Difference between revisions of "Henry Maudslay: Machine Tools"
| Line 15: | Line 15: | ||
Maudslay's best-known lathes featured triangular bar beds. Latter-day owners of similar lathes might hope that their's is a Maudslay. It is unlikely to be. Many other makers produced similar lathes, but Maudslay's have distinctive design features, and display fine workmanship. The earliest known example was made by [[Henry Hindley]] before 1758. | Maudslay's best-known lathes featured triangular bar beds. Latter-day owners of similar lathes might hope that their's is a Maudslay. It is unlikely to be. Many other makers produced similar lathes, but Maudslay's have distinctive design features, and display fine workmanship. The earliest known example was made by [[Henry Hindley]] before 1758. | ||
Examples of Maudslay lathes can be seen in a number of museums. [https://collection.maas.museum/object/385413 This c.1805 example] in Australia, originally owned by [[John Barton (1771-1834)|Sir John Barton]], is | Examples of Maudslay lathes can be seen in a number of museums. [https://collection.maas.museum/object/385413 This c.1805 example] in Australia, originally owned by [[John Barton (1771-1834)|Sir John Barton]], is ascribed to Maudslay, Sons & Field. However, while the slide rest is fully consistent with Maudslay's design and construction, some other keys aspects, primarily the headstock and tailstock, are not Maudslay-like. | ||
The Henry Ford Museum in the USA has two examples. One has a two-bar bed and a central leadscrew. Unusually, the carriage is held down by rollers pressing on the underside of the slideways. The lathe was gifted to the Ford Museum by Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co. Photographs [https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/146017/#slide=gs-325368 here]. | The Henry Ford Museum in the USA has two examples. One has a two-bar bed and a central leadscrew. Unusually, the carriage is held down by rollers pressing on the underside of the slideways. The lathe was gifted to the Ford Museum by Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co. Photographs [https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/146017/#slide=gs-325368 here]. | ||
Revision as of 18:53, 8 July 2018
Note: This is a sub-section of Henry Maudslay.
Henry Maudslay was the most influential machine tool maker at the end of the 18th and start of the 19th centuries.
It is intended in this section to identify as many of his machine tools as possible. He became famous for the blockmaking machinery at Portsmouth Block Mills, and for his lathes, which spearheaded the industrial application of slide lathes and machine screwcutting.
His first known machine tools were produced for lockmaking, during his employment with Joseph Bramah.
Maudslay's Lambeth workshop became a 'nursery' for many men who would become famous engineers in their own right, and who would advance machine tool technology to its next phase, with machines of heavier construction and greater versatility.
Maudslay's best-known lathes featured triangular bar beds. Latter-day owners of similar lathes might hope that their's is a Maudslay. It is unlikely to be. Many other makers produced similar lathes, but Maudslay's have distinctive design features, and display fine workmanship. The earliest known example was made by Henry Hindley before 1758.
Examples of Maudslay lathes can be seen in a number of museums. This c.1805 example in Australia, originally owned by Sir John Barton, is ascribed to Maudslay, Sons & Field. However, while the slide rest is fully consistent with Maudslay's design and construction, some other keys aspects, primarily the headstock and tailstock, are not Maudslay-like.
The Henry Ford Museum in the USA has two examples. One has a two-bar bed and a central leadscrew. Unusually, the carriage is held down by rollers pressing on the underside of the slideways. The lathe was gifted to the Ford Museum by Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co. Photographs here.
The London Science Museum has a Maudslay treadle lathe, currently not on display. Photo here and here.