Sir Charles Wheatstone FRS : 1802-1875 PDF
Preview Sir Charles Wheatstone FRS : 1802-1875
HISTORY OF TECHNOLOGY SERIES 29 Sir Charles Wheatstone FRS 1802–1875 S i r C h a r l e 1s 8 0 W Brian Bowers 2 –h 1 8e 7a 5t s t o n e F R S The Institute of Electrical Engineers in association with the Science Museum IEE HISTORY OF TECHNOLOGY SERIES 29 Series Editors: Dr B. Bowers Dr C. Hempstead Sir Charles Wheatstone FRS 1802-1875 Other volumes in this series: Volume Measuring instruments—tools of knowledge P. H. Sydenham Volume Early radio wave detectors V. J. Phillips Volume A history of electric light and power B. Bowers Volume The history of electric wires and cables R. M. Black Volume An early history of electricity supply J. D. Poulter Volume Technical history of the beginnings of radar S. S. Swords Volume British television—the formative years R. W. Burns Volume Hertz and the Maxwellians J. G. O'Hara and D. W. Pricha Volume Vintage telephones of the world P. J. Povey and R. A. J. Earl Volume 10 The GEC Research Laboratories 1919-84 R. J. Clayton and J. Algar Volume 11 Metres to microwaves E. B. Callick Volume 12 A history of the world semiconductor industry P. R. Morris Volume 13 Wireless: the crucial decade, 1924-1934 G. Bussey Volume 14 A scientist's war—diary of Sir Clifford Paterson R. Clayton and J. Algar (Editors) Volume 15 Electrical technology in mining: the dawn of a new age A. V. Jones and R. Tarkenter Volume 16 'Curiosity perfectly satisfyed': Faraday's travels in Europe 1813-1815 B. Bowers and L. Symons (Editors) Volume 17 Michael Faraday's 'Chemical notes, hints, suggestions and objects of pursuit' of 1822 R. D. Tweney and D. Gooding (Editors) Volume 18 Lord Kelvin: his influence on electrical measurements and units P. Tunbridge Volume 19 History of international broadcasting J. Wood Volume 20 The very early history of radio, from Faraday to Marconi G. Garratt Volume 21 Exhibiting electricity K. G. Beauchamp Volume 22 Television: an international history of the formative years R. W. Burns Volume 23 History of international broadcasting, Volume 2 J. Wood Volume 24 The life and times of A. D. Blumlein R. W. Burns Volume 25 History of electric light and power, 2nd edition B. Bowers Volume 26 A history of telegraphy K. G. Beauchamp Volume 27 Restoring Baird's image D. F. McLean Volume 28 John Logie Baird, television pioneer R. W. Burns Sir Charles Wheatstone FRS 1802-1875 Brian Bowers The Institution of Electrical Engineers in association with the Science Museum Published by: The Institution of Electrical Engineers, London, United Kingdom ©2001: The Science Museum, London, United Kingdom This publication is copyright under the Berne Convention and the Universal Copyright Convention. All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any forms or by any means, only with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. Inquiries concerning reproduction outside those terms should be sent to the publishers at the undermentioned address: The Institution of Electrical Engineers, Michael Faraday House, Six Hills Way, Stevenage, Herts. SG1 2AY, United Kingdom While the author and the publishers believe that the information and guidance given in this work are correct, all parties must rely upon their own skill and judgment when making use of them. Neither the author nor the publishers assume any liability to anyone for any loss or damage caused by any error or omission in the work, whether such error or omission is the result of negligence or any other cause. Any and all such liability is disclaimed. The moral right of the author to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him/her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Bowers, Brian Sir Charles Wheatstone.- 2nd ed. (IEE history of technology series; no. 29) 1. Wheatstone, Sir Charles, 1802-1875 2. Physicists - England - Biography 3. Musical instrument makers - England - Biography I. Title II. Institution of Electrical Engineers 5301 .092 ISBN 0 85296 103 0 Typeset by RefineCatch Ltd, Bungay, Suffolk Printed by MPG Books Ltd, Bodmin, Cornwall Artist's impression of the Enchanted Lyre demonstration, which first brought Wheatstone into prominence. Contents Foreword xi Preface xiii List of figures xv List of tables xix 1 An extraordinary fellow 1 Notes 3 2 Early life 5 The Enchanted Lyre 8 The family business 9 Notes 11 PART 1 - SOUND AND LIGHT 13 3 Researches in sound 15 First scientific publication 17 The Royal Institution 20 The Kaleidophone 22 Resonance 24 Notes 30 4 Musical instrument manufacturer 33 The transmission of sound 33 Talking machines 34 New musical instruments 35 Teaching musical theory 41 The wave machine 43 Notes 44 5 The stereoscope 45 Notes 54 viii Contents PART 2 - ELECTRICITY 55 6 The velocity of electricity 57 The speed of light 66 Notes 68 7 Professor Wheatstone 69 Notes 78 8 Researches in electricity 79 Generators 82 Electromagnetic engines 85 Linear motors 95 Detonating explosives: induction generators 99 Notes 99 9 Electrical measurements 101 Early measuring techniques 103 The Bakerian Lecture 104 Notes 112 PART 3 - THE TELEGRAPH 115 10 Early telegraphy 117 Wheatstone's early telegraph ideas 119 Cooke's early telegraph ideas 122 The partnership 124 Rival inventors 125 The first telegaph patent 128 Notes 137 11 The practical electric telegraph 139 'ABC telegraphs 141 Dispute and arbitration 145 Printing telegraphs 148 The Electric Telegraph Company 151 Notes 156 12 Submarine telegraphy 157 Trials in Swansea Bay 161 The capacitance of cables 162 The submarine cable inquiry 163 Notes 165 Contents ix 13 The developing telegraph Codes and ciphers Chronoscopes ' Telemetry 178 Typewriters Wheatstone's later telegraphs *8^ Note 184 PART 4 - SIR CHARLES 185 14 Wheatstone at home * °' Marriage and family *°' Private life 191 Notes 193 15 Later scientific work *^ New generator designs 196 Waveforms 199 The self-excited generator 203 Miscellaneous science ^^^ Adviser to government 210 Notes 23 16 The public figure Notes Appendix - sources 223 Wheatstone's correspondence 223 Wheatstone's scientific papers 223 Index 231
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