this
important qualification; his invention; ingenious and important
though it was; would have borne no practical fruits。 It was at this
juncture that he was so fortunate as to be introduced to Henry
Maudslay; the inventor of the sliderest。
It happened that a M。 de Bacquancourt; one of the French emigres;
of whom there were then so many in London; was accustomed almost
daily to pass Maudslay's little shop in Wells…street; and being
himself an amateur turner; he curiously inspected the articles from
time to time exhibited in the window of the young mechanic。 One day a
more than ordinarily nice piece of screw…cutting made its appearance;
on which he entered the shop to make inquiries as to the method by
which it had been executed。 He had a long conversation with Maudslay;
with whom he was greatly pleased; and he was afterwards accustomed to
look in upon him occasionally to see what new work was going on。
Bacquancourt was also on intimate terms with Brunel; who communicated
to him the difficulty he had experienced in finding a mechanic of
sufficient dexterity to execute his design of the block…making
machinery。 It immediately occurred to the former that Henry Maudslay
was the very man to execute work of the elaborate character proposed;
and he described to Brunel the new and beautiful tools which Maudslay
had contrived for the purpose of ensuring accuracy and finish。 Brunel
at once determined to call upon Maudslay; and it was arranged that
Bacquancourt should introduce him; which he did; and after the
interview which took place Brunel promised to call again with the
drawings of his proposed model。
A few days passed; and Brunel called with the first drawing; done by
himself; for he was a capital draughtsman; and used to speak of
drawing as the 〃alphabet of the engineer。〃 The drawing only showed a
little bit of the intended machine; and Brunel did not yet think it
advisable to communicate to Maudslay the precise object he had in
view; for inventors are usually very chary of explaining their
schemes to others; for fear of being anticipated。 Again Brunel
appeared at Maudslay's shop with a further drawing; still not
explaining his design; but at the third visit; immediately on looking
at the fresh drawings he had brought; Maudslay exclaimed; 〃Ah! now I
see what you are thinking of; you want machinery for making blocks。〃
At this Brunel became more communicative; and explained his designs
to the mechanic; who fully entered into his views; and went on from
that time forward striving to his utmost to work out the inventor's
conceptions and embody them in a practical machine。
While still occupied on the models; which were begun in 1800;
Maudslay removed his shop from Wells…street; where he was assisted by
a single journeyman; to Margaret…street; Cavendish…square; where he
had greater room for carrying on his trade; and was also enabled to
increase the number of his hands。 The working models were ready for
inspection by Sir Samuel Bentham and the Lords of the Admiralty in
1801; and having
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