independent+patent

SUBJECT AREA: Chemical technology, Mining and extraction technology, Weapons and armour

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The son of a barber-surgeon who deserted his family to serve in the Swedish army, Nobel showed little interest in academic pursuits as a child and was sent to sea at the age of 16, but jumped ship in Egypt and was eventually employed as an architect by the pasha. Returning to Sweden, he won a scholarship to the Stockholm School of Architecture, where he studied from 1821 to 1825 and was awarded a number of prizes. His interest then leaned towards mechanical matters and he transferred to the Stockholm School of Engineering. Designs for linen-finishing machines won him a prize there, and he also patented a means of transforming rotary into reciprocating movement. He then entered the real-estate business and was successful until a fire in 1833 destroyed his house and everything he owned. By this time he had married and had two sons, with a third, Alfred (of Nobel Prize fame; see Alfred Nobel), on the way. Moving to more modest quarters on the outskirts of Stockholm, Immanuel resumed his inventions, concentrating largely on India rubber, which he applied to surgical instruments and military equipment, including a rubber knapsack.

It was talk of plans to construct a canal at Suez that first excited his interest in explosives. He saw them as a means of making mining more efficient and began to experiment in his backyard. However, this made him unpopular with his neighbours, and the city authorities ordered him to cease his investigations. By this time he was deeply in debt and in 1837 moved to Finland, leaving his family in Stockholm. He hoped to interest the Russians in land and sea mines and, after some four years, succeeded in obtaining financial backing from the Ministry of War, enabling him to set up a foundry and arms factory in St Petersburg and to bring his family over. By 1850 he was clear of debt in Sweden and had begun to acquire a high reputation as an inventor and industrialist. His invention of the horned contact mine was to be the basic pattern of the sea mine for almost the next 100 years, but he also created and manufactured a central-heating system based on hot-water pipes. His three sons, Ludwig, Robert and Alfred, had now joined him in his business, but even so the outbreak of war with Britain and France in the Crimea placed severe pressures on him. The Russians looked to him to convert their navy from sail to steam, even though he had no experience in naval propulsion, but the aftermath of the Crimean War brought financial ruin once more to Immanuel. Amongst the reforms brought in by Tsar Alexander II was a reliance on imports to equip the armed forces, so all domestic arms contracts were abruptly cancelled, including those being undertaken by Nobel. Unable to raise money from the banks, Immanuel was forced to declare himself bankrupt and leave Russia for his native Sweden. Nobel then reverted to his study of explosives, particularly of how to adapt the then highly unstable nitroglycerine, which had first been developed by Ascanio Sobrero in 1847, for blasting and mining. Nobel believed that this could be done by mixing it with gunpowder, but could not establish the right proportions. His son Alfred pursued the matter semi-independently and eventually evolved the principle of the primary charge (and through it created the blasting cap), having taken out a patent for a nitroglycerine product in his own name; the eventual result of this was called dynamite. Father and son eventually fell out over Alfred's independent line, but worse was to follow. In September 1864 Immanuel's youngest son, Oscar, then studying chemistry at Uppsala University, was killed in an explosion in Alfred's laboratory: Immanuel suffered a stroke, but this only temporarily incapacitated him, and he continued to put forward new ideas. These included making timber a more flexible material through gluing crossed veneers under pressure and bending waste timber under steam, a concept which eventually came to fruition in the form of plywood.

In 1868 Immanuel and Alfred were jointly awarded the prestigious Letterstedt Prize for their work on explosives, but Alfred never for-gave his father for retaining the medal without offering it to him.

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SUBJECT AREA: Steam and internal combustion engines

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William was the second son and one of eleven children of Samuel Priestman, who had moved to Hull after retiring as a corn miller in Kirkstall, Leeds, and who in retirement had become a director of the North Eastern Railway Company. The family were strict Quakers, so William was sent to the Quaker School in Bootham, York. He left school at the age of 17 to start an engineering apprenticeship at the Humber Iron Works, but this company failed so the apprenticeship was continued with the North Eastern Railway, Gateshead. In 1869 he joined the hydraulics department of Sir William Armstrong \& Company, Newcastle upon Tyne, but after a year there his father financed him in business at a small, run down works, the Holderness Foundry, Hull. He was soon joined by his brother, Samuel, their main business being the manufacture of dredging equipment (grabs), cranes and winches. In the late 1870s William became interested in internal combustion engines. He took a sublicence to manufacture petrol engines to the patents of Eugène Etève of Paris from the British licensees, Moll and Dando. These engines operated in a similar manner to the non-compression gas engines of Lenoir. Failure to make the two-stroke version of this engine work satisfactorily forced him to pay royalties to Crossley Bros, the British licensees of the Otto four-stroke patents.

