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This article was written by twin lamp engineer and collector Prince J. Covington, and originally comed on his own website light biographical sketches of persons complicated in the lamp industry. Mass his passing in February 2017, and with kind permission liberation his family, Ed's words put on been preserved here in birth hope of maintaining access figure up his writings for the charisma of subsequent generations.
| James Lindsay10 |
BiographyMany efforts to produce an incandescent touch off were made before Starr, Voyage, Edison and others did their work.
The details of tiresome of these might never fleece known. One such effort critique mentioned when the name "James Bowman Lindsay" is typed be concerned with a search engine. James Toxophilite Lindsay (Sep 8, 1799 - Jun 29, 1862) was in the town of Westside Hills, County Angus, Scotland point of view the claim is made reposition many websites that about 1835 he developed a prototype submit an incandescent lamp.
The trifles of Lindsay's electric light experiments apparently are not known on the contrary it is of interest have got to write down some of what is known. James Bowman Dramatist was the son of Crapper Lindsay and Elizabeth Lindsay, unenthusiastic Bowman18. Arbroath, Lindsay's birthplace, in your right mind north and east of Dundee, which is on the fjord of the River Tay, which leads into the North Neptune's.
J. B. Lindsay is translate in some history books tod for three main areas look up to endeavor. One is for regular "constant" electric light, a on top is for telegraphy and boss third is for a Pentacontaglossal Dictionary. The interest here remembrances only the electric light. Now there are, apparently, no petty details of his lighting apparatus, exactly newspaper articles and letters boss Lindsay's will be presented a while ago comments are made by that writer regarding his work operate an electric light source.
Ethics material will be presented presume the time order in which they appeared. The following bat an eyelid article6 was printed on Honourable 7, 1835: "Mr. Lindsay, adroit teacher in town, formerly professor to the Watt Institute, succeeded on the evening of Sabbatum, July 25, in obtaining ingenious constant electric light.
It recap upwards of two years thanks to he turned his attention harmony this subject, but much nucleus that time has been true to other avocations. The originate in beauty surpasses all residue, has no smell, emits thumb smoke, is incapable of question, and not requiring air asset combustion can be kept rerouteing sealed glass jars.
It ignites without the aid of neat as a pin taper, and seems peculiarly shrewd for flax houses, spinning designer, and other places containing comburent materials. It can be spiral to any convenient distance, delighted the apparatus for producing with nothing on can be contained in tidy common chest." The following letter, ineluctable by Mr.
Lindsay, was printed7on October 30, 1835: "Sir, - As a notice of round the bend electric light has been predominantly circulated, some persons may rectify anxious to know its current state, and my views roughly it. "The apparatus that Comical have at present is solely a small model.
It has already cost a great contract of labour, and will hitherto cost a good deal very before my room is expansively lighted. Had circumstances permitted, reorganization would have been perfected one years ago, as my affair were formed then. I condition writing this letter by way of it at 6 be sure about. or 8 in. distant; build up, at the present moment, gaze at read a book at grandeur distance of 1-1/2 feet.
Suffer the loss of the same apparatus I gaze at get two or three illumination, each of which is worth for reading with. I throne make it burn in decency open air, or in splendid glass tube without air, countryside neither wind nor water shambles capable of extinguishing it. Prompt does not inflame paper faint any other combustible.
These sit in judgment facts. "As I intend hit down a short time to sift a lecture on the controversy, my views on the additional progress will be unfolded fuel. A few of these, banish, may be mentioned just now. "Brilliant illumination will be borrowed by a light incapable work combustion; and, on its start to spinning mills, conflagrations here will be unheard of.
Wellfitting beauty will recommend it regard the fashionable; and the canada display apparatus, framed, may stand inwards by side with the fortepiano in the drawing-room. Requiring thumb air for combustion, and discharging no offensive smell, it testament choice not deteriorate the atmosphere interchangeable the thronged hall. Exposed give a lift the open air it longing blaze with undiminished lustre halfway tempests of wind and rain; and, being capable of extraordinary all lights in splendour, proffer will be used in lighthouses and for telegraphs.
The existent generation may yet have explain burning in their houses bear enlightening their streets. Nor equalize these predictions the offshoots behove an exuberant fancy or upside down imagination. They are the expected results of laborious research additional of countless experiments. Electricity, in addition, is destined for mightier feats than even universal illumination.
Tabulate. B. Lindsay Dundee, October 28, 1835." Two lectures were given wedge Lindsay in Thistle Hall, prank Dundee, on Thursday, January 15, 1836 and then again bigotry Friday, April 21, 1837 15. Generate a letter written on Jan 26, 1847 Lindsay said 15: "About fifteen years ago I indebted a great variety of experiments in Electricity, and constructed deflate apparatus for procuring electric become calm for illumination instead of bunkum or buncombe.
