The Progress of Invention in the Nineteenth Century. by Edward W. Byrn

CHRONOLOGY OF LEADING INVENTIONS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. 1800--Volta’s Chemical Battery for producing Electricity. Louis Robert’s Machine for Making Continuous Webs of Paper. 1801--Trevithick’s Steam Coach (first automobile). Brunel’s Mortising Machine. Jacquard’s Pattern Loom. First Fire Proof Safe by Richard Scott. Columbium discovered by Hatchett. 1802--Trevithick and Vivian’s British patent for Running Coaches by Steam. Charlotte Dundas (Steamboat) towed canal Boats on the Clyde. Tantalum discovered by Ekeberg. First Photographic Experiments by Wedgewood and Davy. Bramah’s Planing Machine. 1803--Carpue’s Experiments on Therapeutic Application of Electricity. Iridium and Osmium discovered by Tenant, and Cerium by Berzelius. Wm. Horrocks applies Steam to the Loom. 1804--Rhodium and Palladium discovered by Wollaston. First Steam Railway and Locomotive by Richard Trevithick. Capt. John Stevens applies twin Screw Propellers in Steam Navigation. Winsor takes British patent for Illuminating Gas, lights Lyceum Theatre, and organizes First Gas Company. Lucas’ process making Malleable Iron Castings. 1805--Life Preserver invented by John Edwards of London. Electro-plating invented by Brugnatelli. 1806--Jeandeau’s Knitting Machine. 1807--First practical Steamboat between New York and Albany (Fulton’s Clermont). Discovery of Potassium, Sodium and Boron by Davy. Forsyth’s Percussion Lock for Guns. 1808--Barium, Strontium, and Calcium discovered by Davy. Polarization of Light from Reflection by Malus. Voltaic arc discovered by Davy. 1809--Sommering’s Multi-wire Telegraphy. 1810--System of Homœopathy organized by Hahnemann. 1811--Discovery of Metal Iodine by M. Courtois. Blenkinsop’s Locomotive. Colored Polarization of Light by Arago. Thornton and Hall’s Breech Loading Musket. 1812--London the First City lighted by Gas. Ritter’s Storage Battery. Schilling proposes use of Electricity to blow up mines. Zamboni’s Dry Pile (prototype of dry battery). 1813--Howard’s British patent for Vacuum Pan for refining sugar. Hedley’s Locomotive “Puffing Billy.” Introduction of Stereotyping in the United States by David Bruce. 1814--London Times printed by König’s rotary steam press. Stephenson’s First Locomotive. Demologos built by Fulton (the first steam war vessel). Heliography by Niépce. Discovery of Cyanogen by Gay Lussac. The Kaleidoscope invented by Sir David Brewster. 1815--Safety Lamp by Sir Humphrey Davy. Seidlitz Powders invented. Gas Meter by Clegg. 1816--The “Draisine” Bicycle. Circular Knitting Machine by Brunel. 1817--Discovery of Selenium by Berzelius, Cadmium by Stromeyer, and Lithium by Arfvedson. Hunt’s Pin Machine. 1818--Brunel’s patent Subterranean and Submarine tunnels. Electro-Magnetism discovered by Oersted of Copenhagen. 1819--American Steamer Savannah from New York first to cross Atlantic. Laennec discovers Auscultation and invents Stethoscope. Blanchard’s Lathe for turning Irregular Forms. 1820--Electro-Magnetic Multiplier by Schweigger. Discoveries in Electro-magnetism by Ampere and Arago. Bohnenberg’s Electroscope. Discovery of Quinine by Pelletier and Caventou. Malam’s Gas Meter. 1821--Faraday converts Electric Current into Mechanical Motion. 1822--Babbage Calculation Engine. 1823--Liquefaction and Solidification of Gases by Faraday, and foundation of ammonia absorption ice machine laid by him. Seebeck discovers Thermo-electricity. Silicon discovered by Berzelius. 1824--Discovery of metal Zirconium by Berzelius. Wright’s Pin Machine. 1825--First Passenger Railway in the world opened between Stockton and Darlington. Sturgeon invents prototype of Electro Magnet. Beaumont’s discoveries in Digestion (Alexis San Martin 1825-32). 1826--Discovery of Bromine by M. Balard. Barlow’s Electrical Spur Wheel. First Railroad in United States built near Quincy, Mass. 1827--Aluminum reduced by Wohler. Ohm’s Law of Electrical Resistance. Hackworth’s Improvements in Locomotive. Friction Matches by John Walker. 