This week in history I learned about the ironing board, the internal combustion engine, the repeating rifle, and the twist drill.
The first thing I learned about was the ironing board. In the 1840s there was a period of political and economic turmoil the a led to a relatively stable decade following. The ironing board was invented I 1858 as home ironing became mare common. It provides portability to be set up mast anywhere, and it is shaped to made it easier to iron the hard parts of clothes like pants legs and arms of shirts. The board was improved, and improved irons, especially the electric iron, increased demand for the ironing board. They introduced another source of time savings into the common family.
The second thing I learned about this week was the internal combustion engine. Steam technology ignited the industrial revolution, but steam engines can’t start instantaneously. Etienne Lenoir invented the internal combustion engine after discovering sparks ignite gasoline. The engine uses gas to turn a drive shaft. Nikolai Otto built upon Lenoir’s motor and converted it into the modern 4-stroke process. It revolutionized our world, from everyday driving, to vacations, to keeping grocery stores stocked with food.
The third thing I learned about this week was the repeating rifle. The rifle had evolved from the harquebus and musket to result in increasing accuracy, but was slow lading.
Benjamin Tyler Henry invented the lever action repeating rifle in 1860 after spending years working as a gunsmith. It could rapidly fire 16 powerful rounds at close range. It rose to fame during the Civil Oar as a rare but novel item that would help save soldiers lives, as the iconic western rifle followed the war. It played a role in the victory of the North, and the defeat of Custer, and the interest in the TV Westerns of the 1950s.
The fourth thing I learned about this week was the twist drill. John Wilkinson invented the boring machine in 1774, but his drill bit was a cutting bar. Steven A. Morse invented a twist drill bit in 1861. It cuts a clean hole and lifts debris up and out as it turns. Morse manufactured his bit and sold it to various industries and several countries. It’s what we think of when we imagine a drill, and they are used in large and small construction projects alike.
The most interesting thing I learned about this week was the repeating rifle, because it hasped with defending yourself.
The things that I learned about this week helped with ironing, self defense, cars, and drilling.
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