Job and William Wyatt
of Tatenhill and Burton-on-Trent
An article in 'Machinery' (USA) credited 'John and William Wyatt' with the first known instance of cold-heading by machinery (for heading wood screw blanks, about 1760) [1]
1760 'Last Week his Majesty was pleased to grant his Royal Letters Patent to Mess. Wyatts, of Burton upon Trent, for a new-invented Machine to make Screws of Iron, commonly called Wood Screws.'[2]
1760 Patent No. 751 of 14th May for cutting wood screws. Three machine operations were involved:
1. Filing the head in a lathe with a two-jaw chuck, the spindle being started and stopped by what are interpreted as fast and loose pulleys.
2. Cutting the slot using what was presumably a circular saw on a spindle.
3. Cutting the thread with the workpiece held in a three-jaw chuck. Cutters held in a frame were closed in on the blank, and the frame was traversed by a master screw. The operation was repeated until the screw was sufficiently formed.
The Wyatt brothers bought a watermill at Tatenhill and converted it to a screw factory in about 1776 at a cost of £1100. The venture was unsuccessful and was sold as a going concern to Wood, Shorthose and Co for £250, who also established another screw factory at Hartshorn.[3]
1779 Advert: '....Also a new erected House, with proper Conveniences, at Tatenhill near Burton-upon-Trent aforesaid, and an Over-shoot Mill in good repair, used for the manufacturing of Wood Screws by Lathes or Engines, with the Mill Pool Watercourses and Piece of Meadow..... For further Particulars, or to treat for the Purchase, apply to Messrs. SAMUEL, THOMAS, or BENJAMIN WYATT, aforesaid.'[4]
1786 The mill evidently had no takers following the 1779 advert, for it was advertised for sale by auction: '... Lot 1st. A New-erected DWELLING-HOUSE, and OVERSHOOT MILL, in good Repair, situate at Tatenhill, near Burton-upon-Trent, lately used in the manufacturing of Wood Screws, but may be converted to any other Purpose, together with the Mill-Pool, Water- Courses, and a Piece of rich Meadow-Land, containing about two Acres and a Half - the whole being Copyhold of Inheritance held of the Manor of Tatenhill, subject to an Annual Chief Rent of 20s.....'[5]
It is interesting to note that James Fox (1760-1835) had established his machine-making business in Tatenhill Mill by 1787 (see 1787 advert under Fox of Derby).
1847 Advert: 'TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION, By Mr. CHEATLE, ..... IN HARTSHORNE. Lot 1. SIX VALUABLE COTTAGES or TENEMENTS, with the Gardens and Appurtenances thereunto belonging, and also a CLOSE of PASTURE LAND to the said premises adjoining, and now occupied therewith, situated in Hartshorne, in a place there near to the site of the late mill used for making screws, and in the occupation of John Parker and his undertenants. ....' [6]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ [1] Machinery, May 1913, 'Cold heading - 1' by Chester L. Lucas and Ernest W. Duston
- ↑ Derby Mercury, 6 June 1760
- ↑ 'Origin and Manufacture of Wood Screws' by H. W. Dickinson. Trans. Newcomen Society, Volume 22, Issue 1 (1941), pp. 79-89
- ↑ Derby Mercury, 18 June 1779
- ↑ Derby Mercury, 9 February 1786
- ↑ Derby Mercury - Wednesday 21 April 1847