Anthony Michell
Encyclopedia
Anthony George Maldon Michell FRS (21 June 1870—17 February 1959) was an Australian mechanical engineer of the early 20th century.
while his parents were on a visit to England
from Australia
to which they had emigrated 17 years earlier. The family returned to Maldon, Victoria
, in 1872, where young Anthony attended one of the state primary schools newly established in that area. He later returned to England and attended the Perse Grammar School whilst his elder brother, John Henry, attended Trinity College, Cambridge
. On leaving school, A.G.M. Michell matriculated and spent one year as a non-collegiate student
at Cambridge. In 1889, he returned to Australia and studied civil engineering at the University of Melbourne
, graduating in 1895. For the next two years he obtained practical experience in structural engineering with the firm Johns and Waygood. He then returned to University, and completed a Master of Civil Engineering degree in 1899.
The next few years were spent in hydraulic engineering
and it was not until the early 1900s that he turned his attention to the theory of lubrication.
The Michell principle, previously known as film lubrication, was originally observed and investigated by Beauchamp Tower and Osborne Reynolds
. Several years elapsed before their theories were put into practice by A.G.M. Michell, who first showed how it was possible to apply film lubrication to flat thrust surfaces and journal bearings, the result being the now widely known and universally adopted Michell bearing. Arising from Michell's research work on the mechanical properties of liquids and the mathematical studies of fluid motion viscosity and lubrication, a patent was taken out in England and Australia on 16 January 1905. In a few short years his invention completely revolutionised thrust bearing
technology, particularly in the field of marine propulsion and steam turbine
s.
The company of Michell Bearings Limited http://www.michellbearings.com was established in Newcastle upon Tyne
, England
, in 1920. Principal shareholders at that time were Vickers, Fairfield Rowan, John Brown Engineering and Cammell Laird.
in 1942 on the nomination of the Institution of Engineers (Australia), the Engineering Institute of Canada, and the South African Institution of Engineers.
In 1950, at the age of eighty, Michell published his fine book on lubrication. Of distinctive style, the book is wide-ranging yet concise, original and thorough, and provides a good starting point for students of the subject.
Anthony George Malden Michell was a bachelor and lived in Prospect Hill Road, Camberwell
, until his death in 1959 at the age of eighty-eight.
Early life
Michell was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
while his parents were on a visit to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to which they had emigrated 17 years earlier. The family returned to Maldon, Victoria
Maldon, Victoria
Maldon is a town in Victoria, Australia, in the Shire of Mount Alexander local government area. It has been designated "Australia's first notable town" and is celebrated for its 19th-century appearance, maintained since gold-rush days...
, in 1872, where young Anthony attended one of the state primary schools newly established in that area. He later returned to England and attended the Perse Grammar School whilst his elder brother, John Henry, attended Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. On leaving school, A.G.M. Michell matriculated and spent one year as a non-collegiate student
Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
Fitzwilliam College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge in England.The college traces its origins back to 1869 and the foundation of the Non-Collegiate Students Board, a venture intended to offer students from less financially privileged backgrounds a chance to study...
at Cambridge. In 1889, he returned to Australia and studied civil engineering at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, graduating in 1895. For the next two years he obtained practical experience in structural engineering with the firm Johns and Waygood. He then returned to University, and completed a Master of Civil Engineering degree in 1899.
The next few years were spent in hydraulic engineering
Hydraulic engineering
This article is about civil engineering. For the mechanical engineering discipline see Hydraulic machineryHydraulic engineering as a sub-discipline of civil engineering is concerned with the flow and conveyance of fluids, principally water and sewage. One feature of these systems is the extensive...
and it was not until the early 1900s that he turned his attention to the theory of lubrication.
The Michell bearing
Osborne Reynolds
Osborne Reynolds FRS was a prominent innovator in the understanding of fluid dynamics. Separately, his studies of heat transfer between solids and fluids brought improvements in boiler and condenser design.-Life:...
. Several years elapsed before their theories were put into practice by A.G.M. Michell, who first showed how it was possible to apply film lubrication to flat thrust surfaces and journal bearings, the result being the now widely known and universally adopted Michell bearing. Arising from Michell's research work on the mechanical properties of liquids and the mathematical studies of fluid motion viscosity and lubrication, a patent was taken out in England and Australia on 16 January 1905. In a few short years his invention completely revolutionised thrust bearing
Thrust bearing
A thrust bearing is a particular type of rotary bearing. Like other bearings they permit rotation between parts, but they are designed to support a high axial load while doing this.Thrust bearings come in several varieties....
technology, particularly in the field of marine propulsion and steam turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
s.
The company of Michell Bearings Limited http://www.michellbearings.com was established in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in 1920. Principal shareholders at that time were Vickers, Fairfield Rowan, John Brown Engineering and Cammell Laird.
Later years
In May 1934, Michell was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in the first year of his nomination. In 1938, he received the Kernot Memorial Medal from the University of Melbourne, which was awarded for distinguished engineering achievement in Australia. He was the recipient of the James Watt International MedalJames Watt International Medal
The James Watt Medal is the name of two awards named after Scottish engineer James Watt, both awarded for excellence in engineering:-James Watt International Gold Medal of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers:...
in 1942 on the nomination of the Institution of Engineers (Australia), the Engineering Institute of Canada, and the South African Institution of Engineers.
In 1950, at the age of eighty, Michell published his fine book on lubrication. Of distinctive style, the book is wide-ranging yet concise, original and thorough, and provides a good starting point for students of the subject.
Anthony George Malden Michell was a bachelor and lived in Prospect Hill Road, Camberwell
Camberwell, Victoria
Camberwell is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara. At the 2006 Census, Camberwell had a population of 19,637....
, until his death in 1959 at the age of eighty-eight.