1. Robert Stirling was a Scottish clergyman and engineer.
27 Facts About Robert Stirling
1. 2.
Robert Stirling invented the Stirling engine and was inducted into the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame in 2014.
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Robert Stirling was born at Cloag Farm, a location in Scotland near the village of Methven, Perthshire.
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Robert Stirling was one of eight children that Patrick and Agnes shared.
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Robert Stirling's grandfather was Michael Stirling, most famously known for his invention of the threshing machine.
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Robert Stirling finished his studies at University of Edinburgh and continued in November 1809 to study at Glasgow University where, according to Keith Laidler, he studied the classics, philosophy, theology and mathematics, but probably very little science.
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Robert Stirling was licensed to preach in the Church of Scotland in 1816 by the Presbytery of Dumbarton.
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Finally, in February 1824, Robert Stirling was appointed as the minister of nearby Galston Parish Church where he continued his ministry until 1878.
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Robert Stirling is considered as one of the fathers of hot air engines.
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Robert Stirling came up with a first patent for an air engine in 1816.
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Robert Stirling patented a second hot air engine, together with his brother James, in 1827.
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James Robert Stirling followed this same idea when he built the famous Dundee engine.
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James Robert Stirling gave a presentation of his engine before the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1845.
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Robert Stirling's best known invention is the heat engine now referred to as the Stirling engine.
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In 1816 the Robert Stirling brothers applied for a patent in both Scotland and England for a device they invented, a Heat Economiser.
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In 1824 Robert Stirling sought to improve the efficiency of the heat engine by attempting to separate the air present in the economizer.
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In 1840 Robert Stirling received another patent for the heat engine after altering the design in a new attempt to increase durability.
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The improvements added by Robert Stirling included the addition of rods or plates in the passage through which hot air travelled to the cold section of the engine.
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Additionally, Robert Stirling added cupped leather collars around the piston rods to seal gaps and minimize the leakage of air from the engine.
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In 1876 Robert Stirling wrote a letter acknowledging the importance of Henry Bessemer's new invention, the Bessemer process for the manufacture of steel.
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Robert Stirling was optimistic that the new steel would improve the performance of the air engines.
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Robert Stirling's engine was designed to fail far less catastrophically than the steam engines of the time while obtaining greater efficiency.
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On 10 July 1819, Robert Stirling married Jane Rankine at Kilmarnock.
24.
Rev Robert Stirling died in Galston, East Ayrshire on 6 June 1878.
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Robert Stirling is buried in Galston Cemetery where a new gravestone was erected in December 2014 by public subscription, replacing the original stone which was in a ruined state.
26.
On 11 January 1840, Robert Stirling was awarded the title Doctor of Divinity by the University of St Andrews for his excellence in ministry.
27.
On 3 October 2014 Robert Stirling was inducted into the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame.