The Century of Inventions of the Marquis of Worcester: from the Original MS., with Historical and Explanatory Notes and a Biographical Memoir — John Shaqi
The Century of Inventions of the Marquis of Worcester: from the Original MS., with Historical and Explanatory Notes and a Biographical MemoirWorcester, Edward Somerset, Marquis of
History
The Century of Inventions of the Marquis of Worcester: from the Original MS., with Historical and Explanatory Notes and a Biographical Memoir
Worcester, Edward Somerset, Marquis of
Industrial arts -- Early works to 1800; Inventions -- Early works to 1800
An admirable and most forcible way to drive up water by fire, not by
drawing or sucking it upwards, for that must be, as the philosopher
calleth it, _infra sphæram activitatis_, which is but at such a
distance. But this way hath no bounder, if the vessels be strong
enough; for, I have taken a piece of a whole cannon, whereof the end
was burst, and filled it three-quarters full, stopping and screwing
up the broken end, as also the touchhole; and making a constant
fire under it, within twenty-four hours it burst and made a great
crack: so that having found a way to make my vessels, so that they
are strengthened by the force within them, and the one to fill after
the other, have seen the water run like a constant fountain stream,
forty feet high; one vessel of water, rarefied by fire, driveth up
forty of cold water: and a man that tends the work is but to turn
two cocks, that one vessel of water being consumed, another begins
to force and refill with cold water, and so successively, the fire
being tended and kept constant, which the self-same person may
likewise abundantly perform in the interim between the necessity of
turning the said cocks.
NOTE.
_Vide_ Article C., to which is prefixed a brief historical and
descriptive account of that stupendous machine, the Steam-engine.
No. LXIX.
A way how a little triangle and screwed key shall be capable and
strong enough to bolt and unbolt, round about a great chest, an
hundred bolts through fifty staples, two in each, with a direct
contrary motion, and as many more from both sides and ends, and at
the self-same time shall fasten it to the place, beyond a man's
natural strength to take it away; and, in one and the same turn,
both locketh and openeth it.
NOTE.
This invention, with its two following modifications, is
evidently intended to operate on the principle of applying a
screw for the purpose of forcing the _lock bolt_, in lieu of
using the handle of the key as a lever for that purpose. That
this plan might be applied to locks generally, there can be no
doubt, and by a similar contrivance the large keys at present in
use for outer doors, iron chests, &c. might be advantageously
reduced to the size described by the noble author. By employing
the escutcheon mentioned in No. LXXII. these locks would be
equally safe and much more simple than those in common use. For
the latter part of the Article, any ingenious smith may make a
lock with an hundred bolts; and to fasten it to the place, the
power of a screw key is abundantly sufficient to force an iron
bar through a staple previously fixed in the floor.
No. LXX.
A key, with a rose-turning pipe, and two roses pierced through
endwise; together with several handsomely contrived wards, which may
likewise do the same effects.
No. LXXI.
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