On the Explosion of Steam Boilers.

AN EXTRAORDINARY EARLY AMERICAN INVENTOR AND ENGINEER

"THE THEORY OF THIS INGENIOUS METHOD OF ABSTRACTING HEAT"

PERKINS, Jacob. On the Explosion of Steam Boilers. [caption-title]. 8vo, disbound, pp. 18 + folding plate. N.p., n.d. [i.e. London: 1827.

First Edition. Rare. "In 1823, at fifty-seven years of age, Perkins started an entirely new type of activity, new to him and almost entirely new to science. This was his experimental work with steam of high pressure."-Dirk J. Struik, Yankee Science in the Making (1948), p. 69. Our copy is exactly like the BL copy, without formal title-page, and beginning on sig. "B"1. Inscribed on title: "With the Author's Compliments," and with a single correction in ink on p. 16. In 1823 Perkins invented super heated steam in an experiment, called a "flash boiler", one thousand shots per minute, using 900psi steam. This steam was later used in nuclear power plants to turn the steam turbines, and small flash boilers were used on some steam automobiles and provided quick acceleration. In flash boilers, water is delivered to preheated tubes, and vaporizes almost immediately. "The theory of this ingenious method of abstracting heat was described by Perkins in a small printed pamphlet published in 1827, entitled On the Explosion of Steam Boilers…This pamphlet consists of eighteen pages and a folding plate engraved with a diagram showing the relationship of the piston and the crank at various pressures. Perkins was very chary of distributing copies of his pamphlet before his patent of March 22, 1827, was finally sealed, for fear that it might prematurely reveal the nature of his invention. A copy is in the author's possession, Perkins has written on the margin of the first page: 'With the author's compliments. Confidential."-Greville Bathe & Dorothy Bathe, Jacob Perkins: His Inventions, His Times, & His Contemporaries (1943), p. 123 & note. Perkins says in a long letter to his friend and one-time-partner, Dr. Thomas P. Jones, in Philadelphia that he is sending him a copy of the pamphlet, and that he gave copies to Dr. Wollaston and Michael Faraday, "and to several engineers, whom I could trust, and who all agree, that it assigns the true cause of explosions."-Barthe, p. 125. Born in 1766 in Newburyport, Massachusetts, Perkins (1766-1849) was a gifted and prolific inventor, running a goldsmith business by age 15! By 21 the state of Massachusetts commissioned him to make the dies for the State's copper coins. At 31 he invented a machine for heading and pointing nails and tacks in a single operation, a remarkable invention for its day. He moved to New York, later to Philadelphia where he developed probably the first steel plates for banknote engraving, a system of preventing banknote forgery. Unable to get financial backing in this country he moved to England in 1819, taking his sons and a group of craftsmen with him. "America's loss was Britain's gain…He started a successful banknote business and went on to develop instruments for measuring ships' speeds, for determining diving depths, and a score of other devices. When he turned his attention to steam development, this amazing man really hit his stride…Then he invented his steam gun. The Duke of Wellington became very interested in this Perkins gun…", and its military uses were explored, then spurned by the British government. The London Mechanics Register of Nov. 6, 1824, said "If Mr. Perkin's steam guns were introduced into general use, there would be but very short wars; since no fecundity could provide population for its attacks." See W. H. B. Smith, Mr. Perkin's Extraordinary Steam Gun of 1824, original published in 1957, and reprinted in Lateral Science: A plethora of science & engineering subjects, both real & virtual, 8 July 2012. The DAB calls his experiments with high-pressure steam "unique", saying "He received recognition in various countries, particularly in England, but he was a hundred years ahead of his time." In all Perkins created over 21 inventions and between 1819 and 1836 patented 19 of them. His biography in ODNB is included in the biography of his son Angier March Perkins, and in fact gets the longest treatment there. Another useful biography is at madehow.com. For all things Perkins, see Baker Perkins Historical Society, online. OCLC locates two copies (National Library of Sweden & Swarthmore College). NUC adds Univ. of Illinois. First Edition not in COPAC.