A history of the growth of the steam-engine . ty, rising andfalling vertically. They are four in number, two steamand two exhaust valves being placed at each end of thesteam-cylinder. The beam-engine is a peculiarly Americantype, seldom if ever seen abroad. Fig. 130 is an outlinesketch of this engine as built for a steamer plying on theHudson River. This class of engine is usually adopted invessels of great length, light draught, and high one steam-cylinder is commonly used. The cross-headis coupled to one end of the beam by means of a pair oflinks, and the motion of the opposite end
A history of the growth of the steam-engine . ty, rising andfalling vertically. They are four in number, two steamand two exhaust valves being placed at each end of thesteam-cylinder. The beam-engine is a peculiarly Americantype, seldom if ever seen abroad. Fig. 130 is an outlinesketch of this engine as built for a steamer plying on theHudson River. This class of engine is usually adopted invessels of great length, light draught, and high one steam-cylinder is commonly used. The cross-headis coupled to one end of the beam by means of a pair oflinks, and the motion of the opposite end of the beam istransmitted to the crank by a connecting-rod of moderatelength. The beam has a cast-iron centre surrounded by awrought-iron strap of lozenge shape, in which are forged 380 THE STEAM-ENGINE OP TO-DAY. the bosses for the end-centres, or for the pins to which theconnecting-rod and the links are attached. The main cen-tre of the beam is supported by a gallows-frame of tim-bers so arranged as to receive all stresses Fig. 130.—Beam-Engino. The crank and shaft are of wrought-iron. The valve-gearis usually of the form already mentioned as the Stevensvalve-gear, the invention of Robert L. and Francis B. Ste-vens. The condenser is placed immediately beneath the MARINE ENGINES. 381 steam-cylinder. The air-pump is placed close beside it, andworked by a rod attached to the beam. Steam-vessels onthe Hudson River have been driven by such engines at therate of 20 miles an hour. This form of engine is remark-able for its smoothness of operation, its economy and dura-bility, its compactness, and the latitude which it pennits inthe change of shape of the long, flexible vessels in which itis generally used, without injury by getting out of paddle-engines of large vessels, the favorite type,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookidc, booksubjectsteamengines
