David Gordon (1774-1829); inventor; third son of Sir Alexander Gordon, advocate.
1774 Born the son of of Sir Alexander Gordon, of Culvennan, Greenlaw, Castle Douglas.
1802 Birth of his son Alexander Gordon in New York
1819 Patent with Edward Heard for "portable gas" which was made in Clerkenwell" [1].
1821 Patent for improvements in wheel carriages [2]
1822 Produced a steam carriage. Image and description in 'British Locomotives'. Included the idea of locomotion with only one point of contact[3].
1822 Patent for improvement of wheeled vehicles by which each wheel is rendered independent of the others; this invention had been anticipated to an extent by his father who declined to have his name on the patent[4].
1824 Other patent for construction of vehicles. Established company for operation of mail coaches using steam or vacuum power or pneumatic engine supplied with "portable gas"[5].
1824 On Canal Navigation [6]
1829 Died
See Also
Sources of Information
- [1] The Life and Times of Sir Goldsworthy Gurney: Gentleman Scientist and ... By Dale H. Porter
- British Locomotives by C. J. Bowen Cooke. Published 1893