An old engraving of the Watt double-acting steam engine of the 1700s. It is from a Victorian mechanical engineering book of the 1880s. James Watt developed his designs with support from Matthew Boulton. The condenser and the cylinder were separate so condensation occurred without significant loss of heat from the cylinder. Watt introduced two cylinder, double-acting designs. With the beam connected to the piston shaft (top centre), the motion of the beam could also turn a wheel (right). The main wheel drove a rotating central shaft and belts and gears could be attached to drive machinery.
An old engraving of the Watt double-acting steam engine of the 1700s. It is from a Victorian mechanical engineering book of the 1880s. Alternatively known as the Boulton and Watt steam engine, it was an early steam engine, a vast improvement on the Thomas Newcomen 1712 design, and was one of the driving forces of the Industrial Revolution. James Watt developed his designs from 1763 to 1775 with support from Matthew Boulton. The engine had a separate condensation chamber. Because the condenser and the working cylinder were separate, condensation occurred without significant loss of heat from the cylinder. Watt's design saved so much more fuel compared with earlier designs. Watt introduced double-acting designs (with two cylinders). Having the beam connected to the piston shaft (top centre) meant that it was possible to use the motion of the beam to also turn a wheel (right). The main wheel attached to the crank was large and heavy – to its rotating central shaft belts and gears could be attached to drive a great variety of machinery.
Size: 3118px × 4252px
Location: UK
Photo credit: © M&N / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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