Tilghman's Patent Sand Blast Co

There are several compressors still to be found on the various levels of the Dinorwic slate quarries. This is a particularly interesting example on the Australia level, high up in the quarry. Benjamin Chew Tilghman invented the Sandblasting process in c1870 and filed a patent for it in the United States. He began in business with his brother in Philadelphia manufacturing chilled iron shot for use in stone sawing and then moved to London where he formed 'Tilghman's Patent Sand Blast Co'. He later moved to Sheffield and then in 1879 opened a new factory in Altrincham which became the hub of the sand blasting industry in Britain. It is clear that the company produced compressors for sandblasting and these were also available for other industries such as quarrying that required compressed air for driving drills etc.