Invention Of The Machine

When dealing with the word machine, most people automatically picture something in their mind that's electronic and almost robotic like in nature. But that wasn't always the case. You may not consider something made of wood a machine, but if you were living in the time of the cave men civilization, the first basic lever that was used by cave men to raise a rock out of the ground is technically considered a machine. And that was made out of out a stick. No fancy buttons to push or miles of cord and wire attached or anything like that. This section of the site though will be dealing with the invention and innovation of machines.

Machine is a word that is derived from the Latin word machina, and it defines any type of device that uses energy to perform an activity. Any device that performs or assists you in performing some sort of job is considered a machine. The equipment involved in a microdermabrasion treatment or even the equipment used for teeth whitening at your dentist's office, are examples of machines. There are two categories that machines can be divided into, and they are 'simple' and 'complex'. Simple machines redirect force to make work easier. Examples of simple machines include levers, wheels and pulleys. Complex machines involve gathering simple machines and making them work together. An example of a (very) complex machine is a computer.

But as you've already gathered by reading this website, we tend to focus more on industrial machines and how the innovative machines that came out of the industrial revolution have changed the way we manufacture goods and perform services. During the industrial revolution there were a number of innovations that were first introduced. One such machine that was invented was the 'spinning jenny'. It was the world's first spool spinning wheel that helped reduce the workload of yarn production, because it let one worker work on at least eight spools at once. The advent of cotton mills came about because of the invention of this spinning jenny machine.

When it comes to discussing the invention of machines that defined industry, you can't ignore the steam engine. Initially used for pumping out mines, the steam engine was eventually applied to power machines that led to the development of semi-automated factories, where waterpower wasn't originally available. Steam engines would grow to be quite useful, as they would come to drive power transportation vehicles such as steamboats and locomotives. And steam turbines today generate almost half of the world's electricity. If it wasn't for the invention of the steam engine, maybe your grandparents that traveled here by boat would have never had the opportunity to live here, and you may have never had the chance to buy that property or home that you currently reside in.

We hope that we've provided you with enough information about the invention of machines and how they relate to industry. Maybe next time you're riding up the elevator,you might wonder how the counterweights balance the load of the elevator and help it stop and start to let you off at the right floor. Industrial machines and their parts have come a long way since the spinning jenny or the steamboat, and it's fascinating to think of what the future has in store for us. Without the invention of the machines mentioned and many others, who knows where we might be today.