William Otis
Encyclopedia
William Otis was an American inventor of the steam shovel
. Otis received a patent
for his creation on February 24, 1839.
In 1839, William Smith Otis, civil engineer of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, was issued a US patent for the steam shovel
(No. 1,089) for excavating and removing earth for railroads or canals. The patent drawing showed the crane mounted on a railroad car. A load of earth could lifted by the bucket, raised by the crane and turned to be dumped, such as in railcars. The patent described how a steam engine
of a type then in ordinary use, was installed with a power control mechanism for the crane, and a system of pulleys to move its arms and bucket. It could move about 380 cubic metres of earth a day, with its 1.1 cubic metre capacity shovel and 180° slewing wooden jib. It was first used on the Western Railroad in Massachusetts
.
William Smith Otis was born on September, 20, 1813, in Pelham, Massachusetts
, and was cousin to Elisha Otis
of elevator
fame. At an early age, William was interested in earthworks and mechanics. At the age of 22, he had shown an uncommon mechanical ingenuity and created the first steam powered mechanical excavator.
Using materials obtained in vicinity of Canton, Massachusetts
, William created the machine in 1835 which was used building railroad lines between Norwich and Worcester. Working with the company ,”Carmichael and Fairbanks”, William Smith Otis devised an apparatus carrying out the same actions as the person with a shovel.
Otis moved to Philadelphia and enlisted the talents of Joseph Harrison to help construct a prototype. Harrision operated the company ”Garrett and Eastwick," and fabricated a pre-production model in 1836. On June 15, 1836, William Smith Otis received the patent for the invention; however during a fire, the engineering specifications had been destroyed.
On February 24, 1839, the patent behind number 1089 officially entered validity, and called “the Crane-dredge for excavation and earth removals”.
William Smith Otis died on November, 13, 1839 at the age of 26.
Steam shovel
A steam shovel is a large steam-powered excavating machine designed for lifting and moving material such as rock and soil. It is the earliest type of power shovel or excavator. They played a major role in public works in the 19th and early 20th century, being key to the construction of railroads...
. Otis received a patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
for his creation on February 24, 1839.
In 1839, William Smith Otis, civil engineer of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, was issued a US patent for the steam shovel
Steam shovel
A steam shovel is a large steam-powered excavating machine designed for lifting and moving material such as rock and soil. It is the earliest type of power shovel or excavator. They played a major role in public works in the 19th and early 20th century, being key to the construction of railroads...
(No. 1,089) for excavating and removing earth for railroads or canals. The patent drawing showed the crane mounted on a railroad car. A load of earth could lifted by the bucket, raised by the crane and turned to be dumped, such as in railcars. The patent described how a steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
of a type then in ordinary use, was installed with a power control mechanism for the crane, and a system of pulleys to move its arms and bucket. It could move about 380 cubic metres of earth a day, with its 1.1 cubic metre capacity shovel and 180° slewing wooden jib. It was first used on the Western Railroad in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
William Smith Otis was born on September, 20, 1813, in Pelham, Massachusetts
Pelham, Massachusetts
Pelham is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,403 at the 2000 census. It shares the same zip code as Amherst.Pelham is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, and was cousin to Elisha Otis
Elisha Otis
Elisha Graves Otis was an American industrialist, founder of the Otis Elevator Company, and inventor of a safety device that prevents elevators from falling if the hoisting cable fails. He worked on this device while living in Yonkers, New York in 1852, and had a finished product in...
of elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
fame. At an early age, William was interested in earthworks and mechanics. At the age of 22, he had shown an uncommon mechanical ingenuity and created the first steam powered mechanical excavator.
Using materials obtained in vicinity of Canton, Massachusetts
Canton, Massachusetts
Canton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,561 at the 2010 census. Canton is part of Greater Boston, about 15 miles southwest of downtown Boston.- History :...
, William created the machine in 1835 which was used building railroad lines between Norwich and Worcester. Working with the company ,”Carmichael and Fairbanks”, William Smith Otis devised an apparatus carrying out the same actions as the person with a shovel.
Otis moved to Philadelphia and enlisted the talents of Joseph Harrison to help construct a prototype. Harrision operated the company ”Garrett and Eastwick," and fabricated a pre-production model in 1836. On June 15, 1836, William Smith Otis received the patent for the invention; however during a fire, the engineering specifications had been destroyed.
On February 24, 1839, the patent behind number 1089 officially entered validity, and called “the Crane-dredge for excavation and earth removals”.
William Smith Otis died on November, 13, 1839 at the age of 26.
See also
- Marion Steam Shovel
- Osgood CompanyOsgood CompanyThe Osgood Company was a Marion, Ohio based manufacturer of heavy machinery, producing steam shovels, dragline excavators and cranes. What would eventually become Osgood Company was founded in 1910 as Marion Steam Shovel and Dredge Company by A.E. Cheney, the former head of sales for the Marion...