Bob Jorgensen built this simplified model of a massive beam engine built in 1864 by Easton, Amos & Co. in England. It is a compound engine with cylinders of 10 inches and 17 inches bore, and the beam is just under 10 feet long. The original had fancy fluted castiron columns often seen in Victorian engines.
The original is now run two days each month at the City of Birmingham Museum of Science and Industry. Bob got the idea from the cover illustration of "Beam Engines" by T E Crowley, and inexpensive booklet that we have offered from time to time (but not described on this web site).
Bob built another engine found in "The New Catechism of the Steam Engine" by N. Hawkins (that offered for a number of years). The original was a steeple compound marine engine built by Chas. P. Wilalrd & Co., of Chicago about 1900. The steeple design gave almost as much fuel economy as a cross compound engine, but needed only half the floor space.
Obviously, with only a single line drawing to go on, Bob's model is not an exact replica. But nevertheless, the results are remarkable, I think.
Bob writes:
"I had to make one. Mine is not a compound but has a 4 5/8" bore and 5" stroke. Crank from solid hunk of junk. Ball bearing mains."
From out of the pages of "Hot Air Engine Patents" comes this John Ericsson hot air engine patented in March 1880. In this case, Bob used three patent drawings as his design source to create an impressive functioning engine.
But wonder if ol' John Ericsson would have approved of stainless steel legs in 1880???
Check out this impressive version of the hot-air engine powered fan patented by Anderson, Erickson & J. Wickstrom in April 1900. Five patent drawings found in Hot-Air Engine Patents Vol 2 together with the legal description provided Bob with all he needed.
I recently sent Bob a couple of new books. He responded:
"Boy, I see lots of projects in them that I would like to build.
I hope the internet pages will get some kit type guys off their backsides, but I doubt it! Had some of the engines at a tractor show. Everyone said they were kit engines. You just bolt 'em together. Ha!"
Blowhards, on the other hand, criticize and demean because they realize they don't know much. Like an adolescent, they're feeling inferior. So they ridicule an accomplishment superior to their own.
If YOU'RE the target of criticism (like "kit" comments), try not to let it get under your skin. Just remember the person criticizing is missing some parts between his ears. You can extract sweet revenge by continuing to build, learn and excel.
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