Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-06-11

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regular work was at ploughing, but when
sixteen years old be hurt his ankle, was un.
fitted for farm work, and apprenticing him
self to carpenter, he soon became an ex.
pert workman, turning out ploughs and fd.
dies, window-frame violoncellos with equal
skill. Ambitious to improve in. his trade,
he went on foot to London, where he found
work in cabinet-maker's shop, and where
he made number of useful littleinvenions.
AT last he discovered some new method OF
pomp-makng for which lie took out Il pa
tent, and remembering his old friend the
| Yorkshire blacksmith, sent for him to tskc
charge of the biacksmith's work.
! In 1913 Bramah first turned his attention
to locks, which were then very poor and
easily picked. Branah invented lock and
took out patent therefor; and for nearly
eighty years the Bramah lock was regarded
as utterly invincible
| In 1851, Hobbs, the American, crossed the
ocean and succeeded III picking it. But it
took even Hobbs no less than sixteen days of
manipulation, during which he used u varie-
ty of elaborate instruments, which no burg.
lar could hope to own.
Bramah, after the success of his lock, oc-
cupied himself with making hydraulic
pumps making pens; and making machines
tor pulling up trees and for hosting goods
into warehouses but his name is now
principally associated with the Bramah lock
lie was so high in authority in mechanical
affairs that when any difficulty occurred
which mechanical ingenuity was likely to
remove recourse was usually had to Bramah
and he was rarely found at loss for con-
trivance to overcome it. THUS, when ap-
piled to by the Bank of England, in 1906,
to construct a machine for more accurately
and expeditiousy printing the numbers and
date lines on bank notes, he at once pro.
cecdcd to invent the necessary model, which
lie completed in the course of q month. -
And the same instrument with his own
subsequent improvements is still in constant
use, saving much clerical labor and ensurng
the greatest accuracy and legibility.
/ HENRY MAUDsLEY.
The mechanical tastes of boy are usually
as strongly marked in an inhorn mechanic
AS the musical taste is early developed in a
musician. Nascitur non fit. But generally
the former tastes are easier gratitied, and
thus, while vastly more useful, do not at.
tract as much attention as the latter. Thare
are boys to whom the blaaksmith's forge
and the machine-shop are irresistible at
fractions Often such tastes are stiied at
once by ambitious parents, and the result is
]
without special commercial instincts, is
grated in the tree of commerce, neser takes
TO it kindly, and is ever after a sapless sort
Of twig. Sometimes the would. be mechanic
is put "in law office" and once in a while
is sent TO study for the church" The re-
suit is at the best deplorabie medioCrity.
Henry Maudsley, one of the most eminent
OF English mechanics (whose death is re-
ported to us among the news brought by the
last foreign steamer. had this mechanical
instinct strikngly dezeloped His father
was "a carpenter, but young Maudsley him.
self was much fonder of working in iron,
and would often excite the anger of the
foreman 10y stealing off to an adjoining
smithy. He urged so hard for the change
that when fifteen years old he was trans
ierrcd from the carpenters to the black
smiths shop. Here he became an expert
worker in metal and was soon quite noted
for forging "trivets' with great speed and
skill, the old experienced hands gathering
round to admire him when at this work.
They had in this shop-which belonged to
the naval works of Woolwich-a very ac-
commodating experimenting officer, who
would blow his nose in a peculiar manner
when approaching, so that all forbidden
'lobs-and making "trivets' was one of
them-might be put out of the way by the
time he entered the shop.
When boy has the innate love for his
trade that Maudsley had sand thousands of
American youths all over the country have
to-day-he does not remain at the foot OF
the ladder. Take buy--there are plenty
such-who has no particular prediction
for anything, and put him at IA trade, and he
will always remain the mere workman. But
boys like Maudsley, almost without know
ing it, are urged on to something better.
At this time Bramah, the lockma&er had
great difficulty to find mechanics skitul
enough TO make his locks with the neat
precision he wanted. Young Maudsley was
suggested to him, and being sent for, the
young WOOlwich blacksmith came to Lon
aon. He was then but eighteen years Old
strong, muscular tall, and remarkable hand
some. But both Brsmah and his foreman
thought he was too young 20 be put in the
shop with old wurkmen. \ worn-Out vice
bench was lying near by, and Maudscy
seeing his chances were in danger, asked
permission to go right to work and fix II
up. He did so, and the job was so splen.
didly executed that he was at once engaged
and he became as much favorite ih this as
in his former shop. As before said, he was
extremely han d,ome-an Apollo among
Vulcans and ms personal advantages, with
his mental activity, had their effect on his
, fellow workman, who tacitly Acknowledged
him Us their leader and superior. lie rose IL
position and became foreman. In 1892 h'
opened II shop Of his own, he and his wife
for pretty girl had II little time before ac'
, cepted the handsome blacksmith clearing
the hired shop Of the dirt and rubbish lei)
in 1t by former tenant His hTss customc
; Was an artist, who gave an order ior th'
iron frame OF large easel and thencciortl
Maudsley's shop had plenty of work Ia
next success was the invention of the slide
rest with which his name Is usually indenti
! tied--an invention, too, which all familia
/, with the use OF the turing lathe now con
1 slider Indispensable, Maudsley became
+ famous manufacturer OF machinery; bu
e even when he employed numbers Of per
D aud found il necessary To labor more viii
+ the head than the hands. he used 10 go otls
X 10 the forge aud work enthusiastically will
G the sedge' hammer, just from sheer love q
c his art. Ia time his shop became as Il weF
Il a college of meehanieal art, from when "a
; best mechanics were proud TO have sfAau
Is ated.
. TuE OTHER BIOGRAPHIES
e OF Clements, Roberts, Nasmyih, Fail
S bnlrns and others, Mr. Smiles IN his lndui
a lf..N. a al ,