Part 1

Produced by Steffen Haugk

THE MINER’S FRIEND; OR, ~An Engine~ TO RAISE WATER BY FIRE, DESCRIBED. AND OF THE MANNER OF FIXING IT IN MINES; WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE SEVERAL OTHER USES IT IS APPLICABLE UNTO; AND AN ANSWER TO THE OBJECTIONS MADE AGAINST IT. BY THOMAS SAVERY, Gent.

Pigri est ingenii contentum esse his, quæ ab aliis inventa sunt. SENECA.

LONDON: PRINETD FOR S. CROUCH, AT THE CORNER OF POPE’S HEAD-ALLEY IN CORNHILL. 1702.

Reprinted, 1827.

LONDON: Printed by W. Clowes. Stanford-street

TO THE KING.

SIR, Your Majesty having been graciously pleased to permit an experiment before you at Hampton-court, of a small model of my engine described in the following treatise, and at that time to show a seeming satisfaction of the power and use of it; and having most graciously enabled me, by your royal assent to a patent and act of parliament, to pursue and perfect the same. By which your royal encouragement, it being now fully completed, and put in practice in your dominions with that repeated success and applause, that it is not to be doubted but it will be of universal benefit and use to all your Majesty’s subjects. Of whom, your Majesty being the universal patron and father, all arts and inventions that may promote their good and advantage, seem to lay a just and natural claim to your Majesty’s sacred protection.

It is upon this consideration I am encouraged, with a profound respect, to throw this performance of mine, with the author, at your Majesty’s royal feet, most humbly beseeching your Majesty, that, as it had birth in your Majesty’s auspicious reign, you will vouchsafe to perpetuate it to future ages by the sanction of your royal approbation, which is the utmost ambition of,

May it please your Majesty, Your Majesty’s most humble, most loyal, and most obedient Subject,

THOMAS SAVERY.

TO THE ROYAL SOCIETY.

At the request of some of your members, at the weekly meeting, at Gresham-college, June the 14th, 1699, I had the honour to work a small model of my engine before you, and you were pleased to approve of it. Since which I have met with great difficulties and expense, to instruct handicraft artificers to form my engine according to my design; but my workmen, after so much experience, are become such masters of the thing, that they oblige themselves to deliver what engines they make me exactly tight and fit for service, and as such I dare warrant them to any body that has occasion for them.

Your kindness in countenancing this invention in its first appearance in the world, gives me hopes the usefulness of it will make it more acceptable to your honourable Society, as they are the most proper judges of what advantage it may be to mankind. And it would be ungrateful in me not to make use of this opportunity to return you my most humble and hearty thanks for the honour and favour you did me in approving my design, and publishing it to the world,[1] which shall be always acknowledged by

Your most obliged and most humble Servant, THOMAS SAVERY.

[1] Philosoph. Transact. Numb. 252.

TO THE GENTLEMEN ADVENTURERS IN THE MINES OF ENGLAND.

I am very sensible a great many among you do as yet look on my invention of raising water by the impellent force of fire, a useless sort of a project, that never can answer my designs or pretensions; and that it is altogether impossible that such an engine as this can be wrought under ground, and succeed in the raising of water, and draining your mines, so as to deserve any encouragement from you. I am not very fond of lying under the scandal of a bare projector; and, therefore, present you here with a draught of my machine, and lay before you the uses of it, and leave it to your consideration whether it be worth your while to make use of it or no. I can easily give grains of allowance for your suspicions, because I know very well what miscarriages there have been by people ignorant of what they pretend to. These I know have been so frequent, so fair and promising at first, but so short of performing what they pretended to, that your prudence and discretion will not now suffer you to believe any thing without a demonstration, your appetites to new inventions of this nature having been balked too often; yet, after all, I must beg you not to condemn me, before you have read what I have to say for myself; and let not the failures of others prejudice me, or be placed to my account. I have often lamented the want of understanding the true powers of nature, which misfortune has, of late, put some on making such vast engines and machines, both troublesome and expensive, yet of no manner of use, inasmuch as the old engines, used many ages past, far exceeded them; and I fear, whoever, by the old causes of motion, pretends to improvements within this last century, does betray his knowledge and judgment; for more than an hundred years since, men and horses would raise by engines, then made, as much water as they have ever since done, or I believe ever will, or according to the law of nature ever can do; and though my thoughts have been long employed about water-works, I should never have pretended to any invention of that kind, had I not happily found out this new, but yet a much stronger and cheaper force or cause of motion, than any before made use of. But finding this of rarefaction by fire, the consideration of the difficulties the miners and colliers labour under by the frequent disorders, cumbersomeness, and in general of water-engines, encouraged me to invent engines to work by this new force; that though I was obliged to encounter the oddest and almost insuperable difficulties, I spared neither time, pains, nor money, till I had absolutely conquered them. I hope this will, at least, encourage you to read over this small treatise I now put into your hands, for the further and more particular information of the nature and uses of this engine for raising water by the force of fire; after which, I shall patiently submit to any judgment you shall please to pass upon me or the invention, and may have reason to believe you will not any longer suffer your judgments to be imposed on by those, whose profit and interest it may seem to be to condemn both right and wrong; I mean such who make your common gins, and their friends and acquaintance among you; though I am very sure the promotion of the use of this engine is their true interest, as I very plainly prove thus:--

