57 Perfecting the Steam Engine

You have heard of inventor James Watt. He built a successful steam engine in 1769. But the first big step to this invention took place in Egypt. The year was 120 B.C. A man attached two pipes to an ordinary kettle. He hung a globe over it. The steam made the globe go around. The device served no useful purpose. It was just something to see. No one at that time saw the potential.

Over 1,800 years later, in 1698, Englishman Thomas Savery put steam to work. He patented the first steam engine. The engine pumped water from a coal mine. Soon others tried their hand at the work. In 1712, Thomas Newcomen, an English blacksmith, improved Savery's engine. The engine he built also pumped water.

James Watt, a Scotsman, then took a giant step. He improved the steam engine greatly. Let's see what he did. He started from scratch. At 18, he learned the trade of an instrument maker. At 21, he got a job at the University of Glasgow. Funny how mere chance plays such an important part in life. At least, it did for James Watt. Here is what happened in 1769.

Watt was lucky. A Newcomen steam engine was brought in for repair. Watt took it apart. He saw how it worked and repaired it. He knew he could improve it. There were technical problems. He asked students and professors for help. The result was an almost perfect engine.

Watt applied for a patent and got it. Then he teamed up with Matthew Boulton, who had experience in manufacturing. Together they formed a company. They rented out the design. The firm was highly successful. James Watt retired in 1800, a very wealthy man.

你一定聽過發明家詹姆斯·瓦特。他在1769年製造了一台成功的蒸汽機。但這項發明的第一個重大步驟發生在埃及，時間是西元前120年。一個人將兩根管子連接到普通水壺上，並在上方懸掛一個球體。蒸汽使球體旋轉。這個裝置沒有實際用途，只是供人觀看。當時沒有人看到它的潛力。

1800多年後，1698年，英國人托馬斯·薩弗里開始利用蒸汽。他申請了第一台蒸汽機的專利，這台機器用來從煤礦抽水。不久，其他人也嘗試這項工作。1712年，英國鐵匠托馬斯·紐科門改良了薩弗里的蒸汽機，他製造的機器也能抽水。

接著，蘇格蘭人詹姆斯·瓦特邁出了巨大的一步。他大幅改良了蒸汽機。讓我們看看他做了什麼。他從零開始。18歲時，他學習了儀器製造的技術。21歲時，他在格拉斯哥大學找到工作。生活中偶然的機會真是重要，至少對瓦特而言是如此。以下是1769年發生的事。

瓦特很幸運，一台紐科門蒸汽機送來維修。瓦特將它拆開，了解其運作並修好。他知道自己可以改進它。當時有技術問題，他向學生和教授尋求幫助。結果，他製造出幾乎完美的蒸汽機。

瓦特申請並獲得專利，然後與具有製造經驗的馬修·博爾頓合作。他們一起成立公司，出租設計。這家公司非常成功。瓦特於1800年退休，成為一位非常富有的人。