In 1834, James Nasmyth opened a shop in Manchester, England and gained a reputation for his steam-powered tools. By 1939, he had developed the steam hammer. It allowed large materials to be forged with great accuracy. Steam was used to hoist a hammering block above a piece of medal. The steam would then be released from the piston, and the hammer would fall.Nasmyth did not patent and market his invention right away, but quickly did so when he saw one that had been built from his sketches in France. He improved on the design by injecting steam above the piston to add even more force to the downward blow.
The steam hammer resulted in larger forgings using heavier medals and stronger bonds. It was exhibited in the Great Exhibition of 1851. Unlike many inventors, Nasmyth was financially successful and was able to spend the last 30 years of his life with his hobby of astronomy.
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