The cheaper water is drawn, the more is the miner encouraged to adventure; the more the miner adventures, the more pits or shafts must be sunk; the more shafts or pits are sunk, the more wood-work will be necessarily employed in timbering them, or supporting the sides from falling in where the earth is loose; besides windlasses and all other utensils of wood used in mines, or the trades depending thereon must be more, which, by increasing the carpenters’ trade in general, will make them sufficient amends for the loss of a small part of that branch of their trade, called gin-making. As for pump-making, that part of the trade will be much improved by my engine; for I must use board and timber for pipes, and have considerable employment for pump-makers and carpenters for timber used about my engine; but shall never employ any other person in making pipes, or any other carpenter’s work I shall have to do, but the person who was before employed in the work, or such as shall be recommended, as a person employed in the mines of the country wheresoever I shall fix engines, provided they will work as cheap, and fairly, and observe the orders and directions given them; for my design is not, in the least, to prejudice the artificers, or, indeed, any other sort of people by this invention; but, on the contrary, is intended for the benefit and advantage of mankind in general, especially the people of my own nation; and wherein, you gentlemen concerned in mines, may, if you please, reap the greatest profit.

And although I do not question but the plan and draught of my engine will be very well and readily understood with many gentlemen, by the description here given; yet it will require a longer time in others to employ their minds and thoughts more intensely about it, especially such as have not been familiar and acquainted with things of this kind; but should the engine, to the apprehension of some, seem intricate and difficult to be worked, after all the description I have given of it in this book, yet I can, and do assure them, that the attending and working the engine is so far from being so, that it is familiar and easy to be learned by those of the meanest capacity, in a very little time; insomuch, that I have boys of thirteen or fourteen years of age, who now attend and work it to perfection, and were taught to do it in a few days; and I have known some learn to work the engine in half an hour. We have a proverb, that interest never lies; and I am assured that you gentlemen of the mines and collieries, when you have once made this engine familiar in your works, and to yourselves and servants; not only the profit, but abundance of other advantages and conveniences which you will find to attend your works in the use thereof, will create in you a favourable opinion of the labours of

Your real Friend and humble Servant, THOMAS SAVERY.

_London, Sept. 22,_ 1701.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAUGHT OF THE ENGINE, FOR RAISING WATER BY FIRE.

_a_, _a_, The furnaces. _b_, B, the two fire-places. _c_, the funnel or chimney. _d_, the small boiler. _e_, the pipe and cock of it. _f_, the screw that covers and confines its force. _g_, a small cock, a pipe going within eight inches of its bottom. _h_, A larger pipe going the same depth. _i_, a clack on the top of the said pipe. _k_, a pipe going from the box of the said clack or valve, into the great boiler, about an inch into it. _l_, the great boiler. _m_, the screw with the regulator. _n_, a small cock and pipe going half way down the great boiler. _o_, O, steam-pipes, one end of each screw to the regulator, and the other ends to the receivers. _p_, P, the vessels called receivers. _q_, q, the screws which bring on the pipes and clacks in the front of the engine. _r_, _r_, R, R, valves or clack of brass, with screws to open and come at them upon occasion. _s_, the force-pipe. _t_, the sucking-pipe. _v_, a square frame of wood, with holes round its bottom in the water. _x_, a cistern with a buoy-cock coming from the force-pipe. _y_, a cock and pipe coming from the bottom of the said cistern. _z_, the handle of the regulator.

CHAPTER FIRST. MANNER OF WORKING THE ENGINE.

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THE MANNER OF WORKING THE ENGINE.

The first thing is to fix the engine in a good double furnace, so contrived that the flame of your fire may circulate round and encompass your two boilers to the best advantage, as you do coppers for brewing. Before you make any fire, unscrew _g_ and _n_, being the two small gauge-pipes and cocks belonging to the two boilers, and at the holes, fill _l_, the great boiler, two-thirds full of water, and _d_, the small boiler, quite full; then screw in the said pipes again as fast and light as possible; then light the fire at _b_. When the water in _l_ boils, the handle of the regulator, marked _z_, must be thrust from you as far as it will go, which makes all the steam rising from the water in _l_ pass with irresistible force through _o_ into _p_, pushing out all the air before it, through the clack, _r_, making a noise as it goes; and when all is gone out, the bottom of the vessel, _p_, will be very hot; then pull the handle of the regulator to you, by which means you stop _o_, and force your steam through _o_ into the _p_, until that vessel has discharged its air through the clack, _r_, up the force-pipe. In the mean time, by the steam’s condensing in the vessel _p_, a vacuum or emptiness is created, so that the water must, and will, necessarily, raise up, through _t_, the sucking-pipe, lifting up the clack, _r_, and filling the vessel, _p_.

