# Compact Steam Engine Design



## JorgensenSteam (Dec 26, 2010)

There are some compact steam engine designs that came to mind when Stew posted his "Over Crank Engine".


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## Dan Rowe (Dec 26, 2010)

Pat, 
The marine version of this engine is a British Navel design from the 1860's. Several of the US Civil War ships including the CS Alabama were fitted with this style of engine.

They were called return connecting rod engines in the UK and back acting engines in the US.

Here is a link to HMS Ocean with a return connecting rod engine. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ocean_(1862)

Here is a link to a survivor of the class which is now located at the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point NY. I think that it is the only survivor of the class.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ranger_(1876)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_steam_engine#Back_acting
http://files.asme.org/ASMEORG/Communities/History/Landmarks/5539.pdf

The logic was to keep all the propulsion machinery below the water line. The aiming point for the cannons was at the water line so the engines were mostly out of harms way.

Dan


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