Author Topic: Another Corliss Engine  (Read 77875 times)

Offline Captain Jerry

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Another Corliss Engine
« on: February 26, 2013, 02:57:43 AM »
When I built my first Corliss engine last year, I was reluctant to call it a Corliss because I doubted that I could build a release mechanism at that scale.  That engine had a bore of .625" and a stroke of 1.25" and after several attempts, I am completely convinced of that.  The engine ran nice and smooth and the 4 valve linkage and wrist plate proved the design but without quick release gear its not technically a Corliss so here goes another one.

There are at least three builds underway to the design collaborated on by the moderators of this forum.  I think it is a good design and this new project of mine is just another way to go.  It incorporates ideas that I had while building the previous engine and has some design features that I just wanted to try.  It is bigger than my earlier design but not quite as big as the MEM design.  There are many similarities because the basic configuration of all horizontal Corliss engines share these features.

Here are the specifications:

     Bore                                         .75"
     Stroke                                    1.50"
     Connecting Rod Length          5.00"
     Valve diameter                         .25"
     Release Style                            ??
     Double Eccentric
     Frame Style                           Girder
     Cross Head Guide    Modified Trunk
     Flywheel Diameter                  7.25"
     Rim Width                                1.00"
     Spokes                                     8
     Cylinder Material              Aluminum
     Cross Head & Girder        Aluminum
     Piston & Cross Head        Cast Iron
     Valve Bore Liner                     Brass
     Valve Body                          Drill Rod

It looks like this so far:









There will be more.

Jerry
     
NOTARY SOJAK

There are things that you can do and some things you can't do. Don't worry about it. try it anyway.

Offline ths

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Another Corliss Engine
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2013, 03:49:37 AM »
Hi Jerry,

It's interesting how a person can find a topic, and then really get immersed in it, as you appear to have done with the Corliss. That's great! I'll look forward to seeing this one progress.

The cylinder block looks as if it is a four sided box with a top and a bottom. Is this the case?

Cheers, Hugh.

Offline Don1966

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Re: Another Corliss Engine
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2013, 04:34:57 AM »
Hi Jerry, I enjoyed your last build and learned along the way, so looking forward to more learning. I will be here with you,  maybe silent at times.

Don

Offline Maryak

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Re: Another Corliss Engine
« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2013, 05:26:16 AM »
Great stuff CJ  :praise2: :praise2:

Best Regards
Bob
Если вы у Тетушки были яйца, она была бы Дядюшкой

Online Jo

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Re: Another Corliss Engine
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2013, 07:15:33 AM »
 ;D One cannot have too many Corliss engines.

Maybe I will have to get on with my R&B so that mine can join the party



Jo
« Last Edit: February 26, 2013, 03:08:31 PM by Jo »
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline vcutajar

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Re: Another Corliss Engine
« Reply #5 on: February 26, 2013, 07:58:26 AM »
Goody, another Corliss to look at.

Yes it is smaller than what I am working on right now.  Your flywheel diameter is the same as mine but your cylinder bore diameter is nearly half of what mine is.

Looking forward to see more progress with this build.

Vince

Offline Captain Jerry

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Re: Another Corliss Engine
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2013, 03:03:20 PM »
Vince

This engine is smaller but not by much and in some respects is larger.  The stroke is the same (.75") but the bore is less. The cylinder block is the same length but on this engine, I have moved the valves  bores 1/8"  further apart.  I have kept the bore smaller to give a 2:1 ratio and because I hope that with lower displacement, it will run better on my small compressor.  I haven't found the piece of pipe that I will need for the flywheel rim but I am hopeful.  I might have to buy it at retail.  :'( I don't think that the size is as critical as it might be on a full size engine working under load.  I think that it is more of a visual relationship.  A big slow turning flywheel just looks better and with a long con rod (5") a smaller flywheel would just look wrong.   I think there will be more similarities than differences in these projects.

Jo

A party huh?  Great.  You bring the chips and I'll bring the beer?  You keep teasing with little peeks at your Corliss and the suspense is building! :shrug:

Bob

Thanks for the comments.  This is just a way to go back and do some things that I wish I had done before.

Don

Thanks for watching.  Comments are always welcome but not required.  Questions are really appreciated.

Hugh

Immersed is a nice way to put it but obsessed may be more accurate.  I can't help it.  Its a personality defect but it keeps me going.

The cylinder block is a refined version of  my previous design where a top and bottom plate were bolted on to cover the steam and exhaust passages.  I never really liked the looks of all those bolts on top.  I also wanted to create the rounded over corners that are seen on many Corliss engines.  Here is a picture of the cylinder block with top and bottom plates removed.



