William Dent Priestman

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William Dent Priestman

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'''William Dent Priestman''' (23 August 1847{{Spaced en dash}} 7 September 1936), born near [[Kingston upon Hull]] was a Quaker and engineering pioneer, inventor of the '''Priestman Oil Engine''', and co-founder with his brother Samuel of the [[Priestman Brothers]] engineering company, manufacturers of cranes, winches and excavators. Priestman Brothers built the earliest recorded [[railway]] [[locomotive]] powered by an [[internal combustion engine]].
'''William Dent Priestman''' (23 August 1847{{Spaced en dash}} 7 September 1936), born near [[Kingston upon Hull]], was a Quaker and engineering pioneer, inventor of the '''Priestman Oil Engine''', and co-founder of the [[Priestman Brothers]] engineering company with his brother Samuel as manufacturers of cranes, winches and excavators. Priestman Brothers built the earliest recorded [[railway]] [[locomotive]] powered by an [[internal combustion engine]].


==Biography==
==Biography==
William along with ten other offspring was the son of Leeds corn-miller (and latterly [[North Eastern Railway (UK)|NER]] director) Samuel Priestman."Priestman, William Dent". Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology
William, along with ten other offspring, was the son of Leeds corn-miller (and latterly [[North Eastern Railway (UK)|NER]] director) Samuel Priestman."Priestman, William Dent". Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology


He was educated at [[Bootham School]] in [[York]],{{sfn|Priestman|2004|loc=para.2}}{{cite book|title=Bootham School Register|place=York, England|publisher= Bootham Old Scholars Association (BOSA)|year=2011}} and then apprenticed at the Humber Iron Works, later at the [[North Eastern Railway (UK)|North Eastern Railway (NER)]] in [[Gateshead]]. In 1869 he then joined the engineering company owned by [[William Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong|William Armstrong]].{{sfn|Priestman|2004|loc=para.2}} (William Armstrong & Company, later to become [[Armstrong Whitworth]]).
He was educated at [[Bootham School]] in [[York]]{{sfn|Priestman|2004|loc=para.2}}{{cite book|title=Bootham School Register|place=York, England|publisher= Bootham Old Scholars Association (BOSA)|year=2011}} then apprenticed at the Humber Iron Works, and later at the [[North Eastern Railway (UK)|North Eastern Railway (NER)]] in [[Gateshead]]. In 1869, he joined William Armstrong & Company, the engineering company owned by [[William Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong|William Armstrong]],{{sfn|Priestman|2004|loc=para.2}} which later became [[Armstrong Whitworth]].


His father purchased the Holderness Foundry in Hull, and he began to do business independently; his brother joined him at the company, which later became [[Priestman Brothers]].{{sfn|Priestman|2004|loc=paras.2–3}}
William’s father purchased the Holderness Foundry in Hull and began doing business independently; William’s brother joined their father at the company, which later became [[Priestman Brothers]].{{sfn|Priestman|2004|loc=paras.2–3}}


In the 1870s a licence to manufacture petrol engines (of a type designed by Eugène Etève, similar to [[Étienne Lenoir]]'s engines) was obtained. The dangers and insurance costs of engines run on highly flammable petrol caused him to investigate the use of lamp oil in internal combustion engines. He obtained patents, including a patent for an oil vaporiser in 1885. His investigations led him to develop one of the first reliable engines to work on a fuel heavier (more viscous and with a higher boiling point) than petrol,{{cite web|url=http://www.ingenious.org.uk/site.asp?s=S2&DCID=10301726|title=Priestman oil engine built in 1895, on display at the Science Museum, c 1990.|work=ingenious.org.uk|publisher=[[National Museum of Science and Industry]]}} known as the 'Priestman Oil Engine'.
In the 1870s, a licence to manufacture petrol engines (of a type designed by Eugène Etève, similar to [[Étienne Lenoir]]'s engines) was obtained. The dangers and insurance costs of engines that run on highly flammable petrol caused him to investigate the use of lamp oil in internal combustion engines. He obtained patents, including a patent for an oil vaporiser in 1885. His investigations led him to develop one of the first reliable engines to work on a fuel heavier (more viscous and with a higher boiling point) than petrol,{{cite web|url=http://www.ingenious.org.uk/site.asp?s=S2&DCID=10301726|title=Priestman oil engine built in 1895, on display at the Science Museum, c 1990.|work=ingenious.org.uk|publisher=[[National Museum of Science and Industry]]}} known as the 'Priestman Oil Engine'.


