Tandem engine question

[Brian Rupnow]

I really don't know much about tandem engines, but after a quick look at the tandem engine thread currently running on this forum, I have figured out that the Snow tandem engine is an internal combustion type. Did anyone ever build tandem steam engines? I'm setting here looking at my Elmers #33 "kind of" engine and thinking, ---The cylinder could have a gland on each end with a rod that ran all the way through to a second piston in a second cylinder. The valve actuator rod could have a second rod cloned onto the side of it to run the second cylinder valve pack. I don't know what advantage this would gain you, but it would be twice as powerfull. Has anyone ever seen a steam engine like that?----Brian.

 

[Cedge]

Brian
Generally a tandem steam engine is designed as a compound. The steam from cylinder 1 is exhausted to the inlet port of cylinder two to be reused. Twice the bang for the buck. The project I began a while back is a tandem compound design that I hope to get back to work on soon. Do a YouTube search for tandem compound steam and you'll see several different types. They were commercially produced by companies like Sulzer or Corliss.

Steve