Adam Reid
Described as 'a very ingenious mechanist at Woolwich', who was awarded a 15 guinea prize for his invention of a temperature compensating pendulum [1]
The Encylopaedia Metropolitana referred to a type of machine at Woolwich Arsenal for cutting original screws of any required pitch, and described it as 'One of the neatest and most perfect engines of this kind for short screws and taps .... constructed, and, we believe invented by the late Mr. Adam Reid.[2]. It appears that Reid's machine followed the principle of a fusee cutting machine (originally developed in France). The cutting tool was traversed by the action of an inclined plane moved by a rack and pinion, the pinion being fixed to the lathe spindle. Charles Holtzapffel notes that despite the length of the inclined plane (44"), the maximum size of screw that could be cut was limited to 1.6" diameter and 2.25" long.[3]