James watt invention

British Broadcasting Corporation Home. James Watt, c. James Watt was born in Greenock on 18 January His father was a prosperous shipwright. Watt initially worked as a maker of mathematical instruments, but soon became interested in steam engines. The first working steam engine had been patented in and by the time of Watt's birth, Newcomen engines were pumping water from mines all over the country.

In around , Watt was given a model Newcomen engine to repair. He realised that it was hopelessly inefficient and began to work to improve the design.

James watt steam engine

He designed a separate condensing chamber for the steam engine that prevented enormous losses of steam. His first patent in covered this device and other improvements on Newcomen's engine. Watt's partner and backer was the inventor John Roebuck. In , Roebuck's interest was taken over by Matthew Boulton who owned an engineering works in Birmingham.