1828--Neilson’s Hot Blast for Smelting Iron. Professor Henry invents the Spool Electro Magnet. Tubular Locomotive Boiler by Seguin. First Artificial production of organic compounds (urea) by Wohler. Thorium discovered by Berzelius. Yttrium and Glucinum discovered by Wohler. Nicol’s prism for Polarized Light. Woodworth’s wood planer. Spinning Ring invented by John Thorp. 1829--Becquerel’s Double Fluid Galvanic Battery. George Stephenson’s Locomotive, “Rocket,” takes prizes of Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Importation of “Stourbridge Lion,” the first locomotive to run in the United States. Daguerreotype invented. Discovery of Magnesium by Bussey. 1830--Vanadium discovered by Sefstroem. Abbe Dal Negro’s Electrically operated pendulum. Ericsson’s Steam Fire Engine. 1831--Faraday discovers Magnetic Induction. Professor Henry telegraphs signals. Professor Henry invents his Electric Motor. Locomotive “John Bull” put in service on Camden and Amboy R. R. Chloroform discovered by Guthrie. McCormick first experiments with Reaper. 1832--Professor Morse conceives the idea of Electric Telegraph. First Magneto-Electric Machines by Saxton in United States and Pixii in France. Sturgeon’s Rotary Electric Motor. Baldwin’s first locomotive, “Old Ironsides,” built. Link Motion for Locomotive Engine invented by James. Chloral-hydrate discovered by Liebig. 1833--Steam Whistle adopted by Stephenson. Hussey’s Reaper patented. 1834--Jacobi’s Rotary Electric Motor. Henry Bessemer electro-plates lead castings with copper. Faraday demonstrates relation of chemical and electrical force. McCormick Reaper patented. Carbolic Acid discovered by Runge. Perkins’ Ice Machine. 1835--Forbes proves the absence of heat in Moonlight. Burden’s horse shoe Machine. 1836--The Daniell Constant Battery invented. Acetylene Gas produced by Edmond Davy. Colt’s Revolver. 1837--Cooke and Wheatstone’s British patent for Electric telegraph. Steinheil discovered feasibility of using the earth for return section of electric circuit. Davenport’s Electric Motor. Spencer’s experiments in electrotyping. Galvanized Iron invented by Craufurd. 1838--Professor Morse’s French patent for Telegraph. Jacobi’s Galvano-plastic process for making Electrotype Printing Plates. Reflecting Stereoscope by Wheatstone. Dry Gas Meter by Defries. 1839--Wreck of Royal George blown up by Electro Blasting. Jacobi builds first Electrically propelled Boat. Fox Talbot makes Photo Prints from Negatives. Professors Draper and Morse make first Photographic Portraits. Mungo Ponton applies Bichromate of Potash in Photography. Goodyear discovers process of Vulcanizing Rubber. Lanthanum and Didymium discovered by Mosander. Babbit Metal invented. 1840--Professor Morse’s United States patent for Electric Telegraph. Professor Grove makes first Incandescent Electric Lamp. Celestial Photography by Professor Draper. 1841--Artesian well bored at Grenelle, Paris. Sickel’s Steam Cut-off. Talbotype Photos. M. Triger invents Pneumatic Caissons. 1842--First production of Illuminating Gas from water (water gas) by M. Selligue. Robt. Davidson builds Electric Locomotive. Nasmyth patents Steam Hammer. 1843--Joule’s demonstration as to the Nature of Force. Erbium and Terbium discovered by Mosander. The Thames Tunnel Opened. 1844--First Telegraphic Message sent by Morse from Washington to Baltimore. Application Nitrous Oxide Gas as an Anæsthetic by Dr. Wells. 1845--Ruthenium discovered by Klaws. The Starr-King Incandescent Electric Lamp. The Hoe Type Revolving Machine. 1846--House’s Printing Telegraph. Howe’s Sewing Machine. Suez Canal Started (fourteen years building). Crusell of St. Petersburgh invents Electric Cautery. Use of Ether as Anæsthetic by Dr. Morton. Artificial Legs. Discovery of Planet Neptune. Sloan patents Gimlet Pointed Screw. Gun Cotton discovered by Schönbein. 1847--Chloroform introduced by Dr. Simpson. Nitro-Glycerine discovered by Sobrero. Time-Locks invented by Savage. 1848--Discovery of Satellites of Saturn by Lassell. Bain’s Chemical Telegraph. Bakewell’s Fac-Simile Telegraph. 