While repairing a model of a Newcomen engine at the University of Glasgow in 1763, James Watt saw that it wasted heat by cooling and reheating the cylinder with every stroke. In 1765 he had the idea of condensing the steam in a separate vessel, and patented it on 5 January 1769. With the financial backing of Matthew Boulton in Birmingham from 1775, he built engines that used a quarter of the coal. Watt later made them rotary, and introduced the horsepower. The engines powered mills, factories, mines and, in time, locomotives and ships. The unit of power, the watt, is named after him.
Before and after
- 1768Construction of Royal Academy of Arts
- 12 February 1768Birth of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
- 21 March 1768Birth of Joseph Fourier
- 1769Alcalá Gate
- 5 January 1769James Watt patents the separate condenser
- 1 May 1769Birth of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
- 15 August 1769Birth of Napoleon
- 14 September 1769Birth of Alexander von Humboldt
- 13 December 1769Founding of Dartmouth College
More in Science & technology
- 1774Discovery of chlorine
- 1789Discovery of uranium
- 30 June 1808Discovery of boron
- 1823Discovery of silicon
- 6 March 1869Periodic table
- 1884Car
The era
This moment belongs to the Industrial era (1760 CE to 1914 CE), steam, factories and revolutions. You can also browse everything in the 18th century.