The top and bottom plates are attached with long bolts up through the bottom so there will be no bolts visible  on the top.  Sealing at the ends of the plate was likely to be a problem and fitting the valve body in a split bore would demand more precision than I can muster so I have resorted to lining the valve bore using thin walled brass tubing.  I can not see any reason that I should need to access this area after final assembly so I plan to use epoxy adhesive/sealant to make the joint permanent and then use a high build primer before final painting.  The end result should have a seamless appearance.

You may have noticed the holes at the top of each of the valve liners.  These were drilled through to the cylinder at 90° for the steam passages.  They will be covered by the plate.

This is where it is headed but there may be detours.



More later.
NOTARY SOJAK

There are things that you can do and some things you can't do. Don't worry about it. try it anyway.

Online Jo

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Re: Another Corliss Engine
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2013, 03:16:21 PM »
Jo

A party huh?  Great.  You bring the chips and I'll bring the beer?  You keep teasing with little peeks at your Corliss and the suspense is building!  ;D

Chips with beer  :o Curry goes with beer.

Sorry I got in trouble when I first posted my Corliss and reminded that I should finish the R&B first. So, however difficult I find it, I am trying to be a good girl it won't be long before I will have to move the Corliss on to the dinning room table so that I can start planning picking up her build  :whoohoo:

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline arnoldb

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Re: Another Corliss Engine
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2013, 04:50:06 PM »
Great start Jerry, looking forward to the rest  :ThumbsUp:

Kind regards, Arnold
Building an engine takes Patience, Planning, Preparation and Machining.
Procrastination is nearly the same, but it precludes machining.
Thus, an engine will only be built once the procrastination stops and the machining begins!

Offline Captain Jerry

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Re: Another Corliss Engine
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2013, 03:22:00 AM »
An update.

Not a lot accomplished this week due to other duties, but the engine now has a piston and a cross head shoe, both of cast iron. Diameter of both is .75 inches.  It also has a piston rod ( 1/8" drill rod) and a fish bellied (double tapered) connecting rod (3/8" nail ).  The connecting rod is a two piece assembly but it wasn't intended to be.

I had thought that I could work the forked end at the cross head from the base material if I was careful and I almost made it but disaster (or reality) struck and the fork collapsed.  The con rod now has a cast iron forked end threaded onto the stub end of the crapped part.  It doesn't look to bad, at least not to me. 

Here are a few pics of the current situation.  The main bearing stand is roughed out but actual location and method of connecting remain to be worked out.  I needed the assembly of piston, piston rod and connecting rod to be work out the actual location and clearances.





More to follow.

Jerry                                                                                                                                                                                         199
« Last Edit: March 02, 2013, 06:30:59 AM by Captain Jerry »
NOTARY SOJAK

There are things that you can do and some things you can't do. Don't worry about it. try it anyway.

Offline ths

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Another Corliss Engine
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2013, 06:21:46 AM »
Thanks for the explanation and photo, Jerry. Great stuff, all understood.

Cheers, Hugh.

Offline vcutajar

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Re: Another Corliss Engine
« Reply #11 on: March 02, 2013, 06:39:11 AM »
Thanks for the update Jerry.  It is slowly starting to take shape.

Vince

Offline Captain Jerry

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Re: Another Corliss Engine
« Reply #12 on: March 05, 2013, 05:28:11 AM »
Here is a little more progress.

I have been battling the main bearing stand for a few days.  Alibre was no help.  It is too easy to draw things and make them fit. There is a problem with that.  If the finished part doesn't look like the drawing which one is right?  I'm going with the part.  Not spectacular but here is a picture of the curved faces being fashioned with the boring head.  Not hard at all.  My mill would have not survived this interrupted cut before converting to belt drive.  If you have an S2 mill with gears, get the kit and change to belt drive.  Its night and day.



The girder frame just didn't look right.  To thick so I applied a little more taper.  I also added a stiffener to the side which provides more strength and gives me a place to mount the governor tower.  The tower location is now set but the tower profile is not yet decided.











I think I have things located now.  Next efforts will be to clean it all up, prepare a proper base and begin to fiddle with some fiddley bits.

Jerry


NOTARY SOJAK

There are things that you can do and some things you can't do. Don't worry about it. try it anyway.

Offline ths

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Another Corliss Engine
« Reply #13 on: March 05, 2013, 10:55:02 AM »
You won the battle of the bearing stand, Jerry. Nice curve on it, with a really graceful undercut chamfer.

Hugh.

Offline steamer

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Re: Another Corliss Engine
« Reply #14 on: March 05, 2013, 11:46:53 AM »
I Like it Jerry! :ThumbsUp:

Dave
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

 

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