1849--Bourdon’s Pressure Gauge. Lenticular Stereoscope by Brewster. Hibbert’s Latch Needle for Knitting Machine. Corliss Engine. 1850--First Submarine Cable--Dover to Calais. Collodion Process in Photography. Mercerizing Cloth. American Machine-made Watches. 1851--Dr. Page’s Electric Locomotive. The Ruhmkorff Coil. Scott Archer’s Collodion Process in Photography. Seymour’s Self-Raker for Harvesters. Helmholtz invents Opthalmoscope. Maynard Breech Loading Rifle. 1852--Channing and Farmer Fire Alarm Telegraph. Fox Talbot first uses reticulated screen for Half Tone Printing. 1853--Gintl’s Duplex Telegraph invented. Electric Lamps devised by Foucault and Duboscq. Watt and Burgess Soda Process for Making Wood Pulp. 1854--Wilson’s Four Motion Feed for Sewing Machines. Melhuish invents the Photographic Roll Films. Hermann’s Diamond Drill. Smith and Wesson Magazine Firearm (Foundation of the Winchester). 1855--Bessemer Process of Making Steel. Hjorth invents Dynamo Electric Machine. Ericsson’s Air Engine. Niagara Suspension Bridge. Dr. J. M. Taupenot invents Dry Plate Photography. The Michaux Bicycle. 1856--Hughes Printing Telegraph. Alliance Magneto Electric Machine. Woodruff Sleeping Car. First commercial Aniline Dyes by Perkins. Siemens Regenerative Furnace. 1857--Rogues’ Gallery established in New York. Introduction of Iron Floor Beams in building Cooper Institute. Siemens describes principle of Self Intensification of Cold (now used in ice and liquid air machines). 1858--Phelps Printing Telegraph invented. First Atlantic Cable Laid. Paper pulp from Wood by Voelter. First use of Electric Light in Light House at South Foreland. Giffard Steam Injector. Gardner patents first Underground Cable Car System. 1859--Discovery Coal Oil in United States. Moses G. Farmer subdivides Electric Current through a number of Electric Lamps, and lights first dwelling by Electricity. Great Eastern launched. Osborne perfects modern process of Photolithography. Professors Kirchhoff and Bunsen map Solar Spectrum, and establish Spectrum Analysis. 1860--Rubidium and Caesium discovered by Bunsen. Gaston Planté’s Storage Battery. Reis’ Crude Telephone. Thallium discovered by Crookes, and Indium by Reich and Richter. Spencer and Henry Magazine Rifles. Carré’s Ammonia Absorption Ice Machine. 1861--McKay Shoe Sewing Machine. Calcium Carbide produced by Wohler. Col. Green invents Drive Well. Otis Passenger Elevator. First Barbed Wire Fence. 1862--Ericsson’s Iron Clad Turret Monitor. Emulsions and improvements in Dry Plate Photography by Russell and Sayce. The Gatling Gun. Timby’s Revolving Turret. 1863--Schultz white gunpowder. 1864--Nobel’s Explosive Gelatine. Rubber Dental Plates. Cabin John (Washington Aqueduct) Bridge finished (longest masonry span in the world). 1865--Louis Pasteur’s work in Bacteriology begun. Martin’s Process of making Steel. 1866--Wilde’s Dynamo Electric Machine. Burleigh’s Compressed Air Rock Drill. Whitehead Torpedo. 1867--Siemens’ Dynamo Electric Machine. Dynamite Invented. Tilghman’s Sulphite Process for making Wood Pulp. 1868--Brickill’s Water Heater for Steam Fire Engines. Moncrieff’s Disappearing Gun Carriage. Oleomargarine invented by Mege. Sholes Typewriter. 1869--Suez Canal Opened. Pacific Railway Completed. First Westinghouse Air-Brakes. 1870--The Gramme Dynamo Electric Machine. Windhausen Refrigerating Machines. Beleaguered Paris communicates with outer world through Micro-Photographs. Hailer’s Rebounding Gun Lock. Dittmar’s Gunpowder. 1871--Hoe’s Web Perfecting Press set up in Office New York Tribune. The Locke Grain Binder. Bridge Work in Dentistry. Mount Cenis Tunnel opened for traffic. Phosphorus Bronze. Ingersoll Compressed Air Rock Drill. 1872--Stearns perfects Duplex Telegraph. Westinghouse Improved automatic Air Brake. Lyall Positive Motion Loom. 1873--Janney Automatic Car Coupler. Oleomargarine patented in United States by Mege. 1874--Edison’s Quadruplex Telegraph. Gorham’s Twine Binder for Harvesters. Barbed Wire Machines. St. Louis Bridge finished. 