“THE INGENIOUS MR. SYMINGTON OF KETTLE”

PATENT

Patent Number 6631, 23rd June 1834 (with his brother, William) Paddle-wheel for propulsion of vessels and for other motive purposes. This invention is discussed in Mechanics' Magazine Volume 22, No. 601, pages 338 and 339.

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES KEW

Useful Registered Design Number: 570. Proprietor: Andrew Symington, Clockmaker and Alexander Temple. Address: (Respectively of) Kettle, and Falkland Palace, Scotland. 

Subject: Improved clock

Category: Clocks, Watches and other Timekeepers, Match, Keys, Chains, Guards or Protectors

Date 1845 Oct 28 (Reference NA BT 54/3/570)

 REPORTS ON HIS VARIOUS INVENTIONS

1833 "SELF-ACTING GATE"

The Scotsman 2 February 1833 page 4

“To Messrs William Paterson and Andrew Symington, Kettle, Fife, Thanks for the model of a self-acting Gate, and plans for proposed improvements on different implements, and Three Pounds to cover expenses.”

1833 IMPROVED STEAM ENGINE FOR LIFTING WATER

Caledonian Mercury 2 December 1833 page 3

Society of Arts, description and drawing.

1834 VENTILATING STOVE

Caledonian Mercury 3 February 1834 page 3

Society of Arts, description and drawing of an improved ventilating warm air stove.

1834 PADDLE WHEEL

The Monthly Magazine and Literary Journal Part 2 London 1834 Page 527 

New Patents

To William Symington, of Bromley, Middlesex, cooper, and Andrew Symington, of Falkland, in Fifeshire, Scotland, watchmaker, for their invention of a paddle-wheel of a new and useful construction, for the propulsion of vessels and other motive purposes.

1834 HYDRAULIC CLOCK

The Mechanics’ Magazine, Museum, Register, Journal, and Gazette, Volume 21, London 1834, Page 272 

“A curious piece of machinery to measure time has been invented by Andrew Symington, watchmaker in Kettle ….”

1835 REED MAKING MACHINE

The Fife Herald Thursday 18 June 18 1835, page 64; also reported in the Fifeshire Advertiser  

KETTLE.

New Invention.—Our ingenious townsman A. Symington, has constructed a machine to make reeds for the manufacture of cloth upon an entire new principle, invented by himself. The machine is in operation at the house of James How, reed-maker here. The accuracy with which it does the work, renders it far superior to any of the machines in use at present, and the simplicity of the mechanism will admit of a considerable reduction in the price. Mr Symington intends to send a drawing and description to the society of arts that the trade in general may have the benefit of the invention.

1837 SAVING OF FUEL

The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal Volume 23, 1837 Page 213 

Proceedings of the Society of Arts 26th April 1837

3. Description and Drawing of a plan by which fuel may be economized

By Mr Andrew Symington, Watchmaker, Kettle, Fife.

1837 PENDULUM ESCAPEMENT

The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal Volume 24, 1838 Page 210 

Proceedings of the Society for Encouragement of the Useful Arts for Scotland. 11 January 1837.

4. Drawing and Description of a Pendulum Escapement. By Mr Andrew Symington, Watchmaker, Kettle, Fife.

1838 PLOUGH FOR TILLING STEEP SLOPES

The Farmer’s Magazine Volume 8 London 1838, Page 381 

Letter, dated 9 April 1838 to the Editor of the Fife Herald

“Newly Invented Plough for Tilling Steep Slopes by Andrew Symington.”

Mr. A Symington's Plough for Tilling Steep Slopes. - Sir, The Highland Society, taking into consideration the great loss of time incurred by the present mode of tilling steep slopes with the common plough, have offered a premium for the best form of one that will till at right angles to the slope, and lay the furrows all to the declivity. I have made a drawing of a plough with a view to accomplish this object, and have shown it to a few eminent agriculturalists, who highly approve of it, and recommend that one should be made for exhibition this season. It is to consist of two mould-boards set in opposite directions, both on the same side of the plough, with coulter and sock to each, and a pair of stilts attached to both ends of the beam. The plough is to be drawn by means of an iron rod that moves upon a socket, to allow the horses to turn without turning the plough. In this way it will work in both directions, laying all the furrows to one side, doing double the work of the common plough in the same space of time. - I am, &c.

