Historical Technology

The following is my three examples of historical technology. I have chosen these three as they are ones that effect me on an almost daily basis.

1. The Sewing Machine
This is an important one for me as I like sewing and without the invention which led to the modern sewing machines we use today which makes it much easier and quicker than sewing by hand.
The sewing machine was first invented during the first Industrial Revolution to decrease the amount of manual sewing work performed in clothing companies. Which was considered to have been the work of Englishman Thomas Saint in 1790.

 An image of the original.

This led onto many different sewing machines being invented, which are used for sewing a variety of different materials. We now have domestic sewing machines, industrial ones and overlockers.

2. The Coffee Machine
Making coffe has been around for hundreds of years. Roasted and ground coffee beans were placed in a pot or pan, to which hot water was added, with a lid placed on top, to commence the infusion process. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was considered adequate to add ground coffee to hot water in a pot or pan, boil it until it smelled right, and pour the brew into a cup.

The first coffee machine was made in 1818 by Mr Laurens of Paris, France. His machine was a percolator type coffee machine.


The espresso machine was first invented in 1822 by a French man named Louis Bernard Rabaut.


Today’s modern espresso machine was invented by Achilles Gaggia in 1946.


3. The Vacuum Cleaner
Another invention which I couldn't live without today as before vacuum cleaners, rugs were hung over a wall or line and hit repeatedly with a carpet beater to pound out as much dirt as possible. This is something I am glad I do not have to do today although it may make me fitter!
I was surprised to find that the first attempts to provide a mechanical solution to floor cleaning were begun in England in 1599, although I could not find out what these attempts actually were.

 A manual model.

The first manual models, using bellows, came in the 1860s (the carpet sweeper), and the first motorized models came in the beginning of the 20th century (the manual vacuum cleaners).

 A vacuum cleaner most people would have in their home today.

Over the years there has been many types and models of the vauum cleaner, some successful and some not so successful and even today the tv and infomercials are advertising all different types of vacuum cleaners. You can get ones with bags, ones without bags, ones which can wash your floor, ones for cleaning cars and ones for commercial use. There is a vacuum cleaner for every type of situation.