industrial biography-第80节

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measure　unacquainted　with　the　working　of　cotton…mills；　having　until

then　been　occupied　principally　with　corn…mills；　and　printing　and

bleaching　works；　so　that　an　entirely　new　field　was　now　opened　to

their　united　exertions。　　Sedulously　improving　their　opportunities；　the

young　partners　not　only　thoroughly　mastered　the　practical　details　of

cotton…mill　work；　but　they　were　very　shortly　enabled　to　introduce　a

series　of　improvements　of　the　greatest　importance　in　this　branch　of

our　national　manufactures。　　Bringing　their　vigorous　practical　minds　to

bear　on　the　subject；　they　at　once　saw　that　the　gearing　of　even　the

best　mills　was　of　a　very　clumsy　and　imperfect　character。　　They　found

the　machinery　driven　by　large　square　cast…iron　shafts；　on　which　huge

wooden　drums；　some　of　them　as　much　as　four　feet　in　diameter；　revolved

at　the　rate　of　about　forty　revolutions　a　minute；　and　the　couplings

were　so　badly　fitted　that　they　might　be　heard　creaking　and　groaning　a

long　way　off。　　The　speeds　of　the　driving…shafts　were　mostly　got　up　by

a　series　of　straps　and　counter　drums；　which　not　only　crowded　the

rooms；　but　seriously　obstructed　the　light　where　most　required　for

conducting　the　delicate　operations　of　the　different　machines。　　Another

serious　defect　lay　in　the　construction　of　the　shafts；　and　in　the　mode

of　fixing　the　couplings；　which　were　constantly　giving　way；　so　that　a

week　seldom　passed　without　one　or　more　breaks…down。　　The　repairs　were

usually　made　on　Sundays；　which　were　the　millwrights'　hardest　working

days；　to　their　own　serious　moral　detriment；　but　when　trade　was　good；

every　consideration　was　made　to　give　way　to　the　uninterrupted　running

of　the　mills　during　the　rest　of　the　week。



It　occurred　to　Mr。　Fairbairn　that　the　defective　arrangements　thus

briefly　described；　might　be　remedied　by　the　introduction　of　lighter

shafts　driven　at　double　or　treble　the　velocity；　smaller　drums　to

drive　the　machinery；　and　the　use　of　wrought…iron　wherever

practicable；　because　of　its　greater　lightness　and　strength　compared

with　wood。　　He　also　provided　for　the　simplification　of　the　hangers　and

fixings　by　which　the　shafting　was　supported；　and　introduced　the

〃half…lap　coupling〃　so　well　known　to　millwrights　and　engineers。　　His

partner　entered　fully　into　his　views；　and　the　opportunity　shortly

presented　itself　of　carrying　them　into　effect　in　the　large　new　mill

erected　in　1818；　for　the　firm　of　MacConnel　and　Kennedy。　　The　machinery

of　that　concern　proved　a　great　improvement　on　all　that　had　preceded

it；　and；　to　Messrs。　Fairbairn　and　Lillie's　new　system　of　gearing　Mr。

Kennedy　added　an　original　invention　of　his　own　in　a　system　of　double

speeds；　with　the　object　of　giving　an　increased　quantity　of　twist　in

the　finer　descriptions　of　mule　yarn。



The　satisfactory　execution　of　this　important　work　at　once　placed　the

firm　of　Fairbairn　and　Lillie　in　the　very　front　rank　of　engineering

millwrights。　　Mr。　Kennedy's　good　word　was　of　itself　a　passport　to　fame

and　business；　and　as　he　was　more　than　satisfied　with　the　manner　in

which　his　mill　machinery　had　been　planned　and　executed；　he　sounded

their　praises　in　all　quarters。　　Orders　poured　in　upon　them　so　rapidly；

that　they　had　difficulty　in　keeping　pace　with　the　demands　of　the

trade。　　They　then　removed　from　their　original　shed　to　larger　premises

in　Matherstreet；　where　they　erected　additional　lathes　and　other

tool…machines；　and　eventually　a　steam…engine。　　They　afterwards　added　a

large　cellar　under　an　adjoining　factory　to　their　premises；　and　from

time　to　time　provided　new　means　of　turning　out　work　with　increased

efficiency　and　despatch。　　In　due　course　of　time　the　firm　erected　a

factory　of　their　own；　fitted　with　the　most　improved　machinery　for

turning　out　millwork；　and　they　went　on　from　one　contract　to　another；

until　their　reputation　as　engineers　became　widely　celebrated。　　In

1826…7；　they　supplied　the　water…wheels　for　the　extensive　cotton…mills

belonging　to　Kirkman　Finlay　and　Company；　at　Catrine　Bank　in　Ayrshire。

These　wheels　are　even　at　this　day　regarded　as　among　the　most　perfect

hydraulic　machines　in　Europe。　　About　the　same　time　they　supplied　the

mill　gearing　and　water…machinery　for　Messrs。　Escher　and　Company's

large　works　at　Zurich；　among　the　largest　cotton　manufactories　on　the

continent。



In　the　mean　while　the　industry　of　Manchester　and　the　neighbourhood；

through　which　the　firm　had　risen　and　prospered；　was　not　neglected；

