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First Steam Engine
Thomas Newcomen's atmospheric engine was the first commercial steam engine using a piston, and was used in 1712 for pumping flood water from a mine. His improved steam engine enabled mines to be drained to greater depths than had previously been economically possible, so it helped provide the coal, iron and other metals that were vital to the expansion of industry. 104 were in use by 1733, and eventually over two thousand of them were installed. -
Invention of the Flying Shuttle
The invention of the flying shuttle, was one of the key developments in the industrialization of weaving. It was patented by John Kay. It allowed a single weaver to weave much wider fabrics, as opposed to one on each side, and it also allowed for automatic machine looms. It greatly sped up the previous hand process and halved the labour force. -
Invention of the Spinning Jenny
It is a multi-spindle spinning frame, and was one of the key developments in the industrialization of weaving during the early Industrial Revolution. It was patented by James Hargreaves in England. The device reduced the amount of work needed to produce cloth, with a worker able to work eight or more spools at once. This grew to 120 as technology advanced. It was small, and was cheap to construct. It did not require a large physical force, so women and children could operate it. -
Invention of the Water Frame
A water frame is a water-powered spinning frame which was an easy way to create cotton thread. The first time the machine was used in 1768. It was able to spin 128 threads at a time, which was an easier and faster method than ever before. It was developed by Richard Arkwright, who patented the technology in 1767. Being run on water power, it produced stronger and harder yarn than the 'Spinning Jenny', marking the start of something new, within the factory system. -
Invention of the Power Loom
A power loom is a mechanized loom powered by a line shaft, and was one of the key developments in the industrialization of weaving during the early Industrial Revolution. The first power loom was designed in 1784 by Edmund Cartwright and first built in 1785. It was refined over the next 47 years until a design made the operation completely automatic. By 1850 there was 260,000 power looms in operation in England. -
Steam Engine Locomotive On Rails
George Stephenson designed his first locomotive in 1814, a travelling engine designed for hauling coal on the Killingworth wagonway named Blücher. Blücher was modelled on Matthew Murray’s locomotive Willington, and was constructed in the colliery workshop behind Stephenson's home, Dial Cottage. The locomotive could haul 30 tons of coal up a hill at 4 mph (6.4 km/h), and was the first successful flanged-wheel adhesion locomotive. (Traction depended on contact between its wheels and the rail.) -
Invention of the Sewing Machine
Elias Howe was not the first to conceive of the idea of a sewing machine. However, Howe originated significant refinements to the design concepts of others, and in 1846, he was awarded the patent for a sewing machine using a lockstitch design. His machine contained three features common to most modern machines:
A needle with the eye at the point
A shuttle operating beneath the cloth to form the lock stitch
An automatic feed
Now sewing needn't be done by hand, but rather produced in factories.
