Henry Bessemer

Sir Henry Bessemer ( born January 19, 1813 in Charlton, Hertfordshire, † March 14, 1898 in London) was a British engineer and inventor. He developed the first method, steel cheap to produce in mass production. To this end he invented around 1855, the Bessemer converter. The fact running Windfrischverfahren for decarburization of pig iron by blowing air or steam was patented under the number 2321.

Life and work

Henry Bessemer was born the son of a type founder. When he worked in the foundry of his father after finishing his schooling, he taught mostly techniques of metal casting and metal processing even at. Bessemer gained a total of 117 patents. In 1879 he was elevated to the nobility and he was a member of the Royal Society.

Other inventions

Other inventions were cube-like embossing, a gold color, a candy machine, and a ship that would preserve its passengers from seasickness. Long before the patenting of float glass Bessemer had the idea of ​​using liquid tin as a carrier for flat glass.

Furthermore Bessemer developed a process named after him for obtaining pure steel / cast iron or copper from contaminated raw ores. Corresponding experimental facilities developed in the steel mills of Mansfeld.

Experimental steamship " SS Bessemer "

The ship had a gimbled mounted room, which has hand-operated hydraulic should balance the roles in a seaway. The prototype was designed for the passage of the English Channel and was taken in 1875 in operation. To minimize pitching movements, the ship was built as a double decreasing ( identical nose and tail shape ), and beyond the decks for the convenience of the passengers were placed very deep. The ship made ​​several crossings, but the swinging saloon proved itself in practice, has been removed, the ship then converted into cargo. It was a little later in a storm.

Bessemer wrote shortly before his death his autobiography, which was published posthumously in 1905. At the age of 85 years, Sir Henry Bessemer, died on 14 March 1898 in London.

Works

• Henry Bessemer, F.R.S., an autobiography. Institute of Metals, London, 1989, ISBN 0-901462-49-7 ( reprint of London 1905)