William McNaught (Rochdale)
Encyclopedia
William McNaught was a steam engine
engineer from Rochdale
, Lancashire
, England
.
McNaught was born in Manchester and apprenticed with a Mr Mills of Heywood, Bury. He then worked in London for John & Thomas Rennie before coming to Alexander Petrie & Son, around 1838.
McNaught became chief designer and superintendent at James Petrie's and designed a cutoff
gear for use on a stationary steam engine
. This was patented by James Petrie in 1844. Petrie started to build mill engines in 1819, McNaught joined in 1838 and remained until 1858, when he started his own company. Before this patent, there were problems with slide valves which suffered excessive wear. The Petrie and McNaught cutoff valves were circular with sloping faces that allowed a variable cut-off; they could be easily connected to the governor
that McNaught patented in 1850.
In 1860 he left Petrie's to set up his own business building steam engines at the former Halstead's 'Union Foundry' at Wet Rake on Drake Street, Rochdale. He was so successful that by 1863 he had built the St George's Foundry on Crawford St. Rochdale. . When he retired in 1870, the firm was taken over by his sons John and William and became known as J&W McNaught. They later amalgamated with John Petrie becoming Petrie and McNaught.
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
engineer from Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, 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...
.
McNaught was born in Manchester and apprenticed with a Mr Mills of Heywood, Bury. He then worked in London for John & Thomas Rennie before coming to Alexander Petrie & Son, around 1838.
McNaught became chief designer and superintendent at James Petrie's and designed a cutoff
Cutoff (steam engine)
In a steam engine, cutoff is the point in the piston stroke at which the inlet valve is closed. On a steam locomotive, the cutoff is controlled by the reverser....
gear for use on a stationary steam engine
Stationary steam engine
Stationary steam engines are fixed steam engines used for pumping or driving mills and factories, and for power generation. They are distinct from locomotive engines used on railways, traction engines for heavy steam haulage on roads, steam cars , agricultural engines used for ploughing or...
. This was patented by James Petrie in 1844. Petrie started to build mill engines in 1819, McNaught joined in 1838 and remained until 1858, when he started his own company. Before this patent, there were problems with slide valves which suffered excessive wear. The Petrie and McNaught cutoff valves were circular with sloping faces that allowed a variable cut-off; they could be easily connected to the governor
Governor (device)
A governor, or speed limiter, is a device used to measure and regulate the speed of a machine, such as an engine. A classic example is the centrifugal governor, also known as the Watt or fly-ball governor, which uses a rotating assembly of weights mounted on arms to determine how fast the engine...
that McNaught patented in 1850.
In 1860 he left Petrie's to set up his own business building steam engines at the former Halstead's 'Union Foundry' at Wet Rake on Drake Street, Rochdale. He was so successful that by 1863 he had built the St George's Foundry on Crawford St. Rochdale. . When he retired in 1870, the firm was taken over by his sons John and William and became known as J&W McNaught. They later amalgamated with John Petrie becoming Petrie and McNaught.