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industrial biography-第67部分

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strikes; and they were frequently accustomed to turn out in times

when trade was brisk; thereby bringing the whole operations of the

manufactories to a standstill; and throwing all the other operatives

out of employment。  A long…continued strike of this sort took place in

1824; when the idea occurred to the masters that it might be possible

to make the spinning…mules run out and in at the proper speed by

means of self…acting machinery; and thus render them in some measure

independent of the more refractory class of their workmen。  It seemed;

however; to be so very difficult a problem; that they were by no

means sanguine of success in its solution。  Some time passed before

they could find any mechanic willing so much as to consider the

subject。  Mr。 Ashton of Staley…bridge made every effort with this

object; but the answer he got was uniformly the same。  The thing was

declared to be impracticable and impossible。  Mr。 Ashton; accompanied

by two other leading spinners; called on Sharp; Roberts; and Co。; to

seek an interview with Mr。 Roberts。  They introduced the subject to

him; but he would scarcely listen to their explanations; cutting them

short with the remark that he knew nothing whatever about

cotton…spinning。  They insisted; nevertheless; on explaining to him

what they required; but they went away without being able to obtain

from him any promise of assistance in bringing out the required

machine。



The strike continued; and the manufacturers again called upon Mr。

Roberts; but with no better result。  A third time they called and

appealed to Mr。 Sharp; the capitalist of the firm; who promised to

use his best endeavours to induce his mechanical partner to take the

matter in hand。  But Mr。 Roberts; notwithstanding his reticence; had

been occupied in carefully pondering the subject since Mr。 Ashton's

first interview with him。  The very difficulty of the problem to be

solved had tempted him boldly to grapple with it; though he would not

hold out the slightest expectation to the cotton…spinners of his

being able to help them in their emergency until he saw his way

perfectly clear。  That time had now come; and when Mr。 Sharp

introduced the subject; he said he had turned the matter over and

thought he could construct the required self…acting machinery。  It was

arranged that he should proceed with it at once; and after a close

study of four months he brought out the machine now so extensively

known as the self…acting mule。  The invention was patented in 1825;

and was perfected by subsequent additions; which were also patented。



Like so many other inventions; the idea of the self…acting mule was

not new。  Thus Mr。 William Strutt of Derby; the father of Lord Belper;

invented a machine of this sort at an early period; Mr。 William

Belly; of the New Lanark Mills; invented a second; and various other

projectors tried their skill in the same direction; but none of these

inventions came into practical use。  In such cases it has become

generally admitted that the real inventor is not the person who

suggests the idea of the invention; but he who first works it out

into a practicable process; and so makes it of practical and

commercial value。  This was accomplished by Mr。 Roberts; who; working

out the idea after his own independent methods; succeeded in making

the first self…acting mule that would really act as such; and he is

therefore fairly entitled to be regarded as its inventor。



By means of this beautiful contrivance; spindle…carriages; bearing

hundreds of spindles; run themselves out and in by means of automatic

machinery; at the proper speed; without a hand touching them; the

only labour required being that of a few boys and girls to watch them

and mend the broken threads when the carriage recedes from the roller

beam; and to stop it when the cop is completely formed; as is

indicated by the bell of the counter attached to the working gear。

Mr。 Baines describes the self…acting mule while at work as 〃drawing

out; twisting; and winding up many thousand threads; with unfailing

precision and indefatigable patience and strengtha scene as magical

to the eye which is not familiarized with it; as the effects have

been marvellous in augmenting the wealth and population of the

country。〃*

 'footnote。。。

EDWARD BAINES; Esq。; M。P。; History of the Cotton Manufacture; 212。

 。。。'



Mr。 Roberts's great success with the self…acting mule led to his

being often appealed to for help in the mechanics of manufacturing。

In 1826; the year after his patent was taken out; he was sent for to

Mulhouse; in Alsace; to design and arrange the machine establishment

of Andre Koechlin and Co。; and in that and the two subsequent years

he fairly set the works a…going; instructing the workmen in the

manufacture of spinning…machinery; and thus contributing largely to

the success of the French cotton manufacture。  In 1832 he patented his

invention of the Radial Arm for 〃winding on〃 in the self…acting mule;

now in general use; and in future years he took out sundry patents

for roving; slubbing; spinning; and doubling cotton and other fibrous

materials; and for weaving; beetling; and mangling fabrics of various

sorts。



A considerable branch of business carried on by the firm of Sharp;

Roberts; and Co。  was the manufacture of iron billiard…tables; which

were constructed with almost perfect truth by means of Mr。 Roberts's

planing…machine; and became a large article of export。  But a much

more important and remunerative department was the manufacture of

locomotives; which was begun by the firm shortly after the opening of

the Liverpool and Manchester Railway had marked this as one of the

chief branches of future mechanical engineering。  Mr。 Roberts adroitly

seized the opportunity presented by this new field of invention and

enterprise; and devoted himself for a time to the careful study of

the locomotive and its powers。  As early as the year 1829 we find him

presenting to the Manchester Mechanics' Institute a machine

exhibiting the nature of friction upon railroads; in solution of the

problem then under discussion in the scientific journals。  In the

following year he patented an arrangement for communicating power to

both driving…wheels of the locomotive; at all times in the exact

proportions required when turning to the right or left;an

arrangement which has since been adopted in many road locomotives and

agricultural engines。  In the same patent will be found embodied his

invention of the steam…brake; which was also a favourite idea of

George Stephenson; since elaborated by Mr。 MacConnell of the London

and North…Western Railway。  In 1834; Sharp; Roberts; and Co。  began the

manufacture of locomotives on a large scale; and the compactness of

their engines; the excellence of their workmanship; and the numerous

original improvements introduced in them; speedily secured for the

engines of the Atlas firm a high reputation and a very large demand。

Among Mr。 Roberts's improvements may be mentioned his method of

manufacturing the crank axle; of welding the rim and tyres of the

wheels; and his arrangement and form of the wrought…iron framing and

axle…guards。  His system of templets and gauges; by means of which

every part of an engine or tender corresponded with that of every

other engine or tender of the same class; was as great an improvement

as Maudslay's system of uniformity of parts in other descriptions of

machinery。



In connection with the subject of railways; we may allude in passing

to Mr。 Roberts's invention of the Jacquard punching machinea

self…acting tool of great power; used for punching any required

number of holes; of any pitch and to any pattern; with mathematical

accuracy; in bridge or boiler plates。  The origin of this invention

was somewhat similar to that of the self…acting mule。  The contractors

for the Conway Tubular Bridge while under construction; in 1848; were

greatly hampered by combinations amongst the workmen; and they

despaired of being able to finish the girders within the time

specified in the contract。  The punching of the iron plates by hand

was a tedious and expensive as well as an inaccurate process; and the

work was proceeding so slowly that the contractors found it

absolutely necessary to adopt some new method of punching if they

were to finish the work in time。  In their emergency they appealed to

Mr。 Roberts; and endeavoured to persuade him to take the matter up。

He at length consented to do so; and evolved the machine in question

during his evening's leisurefor the most part while quietly sipping

his tea。  The machine was produced; the contractors were enabled to

proceed with the punching of the plates independent of the refractory

men; and the work was executed with a despatch; accuracy; and

excellence that would not otherwise have been possible。  Only a few

years since Mr。 Roberts added a useful companion to the Jacquard

punching machine; 
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