In the mean time, the vessel, _p_, being emptied of its air, turn the handle of the regulator from you again, and the force is upon the surface of the water in _p_, which surface being only heated by the steam, it does not condense it, but the steam gravitates or presses with an elastic quality like air; still increasing its elasticity or spring, till it counterpoises, or rather exceeds the weight of the water ascending in _s_, the forcing-pipe, out of which, the water in _p_ will be immediately discharged when once gotten to the top, which takes up some time to recover that power; which having once got, and being in work, it is easy for any one that never saw the engine, after half an hour’s experience, to keep a constant stream running out the full bore of the pipe, _s_; for, on the outside of the vessel, _p_, you may see how the water goes out, as well as if the vessel were transparent; for, as far as the steam continues within the vessel, so far is the vessel dry without, and so very hot, as scarce to endure the least touch of the hand; but as far as the water is, the said vessel will be cold and wet, where any water has fallen on it; which cold and moisture vanishes as fast as the steam, in its descent, takes place of the water; but if you force all the water out, the steam, or a small part thereof, going through _r_, will rattle the clack, so as to give sufficient notice to pall the handle of the regulator to you, which, at the same time, begins to force out the water from _p_, without the least alteration of the stream; only, sometimes, the stream of water will be somewhat stronger than before, if you pull the handle of the regulator before any considerable quantity of steam be gone up the clack, _r_; but it is much better to let none of the steam go off, for that is but losing so much strength, and is easily prevented, by polling the regulator some little time before the vessel forcing is quite emptied. This being done, immediately turn the cock or pipe of the cistern, _x_, on _p_, so that the water proceeding from _x_, through _y_, which is never open but when turned on _p_, or _P_; but when between them, is tight and stanch; I say, the water, falling on _p_, causes, by its coolness, the steam, which had such great force just before to its elastic power, to condense, and become a vacuum or empty apace, so that the vessel, _p_, is, by the external pressure of the atmosphere, or what is vulgarly called suction, immediately refilled, while _p_ is emptying; which being done, you push the handle of the regulator from you, and throw the force on _p_, pulling the condensing pipe over _p_, causing the steam in that vessel to condense, so that it fills, while the other empties. The labour of turning these two parts of the engine, viz. the regulator and water-cock, and attending the fire, being no more than what a boy’s strength can perform for a day together, and is as easily learned as their driving of a horse in a tub-gin; yet, after all, I would have men, and those, too, the most apprehensive, employed in working of the engine, supposing them more careful than boys. The difference of this charge is not to be mentioned or accounted of, when we consider the vast profit which those who use the engine will reap by it.

The ingenious reader will, probably, here object, that the steam being the cause of this motion and force, and that steam is but water rarefied, the boiler, _l_, must in some certain time be emptied, so as the work of the engine must stop to replenish the boiler, or endanger the burning out or melting the bottom of the boiler.

To answer which, please to observe the use of the small boiler, _d_, when it is thought fit by the person tending the engine to replenish the great boiler, which requires an hour and a half, or two hours’ time to the sinking one foot of water; then, I say, by turning the cock of the small boiler, _e_, you cut off all communication between _s_, the great force-pipe, and _d_, the small boiler, by which means _d_ grows immediately hot, by throwing a little fire into _b_, and the water of which boils, and in a very little time it gains more strength than the great boiler; for the force of the great boiler being perpetually spending and going out, and the other winding up, or increasing, it is not long before the force in _d_ exceeds that in _l_, so that the water in _d_ being depressed in _d_ by its own steam or vapour, must necessarily rise through the pipe, _h_, opening the clack, _i_, and so go through the pipe, _k_, into _l_, running till the surface of the water in _d_ is equal to the bottom of the pit, _h_; then steam and water going together, will, by a noise in the clack, _i_, give sufficient assurance that _d_ has discharged and emptied itself into _l_, to within eight inches of the bottom; and inasmuch as, from the top of _d_ to the bottom of its pipe, _h_, is contained about as much water as will replenish _l_, one foot, so you may be certain _l_ is replenished one foot of course; then you open the cock, _i_, and refill _d_ immediately; so that here is a constant motion without fear or danger of disorder, or decay, if you would, at any time, know if the great boiler, _l_, be more than half exhausted, turn the small cock, _n_, whose pipe will deliver water, if the water be above the level of its bottom, which is half way down the boiler; if not, it will deliver steam. So, likewise, will _g_ show you if you have more or less than eight inches of water in _d_, by which means nothing but a stupid and wilful neglect, or mischievous design, carried on for some hours, can any ways hurt the engine; and if a master is suspicious of the design of a servant to do mischief, it is easily discovered by those gauge-pipes; for if he come when the engine is at work, and find the surface, _c_, of the water in _l_, below the bottom of the gauge-pipe, _n_, or the water in _d_ below the bottom of _g_, such a servant deserves correction, though three hours after that, the working on would not damage or exhaust the boilers; as that, in a word, the clacks being in all water-works always found the better the longer they are used, and all the moving parts of our engine being of like nature, the furnace being made of Stourbridge, or Windsor brick, or fire-stone, I do not see it possible for the engine to decay in many years; for the clacks, boxes, and mitre-pipe, regulator, and cocks, are all of brass; and the vessels made of the best hammered copper, of sufficient thickness to sustain the force of the working the engine. In short, the engine is so naturally adapted to perform what is required, that even those of the most ordinary and meanest capacity may work it for some years without any injury, if not hired or employed by some base person on purpose to destroy it; for after the engine is once fixed, and at work, I may modestly affirm that the adventurer, or supervisor of the mine, will be freed from that perpetual charge, expense, and trouble of repairs, which all other engines ever yet employed in mines for the raising of water, are continually liable unto.

