George Piggott
George Piggott (1833-1871)
1856 of Birmingham Heath Boiler Works, Birmingham
1872 Obituary [1]
GEORGE PIGGOTT was born at Birmingham on 27th May 1833, and in 1849 entered his father's gasholder and boiler works at Spring Hill.
After passing through the workshops and drawing office, and particularly studying the details of the business, he became a partner in the firm in 1859, and then devoted much of his time to designing machinery specially adapted for his work. Amongst the improvements he introduced may be mentioned a revolving facing machine for facing the ends of bars of all sections; a hydraulic apparatus for punching, shearing, and riveting gasholder and other plates; and an oiling apparatus. He also invented a rotary gas-exhauster, and an improved water-lute for telescopic gasholders which has been extensively adopted; also a self-acting apparatus for locking together the inner and outer lifts of gasholders when lowering.
He had been engaged for a considerable time in designing an electric telegraph instrument on a new principle, when he was seized with an illness which proved fatal on 19th September 1871 in the thirty-ninth year of his age.
He became a Member of the Institution in 1856.