One of the most notable inventions of the decade was Bessemer’s converter for producing steel (1855), and the following year Siemens produced the regenerative furnace.
Gifford’s injector (1858) marked a most important advance in steam engineering. The hand-turned turret for lathes was invented by Stephen Fitch about 1853, and the automatically revolving turret was brought out in 1855.
Other inventions of the decade were Herman’s diamond drill (1854), Ericsson’s air engine (1855), the pedal-operated bicycle by Ernest Michaux (1855), use of wood pulp in the manufacture of paper by Voelter (1858), and the ammonia absorption ice machine invented by Carré.
1861-1870
The Civil War directed attention of inventors to military and naval improvements. Dr. Gatling invented his machine gun in 1862, the same year that Ericsson built the “Monitor.” It is interesting to note that the revolving turret was patented in that year by Theodore R. Timby. Dynamite was invented in 1867, and the Whitehead torpedo in the same year. Barbed wire was invented in 1861. The same year saw the first passenger elevator invented by Otis; the shoe-sewing machine invented by McKay, and Col. Green’s invention of the drive well, which was brought about by the necessity of supplying his troops with water.
The pneumatic rock drill was invented by Burleigh in 1866, and Westinghouse invented the air brake in 1869. The latter, with Sholes’s invention of the typewriter in the previous year, were undoubtedly the most notable inventions of the decade.
In 1865 the cylindrical grinder marked a decided forward step in machine tools.