Wimshurst was born in 1832, in Poplar, East London, England. He was the son of Henry Wimshurst, a shipbuilder of Ratcliffe Cross Dock.[1][2] Wimshurst was educated at Steabonheath House in London and became an apprentice at the Thames Ironworks until 1853 with James Mare. In 1865, he married Clara Tribble.[3] In 1865, after Wimshurst was transferred to Liverpool, he worked at the Liverpool Underwriters' Registry. In 1874, he joined the Board of Trade as a "chief shipwright surveyor" at Lloyds. Later, in 1890, he became the Board of Trade's representative at an international conference in Washington.
Wimshurst dedicated large amounts of his free time to experimental works. Besides his electrical activities, he invented a distinctive vacuum pump, a device to indicate ship stability and methods for electrically connecting lighthouses to the mainland. In 1878, he began to experiment with electrical influence machines for generating electrical sparks for scientific and entertainment purposes. Beginning in 1880, he became interested in electrostatic machines of the influence type. His house in Clapham, England, had a versatile workshop which had a wide variety of tools and devices for electric illumination. Wimshurst constructed several of the known types of electrostatic generators, such as those created by W. Nicholson, F. P. Carré and W. T. B. Holtz. To these predecessors, Wimshurst made many modifications with the result known as the Holtz-Wimshurst machine.
Shortly afterwards, Wimshurst developed a "duplex machine". The device had two disks turning in opposite directions, with metallic conducting sectors on the surfaces of each. Compared to its predecessors, this machine was less sensitive to atmospheric conditions and did not require an electric power supply. This form of the machine was also improved by other developers (such as the Pidgeon machine developed by W. R. Pidgeon, which increased the electrical induction effect and its electrical output). In 1882, Wimshurst developed his "Cylindrical Machine". By 1883, his improvements to the electrostatic generator led to the device being widely known as the Wimshurst machine. In 1885, one of the largest Wimshurst machines was built in England (and is now at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry).
^Most obits say he married Clara Tubb, but the GRO index of marriages for Oct-Dec 1865, Vol1b, page736 indicates it was Clara Tribble (source for this is FreeBMD website giving a transcription of the GRO index)
S. E. Fryer, Wimshurst, James (1832–1903), rev. Arne Hessenbruch, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 28 March 2006
Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz, James Wimshurst, coe.ufrj.br. (Portuguese)
August 23, 2023
james, wimshurst, april, 1832, january, 1903, english, inventor, engineer, shipwright, though, wimshurst, patent, machines, various, improvements, that, made, them, refinements, electrostatic, generator, becoming, widely, known, wimshurst, machine, born, 1832,. James Wimshurst 13 April 1832 3 January 1903 was an English inventor engineer and shipwright Though Wimshurst did not patent his machines and the various improvements that he made to them his refinements to the electrostatic generator led to its becoming widely known as the Wimshurst machine James WimshurstBorn 1832 04 13 13 April 1832Poplar EnglandDied3 January 1903 1903 01 03 aged 70 Clapham EnglandOccupationEngineerParentHenry Wimshurst father Engineering careerDisciplineShipwright electrical engineerSignificant designWimshurst machineAwardsFellow of the Royal Society Contents 1 Biography 2 Membership and honors 3 Publications 4 References and external linksBiography EditWimshurst was born in 1832 in Poplar East London England He was the son of Henry Wimshurst a shipbuilder of Ratcliffe Cross Dock 1 2 Wimshurst was educated at Steabonheath House in London and became an apprentice at the Thames Ironworks until 1853 with James Mare In 1865 he married Clara Tribble 3 In 1865 after Wimshurst was transferred to Liverpool he worked at the Liverpool Underwriters Registry In 1874 he joined the Board of Trade as a chief shipwright surveyor at Lloyds Later in 1890 he became the Board of Trade s representative at an international conference in Washington Wimshurst dedicated large amounts of his free time to experimental works Besides his electrical activities he invented a distinctive vacuum pump a device to indicate ship stability and methods for electrically connecting lighthouses to the mainland In 1878 he began to experiment with electrical influence machines for generating electrical sparks for scientific and entertainment purposes Beginning in 1880 he became interested in electrostatic machines of the influence type His house in Clapham England had a versatile workshop which had a wide variety of tools and devices for electric illumination Wimshurst constructed several of the known types of electrostatic generators such as those created by W Nicholson F P Carre and W T B Holtz To these predecessors Wimshurst made many modifications with the result known as the Holtz Wimshurst machine Shortly afterwards Wimshurst developed a duplex machine The device had two disks turning in opposite directions with metallic conducting sectors on the surfaces of each Compared to its predecessors this machine was less sensitive to atmospheric conditions and did not require an electric power supply This form of the machine was also improved by other developers such as the Pidgeon machine developed by W R Pidgeon which increased the electrical induction effect and its electrical output In 1882 Wimshurst developed his Cylindrical Machine By 1883 his improvements to the electrostatic generator led to the device being widely known as the Wimshurst machine In 1885 one of the largest Wimshurst machines was built in England and is now at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry Wimshurst became a member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers in 1889 In 1891 he reported a machine that generated high tension alternating currents In 1896 his multiple disk machines up to 8 disks found a new use as Roentgen ray generators for radiography and electrotherapy For this contribution to medical science he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1898 He died in Clapham South West London England at the age of 70 Membership and honors EditFellow of the Royal Society 1898 Institution of Electrical Engineers 1889 Physical Society Rontgen Society Institution of Naval ArchitectsPublications Edit A Book of Rules for the Construction of Steam Vessels 1898 References and external links Edit UK National Archives BT356 11458 London Gazette 1849 issue 21003 page 2369 Most obits say he married Clara Tubb but the GRO index of marriages for Oct Dec 1865 Vol1b page736 indicates it was Clara Tribble source for this is FreeBMD website giving a transcription of the GRO index S E Fryer Wimshurst James 1832 1903 rev Arne Hessenbruch Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press 2004 accessed 28 March 2006 Antonio Carlos M de Queiroz James Wimshurst coe ufrj br Portuguese Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Wimshurst amp oldid 1004199507, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
