An old engraving showing a steam hammer being used at the Woolwich Arsenal, London, England, UK. It is from a Victorian mechanical engineering book of the 1880s. The illustration shows the 35-ton hammer being used to forge guns for the British Navy Note the number of men needed to operate it. A steam hammer, or drop hammer, is driven by steam and used for tasks like shaping forgings. Usually the hammer is attached to a piston that slides within a cylinder. The concept was described by James Watt in 1784, but it wasn’t until 1840 that the first working version was built.
An old engraving showing a steam hammer being used at the Woolwich Arsenal, London, England, UK. It is from a Victorian mechanical engineering book of the 1880s. The illustration shows the 35-ton hammer hammer being used to forge guns for the British Navy Note the number of men needed to operate the machinery. A steam hammer, also called a drop hammer, is an industrial power hammer driven by steam that is used for tasks such as shaping forgings and driving piles. Usually the hammer is attached to a piston that slides within a cylinder. The concept of the steam hammer was described by James Watt in 1784, but it was not until 1840 that the first working steam hammer was built. In 1843 there was a dispute between François Bourdon of France and James Nasmyth of Britain over who had invented the machine. Technical improvements gave greater control over the force delivered, plus greater efficiency and power. A steam hammer built in 1891 by the Bethlehem Iron Company delivered a 125-ton blow. In the 20th century steam hammers were gradually displaced in forging by mechanical and hydraulic presses. Compressed air power hammers, descendants of the early steam hammers, are still manufactured.
Size: 4252px × 2808px
Location: Woolwich Arsenal, London, England, UK
Photo credit: © M&N / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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