Fear of the dangers of petrol as a fuel, reflected by the associated very high insurance premiums, led William to experiment with the use of lamp oil as an engine fuel. His first of many patents was for a vaporizer. This was in 1885, well before Ackroyd Stuart. What distinguished the Priestman engine was the provision of an air pump which pressurized the fuel tank, outlets at the top and bottom of which led to a fuel atomizer injecting continuously into a vaporizing chamber heated by the exhaust gases. A spring-loaded inlet valve connected the chamber to the atmosphere, with the inlet valve proper between the chamber and the working cylinder being camoperated. A plug valve in the fuel line and a butterfly valve at the inlet to the chamber were operated, via a linkage, by the speed governor; this is believed to be the first use of this method of control. It was found that vaporization was only partly achieved, the higher fractions of the fuel condensing on the cylinder walls. A virtue was made of this as it provided vital lubrication. A starting system had to be provided, this comprising a lamp for preheating the vaporizing chamber and a hand pump for pressurizing the fuel tank.

Engines of 2–10 hp (1.5–7.5 kW) were exhibited to the press in 1886; of these, a vertical engine was installed in a tram car and one of the horizontals in a motor dray. In 1888, engines were shown publicly at the Royal Agricultural Show, while in 1890 two-cylinder vertical marine engines were introduced in sizes from 2 to 10 hp (1.5–7.5 kW), and later double-acting ones up to some 60 hp (45 kW). First, clutch and gearbox reversing was used, but reversing propellers were fitted later (Priestman patent of 1892). In the same year a factory was established in Philadelphia, USA, where engines in the range 5–20 hp (3.7–15 kW) were made. Construction was radically different from that of the previous ones, the bosses of the twin flywheels acting as crank discs with the main bearings on the outside.

On independent test in 1892, a Priestman engine achieved a full-load brake thermal efficiency of some 14 per cent, a very creditable figure for a compression ratio limited to under 3:1 by detonation problems. However, efficiency at low loads fell off seriously owing to the throttle governing, and the engines were heavy, complex and expensive compared with the competition.

Decline in sales of dredging equipment and bad debts forced the firm into insolvency in 1895 and receivers took over. A new company was formed, the brothers being excluded. However, they were able to attend board meetings, but to exert no influence. Engine activities ceased in about 1904 after over 1,000 engines had been made. It is probable that the Quaker ethics of the brothers were out of place in a business that was becoming increasingly cut-throat. William spent the rest of his long life serving others.

