Nasmyth, JAMES

Nasmyth, JAMES, inventor of the steam-hammer, was the son of Alexander Nasmyth (1758-1840), portrait and landscape painter, best known by his portrait of Burns. He was born in Edinburgh, August 19, 1808. From boyhood he evinced a turn for mechanics, and in his father's house became accustomed to use a lathe. At seventeen he constructed a small working steam-engine for grinding his father's colours, and made besides five models of a condensing steam-engine, and later a small road locomotive. Employed in 1829 by Maudsley, he started in business at Manchester in 1834, gained a good connection, and established at Patricroft what afterwards became known as the Bridge-water Foundry. The invention of the Steam- hammer (q.v.) was conceived in 1839, the occasion being the necessity for forging an enormous wrought-iron paddle shaft. But it did not take shape till 1842, when he found the steam-hammer as he had planned it at work at Creuzot in France. It had been adapted from his own scheme-book. Nasmyth patented his invention on his return to England, and it was adopted by the Admiralty in 1843. Business increased, and by 1856 he was able to retire with a handsome fortune, and settled at Penshurst, Kent. Amongst his other inventions was a steam pile-driver. He published Remarks on Tools and Machinery (1858), and a volume on the Moon (1874). He died in London, May 7, 1890. See Autobiography, edited by Smiles (1883).