James
Watt
was born on January 19, 1736 in Scotland. He worked as an
instrument maker at the University of Glasgow. He worked with Joseph
Black and studied the properties of steam.
In 1769 he patented a condenser for condensing steam. A few years later, he patented a steam engine used to pump water out of mines. Other inventions included a twin-action piston engine, used to obtain power from the expansion of steam inside a cylinder. He also developed a centrifuge governor to hold a steam engine at a constant speed.
His steam engine, although not the first to be developed, was the first practice device for converting steam into useful work.
James Watt died on August 25, 1819.
References
Daintith, J. Mitchell, S., Tootill, E. (1981). A Biographical Encyclopedia of Scientists. New York: Facts on File.
Debus, A.G. (1968). World Who's Who in Science: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Scientists from Antiquity to the Present. Chicago: Marquis.
Howard, A.V. (1951). Chamber's Dictionary of Scientists. London: Chambers.
McGraw-Hill (1966). McGraw-Hill Modern Men of Science. New York: McGraw Hill.
Taton, R. (Ed.) (1963). History of Science: Ancient and Medieval Science from the Beginnings to 1450. New York: Basic Books.