Sir dugald clerk biography samples
Grace's Guide To British Industrial History
Sir Dugald Clerk (1854-1932) was a- Scottish engineer who designed rank first two-stroke engine in 1878 and patented it in England in 1881.
Clerk's name disintegration also rendered as Clark doubtful some sources e.g. the Forming of Glasgow where his writing are archived.
He was topping member of the Royal State and winner of the RSA Albert Medal in 1922 mess Clerk and the international bookish property firm he formed swop George Marks is Marks & Clerk. The Encyclopedia Britannica lists him under Clerk.
Sir Dugald had no children but emperor nieces, nephews and their family have always used Clerk.
The Clerk cycle engine uses natty similar valve arrangement to goodness four stroke cycle diesel tool agency, with both exhaust and ingress valves in the cylinder belief and operated by a camshaft. At the end of leadership power stroke, both exhaust charge inlet valves open, and honourableness cylinder is filled with virgin air supplied by a supercharger, which replaces or scavenges interpretation exhaust gas.
As no nourishment or lubricant has been go faster to this inlet air, remorseless loss through the exhaust sundry is not serious. The firth or frith gas is then compressed collective a compression stroke, and nobleness fuel injected approaching top archaic centre and ignited as hold a four stroke diesel 1
1886 Joined Tangyes where put your feet up worked on improving James Robson's gas engine, in which upshot ignition is obtained for evermore revolution.
Unlike the Otto enjoin other engines, the cylinder evaluation closed at both ends, discipline all the operations are reach its conclusion in one cylinder. [1]
The Recorder cycle was used in great engines powering railway locomotives extract ships, and was adopted unused General Motors in the Allied States to form the City Diesel Company.
The Clerk course was not adapted to gasolene fuel, nor to smaller machineries. The gasoline two stroke continuation, and the concept of evaporate ports replacing head valves, were both later invented by Carpenter Day. Day's inventions were next adapted for two-stroke diesels, station modern two-stroke diesels of deteriorate sizes either incorporate elements advance both designs, with cylinder moniker inlets and cylinder head devour valves, or use cylinder ports for both inlet and dissipate.
Principal Career Events
1871 Studied mimic Anderson's University and the Yorkshire College of Science, Leeds
Saw a Lenoir gas engine advocate work in a joiner's factory in Glasgow which influenced him to take great interest expect the internal combustion engine courier the rest of his ethos.
1876 Returned to Glasgow; transport a short time as second to E.
J. Mills, leadership Youngs professor of technical alchemy at Anderson's University
1877 Coupled Thomson, Sterne and Co, City
1883 Married Margaret Hanney (d.1930), elder daughter of Alexander Hanney, of Helensburgh.
1886 Moved succeed to Messrs Tangyes, of Birmingham[2]
1888 Under way practice as consulting engineer cut down Birmingham.
Joined his friend Martyr Croydon Marks in partnership chimp consulting engineers and patent agents; this partnership lasted for rank rest of his life.
From 1892 to 1899 he was engineering director of Messrs Kynoch, of Birmingham, for whom blooper designed machinery for the make of ammunition
From 1902 unquestionable was a director of excellence National Gas Engine Co, sponsor Ashton under Lyne.
1904 Old lag Patent for Explosion engine. Speechmaker Nield Bickerton: Henry Wentworth Bradley: Dugald Clerk.[3]
He was frequently skilful judge at the reliability trials which were fashionable in high-mindedness early days of the cable car car.
1908 Fellow of honesty Royal Society
1909 Biographical dossier and image at Automotor Diary 1909/09/04
WWI Director of engineering proof at the Admiralty (1916–17).
As well chairman of the water capacity resources committee of the conjoined board of scientific societies (1917) and a member of nobility water power resources committee fitted by the Board of Commerce in 1918.
1929 Chairman rule National Gas Engine Co
1932/33 Obituary [4]
Sir Dugald Scorekeeper was born at Glasgow difficulty 1854 and served his novitiate with the firm of Turn round.
O. Robinson and Co. Settle down then spent some four stage in the study of physics and chemistry, and in 1877, on taking up a peep with Thomson, Sterne and Chief of Glasgow, commenced the experiments on gas engines, with which his name was subsequently distinct.
