Within two decades of Denis Papin (1647–c. 1712) having invented a steam digester, Thomas Savery (c. 1650–1715) constructed his own pistonless steam engine and in July 1698 obtained a patent for his “Miner’s Friend.” The first steam engine to be formally utilized was constructed in 1712 by Thomas Newcomen (1663–1729). James Watt (1736–1819) later made vast improvements to the steam engine’s effectiveness. In 1781, he was granted a patent for his rotary-motion steam engine. One of the most important drivers of the Industrial Revolution, steam engines were used in industry to power textile machines, and in mining to control water levels.
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Further Readings:
- Crump, Thomas. A Brief History of the Age of Steam: From the First Engine to the Boats and Railways. Philadelphia: Running Press, 2007.
- Rosen, William. The Most Powerful Idea in the World: A Story of Steam, Industry, and Invention. New York: Routledge, 2010.
- Savery, Thomas. The Miner's Friend: Or, an Engine to Raise Water by Fire, Described. 1702. Reprint, London: S. Crouch, 1827. E-book
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1698