Do you know who invented the machine that set the stage for our modern hydraulic excavators? Did you know the history of the excavator dates back to 1835? Do you know the connection between excavators and elevators? If any of this sounds interesting to you, then you will enjoy this Shop Talk Blog post about William Otis, grandfather of the modern hydraulic excavator.
Who Was William Otis?
The grandfather of the hydraulic excavator was no doubt the man who invented the world’s first steam shovel. This engineering innovation was developed by American inventor William Otis in the 1830s. His developments in earth moving are often overshadowed by the accomplishments of his cousin, who developed the Otis elevator. William, a Pelham, Massachusetts native, was only 22 when he developed the steam shovel (aka, power shovel).
Steam Shovel
The goal of the Otis power shovel was to accomplish the same work as a a group of men with shovels, but faster and much more efficiently. He chose to harness the power of steam and use it for earthmoving, still a very novel idea in his time. With the help of an engineer named Charles French, he was able to bring his design to life.
The power shovel included a toothed bucket that held about 1 cubic yard (or 0.76 m3) along with a swinging boom with a dipper arm. The boom arm was attached to a fixed mast. The bucket was attached to the end of the dipper arm and was raised / lowered using a double drum chain hoist. To swing the boom from side to side, men on the ground would pull on heavy-duty ropes. There was also a man on the ground to trigger the bucket dipping mechanism.
Finally, this self-propelled steam shovel had a steam engine and vertical boiler located at the rear of the machine. It was similar to the steam shovel shown below.
William’s target industry was railroad construction, which was booming at that time. He originally developed it for use by the engineering firm he was working with, Carmichael & Fairbanks, so that the could complete their railroad building contracts -- specifically, the Boston and Albany Railroad -- in a timely manner and receive bonuses if they finished early.
Steam-Powered Crane Excavator
Later he developed the rail-mounted steam-powered crane excavator, patented in 1839. This steam excavator became the world’s first bucket excavator. According to the Mining Foundation of the Southwest,
“His machine was the first to employ the principle of a single-bucket excavator swung from the center and provided with a power thrust for adjusting the radial thickness of the cut. The first steam shovel could move 380 cu meters of earth a day, with a 1.1-cu meter capacity shovel and a 180 degree slewing wooden jib.”
Typhoid and Cheap Labor
Sadly, William Otis succumbed to typhoid fever when he was only 26 years old. His machine did not immediately gain widespread popularity because immigrant labor was still cheaper than his design was, but his shovels did find use in both railroad construction and open-pit mining. His designs were later manufactured under the name Otis-Chapman after his widow remarried. His designs went on to be used in many different major earthmoving projects of the time, including the Panama Canal.
Impact of William Otis and His Steam Shovels
More importantly, his designs set the stage for the powerful hydraulic excavators and massive hydraulic shovels that we have today. The creativity and skill of William Otis made possible the building of dams, canals, and bridges all over the world, not to mention its incalculable contributions to the mining industry.
Here are a few more posts related to hydraulic excavators that you might find interesting ...
- 4 Bad Habits that Mini-Excavator Owners and Operators Need to Stop
- 5 Simple Keys to Effective Excavator Undercarriage Maintenance
- Does Your Excavator Need an Eaton Track Drive Motor?
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