Читать книгу Søren Hjorth: Inventor of the Dynamo-electric Principle онлайн

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Hjorth’s interests while at the Treasury were not concentrated solely on his work there. Mechanical problems always fascinated him. It is told that, during this period, he made all kinds of experiments at Dragsholm, and, among other things, he constructed a thrashing-machine. In 1832 he constructed a rotary steam-engine, which was made by Schiødt, a mechanic residing at St. Annae Plads, and, upon Hjorth’s application, it was bought by the King for 500 rixdollars in notes. The King donated it to the newly founded Polytechnic Institute, this being the place where it might best be utilized and »where this original domestic invention might most suitably be placed«. The same year, Hjorth described in »Ursin’s Magazines for Artists and Artisans« a steam-car, invented by him and adapted to be propelled by means of the rotary steam-engine. So Hjorth once more made a petition to the Government for a subvention of 2000 to 2500 rixdollars to assist in the practical manufacture of this car. The decision on this application was postponed, however, at the suggestion of Professors Ørsted, Zeiss and Forchhammer, because Hjorth had not yet finished the installation of the boiler for the first steam-engine at the Polytechnic Institute. Hjorth did not succeed in making the engine work, as it was not made with sufficient accuracy. The sum for which the car was to be made, was never granted, as petitioned for, although Hjorth had given up using his rotary engine for it; and the car itself was probably never built.