Mystery steam engine

[chris123]

I am looking at the relative positions of reversing handwheel shaft that runs across on end of the engine and the weighshaft that runs down the side and moves the reversing gear. If there was a lever on the end of the weighshaft then I would expect the revesing shaft to have been threaded. As it is not, I think perhaps it should have a worm and sector arrangement.

It also seems to be missing the 'lifting links' from the weighshaft to the pins on the ends of the curved 'expansion links'.

Thank you charles
Would you have a guess for the make?
Could u send a pic if possible
I think i know what u mean
Im new to steam
Regards chris

 

[Charles Lamont]

No idea who designed or made it, but it has some high-end features. How big is it?

 

[chris123]

No idea who designed or made it, but it has some high-end features. How big is it?

 

[chris123]

Hi charles have u seen what green twin
Said ?
I leave it alone until i know exactly what im doing
Needs a boiler
Can make one if suitable plans avalable
Anyway
How should i proceed?

 

[chris123]

The Stuart vertical compound engines appear to have the steam chests generally on the outsides of the cylinders, not like yours which are between the cylinders on the inside.

https://www.stuartmodels.com/products/set-of-castings/page/2/

Here is a photo from Preston Services (no my photo).
I think some sort of arm is what you need, similar to this, but not this complex.

View attachment 163373

Yes that looks about right

 

[chris123]

Also, be cautious about disassembling the engine, especially the eccentrics and valve gear, since it may be very difficult to get the timing set back correctly again.

Can you machine things?
The arm is not a complex thing to fabricate, assuming you know how to fabricate/machine things.

It is a matter of finding the right radius, and matching the holes required on both ends of the arm.

You can reverse-engineer entire engines from photos alone, so the fact that you have an almost comlete engine puts you way ahead of most situations.

.

Hi green twin
Yes i got a lathe rotarytable and miller
And more i can machine stuff
And i will if i know exactly what i have to do
You know. How long these rods have to be
And how can i get this radius ?
We wil see i hope some more people have a look and give their opinion
You helped me bigtime thank you

 

[GreenTwin]

There are a couple of approaches.
Off the top of my head, I would say the horizontal link rod length can be determined by putting the link in mid position, and the arm that is on the horizontal shaft in the vertical position.
The length of the rod should be from the centerline of the link boss to the centerline of the arm when it is in the vertical position.

You can test this with some temporary rods made from wood or something.
With this length rod, you should be able to rotate the horizontal shaft, and get full link travel in the forward and rear positions.

The full forward and full rear link positions will determine positions on the shaft that can be worked backwards into where the gear teeth need to be on the pie-shaped gear that will be on the horizontal shaft.
I am assuming you will need a pie-shaped gear on the horizontal shaft that is driven by a worm gear on the shaft that has the round handle.

Mock-up the pie shaped gear in cardboard or something.

You could possibly find a gear that works with a worm drive gear, and cut that gear into a pie shape, assuming you could get your centers correct.
Otherwise you will have to fabricate the gears.
.

 

[chris123]

You are the man
Thank you
Any suggestions for a boiler?
Chris

 

[GreenTwin]

Boilers are a thorny topic, give that some insist that they be made as certified to some code, and some don't think they need to be made certified.
A boiler that is not made correctly is a very dangerous thing.
I can't really get into the boiler topic; there is too much to that, and not complete agreement on how to safely build one.
.