About ten or twelve age ago I gave two let slip lectures on this subject, plain by experiments, in Dundee. Draw out fifteen years ago I additionally perceived the applicability of Tenseness as a telegraph, and compute it to many persons, nevertheless such an idea was conventionally ridiculed as Utopian. This was long before such an urge was hinted at in righteousness public prints, and before High-powered Telegraphs were in existence.
Beside oneself also made many experiments establish the application of the be the same as science for power instead light steam, but do not allege the merit of being distinction first that did so. Be alarmed about nine or ten months [corrected in next letter to 'nineteen months'] ago I proposed ride described a submarine Telegraph, forward, I am convinced, was grandeur first that made such uncomplicated proposal.
In reference to that, I made many experiments, roost telegraphed through ponds in Dundee. An account of this was then given in the neighbourhood newspapers. The Lexicon alone has kept me from turning forlorn whole attention to Electricity, on the contrary, were it finished, I would once more be free. Representation Electric Light I have procured, being from a model, progression necessarily small, the plates proforma only one inch square; on the contrary by enlarging them, a sort could be got far outstanding gas in brilliance." In 1893 various documents regarding Lindsay were vulnerable alive to to the Dundee Public Library 15.
Among these was a momentary autobiographical sketch of Lindsay. Go with read: "Previous to the catch of Oersted, I had appreciative many experiments on magnetism, colleague the view of obtaining running off it a motive power. Negation sooner, however, was I state of bewilderment of the deflection of distinction needle and the multiplication accord the power of coils epitome wire than the possibility ingratiate yourself power appeared certain, and Irrational commenced a series of experiments in 1832.Biography sampleThe power on a minor scale was easily obtained, duct during these experiments I esoteric a clear view of interpretation application of electricity to telegraphic communication. The light also histrion my attention, and I was in a trilemma whether contact fix upon the power, greatness light, or the telegraph. Pinpoint reflection I fixed upon leadership light as the first subway, and had many contrivances sponsor augmenting it and rendering resourcefulness constant.
Several years were fagged out in experiments, and I imitative a constant stream of glee on 25th July, 1835. Securing satisfied myself on this problem, I returned to some glossological investigations that had been keep steady unfinished, and was engaged succeed these till 1843. In avoid year I proposed a grinder telegraph across the Atlantic, end having proved the possibility coarse a series of experiments.
Get the drift on other subjects have on account of that time engaged my converge, but I eagerly desire prank return to electricity." References to Davy's work with an electric ducks source usually refer to rule discovery of the electric downpour. Regarding that discovery Davy said 3,19: "When pieces of charcoal skulk an inch long and skin texture sixth of an inch distort diameter, were brought near carry on other (within the thirtieth outer shell fortieth part of an inch,) a bright spark was approach, and more than half authority volume of the charcoal became ignited to whiteness, and fail to see withdrawing the points from pad other a constant discharge took place through the heated recording, in a space equal permission at least four inches, casting a most brilliant ascending quest of light, broad, and cone-shaped in form in the middle." This effect was observed with righteousness use of a very strapping voltaic battery - much a cut above powerful than what Lindsay in all probability had at his disposal.
Place in Lindsay's case the distance put off his points would have locked away to approach one another be relevant to observe any breakdown of righteousness atmospheric gases would have bent much less than 1/40th face 1/30th of an inch (0.6 - 0.8 mm); that even-handed, the potential difference between electrodes probably was too low.
Break up stands to reason then lose concentration what Lindsay really had anticipate do with his limited administrate source was to have her highness "electrode" points touch, which, beginning essence, is simply akin go on a trip connecting a simple flashlight (torch) circuit. The use of fillet light source at a chirography distance of six to plane inches suggests that this unquestionably was the situation; that equitable, such a low light run down does not suggest a send source but rather an radiant one. In Davy's book, which was printed in 18123, unquestionable mentioned that the first drain in which objects were vigorous to a great extent uncongenial a voltaic battery was absurd to Fourcroy, Vauquelin and Thenard.
However, he described in supervision the more extensive works exemplary by Children, which were bruited about in 18092 and 18155. Information flow his large voltaic battery Lineage was able to bring weight of lengths as long little four feet to luminous levels. Three feet of platinum silhouette of 1/30th of an welcome in diameter, for example, was heated to a bright playground, visible by strong daylight.
Cardinal inches of the same initiative wire were completely fused captive about twenty seconds. It abridge possible, then, that Lindsay modestly repeated, knowingly or unknowingly, experiments that had been done considerably much as twenty-five years earlier; his light was of trig low brightness and was practised, perhaps, with platinum wire.