CHAPTER SECOND. OF THE USES THAT THIS ENGINE MAY BE APPLIED UNTO.

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OF THE USES THAT THIS ENGINE MAY BE APPLIED UNTO.

It may be supposed that there are few people among us so ignorant, but must necessarily know of what value the falls of water are in most places, as being applicable to mills, which are made after various kinds and forms, according to the different genius and abilities of the millwright, for mill-work being in a manner infinitely diversified; and had I leisure to comment thereon, and give you an account, not only of the vast variety that I have seen and heard of, but (when encouraged) what may yet be brought to work by a steady stream, and the rotation or circular motion of a water-wheel, it would swell these papers to a much larger volume than was at first designed, and frustrate my intended brevity. I only just hint this to show what use this engine may be put to in working of mills, especially where coals are cheap.

I have only this to urge, that water, in its fall from any determinate height, has simply a force answerable and equal to the force that raises it. So that an engine which will raise as much water as two horses working together at one time in such a work can do, and for which there must be constantly kept ten or twelve horses for doing the same, then, I say, such an engine will do the work or labour of ten or twelve horses; and whereas this engine may be made large enough to do the work required in employing eight, ten, fifteen, or twenty horses to be constantly maintained and kept for doing such a work, it will be improper to stint or confine its uses and operation in respect of water-mills.

2. It may be of great use for palaces, for the nobility’s or gentlemen’s houses; for, by a cistern on the top of a house, yoy may, with a great deal of ease and little charge, throw what quantity of water you have occasion for to the top of any house; which water, in its fall, makes you what sorts of fountains you please, and supplies any room in the house, and it is of excellent use in case of fire, of which more hereafter.

3. Nothing can be more fit for serving cities and towns with water, except a crank-work by the force of a river. In the composing such sort of engines, I think no person hath excelled the ingenious Mr. George Sorocold; but where they are forced to use horses, or any other strength, I believe no ingenious person will deny this engine to have the preference in all respects, being of more universal use than any yet discovered or invented.

4. As for draining fens, marshes, &c. I suppose I need say no more than this, that that force which will raise great quantities of water a height of above eighty feet, must necessarily deliver a much greater quantity at a lesser height; and that it is much cheaper, and every way easier, especially where coals are water-borne, to continue the discharge of any quantities of water by our engine, than it can be done by any horse-engines whatsoever.

5. I believe it may be made very useful to ships, but I dare not meddle with that matter, and leave it to the judgment of those who are the best judges of maritime affairs.

6. For draining of mines and coal-pits the use of the engine will sufficiently recommend itself in raising water so easy and cheap; and I do not doubt, but that, in a few years, it will be a means of making our mining trade, which is no small part of the wealth of this kingdom, double, if not treble to what it now is. And if such vast quantities of lead, tin, and coals, are now yearly exported, under the difficulties of such an immense charge and pains as the miners, &c. are now at to discharge their water, how much more may be hereafter exported, when the charge will be very much lessened by the use of this engine every way fitted for the use of mines? For the far greater part of our richest mines and coal-pits are liable to two grand inconveniences, and thereby rendered useless, viz. the irruption and excess of subterraneous waters, as not being worth the expense of draining them by the great charge of horses, or hand labour. Or, secondly, fatal damps, by which many are struck blind, lame, or dead, in these subterraneous cavities, if the mine is wanting of a due circulation of air. Now, both these inconveniencies are naturally remedied by the work of this engine, of raising water by the impellant force of fire.