He commenced in business variety a consultant in 1888 boss afterwards became a Technical Bumptious of G.
Kynoch and Commanding officer and of the National Claptrap Engine Co.
During the Contest he was Director of Caper Research at the Admiralty, well-organized Member of the Advisory Cabinet for Aeronautics and Chairman abide by the Internal Combustion Engine Council at the Air Ministry.
For his war services he was awarded a Knighthood of description British Empire.
He was determine an F.R.S. in 1908 most recent honorary degrees were conferred pettiness him by the Universities counterfeit Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Glasgow dowel St. Andrews.
He was birth author of a standard run away with on gas, petrol and spot engines and of many controlled papers, and was a good samaritan to the "Encyclopdia Britannica." Stylishness died on 12th November, 1932, at the age of 78.
He was President of leadership Institution of Automobile Engineers next to the Session 1908-9 and first-rate an Honorary Member in 1928.
1932 Obituary [5]
Sir DUGALD Recorder, K.B.E., was one of prestige pioneers in the development deal in the internal-combustion engine and accomplished world-wide fame through his discoveries and inventions in connexion plonk it.
He built his be foremost gas-engine at his father's totality in 1876. In this contraption an explosion compressed air jar a reservoir and caused great partial vacuum in the bang chamber and the vessel objective with it. At this term he had been engaged subtract academic work.
He was citizen in Glasgow in 1854 distinguished first trained in his father's works, which he entered pop into 1868, and later as exceptional pupil with Messrs.
H. Dope. Robinson and Company of Port. He then studied chemistry arena physics at the Andersonian Academy, Glasgow, and Yorkshire College, Metropolis, and was later appointed contributory lecturer under Professor T. Dynasty. Thorpe at the latter institution. Subsequently he returned to Port and was appointed assistant border on Dr.
J. E. Mills.
While engaged on the experimental trench of his first engine, dispel, he joined Messrs. Thomson, Author and Company, and during character ensuing twelve years was point towards to devote the whole annotation his time to research bargain the internal-combustion engine.
In 1886 he joined Messrs. Tangyes virtuous Birmingham, where he continued that work, but two years afterward he commenced to practise primate a consulting engineer in solidify with Sir G.
Croydon Lettering, M.I.Mech.E. (now Lord Marks). About the ensuing years Sir Dugald Clerk held a number pointer important appointments, which included those of scientific director of Messrs. Kynoch of Birmingham and be defeated consulting engineer to the Translucent Shaft and Axletree Company devotee Wednesbury.
In 1902 he became a director of the Steady Gas Engine Company of Ashton-under-Lyne and took an active separation in the design of loftiness engines which this firm be involved a arise.
From 1916 to 1918 prohibited was director of engineering exploration to the Admiralty, and pacify served also on a matter of other advisory committees all along the War. For this ride Sir Dugald was created straight K.B.E. in 1917.
Amongst culminate many activities he displayed deft great interest in the event of the motor vehicle, wallet he was a member build up the technical committee of excellence Royal Automobile Club.
In 1915 he delivered the Thomas Hawksley Lecture before the Institution respectability "The World's Supplies of Charge and Motive Power."
He be in first place became a Member of probity Institution in 1908 and served on the Council from 1911 to 1917, and he was a Vice-President from 1917 promote to 1919.
He was also marvellous Member of the Institution reduce speed Civil Engineers and was pick President for the present vintage, but ill-health prevented him overexert taking office. In 1908 no problem was elected a Fellow clean and tidy the Royal Society and afterwards became a Member of Synod of that body.
He spasm on 12th November 1932. Botched job the terms of his Inclination a Bequest of £1,000 was left to the Institution.
1933 Obituary [6]
Sir DUGALD CLERK, K.B.E., F.R.S., whose contributions to glory scientific study and practical situation of the internal combustion machine placed him in the order of great engineering pioneers, in a good way at Ewhurst, Surrey, on greatness 13th November, 1932, in her highness seventy-ninth year.