In 1894 William and Samuel Priestman were given the [[John Scott Award]] for their engine.{{cite web|url=http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/johnscottaward/js1891-1900.html|at=1894|title=THE JOHN SCOTT AWARD PHILADELPHIA, PA, Award Recipients 1891–1900|work=garfield.library.upenn.edu|access-date=31 August 2010|archive-date=27 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190127101641/http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/johnscottaward/js1891-1900.html|url-status=dead}}
In 1894 William and Samuel Priestman were given the [[John Scott Award]] for their engine.{{cite web|url=http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/johnscottaward/js1891-1900.html|at=1894|title=THE JOHN SCOTT AWARD PHILADELPHIA, PA, Award Recipients 1891–1900|work=garfield.library.upenn.edu|access-date=31 August 2010|archive-date=27 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190127101641/http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/johnscottaward/js1891-1900.html|url-status=dead}}
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===The Priestman Oil Engine===
===The Priestman Oil Engine===
[[File:Priestmann Oil Engine - Fig 150 p461 The Steam engine and gas and oil engines John Perry.PNG|thumb|Diagram of Priestman Oil Engine from ''The Steam engine and gas and oil engines'' (1900) by John Perry]]
[[File:Priestmann Oil Engine - Fig 150 p461 The Steam engine and gas and oil engines John Perry.PNG|thumb|Diagram of Priestman Oil Engine from ''The Steam engine and gas and oil engines'' (1900) by John Perry]]
The '''Priestman Oil Engine''' used a pressurised fuel tank, and fuel injection through a nozzle into a chamber heated by exhaust gasses in order to create a suitably combustible mixture in the cylinder. Incomplete vaporisation of the fuel resulted in some condensation on the walls of the cylinder; as a result the fuel both lubricated the cylinder as well as providing power. The engine also controlled the speed by connections between valves on the fuel inlets and a speed governor. Ignition was by [[electric spark]].{{cite EB1911|wstitle= Oil Engine |volume= 20 | page = 41 |last1= Clerk |first1= Dugald }}
The '''Priestman Oil Engine''' used a pressurised fuel tank and fuel injection through a nozzle into a chamber heated by exhaust gasses in order to create a suitably combustible mixture in the cylinder. Incomplete vaporisation of the fuel resulted in some condensation on the walls of the cylinder; as a result the fuel lubricated the cylinder as well as providing power. The engine also controlled the speed by connections between valves on the fuel inlets and a speed governor. Ignition was by [[electric spark]].{{cite EB1911|wstitle= Oil Engine |volume= 20 | page = 41 |last1= Clerk |first1= Dugald }}


The engine was manufactured from 1888 to 1904 with over 1,000 units produced, largely for use on barges. One engine was trialled on the [[Hull and Barnsley Railway]] powering a shunting locomotive, this is the earliest known example of a locomotive powered by an internal combustion engine.{{Cite web|url=https://steamindex.com/people/intcomb.htm#priestman|at=Priestman, William Dent|title=Internal combustion locomotive engineers|work=steamindex.com|access-date=31 August 2010}}
The engine was manufactured from 1888 to 1904 with over 1,000 units produced, largely for use on barges. One engine was trialled on the [[Hull and Barnsley Railway]] powering a shunting locomotive; this is the earliest known example of a locomotive powered by an internal combustion engine.{{Cite web|url=https://steamindex.com/people/intcomb.htm#priestman|at=Priestman, William Dent|title=Internal combustion locomotive engineers|work=steamindex.com|access-date=31 August 2010}}


One engine has been preserved as a stationary exhibit at the [[Streetlife Museum of Transport]] in [[Kingston upon Hull]].{{cite web|url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co62063/priestman-oil-engine-oil-engines|title=Priestman Oil engine, Hull museums collections|publisher=Hull City Council|work=hullcc.gov.uk|access-date=31 August 2010}} The engine design was recognised by the Engineering Heritage Hallmark Scheme awarded by the [[Institution of Mechanical Engineers]] in 2000 for its significance in British engineering history.{{cite web|url=http://www.imeche.org/NR/rdonlyres/ECE80479-87D9-47FB-B72E-A557D98A8D83/0/PreviousEHHSEHA.pdf|title=Engineering Heritage Hallmark Scheme|at=Priestman’s Oil Engine (Yorkshire) – 29.03.00|work=imeche.org|publisher=Institution of Mechanical Engineers|access-date=31 August 2010|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171517/http://www.imeche.org/NR/rdonlyres/ECE80479-87D9-47FB-B72E-A557D98A8D83/0/PreviousEHHSEHA.pdf|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.imeche.org/Libraries/About_Us/IMechEHeritageBookletOnline.sflb.ashx|title=Recognising Engineering Excellence Past, Present and Future. Engineering Heritage Awards 25th Anniversary|at=Priestman Oil Engine, p.23|work=imeche.org|publisher=Institution of Mechanical Engineers}}
One engine has been preserved as a stationary exhibit at the [[Streetlife Museum of Transport]] in [[Kingston upon Hull]].{{cite web|url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co62063/priestman-oil-engine-oil-engines|title=Priestman Oil engine, Hull museums collections|publisher=Hull City Council|work=hullcc.gov.uk|access-date=31 August 2010}} The engine design was recognised by the Engineering Heritage Hallmark Scheme awarded by the [[Institution of Mechanical Engineers]] in 2000 for its significance in British engineering history.{{cite web|url=http://www.imeche.org/NR/rdonlyres/ECE80479-87D9-47FB-B72E-A557D98A8D83/0/PreviousEHHSEHA.pdf|title=Engineering Heritage Hallmark Scheme|at=Priestman’s Oil Engine (Yorkshire) – 29.03.00|work=imeche.org|publisher=Institution of Mechanical Engineers|access-date=31 August 2010|archive-date=3 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171517/http://www.imeche.org/NR/rdonlyres/ECE80479-87D9-47FB-B72E-A557D98A8D83/0/PreviousEHHSEHA.pdf|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.imeche.org/Libraries/About_Us/IMechEHeritageBookletOnline.sflb.ashx|title=Recognising Engineering Excellence Past, Present and Future. Engineering Heritage Awards 25th Anniversary|at=Priestman Oil Engine, p.23|work=imeche.org|publisher=Institution of Mechanical Engineers}}
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