1875--Lowe’s patent for Water Gas (illuminating gas made from water). Roller Mills and Middlings Purifier for making flour. Gallium discovered by Boisbaudran. Pictet Ice Machine. Gamgee’s Skating Rinks. First Cash Carrier for Stores. 1876--Alexander Graham Bell’s Speaking Telephone. Hydraulic Dredges. Cigarette Machinery. Photographing by Electric Light by Vander Weyde. Edison’s Electric Pen. Steam Feed for Saw Mill Carriages. Introduction of Cable Cars by Hallidie. 1877--Phonograph invented by Edison. Otto Gas Engine. Jablochkoff Electric Candle. Sawyer-Man Electric Lamp. Berliner’s Telephone Transmitter of variable resistance (pat. Nov. 17, ’91). Edison’s Carbon Microphone (pat. May 3, ’92). Discovery of Satellites of Mars by Professor Asaph Hall, and its so-called Canals by Schiaparelli. Liquefaction of Oxygen, Nitrogen and Air by Pictet and Cailletet. 1878--Development of Remington Typewriter. Edison invents Carbon Filament for Incandescent Electric Lamp. Gelatino-Bromide Emulsions in Photography. Ytterbium discovered by Marignac. Birkenhead Yielding Spinning Spindle Bearing. Gessner Cloth Press. 1879--Dr. Siemens’ Electric Railway at Berlin. Mississippi Jetties completed by Capt. Eads. Samarium discovered by Boisbaudran, Scandium by Nilson, and Thulium by Cleve. The Lee Magazine Rifle. 1880--Faure’s Storage Battery. Eberth and Koch discover Bacillus of Typhoid Fever, and Sternberg the Bacillus of Pneumonia. Edison’s Magnetic Ore Concentrator. Greener’s Hammerless Gun. Rabbeth Spinning Spindle patented. 1881--Telegraphing by Induction by Wm. W. Smith. Blake Telephone Transmitter. Reece Button Hole Machine. Rack-a-rock (explosive) patented. 1882--Bacillus of Tuberculosis identified by Koch, and Bacillus of Hydrophobia by Pasteur. St. Gothard Tunnel opened for traffic. 1883--Brooklyn Suspension Bridge Completed. 1884--Antipyrene. Mergenthaler’s first Linotype Printing Machine invented. Bacillus of Cholera identified by Koch, Bacillus of Diphtheria by Loeffler, and Bacillus of Lockjaw by Nicolaier. 1885--Cowles’ Process of Manufacturing Aluminum. First Electric Railway in America installed between Baltimore and Hampden. Neodymium and Praseodymium discovered by Welsbach. Welsbach Gas Burner invented. Blowing up of Flood Rock, New York Harbor. “Bellite” produced by Lamm, and “Melinite” by Turpin. 1886--Graphophone invented. Electric Welding by Elihu Thomson. Gadolinum discovered by Marignac, and Germanium by Winkler. 1887--McArthur and Forrest’s Cyanide Process of Obtaining Gold. Tesla’s System of Polyphase Currents. 1888--Electrocution of Criminals adopted in New York State. Harvey’s Process of Annealing Armor Plate. De Laval’s Rotary Steam Turbine. “Kodak” Snap-Shot Camera. Lick Telescope. De Chardonnet’s Process of Making Artificial Silk. 1889--Nickel Steel. Hall’s Process of Making Aluminum. Dudley Dynamite Gun. “Cordite” (Smokeless Powder) produced by Abel and Dewar. 1890--Mergenthaler’s Improved Linotype Machine. Photography in Colors. The Great Forth Bridge finished. Krag-Jorgensen Magazine Rifle. 1891--Parsons’ Rotary Steam Turbine. The Northrup Loom. 1892--The explosive “Indurite” invented by Professor Munroe. 1893--Acheson’s process for making Carborundum. The Yerkes Telescope. Edison’s Kinetoscope. Production of Calcium Carbide in Electric Furnace by Willson. 1894--Discovery of element Argon by Lord Rayleigh and Professor Ramsey. Thorite produced by Bawden. 1895--X-Rays discovered and applied by Roentgen. Acetylene Gas from Calcium Carbide by Willson. Krupp Armor Plate. Lindé’s Liquid air apparatus. 1896--Marconi’s System of Wireless Telegraphy. Buffington-Crozier Disappearing Gun. 1897--Schlick’s System of Balancing Marine Engines. Discovery of Krypton by Ramsey and Travers. 1898--Horry and Bradley’s process of making Calcium Carbide. Discovery of Neon and Metargon by Ramsey and Travers; Coronium by Nasini; Xenon by Ramsey; Monium by Crookes, and Etherion by Brush. Mercerizing Cloth under tension to render it Silky. 1899--Marconi Telegraphs without wire across the English Channel. Oceanic launched, the largest steamer ever built. 1900--The Grande Lunette Telescope of Paris Exposition.