Pioneers in Construction: Sir W.G. Armstrong and the Hydraulic Excavator
The late 1700s and throughout the 1800s was a golden age of advancement and invention that produced multiple generations of the excavator. We acknowledge and celebrate the early pioneers and problem-solvers for revolutionizing construction machinery and contributing to the evolution of one of the most important pieces of equipment in the Gregory Construction fleet.
The First Hydraulic Excavator
While the first rendition of the excavator in 1882 by Armstrong & Company of England looked quite different from the ones we see today, Armstrong’s hydraulic excavator opened the door to the use of hydraulic force in construction, which drastically improved efficiency in digging trenches and moving dirt.
Although the original invention was not a commercial success, this crucial step brought forth a wave of hydraulic machinery in the late 1800s and into the 1900s that would change the scope of Construction everywhere.
Before Armstrong: The Steam Shovel
The early ancestors of today’s excavator were known as mechanical diggers or shovels. Several inventors in the early 1800s introduced patents for primitive devices, but it was not until 1835 that William Otis (Age 22 at the time) and engineer Charles French invented and assembled the first ever steam shovel.
The steam shovel would be considered archaic by today’s standards, but it contributed to the fulfillment of the Albany and Boston railroad contracts by “crawling” alongside the construction site to clear the path as new rail was laid.
Photo from OEM Off-Highway
An Excavator Hybrid – Powered by Water
In the 1880’s, Amstrong & Company created the hydraulic excavator to assist in building the Hull Docks, turning the area into a major trading port in England. Instead of hydraulic fluid, Armstrong’s invention used water – which is why it is referred to as a hydraulic excavator. The excavator was a hybrid that used cables to operate the bucket, but with a hydraulic cylinder operating a set of multiplying sheaves.
The First All-Hydraulic Excavator
The first all-hydraulic excavator, using only four direct-acting steam cylinders and no cables or chains, was the Direct Acting excavator built by the Kilgore Machine Company in 1897.
Photo from OEM Off-Highway
Kilgore’s excavator possessed an impressive range of motion for the time, and flexibility in operations. The machine was powered by steam cylinders, which allowed the bucket to perform a wider variety of tasks compared to conventional cable- or chain-operated shovels.
The excavator could crowd horizontally, which allowed it to work more efficiently in a wider array of environments, particularly when manipulating boulders or other obstacles. Its ability to withdraw the bucket under load without needing to raise it to the top of the cut made it more efficient when removing material.
Kilgore’s invention required less steam (and therefore less fuel and water) than other shovels, contributing to lower operational costs.
Tipping Our Hats to Early Inventors
All these inventions, both the successful ones and those that are forgotten, were important accomplishments that “paved the way” for the sophisticated, efficient equipment we all benefit from today. Our Komatsu excavator fleet gets the work done – and the Gregory Construction team genuinely enjoys and appreciates operating these powerful vehicles. We are grateful for the early and modern inventors in construction for increasing the safety of construction sites and the efficiency of work.