but　had　the　full　benefit　of　the　various　improvements　which　they　were

introducing　in　mill　machinery。　　In　the　course　of　a　few　years　an　entire

revolution　was　effected　in　the　gearing。　　Ponderous　masses　of　timber

and　cast…iron；　with　their　enormous　bearings　and　couplings；　gave　place

to　slender　rods　of　wrought…iron　and　light　frames　or　hooks　by　which

they　were　suspended。　　In　like　manner；　lighter　yet　stronger　wheels　and

pulleys　were　introduced；　the　whole　arrangements　were　improved；　and；

the　workmanship　being　greatly　more　accurate；　friction　was　avoided；

while　the　speed　was　increased　from　about　40　to　upwards　of　300

revolutions　a　minute。　　The　fly…wheel　of　the　engine　was　also　converted

into　a　first　motion　by　the　formation　of　teeth　on　its　periphery；　by

which　a　considerable　saving　was　effected　both　in　cost　and　power。



These　great　improvements　formed　quite　an　era　in　the　history　of　mill

machinery；　and　exercised　the　most　important　influence　on　the

development　of　the　cotton；　flax；　silk；　and　other　branches　of

manufacture。　　Mr。　Fairbairn　says　the　system　introduced　by　his　firm　was

at　first　strongly　condemned　by　leading　engineers；　and　it　was　with

difficulty　that　he　could　overcome　the　force　of　their　opposition；　nor

was　it　until　a　wheel　of　thirty　tons　weight　for　a　pair　of　engines　of

100…horse　power　each　was　erected　and　set　to　work；　that　their

prognostications　of　failure　entirely　ceased。　　From　that　time　the

principles　introduced　by　Mr。　Fairbairn　have　been　adopted　wherever

steam　is　employed　as　a　motive　power　in　mills。



Mr。　Fairbairn　and　his　partner　had　a　hard　uphill　battle　to　fight　while

these　improvements　were　being　introduced；　but　energy　and

perseverance；　guided　by　sound　judgment；　secured　their　usual　reward；

and　the　firm　became　known　as　one　of　the　most　thriving　and

enterprising　in　Manchester。　　Long　years　after；　when　addressing　an

assembly　of　working　men；　Mr。　Fairbairn；　while　urging　the　necessity　of

labour　and　application　as　the　only　sure　means　of　self…improvement；

said；　〃I　can　tell　you　from　experience；　that　there　is　no　labour　so

sweet；　none　so　consolatory；　as　that　which　is　founded　upon　an　honest；

straightforward；　and　honourable　ambition。〃　　The　history　of　any

prosperous　business；　however；　so　closely　resembles　every　other；　and

its　details　are　usually　of　so　monotonous　a　character；　that　it　is

unnecessary　for　us　to　pursue　this　part　of　the　subject；　and　we　will

content　ourselves　with　briefly　indicating　the　several　further

improvements　introduced　by　Mr。　Fairbairn　in　the　mechanics　of

construction　in　the　course　of　his　long　and　useful　career。



His　improvements　in　water…wheels　were　of　great　value；　especially　as

regarded　the　new　form　of　bucket　which　he　introduced　with　the　object

of　facilitating　the　escape　of　the　air　as　the　water　entered　the　bucket

above；　and　its　readmission　as　the　water　emptied　itself　out　below。

This　arrangement　enabled　the　water　to　act　upon　the　wheel　with　the

maximum　of　effect　in　all　states　of　the　river；　and　it　so　generally

recommended　itself；　that　it　very　soon　became　adopted　in　most

water…mills　both　at　home　and　abroad。*

　＇footnote。。。

The　subject　will　be　found　fully　treated　in　Mr。　Fairbairn's　own　work；

A　Treatise　on　Mills　and　Mill…Work；　embodying　the　results　of　his　large

experience。

　。。。＇

His　labours　were　not；　however；　confined　to　his　own　particular　calling

as　a　mill　engineer；　but　were　shortly　directed　to　other　equally

important　branches　of　the　constructive　art。　　Thus　he　was　among　the

first　to　direct　his　attention　to　iron　ship　building　as　a　special

branch　of　business。　　In　1829；　Mr。　Houston；　of　Johnstown；　near　Paisley；

launched　a　light　boat　on　the　Ardrossan　Canal　for　the　purpose　of

ascertaining　the　speed　at　which　it　could　be　towed　by　horses　with　two

or　three　persons　on　board。　　To　the　surprise　of　Mr。　Houston　and　the

other　gentlemen　present；　it　was　found　that　the　labour　the　horses　had

to　perform　in　towing　the　boat　was　mach　greater　at　six　or　seven；　than

at　nine　miles　an　hour。　　This　anomaly　was　very　puzzling　to　the

experimenters；　and　at　the　request　of　the　Council　of　the　Forth　and

Clyde　Canal；　Mr。　Fairbairn；　who　had　already　become　extensively　known

as　a　scientific　mechanic；　was　requested　to　visit　Scotland　and

institute　a　series　of　experiments　with　light　boats　to　determine　the

law　of　traction；　and　clear　up；　if　possible；　the　apparent　anomalies　in

Mr。　Houston's　experiments。　　This　he　did　accordingly；　and　the　results

of　his　experiments　were　afterwards　published；　The　trials　extended

over　a　series　of　years；　and　were　conducted　at　a　cost　of　several

thousan