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James Watt
James Watt was not the original inventor of the steam engine. It was invented by Thomeas Newcomen in 1712.
Newcomen's steam engine was inefficent; the piston chamber was cooled with every cycle. Heat was wasted, and the cylinder had to be reheated for every new cycle.
James Watt improved on Newcomen's engine design. In 1769, Watt got a patent for a steam engine that was sealed and with two steam valves. These innovations would allow for a faster, more efficent steam engine.
Newcomen's steam engine used only atmospheric pressure to complete a cycle of the piston.. Because of this, it worked at a slow pace.
James Watt worked on improving the steam engine until the 1790s. He made many small improvments since his initial redesign. Watt also made a huge innovation for the engine. He attached a heavy, circular weight to the crankshaft for the engine. This weight, known as a flywheel, made the engine run smoother. Because of this, the engine could operate faster. The flyhweel also converted the engine's strokle from a back-and-forth motion to a more conventional circular motion. This made the engine useable in many applications.
Steam Engine
