Matthew Boulton: The Boulton and Watt engine

James Watt, the grandson of a mathematics teacher, and the son of a shipwright merchant of Greenock, born in 1736 was a mathematical instrument maker at the University of Glasgow. Watts’ job was to look after the mathematical instruments which belonged to the university. Once he got a chance to repair a model of Thomas Newcomen's steam pumping engines and observed that Newcomen steam was highly inefficient and its alternate heating and cooling of cylinder wastes power.

James Watt and the Steam Engine

He started experimenting different techniques to improve the efficiency of steam engines. After weeks of experiments he incorporated few major changes in old Newcomen's steam pumping engines and came out with a better and efficient model of engine.

Following were changes James Watt made in Newcomen's steam engine :-

Newcomen's steam engine used the same chamber for condensation Watt added separate condensation chamber a small cylinder, connected to the main one. This resulted in saving energy which was wasted by spraying cool water in main chamber for condensation.
Watt also sealed the top of the cylinder and injected low-pressure steam into the upper part of the cylinder thus making it a high pressure steam engine opposite to Newcomen's steam pumping engine which relayed on atmospheric pressure thus increasing the power of the engine.
Speed of Engine was controlled by a centrifugal governor which regulated the amount of steam getting into pressure chamber by cutting off the steam supply if it speeds up and vice versa.

James Watt Partners with Matthew Boulton

To start his business by commercialising upgraded steam engine he looked for someone on interest sharing basis. After one or two disastrous business experiences, James Watt became a partner of Matthew Boulton. This partnership lasted till their death.

In 1788 James Watt built a beam engine now called the Lap Engine preserved in the London Science Museum. The sole purpose of which was to provide the rotary power to the lapping and polishing machines at Matthew Boulton’s Soho Manufactory in Birmingham. This engine is possibly the first enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Watt in the world to have its power output rated in horsepower. It remained at work for 70 years.