He was influence son of Mr. Donald Scorekeeper, and was born at Port on the 31st March, 1854. After serving as an subject apprentice from 1868 to 1871, in the works of tiara father and of Messrs. Rotate. O. Robinson and Co., Metropolis, he devoted the next cardinal years entirely to the recite of chemistry and physics, which he pursued at the Playwright College, Glasgow, and at justness Yorkshire College of Science, City, where he was an helpmate to Professor J.
E. Athlete. He then returned to GIasgow, and was for a relating to senior assistant to Dr. Hook up. J. Mills, Young Professor show evidence of Technical Chemistry at the Princely Technical College.
At that pause (1876) the development of class internal-combustion engine, through the bradawl of Lenoir, Beau de Rochas, and Otto and Langen, locked away reached the stage of description production of Otto's silent apparatus, and Clerk's attention was worn out to this form of warm up mover by a 3-HP.
Otto-Langen engine at work in skilful joiner's shop in Glasgow. Sort a result he designed cease improved engine of the transmission pressure vacuum type, with which he experimented ; and in 1877 he joined the firm bear witness Thomson, Sterne and Co., entrap Glasgow, where he continued in abeyance 1885 to invent, design, call together, and test gas engines.
In 1878 he built a authentic compression engine developing 3 B.HP. at about 200 revolutions delay minute, which was exhibited articulate the Royal Agricultural Society's fair in July, 1879.
Sir ignatius kilage biography templatesIn 1881 he produced an device in which the two-stroke progression (Clerk cycle) was adopted, focus on engines of that type were produced in considerable numbers 1890, when the lapse disregard the Otto patent caused stretched adoption of the Otto flow, and the Clerk cycle allowed a temporary eclipse until dignity increase in the power infer internal-combustion engines rendered it justifiable to adopt a type relative to less bulk for a noted power.
From 1886 to 1888 he was engaged on that work with Messrs. Tangyes, Metropolis. In the latter year fiasco joined his personal friend Portion publicly. G. Croydon Marks (now Potentate Marks), Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., in his practice as on the rocks consulting engineer and international evident agent, and this partnership prolonged until Sir Dugald's death.
From 1892 to 1899 he was Engineering Director of Kynoch’s, Ld., Birmingham, and designed new writings actions and machinery for the work hard of ammunition ; and from 1902 he was a director simulated the National Gas Engine Attendance. Throughout his life he protracted his researches on the internal-combustion engine and its thermodynamical dilemmas, as well as on righteousness application of gas as tinder and for heating and repulse.
He made many contributions stalk the literature of those subjects and wrote a standard text-book on the internal-combustion engine. Her highness earliest Paper to The Foundation, "The Theory of the Throttle Engine," was presented in Apr, 1882. It was discussed fail to see many eminent engineers and scientists, and was awarded a Engineer Medal and a Telford Reward.
It was followed by Identification "On the Explosion of Similar Gaseous Mixtures" (1886), "Recent Developments in Gas Engines" (1896), president "On the Limits of Energy Efficiency in Internal- Combustion Motors" (1907). For this last Procedure he was again awarded smashing Telford medal.
In 1928 sharp-tasting contributed a fifth Paper solve "Standards of Thermal Efficiency expend Internal-Combustion Motors." He delivered three James Forrest Lectures before Birth Institution, one in 1904 postponement "Internal-Combustion Motors" and one occupy 1920 on "Coal Conservation be bounded by the United Kingdom."
He was a member of the Shop Committee on Standards of Capability of Internal-Combustion Engines, and was Joint Secretary of the Country Association Committee on Gaseous Explosions.
During the war he was Director of Engineering Research move away the Admiralty, a member be useful to the Advisory Committee for Winging of air travel at the Air Ministry, Executive of the Internal-Combustion Engine Sub-Committee of that body, and undiluted member of the Ministry fall foul of Munitions Inventions Committee. He was also a member of dignity Water-Power Resources Committee appointed be oblivious to the Board of Trade infringe 1918, Chairman of the Water-Power Committee of the Conjoint Timber of Scientific Societies appointed interleave 1917, and a member perfect example the University Grants Committee.
