Industrial Biography | Page 5

INVENTIONS OF HENRY CORT.
Parentage of Henry Cort Becomes a navy agent State of the iron trade
Cort's experiments in iron-making Takes a foundry at Fontley
Partnership with Jellicoe Various improvers in iron-making: Roebuck,
Cranege, Onions Cort's improved processes described His patents His
inventions adopted by Crawshay, Homfray, and other ironmasters
Cort's iron approved by the Admiralty Public defalcations of Adam

Jellicoe, Cort's partner Cort's property and patents confiscated Public
proceedings thereon Ruin of Henry Cort Account of Richard Crawshay,
the great ironmaster His early life Ironmonger in London Starts an
iron-furnace at Merthyr Tydvil Projects and makes a canal Growth of
Merthyr Tydvil and its industry Henry Cort the founder of the iron
aristocracy, himself unrewarded
CHAPTER VIII
.
THE SCOTCH IRON MANUFACTURE--Dr. ROEBUCK--DAVID
MUSHET.
Dr. Roebuck, a forgotten public benefactor His birth and education
Begins business as a physician at Birmingham Investigations in
metallurgy Removes to Scotland, and begins the manufacture of
chemicals, &c. Starts the Carron Iron Works, near Falkirk His
invention of refining iron in a pit-coal fire Embarks in coal-mining at
Boroughstoness Residence at Kinneil House Pumping-engines wanted
for his colliery Is introduced to James Watt Progress of Watt in
inventing the steam-engine Interviews with Dr. Roebuck Roebuck
becomes a partner in the steam-engine patent Is involved in difficulties,
and eventually ruined Advance of the Scotch iron trade Discovery of
the Black Band by David Mushet Early career of Mushet His laborious
experiments His inventions and discoveries in iron and steel, and death
CHAPTER IX
.
INVENTION OF THE HOT BLAST--JAMES BEAUMONT
NEILSON.
Difficulty of smelting the Black Band by ordinary process until the
invention of the hot blast Early career of James Beaumont Neilson
Education and apprenticeship Works as an engine-fireman As colliery
engine-wright Appointed foreman of the Glasgow Gas-works;
afterwards manager and engineer His self-education His Workmen's
Institute His experiments in iron-smelting Trials with heated air in the
blast-furnace Incredulity of ironmasters Success of his experiments,
and patenting of his process His patent right disputed, and established
Extensive application of the hot blast Increase of the Scotch iron trade

Extraordinary increase in the value of estates yielding Black Band
Scotch iron aristocracy
CHAPTER X
.
MECHANICAL INVENTIONS AND INVENTORS.
Tools and civilization The beginnings of tools Dexterity of hand chiefly
relied on Opposition to manufacturing machines Gradual process of
invention The human race the true inventor Obscure origin of many
inventions Inventions born before their time "Nothing new under the
sun" The power of steam known to the ancients Passage from Roger
Bacon Old inventions revived Printing Atmospheric locomotion The
balloon The reaping machine Tunnels Gunpowder Ancient firearms
The steam gun The Congreve rocket Coal-gas Hydropathy Anaesthetic
agents The Daguerreotype anticipated The electric telegraph not new
Forgotten inventors Disputed inventions Simultaneous inventions
Inventions made step by step James Watt's difficulties with his
workmen Improvements in modern machine-tools Their perfection The
engines of "The Warrior"
CHAPTER XI
.
JOSEPH BRAMAH.
The inventive faculty Joseph Bramah's early life His amateur work
Apprenticed to a carpenter Starts as cabinet-maker in London Takes out
a patent for his water-closet Makes pumps and ironwork Invention of
his lock Invents tools required in lock-making Invents his hydrostatic
machine His hydraulic press The leathern collar invented by Henry
Maudslay Bramah's other inventions His fire-engine His beer-pump
Improvements in the steam-engine His improvements in machine-tools
His number-printing machine His pen-cutter His hydraulic machinery
Practises as civil engineer Altercation with William Huntington, "S.S."
Bramah's character and death
CHAPTER XII
.
HENRY MAUDSLAY.

The Maudslays Henry Maudslay Employed as powder-boy in
Woolwich Arsenal Advanced to the blacksmiths' shop His early
dexterity in smith-work His "trivet" making Employed by Bramah
Proves himself a first-class workman Advanced to be foreman of the
works His inventions of tools required for lock-making His invention
of the leathern collar in the hydraulic press Leaves Bramah's service
and begins business for himself His first smithy in Wells Street His first
job Invention of the slide-lathe Resume of the history of the
turning-lathe Imperfection of tools about the middle of last century The
hand-lathe Great advantages of the slide rest First extensively used in
constructing Brunel's Block Machinery Memoir of Brunel Manufacture
of ships' blocks Sir S. Bentham's specifications Introduction of Brunel
to Maudslay The block-machinery made, and its success Increased
operations of the firm Improvements in the steam-engine Invention of
the punching-machine Further improvements in the slide-lathe
Screw-cutting machine Maudslay a dexterous and thoughtful workman
His character described by his pupil, James Nasmyth Anecdotes and
traits Maudslay's works a first-class school for workmen His mode of
estimating character His death
CHAPTER XIII
.
JOSEPH CLEMENT.
Skill in contrivance a matter of education Birth and parentage of Joseph
Clement Apprenticed to the trade of a slater His skill in amateur work
Makes a turning-lathe Gives up slating, and becomes a mechanic
Employed at