Then the engine needed to be standardized, so as to cover the field
with the fewest number of sizes, symmetrically distributed. The
existing practice with all makers of engines had been to let the
purchaser dictate the size and speed of the engine he wanted, a
practice which resulted in a lot of patterns and drawings not adapted
to other people’s requirements, and not properly distributed. For an
organized manufacturing business, this habit must be entirely broken up.
Mr. Allen had in his shop in Mott Haven an unoccupied second story, in
which I had stored our patterns and drawings and drawing implements.
Here I established my quarters, and spent my working hours until this
second job was finished.
The two perspective views of opposite sides of the engine, show these
changes as they appear externally, and the remaining views show some
constructive details.
These latter show the exhaust valves transferred to the front side of
the engine, and located so as to drain the cylinder, and the admission
valves set at different elevations, to accommodate the differential
connection, the abandonment of the separate steam-chest, and this chest
with the exhaust chambers cast with the cylinder, with openings over
the valves; the levers by which the differential movements are given
to the admission valves; and the single-link rod, and the gab by which
this rod is unhooked, with the method of moving the admission valves by
hand.
In place of the levers on the steam rock shaft, I at that time drew
cast-iron disks, which being polished and vibrating in place I thought
very handsome. They gave me lots of trouble, till I learned enough to
get rid of them, the story of which I will tell by and by. The front
view shows the admission valve stems balanced by being extended through
at the back end, a feature which helped the governor action when high
steam pressures were employed, but which was abandoned as unnecessary
after I abandoned the disks on the rocker shaft.
[Illustration: First Arrangement of Exhaust Valves.]
The first two figures show the valves in section and the adjustable
pressure plate and mode of its adjustment. The closeness of the piston
to the head may be observed. I never allowed more than one-eighth inch
clearance, and never had a piston touch the head. This was because the
connecting-rod maintained a constant length, the wear of the boxes
being taken up in the same direction.
These illustrations show the exhaust valves after alteration made
several years later in Philadelphia. As first designed by me, these are
shown in the foregoing sectional views. As will be seen, the exhaust
valves lay with their backs towards the cylinder, worked under the
pressure of the steam in the cylinder, made four openings for release
and exhausted through the cover.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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