Barometers Realm

In the mid-19th century, French engineer Lucien Vidie (1805–1866) forever changed the way atmospheric pressure was measured with his invention of the aneroid barometer. Born in Nantes, Vidie initially trained as a lawyer but abandoned that career in 1830 to pursue his passion for steam engineering. His fascination with pressure measurement led him to create a revolutionary device that eliminated the need for mercury, unlike the traditional barometers of the time. The cornerstone of his idea was a sealed metal box with a partial vacuum, which he invented in 1843. This capsule could contract or expand under changes in atmospheric pressure, with its movements transmitted to a pointer through a mechanical system of levers. In 1844, he patented his invention, naming it the aneroid barometer (from the Greek "without liquid"), ushering in a new era in meteorology due to its compactness and portability.

Vidie’s path to success was fraught with challenges. His invention initially met with a lukewarm reception in France, and an attempt to establish production with clockmaker Redier ended in a lawsuit that Vidie lost. Financial difficulties and setbacks nearly drove him to bankruptcy. The situation worsened in 1849 when another French engineer, Eugène Bourdon, introduced his own version of the aneroid barometer. Vidie accused Bourdon of patent infringement, sparking a series of legal battles. In 1852, the court ruled in Bourdon’s favor, and even an appeal failed to reverse the decision. It was only in 1858, after years of persistence, that Vidie secured a compensation of 25,000 francs, later reduced to 10,000.

A breakthrough came through his collaboration with English clockmaker Edward John Dent. After his struggles in France, Vidie traveled to London and persuaded Dent to sell his barometers. Initially skeptical, Dent’s opinion shifted when a British naval officer, impressed by a single purchase, ordered 30 more instruments. Dent soon became Vidie’s key partner, publishing a treatise in 1849 titled "On the New Portable Barometer — the Aneroid," which significantly boosted the invention’s popularity. The partnership with Dent, renowned for crafting the clock for Big Ben, led to the sale of thousands of barometers across Britain, where they gained acclaim for their accuracy and convenience. It was this collaboration that cemented the aneroid barometer’s status as a widely recognized and sought-after tool in the 19th century.

Lucien Vidie passed away in 1866, but his aneroid capsule outlived him, becoming the foundation for numerous other instruments, from barographs to altimeters. Today, the aneroid barometer is regarded as a classic tool, and while Vidie’s name may not be widely known to the public, it is indelibly etched in the history of science.