Bourdon, Eugène (1808-1884)

French engineer and instrumentmaker who 1849 invented the pressure gauge that bears his name. Bourdon was born in Paris, where he set up an instrument and machine shop. He took an early interest in steam engines, of which he made more than 200, mostly small ones for demonstration purposes. In developing the steam engine, Scottish engineer James Watt had used relatively low-pressure systems, but at higher pressures there was a need for a compact, accurate pressure gauge. Bourdon's solution to the problem was simple and ingenious, and remains the most widely used gauge for measuring a wide range of fluid pressures.