![]() ![]() He did this by turning steam energy into piston movement and spinning motion. Nicholas Cugnot invented a steam-powered road vehicle in France in the 18th century. The first steam car, 1769–1770 The French inventor Nicolas Joseph Cugnot. Scottish inventor James Watt further improved the Newcomen engine by adding a condenser and developing a motor that turns an axle, which replaced the pumping motor. James Watt’s steam engine, 1765 James Watt’s steam engine. Thomas Savery joined forces with Thomas Newcomen and created an engine that pumped atmospheric steam. Newcomen steam engine, 1712 Newcomen’s steam engine. ![]() In the UK, Thomas Savery used his experience with the steam engine to create a machine called “ The Miner’s Friend” that extracted water from coal mines, although it was not that successful. High-pressure steam engine, 1698 Savery’s steam engine. The first steam boiler, 1679 The first steam boiler.įrench inventor Denis Papin turned the liquid into steam and designed the first pressure cooker-like device. The Greek scientist Heron identified a device called an “ aeolipile” with a gushing stream of steam rotating a sphere. It is still used today, with most of the technology coming from the past few centuries. In the 19th century, steam power was first used to make electricity. In a short time, steam power was used as fuel in ships and locomotives, which allowed the vehicles to go farther and faster. Watt’s key change was to condense the steam and make it more effective, eliminating the need for the engine to heat and cool the cylinder. Although Thomas Newcomen first discovered the steam engine in 1712, the actual improvements made by James Watt made the device more effective. Scientists soon realized that steam could be used to power engines. This had become an important issue in the face of the increasing demand for coal in Europe during the Industrial Revolution. Despite the fact that it was nothing more than a pressure cooker at the time, it sparked a chain reaction of inventions.Īt the beginning of the 18th century, engineers understood how steam-powered devices could be used to extract water from mines. Greater developments took place with the invention of the first steam boiler in the 17th century. Although there was no practical benefit to the device, it was the first example of an experiment with steam power. When the steam was released from the nozzles, the sphere rotated. McCoy’s innovations and ingenuity kept trains chugging and have laid the tracks for the well-oiled machines of today.Aeolipile worked by heating the water in a sphere with two inclined nozzles. In 2001, Elijah McCoy was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio and has a dedicated exhibit in the Detroit Historical Museum. He eventually founded the Elijah McCoy Manufacturing Company in 1920, which produced lubrication devices displaying his name. McCoy continued to design new inventions while working as a consultant to engineering companies, including patents for a lawn sprinkler and ironing board. Consequently, McCoy obtained his first patent, “Improvement in Lubricators for Steam Engines.” Future variations of his invention were later used to revolutionize oil-drilling and mining equipment along with construction and factory tools. Six years into his role, McCoy addressed this issue by inventing what was colloquially known as an “oil-drip cup.” The cup caused oil to steadily flow around the engine without needing to stop the train. ![]() He joined the Michigan Central Railroad as a fireman and oiler, and quickly identified how inefficient it was to have to stop trains every few miles in order to manually lubricate their engines. In 1866, Black Americans faced rampant racial discrimination, which made finding a job that aligned with his level of experience in mechanical engineering extremely difficult. Upon his return, McCoy settled in Michigan as opportunities to find work in Canada were very limited. At age 15, he decided to further his education in the field and moved to Edinburgh, Scotland to become a mechanical engineer apprentice. He grew up with a passion for problem-solving, mechanics, and trains. Elijah was born in Colchester, Ontario and returned to the U.S. In 1837, McCoy’s parents bravely escaped a life of enslavement in Kentucky through the Underground Railroad and sought freedom in Canada. He held 57 patents in his lifetime, most of which were related to locomotives and railways. Today’s Doodle celebrates the birthday of Elijah McCoy, a Black Canadian-American engineer and inventor who revolutionized train efficiency with his inventions. ![]()
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