History 4 lesson 130

Abaham Darby was born in 1678 near Worcestershire, His great grand-uncle served in the English Civil war. He devised an early coke- burning iron process. Daby learned metallurgy coke-burning processes. Darby combined his skills, his uncle’s story and his own interests to invent the coke fired blast furnace. Darby’s iron smelting factory was more efficient than others. Coke: high in carbon and few impurities. His iron became competitive with brass, he figured out how to make iron thinner. He made cheap pots and pans,utensils and tools. Darby’s investors got scared in 1708 and left. In 1712 the Newcomen steam engine was invented. Orders came in from all over but iron production was constrained. Darby’s new factory enabled him to fulfill the orders and stay in business, Darby’s factory remained in business long after his death in 1717. 

Newcomen Steam Engine

Papin built the first piston steam engine in 1690. Tomas Savery built and patented a steam pump in 1698. Thomas Newmomen was an English Baptist ironworker. He built the world’s first true steam engine in 1712 Newcomen entered into partnership with Savery. Steam engines perform mechanical work. It used the vacuum to power the pump. Newcomen’s engine successfully pumped water out of mines. He marketed his engine through his network of Baptist business contacts. He met Joseph Hornblower through his travels and preaching. Horn Blower worked for Newcomen and built his engine. He passed the trade skills onto his son,who passed them onto his son.

Thomas Newcomen

Newcomen was born in Dartmouth in 1663. He became an ironmonger. He probably worked with Thomas savery on his engine (“Miner’s Friend.”) Savery and Newcomen got a patent together in 1707. Savery’s pump wasn’t too great, Newcomen improved it. Newcomen’s engine was a mederm marvel. It finally overcame the mining flooding problem. Newcomen’s job was ironmonger but his calling was pastor. Our job funds our calling. Newcomen’s work supported his preaching, his preaching increased his business.

The Octant

John Hadley was an English philosopher, He joined the Royal Society in 1717. His inheritance allowed him to do science. He grew interested in Newton’s reflecting telescope, HE built a superior model and then invented the octant. The octant distances between celestial objects. It was smaller and easier to handle. The octant could be used day or night. It lines up the sun with the hizon. The octant had overtaken the market by 1780 It was easy to read and more accurate It was available with many different options. Ot was capable of implementing the lunar-distance method for determining longitude.