圖書序言
康特:鉛筆製造商
Very different from the invention of the pencil, Conte also has the reputation as an expert in balloon warfare which ensured his inclusion in the party of some 200 academics and scientists to accompany Napoleon on his expedition to Egypt in 1798.
Unfortunately, the event ended as a disaster. The balloon caught fire and the Egyptians received the impression that what had been demonstrated was a machine of war for setting fire to the enemy encampments. What a pity.
Prior to Conte’s pencil invention, the writing material had been nothing but a lump of pure graphite putting into a wooden stick.
Instead of using the pure English graphite, Conte found a way to mix graphite in a powdered form with clay and then baked it in a way that the lead could be produced in varying degrees of hardness.
Conte not only made the manageable writing material, but is also credited with inventing the machinery needed to make round lead which no other inventors who credited for pencil creation did.
Up until today, Conte’s brand name is still known as the pencil manufacture in France.
與鉛筆的發明大不同的是,康特也享有氣球戰專傢的美譽,並在 1789 年與 200 位學者與科學傢一同陪同拿破崙遠徵埃及。
不幸的是,活動在災難中結束。熱氣球起火,埃及人便認為這是一颱為瞭火燒敵人營地而設計的戰爭機器。真是可惜。
在康特發明鉛筆之前,書寫材料一直隻是將純石墨泥投入木棍之中。
代替使用純英國石墨,康特發明瞭一種混閤石墨粉末與粘土的形式,然後經過烘烤,發展齣可以製造不同硬度的鉛。
康特不僅發明齣容易控製的書寫材料,發明製作瞭圓形筆芯所需的機也歸功於他,這是其他鉛筆創造人沒做到的 。
直至今日在法國,康特的品牌名稱仍然被稱為鉛筆製造商。