February 23rd Jonathan Hornblower (Death)

 

 

 

 

 

Today marks the death, in 1815, of the renowned, Penryn-born pioneer of steam power, Jonathan Hornblower (1753 – 1815).

Hornblower, the son and brother of two other renowned steam power pioneers,  invented the reciprocating compound engine which had two cylinders, one high and one low pressure.  With the principle that steam contracts in the high-pressure cylinder and subsequently expands in the low-pressure cylinder this greatly increased the efficiency of steam engines but his invention was alleged to have infringed a patent held by James Watt.

Subsequently, Hornblower devised a new kind of rotary engine but, again, was accused of infringing James Watt’s intellectual property. 

Moving into slightly different areas, Hornblower devised a valve which used a minimal amount of force to operate against high pressure.  This was so effective that it became a standard component in railway locomotives and paddle steamers.

 

 

 

 

 


Previous                   Next