Scientists Becomes God

Why was the road to the invention not easy?

The title of the patent reads: "A grant to Thomas Savery of the sole exercise of a new invention by him invented, for raising of water, and occasioning motion to all sorts of mill works, by the important force of fire, which will be of great use for draining mines, serving towns with water, and for the working of all sorts of mills, when they have not the benefit of water nor constant winds; to hold for 14 years; with usual clauses."

Savery faced constant and embarrassing expense in the construction of his first steam engine. He had to keep the British mines - and particularly the deep pits of Cornwall - free from water.

He finally completed the project and conducted some successful experiments with it, exhibiting a model of his "fire engine" before King William III and his court at Hampton Court in 1698.

Copycat Savery?

It’s been rumored that Savery read Edward Somerset’s book first describing the invention and subsequently attempted to destroy all evidence of it in anticipation of his own invention. He allegedly bought up all copies he could find and burned them.

Although the story isn’t particularly credible, a comparison of the drawings of the two engines - Slavery's and Somerset's - shows a striking resemblance. If nothing else, Savery should be given credit for the successful introduction of this "semi-omnipotent" and "water-commanding" engine. History, after all, has a greater liking for the doers than it has for the proposers.

Savery patented the design of his first engine on July 2, 1698. And it could do what it was designed to do.

Savery's engine had no piston, and no moving parts except the taps. It was operated by first raising steam in the boiler; the steam was then admitted to one of the first working vessels, allowing it to blow out through a downpipe into the water that was to be raised.

When the system was hot and therefore full of steam the tap between the boiler and the working vessel was shut, and if necessary the outside of the vessel was cooled. This made the steam inside it condense, creating a partial vacuum, and atmospheric pressure pushed water up the downpipe until the vessel was full.

At this point the tap below the vessel was closed, and the tap between it and the up-pipe opened, and more steam was admitted from the boiler. As the steam pressure built up, it forced the water from the vessel up the up-pipe to the top of the mine.