Edinburgh is not just an incredibly beautiful city but also the birthplace of many talented people. If you take a detailed look at the biographies of many gifted personalities, you can notice that many of them were born in this amazing city. Learn more at edinburgh-future.
All of them successfully realised their potential in various fields. Science was another area, in which Edinburgh talents managed to reveal themselves to the fullest. The results of their work turned out to be so important that many local inventors became known all over the world. Their developments or research brought them global glory.
Alexander Cumming was no exception. He was known in the scientific community as a gifted Scottish inventor who designed the first flushing toilet and patented it in 1775. Of course, it brought great success to the author.
Early years
The future scientist was born in Edinburgh in 1733. From an early age, the boy became interested in construction, assembling objects from small parts as well as the principles of specific device operations.
Fortunately, his parents didn’t obstruct their son’s enthusiasm and supported him in every possible way. As a result, besides mechanics, young Alexandr became also interested in mathematics. Later, he was apprenticed to one of the Edinburgh watchmakers.
Start of the career
Interestingly, Cumming started his career with watchmaking art and was even very successful in that craft, which brought him great pleasure.
In the 1750s, Archibald Campbell (3rd Duke of Argyll) hired Alexander as his clock- and organ maker. Thus, Cumming had to move to England.
Soon after that, the talented master received a serious order from the Earl of Bute. He had to create a whole series of barrel organs with a complicated mechanism.
Invention for His Majesty
Alexander became the author of books that described the work and construction of the watch mechanism in detail. In addition, he talked about how carriage wheels with rims of different shapes affect the roads. Cumming was also very interested in the gravity effect, generously sharing his observations and research in the area.
1765 was a truly successful year for Alexander’s inventive career. Then he managed to create a barometrical clock. Moreover, the invention was intended for a very respected person, King George III. The device could record air pressure over time. Therefore, later, it was very rightly called the first accurate barometer.
Successful recreation
Cumming was satisfied with the result and decided to repeat his success in 1766. That time, he created a similar clock for his personal use. Alexander’s talent allowed him to successfully cope with that task as well. Therefore, it was no surprise that many years after the death of the inventor, Luke Howard bought the device to conduct his research while writing the book The Climate of London.
Tandem
Like many other scientists at that time, Alexander worked both independently and cooperated with colleagues.
Thus, along with John Hill, Alexandr Cumming developed a machine that could make very thin slices.
Sensational invention
The scientist’s most famous development was presented in 1775. It was the flush toilet. At that time, this invention became a real sensation.
The improved valve cabinet, the S-shaped syphon of the drain pipe and the sliding valve kept the water in the toilet pan and prevented the spread of an unpleasant smell.
In addition, Alexander managed to connect the water supply valve and the flushing mechanism. Thus, people could empty and fill the toilet by pulling one handle.
It’s worth noting that John Harington was engaged in creating a flush toilet before Alexander. He proposed such an idea but couldn’t solve the problem of unpleasant odours. Therefore, the genius solution undoubtedly belongs to Alexandr Cumming.
Respected innovator
It must be said that Alexander’s talent was highly valued in London. It was evidenced by numerous orders and the fact that he was entrusted with the development of the Pentonville district, where the inventor had his personal workshop.
In 1783, Alexander Cumming experienced another important event in his career. He became one of the founders of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and its fellows.
Special attention to organs
In 1788, Alexander was engaged in an important project. He was making an organ for the Church of the Holy Trinity in Christchurch, Cambridgeshire. In the process of its creation, the inventor used a unique self-acting mechanism.
In general, Alexandr Cumming had a special attitude towards organs. After all, his last patent, received in 1814, was devoted to the organ’s anti-symmetrical bellows.
The earthly journey of the talented inventor ended on March 8, 1814. However, his memory is alive, which means that Alexandr’s activities left a bright mark in history. The fact that every modern house is equipped with his development is the best proof of Cumming’s success. It means that his invention is really valuable not only in theory but also in practice.
