On July 23, 1859, Siemens was married at St. James's, Paddington, to
Anne, the youngest daughter of Mr. Joseph Gordon, Writer to the Signet,
Edinburgh, and brother to Mr. Lewis Gordon, Professor of Engineering in
the University of Glasgow, He used to say that on March 19 of that year
he took oath and allegiance to two ladies in one day--to the Queen and
his betrothed. The marriage was a thoroughly happy one.
Although much engaged in the advancement of telegraphy, he was also
occupied with his favourite idea of regeneration. The regenerative gas
furnace, originally invented in 1848 by his brother Friedrich, was
perfected and introduced by him during many succeeding years. The
difficulties overcome in the development of this invention were
enormous, but the final triumph was complete.
The principle of this furnace consists in utilising the heat of the
products of combustion to warm up the gaseous fuel and air which enters
the furnace. This is done by making these products pass through
brickwork chambers which absorb their heat and communicate it to the gas
and air currents going to the flame. An extremely high temperature is
thus obtained, and the furnace has, in consequence, been largely used in
the manufacture of glass and steel.
Pages:
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156