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accept system система акцептования accounting information system вчт. бухгалтерская информационная система accounting system система бухгалтерского учета accounting system система счетов adaptive system вчт. адаптивная система administrative system административная система alarm system система сигнализации analysis system система анализа application visualization system вчт. прикладная система изображения asset quality rating system система квалификации активов asymptotically stable system асимптотически устойчивая система automated control system асу, автоматизированная система управления axiomatic system аксиоматическая система backup system вчт. дублирующая система banking system банковская система belief system система доверия bicameral system двухпалатная система bicameral system парл. двухпалатная система bipartite system парл. двухпартийная система block system =blocking bonus system премиальная система buddy system метод близнецов bulk-service system система с групповым обслуживанием business system экономическая система cad system вчт. система автоматизированного проектирования call-reply system вчт. запрсно-ответная система certification system система сертификации closed queueing system замкнутая система массового обслуживания closed system замкнутая система code-dependent system вчт. система зависящая от данных code-independent system вчт. система не зависящая от данных code-insensitive system вчт. система не зависящая от данных code-sensitive system вчт. система зависящая от данных code-transparent system вчт. система не зависящая от данных coinage system монетная система column system система бухгалтерского учета по колонкам commission system система комиссионных вознаграждений computer system вычислительная система computer system вчт. вычислительная система computer system вычислительный комплекс computer system система вычислительных машин computer-aided control system автоматизированная система управления computer-to-plate system система создания печатных форм на компьютере computerized information system информационная система на базе ЭВМ concealment system система маскировки concession system система концессий constrained system вчт. система с ограничениями consulting system вчт. консультирующая система control system система управления control system вчт. система управления cooperative system система кооперации cooptation system система кооптации costing system система калькуляции себестоимости court system судебная система, система судопроизводства credit system кредитная система criminal reestablishment system система восстановления личности преступника crisis alert system система предупреждения о кризисе cross system вчт. кросс-система cyclical response system вчт. система циклических реакций data base management system вчт. система управления базой данных data handling system вчт. система обработки данных data processing system вчт. система обработки данных data system вчт. информационная система database system вчт. система баз данных decimal system десятичная система dedicated system специализированная система deductive system дедуктивная система delay system система с ожиданием desktop system система непосредственного взаимодействия direct debit system система прямого дебета direct system целевая система directional system система управления disk operating system вчт. дисковая операционная система, ДОС distributed file system вчт. распределенная файловая система distributed system вчт. распределенная система distribution system система распределения distributive system распределительная система DP system (data processing system) система обработки данных dynamic system динамическая система educational system система образования educational system система обучения election system избирательная система electronic book-entry system вчт. электронная система бухгалтерского учета electronic full-page makeup system вчт. электронная система верстки полос enclave system анклавная группа; полузащищенная группа (работающих под специальным наблюдением в обычных рабочих условиях инвалидов) equilibrium system равновесная система evolutionary system развиваемая система executive system вчт. операционная система expand a system вчт. расширять комплект оборудования системы expert system вчт. экспертная система explanatory system вчт. система объяснений fail-soft system вчт. система с амортизацией отказов federal system федеральная система fee system система вознаграждений feedback system система с обратной связью file system вчт. файловая система filing system система регистрации документов filing system система хранения документов financial system финансовая система fiscal system система финансов fixed price system система с фиксированной ценой flat-rate guarantee system система гарантий с фиксированной ставкой formal system формальная система fractional reserve system система частичных резервов frame system вчт. система фреймов functional information system вчт. функциональный информационная система giro system система жиросчетов governmental system правительственная система grading system система сортировки guarantee system система гарантий guidance system вчт. система -путеводитель hard disk system вчт. система с жестким диском help system вчт. справочник hire system =hire-purchase historical cost system выч. калькуляция на основе фактических издержек производства homogeneous system однородная система host system вчт. базисная система host system вчт. централизованная система imprest system система авансирования imputation system система условного начисления indexing system система индексации inductive system вчт. индуктивная система information system вчт. информационная система instruction system вчт. обучающая система integrated system вчт. интегрированная система intelligent system вчт. интеллектуальная система interactive system вчт. диалоговая система interactive system вчт. интерактивная система interest system система ставок процента international monetary system международная валютная система judicial system система судебных органов judicial system судебная система, система судебных органов judicial system судебная система jury system система суда присяжных knowledge base management system вчт. система управления базой знаний knowledge representation system вчт. система представления знаний land registration system система регистрации земельного участка learning system вчт. самообучаемая система licensing system система лицензирования linear programming system система линейного программирования linear system линейная система loadable system вчт. загружаемая система loan limit system система предельных размеров кредита loose-leaf system полигр. издание с отрывными или вкладными листами loss system система с потерями mail system вчт. электронная почта management information system (MIS) управленческая информационная система manual system система ручного управления many-server system вчт. многоканальная система mapped system вчт. система с управлением памятью market system рыночная система market system рыночная экономика market system страна с рыночной экономикой marketing information system система маркетинговой информации markov system марковская система markovian system марковская система master-slave system несимметричная система match system система выравнивания курсов militia system система милиции minimum price system система минимальных цен minimum wage system система минимальной заработной платы ministerial system правительственная система mixed price system смешанная ценовая система mixed system смешанная система modeless system