Watt Steam Engine

James Watt, Britain, patent 913 of 1769. The separate condenser doubled the power of steam.

Overview

Watt's patent, An Invented Method of Lessening the Consumption of Steam and Fuel in Fire Engines, covered the separate condenser. He later extended it through 1800 and used it aggressively, slowing rivals while perfecting rotary motion. His engines drained mines and powered mills that launched the industrial revolution. The patent funded Boulton and Watt's workshop, which also standardized the horsepower unit. It remains the classic case of a patent both enabling and restraining an industry.