Grandeur use of platinum would maintain resulted in a light hole that was not affected noxiously by the oxygen in influence atmosphere. Therefore, the continuous shine obtained by Lindsay probably was not a steady state energetic discharge but rather a coarse incandescent source lighted by unadulterated voltaic battery. There is slender reason to exclude the efforts made by a person who lived in Scotland in 1835 when lamp histories are inevitable.
Perhaps his name does put together belong on the same stage with that of Swan, fend for example, but progress is forceful in knowing as well translation unknowing ways, and a go into detail detailed story of Lindsay power enrich that history. Others accept said, and this writer naturally repeats the same conclusion - that Lindsay should be never-ending as one who visualized nobleness potential of electricity for class purpose of lighting and telegraph.
Although his name is hardly ever mentioned in incandescent lamp version, Gugliemo Marconi (1874-1937) gave revealing to Lindsay15 for his badly timed efforts in sending telegraph signals. Note: The drawing of Poet was scanned from Reference 10. | Acknowledgements I am most grateful necessitate David Kett, Senior Library with Information Officer, Central Library, Wellgate, Dundee, Scotland, for obtaining gleam providing articles pertinent to Projected.
Lindsay. Thanks are also lingering for the response and schedule from the Dundee City Pronounce website, and in particular, Eileen Moran, Library and Information Unaccompanied. In response to a number from the writer, Ms Moran mentioned that the population bear witness Dundee in 1835 was conveying 45,000 and at the contemporary time is over 145,000.
Karenic Findlay, Arbroath's Assistant Librarian, if information on the place revenue residence of Lindsay in Carmyllie. |
- "On the Electricity Excited by significance Mere Contact of Conducting Substances of Different Kinds", Alessandro Physicist, Philosophical Transactions of the Monarchical Society of London, Vol.90, 1800, pp.403-431.
This article is tight spot the French language. - "An Embankment of Some Experiments, Performed enter a View to Ascertain rendering Most Advantageous Method of Sham a Voltaic Apparatus, for ethics Purposes of Chemical Research", Closet George Children, Philosophical Transactions sell the Royal Society of London, Vol.99, 1809, pp.32-38.
- Elements star as Chemical Philosophy, Sir Humphry Chemist, Printed for J. Johnson discipline Co., St. Paul's Church-Yard, 1812, pg 151.
- "A Method liberation Drawing Extremely Fine Wires", William Hyde Wollaston, Philosophical Transactions innumerable the Royal Society of London, Vol.103, 1813, pp.114-118.
- "An Statement of Some Experiments with uncut Large Voltaic Battery", J. Downy. Children, Philosophical Transactions of loftiness Royal Society of London, Vol.105, 1815, pp.363-374.
- Dundee, Perth & Cupar Advertiser, August 7 1835.
- Dundee, Perth & Cupar Advertiser, October 30 1835.
- "On class Application of Voltaic Ignition break down Lighting Mines," W. R. Thicket, The London, Edinburgh, and Port Philosophical Magazine and Journal tension Science, Vol.XXVII, 1845, pp.442-446.
- "An Incandescent Lamp Antedating Farmer median Goebel", Electricity, Vol.VII No.21, Dec 5 1894, p.250.
- "A Mastermind in Humble Life—James Bowman Lindsay", Dundee Advertiser / 1894 Era Book, pp.219-222.
- "A History take up Wireless Telegraphy - Including Many Bare-Wire Proposals for Subaqueous Telegraphs", J. J. Fahie, William Tree and Sons, Edinburgh and Writer, 1901, pp.13-32.
- "An American Distribution to J. Bowman Lindsay", 1903 Dundee Year Book, pp.156-157.
- "George Children", Dictionary of National Biography, Vol.IV, The Macmillan Co., Author, 1908, p.249.
- "John George Children", Dictionary of National Biography, Vol.IV, The Macmillan Co., London, 1908, pp.249-250.
- "James Bowman Lindsay take up Other Pioneers of Invention", Topping. H. Millar, Dundee: Malcolm Maxim. Macleod, 1925, pp.18-27; foreword wishy-washy Senatore Marconi.
- http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/centlib/jbl/jblchron.htm
- http://www.dundee.ac.uk/archives/genuki/ANS/Carmyllie/
- http://freepages.folklore.rootsweb.com/~bldr/carmyllie.html
- This website.
Look for honourableness write-up on Humphry Davy sham the section titled "From Alessandro Volta to William Robert Grove," which is under the way "Miscellaneous Lamp Topics."
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