ANDREW SYMINGTON

Kettle, April 9, 1838. Fife Herald

1838 STEAM-BOAT BOILERS

The Mechanics’ Magazine, Museum, Register, Journal, and Gazette, Volume 29, London 1838, Page 444

“Symington’s PLAN FOR THE PREVENTION OF EROSION OF STEAM-BOAT BOILERS”

The article refers to “a paper, written by Mr. Andrew Symington, son of the originator of Steam Navigation, on the Cause of and Prevention of Steam-Boat Boilers’ Explosion.”

1839 LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES

Sun (London) 26 November 1839 page 3; also Herapath's Railway Journal 30 November 1839 page 11

1840 LIFE PRESERVER

The Mechanics’ Magazine, Museum, Register, Journal, and Gazette, Volume 32, London 1840, Page 432

 “Symington’s Seamen’s Life Preserver.”

The Fife Herald, Thursday 13 February 1840 page 203; Issue 936. 

A New Discovery.- Our ingenious townsman, Mr Andrew Symington, watchmaker, has lately invented what he terms a “seaman’s life preserver,” one of which has been examined by several persons of experience, who give it as their opinion that it seems well calculated to accomplish this humane and praiseworthy object, and that it cannot fail, when introduced, to be of great importance to fishermen and all those who may be exposed in open boats to the perils of the sea. Mr Symington has accomplished this much desired object in a peculiarly constructed jacket or belt, which can be bound at pleasure round the waist of any person; it is quite light and flexible, so as not to produce the least inconvenience to the wearer, and when immersed in water its buoyancy becomes so powerful that it will not only keep the head above water, but also part of the shoulders, and preserve the body afloat for a great length of time.  We cannot but express our hope that the Admiralty, as well as those societies whose object is to encourage such praiseworthy endeavours, will not be slow  in duly rewarding Mr Symington for this simple but valuable contrivance.

1840 CLOCK

The Fife Herald Thursday 20 February 20 1840 page 207

Our New Clock.- On Monday week, at a meeting of heritors called for the purpose of adopting measures to complete this laudable scheme, it was resolved to make up the deficiency of the “New Clock Subscription” from the heritors’ fund. The amount already collected exceeds  £50, and the ingenious Mr Symington of Kettle has constructed the machinery for the time-piece.

1857 DRYING CLOTH AND YARNS

Morning Chronicle 1 January 1857 page 2

Andrew Symington, of Kettle, Fife, watchmaker - improvements in apparatus for drying yarns and woven fabrics.

The Journal of the Society of Arts Volume 5 No. 212 Page 63 Applications For Patents

2694. – Andrew Symington, Kettle, Fife, N. B.- Improvements in apparatus for drying yarns and woven fabrics.

1859 RIFLE CANNON

Fife Herald 2 June 1859 page 3

KINGSKETTLE. – New Gun. – We have just inspected a model of a newly invented rifle cannon, which, for ingenuity and simplicity, is unsurpassed, if not unequalled. The invention is applicable to the smallest musket, as well as to the largest cannon, and to any kind of metal, the extra expense of manufacture being very trifling. We are not of course at liberty to explain, although we may remark that the improvements on the usual mode of loading and securing the breech are so simple and effective, that the ease and rapidity with which the shot can be discharged, when compared with an ordinary gun, are almost incredible. The model is intended to be forwarded to the Board of Ordnance; and we do hope that, at such a time as the present, when the defences of the country require all the improvements we can command, so invaluable discovery will not be overlooked. The inventor is Mr Andrew Symington, of this place, son of the late Wm. Symington, Esq., to whom the world is indebted for the invention of steam navigation.

1859 FIREARMS

The Cornwall Chronicle Saturday 24 December 1859 page 3

Mr Symington, of Kingskettle, Fife, has, it is said, discovered a new means of preventing iron shot from penetrating the hulls of gun-boats. He has also submitted a breach-loading gun and projectile to the consideration of the Board of Ordnance.

1860 DECK-MOUNTED GUNS

Fifeshire Journal 5 January 1860 page 4

VALUABLE SUGGESTION. – Mr Andrew Symington, of this place, well known for his many useful inventions, suggests that all sea-going vessels should have a gun mounted on deck, not only for giving signals of distress, but also for throwing a ball and line to the shore, in case of shipwreck. Had the Royal Charter, for instance, been furnished with such means, a communication might at once been formed with the shore, and many lives saved that otherwise were lost. So with other vessels in similar emergencies. As Captain Manby's apparatus for throwing a line from the shore to the vessel cannot be brought into immediate action at all parts of our coast, Mr Symington's idea, if properly carried out, seems a very important and praiseworthy…