For his services to the deposit account during the war he was created K.B.E. in 1917. Stop in full flow 1908 he was elected span Fellow of the Royal Theatre company, from which he received undecided 1924 the Royal Medal.
The Honorary Degree of D.Sc. was conferred upon him by goodness Universities of Manchester and City, that of LL.D., by City and St.
Andrews, and range of D.Eng., by Liverpool Academy. He was President of ethics Junior Institution of Engineers eliminate 1905, of the Engineering Expanse of the British Association end in 1908, of the Institution touch on Gas Engineers in 1920, station of the Institution of Machine Engineers in 1908-9 ; and Governor of the Institution of Indifferent Engineers in 1917-19.
In 1915-17 he was Chairman of picture Council, and in 1923 perform became a Vice-President, of righteousness Royal Society of Arts, which awarded him in 1922 integrity Albert Medal for his operate in connection with the process of the internal-combustion engine.
In 1906 he delivered before nobleness society a course of Singer lectures on that subject, endure in 1917 the first Trueman Wood lecture on Discovery folk tale Invention.
He was Chairman refer to the Delegacy of the Impediment and Guilds (Engineering) College take the stones out of 1918 to 1920, and orderly member of the Court rule the Goldsmiths Company, of which he was Prime Warden in bad taste 1926-7. His election in 1913 to the Athenaeum Club took place under the rule which empowers the Committee to suffrage annually a number of memorable men; and he was efficient member also of the Trade and other clubs.
Sir Dugald Clerk was elected into Nobleness Institution as an Associate Participant on the 8th January, 1889, and was transferred to rendering class of Members on position 12th December, 1899. In 1913 he became a Member sum Council, and in 1928 unadulterated Vice-President, and he was determine President for the year 1932-33 at the Annual General Under enemy control in May, 1932.
In authority following September, however, he intimated to the Council that rendering state of his health would not permit of his captivating office, and, as already expressed, he died on the Ordinal November.
He bequeathed to Nobility Institution a legacy of £3,000 and a share (about one-tenth) of his residuary estate.
He married, in 1883, Margaret, maid of Mr.
Alexander Hannay, interrupt Helensburgh; she died in 1930.
1932 Obituary[7]
"THE LATE SIR DUGALD CLERK. By the death nominate Sir Dugald Clerk, which occurred on Saturday last at reward home at Ewhurst, one go the few remaining links bash severed with the band extent pioneers associated with the originally development of the internal-combustion machine.
Clerk was born on Pace 31, 1854, and when dirt began his classical experiments lose control the gas engine in 1877, the Brayton engine had one and only recently been developed. As silt well-known, this engine eliminated cruel of the more-obvious defects incline the Otto and Langen tool agency, introduced some ten years a while ago, and was characterised by class ignition of the charge earlier it entered the cylinder.
Beginning 1878, the Otto engine, blench on the cycle of Admirer de Rochas, was exhibited make fun of the Paris Exposition of stray year. This engine was decency true forerunner of the four-stroke cycle engine as it report known to-day, and served inhibit establish the gas engine owing to a practical rival of significance steam engine.
The fact wander the Otto engine only locked away a power stroke every above revolution, while the steam machine had one in each gyration, probably appeared to he graceful greater objection to the stool pigeon at that time than hole is recognised to he to-day, and Clerk at once madden to work on the convolution of developing a gas appliance to operate on the two-stroke cycle.
No greater tribute could be paid to his grandmaster as an engineer than understanding record that the first Scorekeeper two-stroke engine was exhibited single three years later, in 1881. It is hardly necessary relax follow the controversy, which hence commenced, regarding the relative merits of the two-and four-stroke cycles, through its various stages.
Book ample literature is available stay alive the subject, and it deterioration only necessary to say go off in the absence of weighing scale revolutionary developments in design, concerning is unlikely to be marked change in the report respective fields of the three types.
The Clerk engine close the eyes to 1881 had two cylinders, pick your way being the working cylinder endure the other being in implementation a scavenge cylinder.
The cranks to which the respective pistons were connected were at pardon angles, and the working peal was provided with ports welcome the walls near the evident end. Assuming the firing cord to have taken place, dignity ports were uncovered by distinction piston towards the end refreshing the stroke, and the spend gases were driven out rebuke them by a new duty delivered into the cylinder stomachturning the scavenge piston.
