Thread: Who invented the steam engine?

Hi all
before I start please remember this is only as I know it so feel free to contradict me.
Marquis of Worcester 200BC invented a contrivance to open some temple doors. this is generally regarded as the first 'Steam engine'. Only problem there is he used air as the compressive medium instead of steam. Heating water with fire was used to compress the air.

Hero 200BC, his contrivance was the first to create rotative motion by turning water into steam. What is not known is whether he made it,saw it or thought it up and drew it.

Giovanni Branca 1629. His contrivance was in effect a steam turbine, still classed as a steam engine driving a small crusher like a small pestle and mortar.

Edward Somerset second Marquis of Worcester 1665. Pulsometer which is pretty much a pump. Easier to google pulsometer than describe. He is also credited as the first Steam Engine builder.

Thomas Savery 1698 copied and modified Somersets contrivances(maybe???) and put them to work pumping water from the mines in Cornwall.

Newcomen 1705. Atmospheric engine. That is with one end of the cylinder open to atmosphere and a jet of water used to condense the steam and create a vacuum on the other side after the steam has expanded and done its work pushing the piston.

Remember this is very condensed.

More to come a bit later ( I have restricted access to the computer)

Phil

what?

OH...who invented it you ask?

well I have it on good authority that it wasnt watt

Who's on First!

Watt's on 2nd !

I don't know on third!

For those interested in the history of steam, invention and how it relates to a system of patent protection, and a discussion about why the industrial revolution happened where it did, and not in more populated regions of the globe.

"The most powerful idea in the world" The history of steam, industry and invention. By William Rosen.

Regards,
Peter

An interesting listen is the audio book of the biography of James Watt.

While Watt did not invent the steam engine his company was the first to make reliable real world steam that contributed significantly to the industrial revolution. The book highlights the problems of getting decent materials and machines to make the parts and finding workers that weren't used to solving mechanical problems with a blacksmiths hammer.

Written in the somewhat "could do no wrong" style of the earlier part of the 20th century it still contains a lot of useful information and highlights how far we have come.

Denis papin.

The Greek engineer who invented the steam engine 2,000 years ago

check out what Hero made in 10CE

Originally Posted by Steamwhisperer

Marquis of Worcester 200BC

<snip>

Edward Somerset second Marquis of Worcester 1665.
Phil

To hell with the steam engine, I want to know how that bloke lived 1865 years.

I'll have what he's having....

Originally Posted by BobL

While Watt did not invent the steam engine his company was the first to make reliable real world steam that contributed significantly to the industrial revolution. .

Far from contributing significantly to the industrial revolution, james watt's ( I won't capitalize his name because he deserves no respect) outdated engines held it back by some years. He gained market share by suing people who came up with superior designs and started a precedent with his mockery of the patent system which lasts through to this day.

I think it was Charles Parsons who invented the steam turbine(though Hero's engine could be considered a turbine). I think Dennis Papin invented the first steam reciprocator.

Regards
Garry

Originally Posted by Garry 3

Far from contributing significantly to the industrial revolution, james watt's ( I won't capitalize his name because he deserves no respect) outdated engines held it back by some years. He gained market share by suing people who came up with superior designs and started a precedent with his mockery of the patent system which lasts through to this day.

Regards
Garry

Garry,
That is intereting.....
Could you expand on those short, sharp comments so I can understand how you came to those conclusions about Watt?
Regards,
Peter

Originally Posted by lightwood

Garry,
That is intereting.....
Could you expand on those short, sharp comments so I can understand how you came to those conclusions about Watt?
Regards,
Peter

Sure...watt had his patents extended to 26 yrs iirc up from 17 or so (don't have access to my library at the mo so could be wrong if so feel free to correct). His engines were expensive and because of his rabid enforcements of his patents there were no competitors so that held off widespread adoption. Many improvements in this time time were stifled by watts legal thugs, Hornblower's compound engine is the most notable example. Others such as Richard Trevithick et al sat on their ideas until watt's patent expired for fear of being sued.

The best indication of this despicable man's retardation of steam engine design can be seen after his patents expired. Steam engine innovation absolutely took off. The steam train, boat only came came about because of that.

Garry

Spot on Gary
Watt did more bad than good for the development of steam engines.

Phil

Originally Posted by Garry 3

He gained market share by suing people who came up with superior designs . . .

Sounds like standard practice in todays capitalist system to me.