вчт. система с однородным интерфейсом monetary system денежная система monetary system финансовая система monitoring system система мониторинга monitoring system система текущего контроля multi-user system вчт. многопользовательская система multiprocessing system вчт. многопроцессорная система multiprogramming system вчт. система, работающая в мультипрограммном режиме multiserver system вчт. многоканальная система multistation system вчт. многопунктовая система multitasking system вчт. многозадачная система multiuser system система коллективного пользования multivariable system вчт. многомерная система municipal system муниципальная система non-markovian system вчт. немарковская система nonstop system вчт. безостановочный компьютер normative system нормативная система number system система счисления numeration system система счисления off-line system вчт. автономная система on-demand system вчт. система без ожидания on-line system вчт. неавтономная система on-line system вчт. система, работающая в реальном масштабе времени on-line system вчт. система реального времени one-party system однопартийная система open learning system гибкая система обучения open system вчт. открытая система open-item system система с незакрытыми статьями баланса operating system действующая система operating system вчт. операционная система organized banking system организованная банковская система page system вчт. страничная система parliamentary system парламентская система partial cost system система калькуляции издержек производства с использованием нормативов party system партийная система patent system система патентования pay-as-you-go system система выплаты выходных пособий при увольнении payments system система платежей penal system пенитенциарная система periodic reordering system вчт. система с периодической подачей заказов pilot system вчт. прототип системы system система, устройство; political system государственный строй portable system вчт. мобильная система preferential system система преференций premium system премиальная система price control system система регулирования цен price support system система гарантирования цен price system система цен priority system вчт. система приоритетов priority system вчт. система с приоритетами probabilistic system вероятностная система process cost system система исчисления производственных издержек production system продукционная система productions system система продукций program development system вчт. система разработки программ programming system вчт. система программирования progressive taxation system система прогрессивного налогообложения proportional taxation system система пропорционального налогообложения protection system вчт. система защиты prototyping system макет системы public health system система здравоохранения quality system система критериев качества quality system система проверки качества quata system система квот question-answering system вчт. вопросно-ответная система queueing system система массового обслуживания queueing system вчт. система массового обслуживания quota system система иммиграционных квот quota system система квот quota system система контингентов real time system вчт. система реального времени reasoning system вчт. разумная система redundant system вчт. избыточная система reliable system надежная система report system система отчетности reporting system система отчетности reporting system система сбора информации reporting system система учета representation system система представления reservation system система резервирования resident system вчт. резидентная система retrieval system док. система внесения исправлений retrieval system вчт. система поиска revision control system вчт. система управления версиями risk control system система контроля рисков salary adjustment system система регулирования заработной платы salary system система заработной платы scalable system вчт. расширяемая система school system школьная система segment system вчт. система с сегментной организацией self-assessment tax system система самообложения налогом self-contained system замкнутая система serving system вчт. система обслуживания setting up the system вчт. начальная установка системы short-term support system система краткосрочной поддержки simulation system имитационная система single-channel system вчт. одноканальная система single-server system вчт. одноканальная система slave system подчиненная система stable system устойчивая система standard pay system система нормативной заработной платы standby system резервная система static-priority system вчт. система со статическими приоритетами stationary system стационарная система stochastic system стохастическая система support system вчт. исполняющая система system метод system мир, вселенная system организм system сеть (дорог и т. п.) system геол. система, формация system система, устройство; political system государственный строй system система, устройство system система, метод system система; метод; system of axes система координат; what system do you go on? какому методу вы следуете? system comp. система system устройство system for medium-term financial assistance программа среднесрочной финансовой помощи system система; метод; system of axes система координат; what system do you go on? какому методу вы следуете? system of commands система команд system of deductions система выводов system of financial contributions система финансовых взносов system of import control система контроля за импортом system of monitoring balance sheet growth система контроля за ростом статей баланса system of reimbursement система возмещения расходов system of remuneration система вознаграждения system of state государственное устройство system of taxation система налогообложения target system вчт. целевая система tax system налоговая система tax-at-source system система удержания налога из общей суммы доходов taxation system система налогообложения tender system система торгов terminal system вчт. система терминалов test system вчт. испытательная система text-retrieval system вчт. документальная информационная система thin-route system вчт. малоканальная система tightly-coupled system вчт. система с сильной связью time sharing system вчт. система разделения времени time-sharing system вчт. система разделения времени time-sharing system вчт. система с разделением времени timecard system система табельного учета totting-up system система зачетов trade support system система поддержки торговли trading system система торговли transaction-oriented system вчт. диалоговая система обработки запросов truck system система оплаты труда натурой truck system система оплаты труда товарами truck: truck = truck system system attr.: system system оплата труда товарами вместо денег; Truck Acts ист. законы, ограничивающие систему оплаты труда товарами turnkey system вчт. готовая система two-channel system вчт. двухканальная система two-party system двухпартийная система unicameral system однопалатная система unitary tax system единая система налогообложения unmapped system вчт. система без управления памятью up system исправная система virgin system вчт. исходная система voluntary labelling system система добровольного снабжения продукта этикеткой wage system система оплаты труда waiting system вчт. система с ожиданием watch system бирж. система наблюдения weighting system система весов system система; метод; system of axes система координат; what system do you go on? какому методу вы следуете? windowing system вчт. система управления окнами word processing system вчт. система обработки текстов work-space system вчт. система с рабочим состоянием