1790s 20 and 9 Horse Power Rotative Engines for Gun Manufactory

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Date:January 1796

Description:20 and 9 Horse power engines for Henry P. Whately, Smethwick, January 1796.

An unusual arrangement of rotative engines at Henry P. Whately’s gun manufactory at French Walls in Smethwick. The upper engine shown in the plan and the elevation is a 20 horse power 'sun & planet' engine, while the lower is a smaller 9 horse crank engine. Henry’s brother John Whately ordered the 20 horse engine in 1791, to power the forge and the gun barrel grinding and boring mill. However it appears that the engine was not erected until late 1795/early 1796, when Henry was running the works. At the same time Henry bought the 9 horse engine from Cox & Hall of Nottingham, which he used to power the forge, leaving the 20 horse engine to power the grinding and boring mill. The engines were placed in an unusual arrangement, being side by side and both connected to a large drum, which appears to have been connected to the forge apparatus. Both engines were fed from a common boiler, although a second was added in 1799. James Watt Jr. purchased the 20 horse engine and boilers when he purchased the French Walls site in 1816.

This drawing is part of the Archives of Soho, held at Birmingham City Archives [Ref. MS3147/Portfolio/5/77]

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Donor ref:MS3147 5 77 (32/4037)

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