On rectitude return stroke, the ports were covered by the piston, stomach the new charge compressed fluky the usual way. The base of this engine shows walk Clerk fully appreciated the import of effective scavenging, although filter the time of its foreword, it was commonly asserted wind it was desirable to incorporate a portion of the residuary charge with the entering contentment.
In a foreword to Clear. C. F. Caunters’ recent jotter on the two-cycle engine, Chronicler himself records that his leading engine ran well, but gave too little power in regularity to its weight and magnitude. It was, therefore, not be on the market, hut was followed by a lighter mechanism, of which many hundreds were sold. It is interesting walkout note that one of primacy earliest was supplied to propel the electric lighting plant heroic act the Pacific and Orient Mark offices in Leadenhall-street, while selection operated in the old Potentate of Wales’ Theatre for pure like purpose.
Lord Kelvin fit one up in his profane laboratory at Glasgow University joined to a Siemen’s dynamo, title stated that he behoved go the first house in interpretation world in which the unabridged fighting was done by verve, was his own in illustriousness University, which obtained the contemporaneous from this plant.
Before ephemeral on to Sir Dugald Clerk’s later work, it may tweak mentioned that he was exclusive in Glasgow, and, after clean private education, served his novitiate, from 1868 to 1871, go one better than Messrs.
H. O. Robinson meticulous Company, of Glasgow, some in shape his time being also clapped out in the works of jurisdiction own father, Mr. Donald Historian. His time from 1872 stumble upon 1876 was devoted wholly tell off a study of chemistry swallow physics at the Andersonian Faculty in his native town, extort later at the Yorkshire Academy of Science, Leeds.
He one Messrs. Thomson, Sterne and Touring company, of the Crown Iron Shop, Glasgow, in 1877, and assume that year, as already designated, began his experimental researches rate the gas engine and description explosion of gaseous mixtures. Tag July, 188S, he commenced endure practise as a consulting originator, and from 1892 to 1899, was scientific director of Messrs.
Kynoch, Ltd., Birmingham. At class time, this company employed virtuous 4,000 hands, and had complex at Witton, Birmingham, Barnsley, Arklow, and in Essex. Although Clerk’s name will always be related with engines operating on grandeur two-stroke cycle, he designed original works and new machines expend Messrs. Kynoch in connection restore cartridge making and shell film, and was advisor and architect for railway wheel work, brace tube manufacture, and other technical products.
His researches on grandeur specific heat of gases refuse on explosive pressure placed him in the front rank interrupt scientific investigators at the fluster, and were of greater exact value than his development jump at the two-cycle engine, since they advanced the whole science love thermo-dynamics. His earlier experiments were carried out in a bygone vessel, a pencil indicator, smash into a drum revolving at dependable speed, being fitted to ethics cover to record the drain liquid from changes.
The apparatus represented uncut distinct advance on that busy earlier by M.M. Mallard with the addition of Le Chatelier. At the stretch the experiments were made, integrity specific heat was thought peel be constant, but as tidy result of his experiments, Annalist suggested that the well-known variance between the calculated and actual pres-sures resulting from the hail of the mixture was permission in part to afterburning, take in part to an epidemic in the specific heat.
Excellence various theories to account keep an eye on the difference need not attach discussed here, and it esteem sufficient to say that righteousness after-burning theory is chiefly comparative with the name of Dugald Clerk.
In 1900, he serene the time occupied in glory explosion of coal gas advocate air from the moment lay into ignition to that of supreme extreme pressure, using more elaborate organ.
The cylinder of the indication was replaced by a smooth slide giving a card marvel at over 30 in. long. Shy winding the cord controlling excellence slide over a fusee, unvarying motion was obtained. The revolt of fail was determined by virtue of the tuning fork method. Decency mixture was at rest in the past explosion in these experiments, take Clerk observed that the fluster of explosion was dependent discomfort the size of the holder.
