Background
Joseph Bramah was born on the 13th of April 1748 at Stainborough, Yorkshire, United Kingdom; the son of a farmer, Joseph Bramma and his wife, Mary Denton.
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Joseph Bramah was born on the 13th of April 1748 at Stainborough, Yorkshire, United Kingdom; the son of a farmer, Joseph Bramma and his wife, Mary Denton.
Joseph was educated at the local school in Silkstone and on leaving school he was apprenticed to a local carpenter.
Incapacitated for agricultural labour by an accident to his ankle, on the expiry of his indentures he worked as a cabinet-maker in London, where he subsequently started business on his own account. His first patent for some improvements in the mechanism of water-closets was taken out in 1778.
In 1784 Joseph patented the lock known by his name, and in 1795 he invented the hydraulic press. For an important part of this, the collar which secured water-tightness between the plunger and the cylinder in which it worked, he was indebted to Henry Maudslay, one of his workmen, who also helped him in designing machines for the manufacture of his locks. In 1806 he devised for the Bank of England a numerical printing machine, specially adapted for bank-notes.
Other inventions of his included the beer-engine for drawing beer, machinery for making aerated waters, planing machines, and improvements in steam-engines and boilers and in paper-making machinery. In 1785 he suggested the possibility of screw propulsion for ships, and in 1802 the hydraulic transmission of power; and he constructed waterworks at Norwich in 1790 and 1793. He died in London on the 9th of December 1814.
Bramah was a prolific inventor, and obtained more than 18 patents for his designs. He established the Bramah Locks company and patented the lock which bore his name. He also improved the mechanism of water-closets, invented the hydraulic press, devised a numerical printing machine, beer-engine, machinery for making aerated waters and planing machines, and improved steam-engines, boilers and in paper-making machinery. His greatest contribution to engineering was his insistence on quality control.
In 1783 Joseph married Mary Lawton of Mapplewell, near Barnsley. They had a daughter and four sons.
