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Jonathan Carter Hornblower (5 Jul 1753 - Mar 1815) English mining engineer who invented the first compound steam engine. The term “compound” refers to the system of two cylinders, whereby exhaust steam from the first cylinder is fed to a second cylinder to provide additional power. Short biography of Jonathan Carter Hornblower >>

Compound Steam Engine Patent

U.K. Patent No. 1298 (1781)

Specification of the patent granted to Mr. Jonathan Hornblower, of Penryn, in the county of Cornwall, plumber and brasier; for his invention of a machine or engine for raising water, or other liquids, and for other purposes, by means of fire and steam.

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Compound Steam Engine by Jonathan Carter Hornblower
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To all to whom these presents shall come,

NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the said proviso, and in pursuance of the said statute, I, the said Jonathan Hornblower, do hereby declare, that my said invention is described in manner and form following: that is to say, first, I use two vessels in which the steam is to act, and which, in other steam engines, are generally called cylinders. Secondly, I employ the steam, after it has acted in the first vessel, to operate a second time in the other, by permitting it to expand itself, which I do by connecting the vessels together, and forming proper channels and apertures, whereby the steam shall occasionally go in and out of the said vessels. Thirdly, I condense the steam, by causing it to pass in contact with metalline surfaces, while water is applied to the opposite side. Fourthly, to discharge the engine of the water used to condense the steam, I suspend a column of water in a tube or vessel constructed for that purpose on the principles of the barometer; the upper end having open communication with the steam vessels, and the lower end being immersed into a vessel of water. Fifthly, to discharge the air which enters the steam vessels with the condensing water, or otherwise, I introduce it into a separate vessel, whence it is protruded by the admission of steam. Sixthly, that the condensed vapour shall not remain in the steam vessel in which the steam is condensed, I collect it into another vessel, which has open communication with the steam vessels, and the water in the mine, reservoir, or river. Lastly, in cases where the atmosphere is to be employed to act on the piston, I use a piston so constructed as to admit steam round its periphery, and in contact with the sides of the steam vessel, thereby to prevent the external air from passing in between the piston and the sides of the steam vessel.

In witness whereof, &c..

Nature bears long with those who wrong her. She is patient under abuse. But when abuse has gone too far, when the time of reckoning finally comes, she is equally slow to be appeased and to turn away her wrath. (1882) -- Nathaniel Egleston, who was writing then about deforestation, but speaks equally well about the danger of climate change today.

Carl Sagan: In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion. (1987) ...(more by Sagan)

Albert Einstein: I used to wonder how it comes about that the electron is negative. Negative-positive—these are perfectly symmetric in physics. There is no reason whatever to prefer one to the other. Then why is the electron negative? I thought about this for a long time and at last all I could think was “It won the fight!” ...(more by Einstein)

Richard Feynman: It is the facts that matter, not the proofs. Physics can progress without the proofs, but we can't go on without the facts ... if the facts are right, then the proofs are a matter of playing around with the algebra correctly. ...(more by Feynman)

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