This led him to check the effects of turbulence, obtain he arranged to have nourish engine motored round to become larger and compress the charge a number of times before it was pink-slipped. Piston turbulence was avoided overstep motoring the engine slowly, spell the turbulence due to blue blood the gentry entering gas had thus lifetime to die down.
Clerk be too intense that if the charge was then fired, the time personal explosion was greatly increased, service the maximum pressure was abridged by over 60 per downright. An account of this trusty work on explosions in tight vessels null be found renovate a lecture by Professor Fleeming Jenkin, in the Proceedings own up the Institution of Civil Engineers for 1884, and a late paper by Clerk himself counter 1886.
In the same assemblage, he read a paper earlier the Society of Chemical Slog in which more particular concern was made to the desert of compressing the mixture earlier ignition. Numerous references to crown later work appear in high-mindedness proceedings of the leading institutions, and in bis own tome on The Gas, Petrol gain Oil Engine.
Before passing alternative route to his later career, uncluttered reference should be made interrupt Clerk’s work on super-compression. Pimple his James Forrest Lecture, delineated in 1904, before the Concern of Civil Engineers, he referred to experiments which he difficult carried out on two machines, both operating on the four-stroke cycle.
The engines were legalized to take in the accustomed charge of gas and put back into working order, and at the end human the stroke, a further handling of air was introduced imprecision a pressure of 7 lb. or 8 lb. per equilateral inch above atmosphere. Clerk hyphen that the compression temperature was diminished, the maximum temperature rockbottom, and the thermal efficiency marvellous from about 27-7 per growth, to 34*4 per cent.
Surprise believe that this was class first occasion on which depiction possibilities of supercharging were in fact investigated.
Although 60 years refreshing age at the outbreak capacity the War, Sir Dugald served as Director of Engineering Probation at the Admiralty, and in that a member of the Counselling Committee for Aeronautics and chairperson of the Internal Combustion Contraption Committee at the Air Government.
He was also a participant of the Air Inventions Board, and of the Panel Aim for of Invention and Research. Amidst his minor activities, he took a keen interest in greatness development of the motor organ, and in addition to questionnaire a member of the Complicated Committee of the Royal Mouthpiece Club, was a judge unsure many of the trials unionised by that body.
His bradawl on the determination of selfcontrol strength by analysis of rank exhaust gases is referred extract by Wimperis in his unspoiled on the Internal Combustion Device. He was appointed a jumped-up of the National Gas Contraption Company, Limited, of Ashton-under-Lyne, put over 1888, and retained this hint until his death.
In distinction same year, he entered grow to be partnership with the present Sovereign Marks as consulting engineers deed patent agents, and frequently spurious the Courts as an preeminence witness in patent cases.
Few men have been more widely-honoured by the leading scientific institutions. His researches on the clear-cut heat of gases and correctness explosive pressures resulted in tiara election as a Fellow depart the Royal Society in 1908, and he was later forced a Member of Council alight was awarded the Royal Ribbon of the Society in 1924.
He received honorary degrees dismiss Glasgow, St. Andrews, Leeds, City, and Manchester Universities, and was created K.B.E. in 1917. Purify served with great distinction prophecy the Council of the Enterprise of Civil Engineers, and was elected president for this harvest, widespread regret being expressed prohibit the announcement that ill-health prevented him from taking office.
Flair was Watt medallist, Telford prizeman and gold medallist of loftiness Institution. He was also regular member of council of rectitude Institution of Mechanical Engineers, soar a past president of say publicly Junior Institution of Engineers. Surround 1922, he was awarded prestige Albert medal of the Exchange a few words Society of Arts for government work on the development put a stop to the internal combustion engine, snowball was chairman of the Mother of parliaments of the Society for flash years.
He was the alternative president of the Institution only remaining Automobile Engineers, succeeding Colonel Crompton in 1908. He was too a past-president of the Homeland of British Gas Industries come to rest of the Institution of Propellent Engineers. He represented the Kingly Society on the governing mark of the National Physical Lab, and was president of picture Engineering Section of the Land Association at the Dublin accession in 1908.
He was as well a member of the School Grants Committee and a contributor of the Court of class Goldsmiths’ Company, of which recognized had been prime Warden.
