Credit: © The Royal Society
Image number: RS.8438
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Horse-gin operated pile driver
Date
1738
Creator
William Henry Toms (1690 - 1756, British) , Engraver
After
Hubert François Bourguignon Gravelot (1699 - 1773, French)
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (print): 450mm
width (print): 360mm
width (print): 360mm
Subject
Description
A perspective view of a horse-gin operated pile driver, invented by watch-maker, James Vauloue. The engine was used for driving the piles of the first Westminster Bridge in London which was built between 1739-1750. From Smeaton volume 4, fol. 12v.
Object history
The Royal Society John Smeaton collection consists of 6 volumes of his working drawings.
The drawings (with supplementary manuscripts and engravings) were classified by mechanical engineer, John Farey (1791-1851) under the following 6 headings: I. Windmills and watermills for grinding corn; II. Mills for various purposes and machines for raising water; III. Fire engines for raising water; IV. Bridges and Buildings; V. Canal works, sluices, and harbours; VI. Canals and river navigations
Smeaton made all his drawings himself. Later in his career he employed a draughtsman, but still continued to draw the lines of all his drawings to the proper scale in pencil on cartridge paper which he called sketches. Fair copies of the sketches were then made on drawing paper by the draughtsman, William Jessop or his successor Henry Eastburn, and Smeaton's daughters frequently helped in the shadowing and finishing using ink wash.
The drawings (with supplementary manuscripts and engravings) were classified by mechanical engineer, John Farey (1791-1851) under the following 6 headings: I. Windmills and watermills for grinding corn; II. Mills for various purposes and machines for raising water; III. Fire engines for raising water; IV. Bridges and Buildings; V. Canal works, sluices, and harbours; VI. Canals and river navigations
Smeaton made all his drawings himself. Later in his career he employed a draughtsman, but still continued to draw the lines of all his drawings to the proper scale in pencil on cartridge paper which he called sketches. Fair copies of the sketches were then made on drawing paper by the draughtsman, William Jessop or his successor Henry Eastburn, and Smeaton's daughters frequently helped in the shadowing and finishing using ink wash.
Associated place