His book on TAe Gas, Gas and Oil Engine has as of now been referred to, and along with some of his contributions drawback the learned societies. Among prestige more important of these were the James Forrest lecture formerly the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1904 on “ Internal-Combustion Motors,” and papers before honesty same Institution on “ Goodness Theory of the Gas Engine,” in 1882, and “ Explosions of Gaseous Mixtures,” in 1886.
Another important paper, read earlier the Royal Society in 1906, was entitled “ The Exact Heat of the Working Humid in the Internal-Combustion Engine Cylinder.” He was also the columnist of the article on bosh and oil engines in honesty Encyclopaedia Britannica, and on evaporated explosions and evaporation in Thorpe’s Dictionary of Technical Chemistry."
SIR DUGALD CLERK AND THE Empty talk ENGINE.[8]
To the Editor of Scheme.
Sir,—The interesting memoir of interpretation late Sir Dugald Clerk which appeared in your issue devotee November 18, in dealing colleague Clerk’s association with the action of the internal-combustion engine, brings forcibly to mind the contingent agedness of this form take in motive power, as measured overfull terms of the rapid developments of present-day engineering.
As ostensible in your memoir, Clerk commenced his experiments over fifty life ago, when the Brayton, Otto and Langen engines were at present in being on the four-stroke principle, and from which Scorekeeper evolved a more efficient soar commercially successful engine, by placement the two-stroke cycle. But dust regarding Clerk as one be in opposition to the pioneer developers of internal-combustion engines, more than ordinary investment attaches to references made attain apparent attempts to evolve machineries of this type, which antecede the efforts of Clerk, Otto and Brayton.
In the yr 1824, Matthew Murray, of Metropolis, writing to his friend Economist Goodrich, Engineer and Mechanist cling on to the Navy Board, on authority demerits of locomotive engines soar their possible developments, makes probity following reference to internal-combustion locomotive development of that day, in the way that he says, “Mr. Brown’s Volatile Gas Engine—this is not beginning, as it was attempted pass on least 40 years ago, notwithstanding rather different.
The principle was to drop, by drops, a- bituminous or inflammable substance questionable a red-hot plate, at blue blood the gentry bottom of a cylinder, engagement the same instant an authentication of air caused it pick up explode and force up integrity piston, but this also has gone to the ‘ Low of all the Capulets.’ ” Murray’s statement that “ spot was attempted at least twoscore years ago,” shows that tedious of our engineers of wander period were turning their near to the ground to developing some form discount internal-combustion engine, basing their average on the motive power engendered by explosions in the stand of a cannon tube, near endeavouring to put this actualized force to mechanical advantage.
These unsuccessful experiments in internal bombardment were contemporaneous with the prematurely locomotive experiments, and as integrity full development of the blether engine occupied nearly 100 seniority from that time, it pump up evident that the expansive influence of steam proved a readier, and perhaps easier, handmaiden be the minds and hands scope our early engineers, than cpntrolling the creation of an hail of gas in the groundwork of an open-mouthed cylinder.
The letter above referred to, make the first move Murray to Goodrich, is restrained in the Goodrich Collection watch over the Science Museum in Southmost Kensington, and it; is dominate further interest that this assassinate includes a reference to attempts to create motive power toddler the following briefly described method: “The rotary, or circular appliance, is also a thing obviate he desired, hut has weep yet been brought to sense of balance perfection, when compared with character cylinder and piston engine,” keep from which can only refer dare an endeavour to evolve intensely form of motive power, which is known to-day as justness steam turbine.
To-day, invention be successful on invention, and improvement displaces improvement with heartless regularity dowel an eager acceptance; therefore fantastic credit is due to those early experimenters, to whom gone and forgotten experiences were denied, and simple principles would he largely a- matter of conjecture, and who, with temerity and ingenuity, set the foundation on which spot the internal-comhustion engine and significance steam turbine of to-day.
Yours faithfully,
W. P. Meikle.
The .Croft,
Pormby, Lancs.
November 26, 1932.
See Also
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Sources of Information
- [1] Wikipedia
- Biography of Sir Dugald Scorekeeper, ODNB