Muncaster's Joys Valve Engine

[Kim]

Beautiful work on that valve control link Simon!  And as usual, an excellent and instructive post.
Thanks for sharing!
Kim

[Jo]

So if that was the final "moving" part how much more is there to go Simon?

Jo

[smfr]

So if that was the final "moving" part how much more is there to go Simon?

Thanks for checking in, Jo!

Let's see! The oil wells around the slides (I have a plan for that). Bearing caps, finish the main bearings. Exhaust piping and exit hole through the base. Move that control handle anchor point. Flywheel (either fabricate or find a 6" casting), and maybe a pulley on the other side. Lots of studs. Try to find a way to put in drain cocks, and a lever mechanism for those. And of course lots of finishing, paint and base.

Simon

[smfr]

I couldn't resist having a bit of a play today before I strip it down to work on the base:

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfMuo1V9m9k" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfMuo1V9m9k</a>

Sorry about the compressor noise    This engine uses enough air to keep my little airbrush compressor running full time.

There's a bit of clunking. I think one cause is the flywheel being a bit loose, so I'll bash the key a few times with a hammer to widen it out and try again.

Thanks for watching!

Simon

[Jo]

  So how big is the flywheel you have on there at the moment? Any plans for what type you are going to fit?

Jo

[smfr]

So how big is the flywheel you have on there at the moment? Any plans for what type you are going to fit?

That one is about 6-3/4" in diameter. I just ordered some bits of tubing to fabricate one of a more appropriate size

Simon

[ths]

Simon, that's glorious. Hugh.

[vcutajar]

That is really looking good Simon.

Vince

[Stilldrillin]

Almost, poetry, Simon!   

David D

[Kim]

That's beautiful Simon!  I couldn't watch the video on my tablet so I didn't see it till this morning, but that's just fabulous!  I finally get how that reversing gizmo works now, and that is really slick!  Seeing it in action is just amazing.

Thanks for posting the video!
Kim

[fumopuc]

Hi Simon, good to see the baby is alive. Nice movement of all these links and rods. A perfect job has been made there. Now we will wait for the final installation with all coming painting and other cosmetics. Thanks for sharing all these with us.

[Don1966]

Simon that is a joy to watch running. Such smooth motions, like Dave said poetry in motion. I like.............

Don

[smfr]

Thanks for the comments everyone!

While doing some slightly tedious shaping on the base, I've been trying to figure out an arrangement for the drain cocks.

I'm thinking of something like this:



The drain cocks have to project down to clear the top plate of the base. They are connected by a linkage so that all four cocks open at once. The linkage runs on two spindles that go through the base wall, and are driven by a central lever connected to an external handle. The links pivot 90deg to open and close the cocks. (I haven't shown any plumbing for the drains, but will probably bring the four together and exhaust them under the main exhaust).

Outside the handle looks a bit like this, and you can see two nuts which are the ends of the spindles.



So, I would like feedback on this mechanism. Do I have enough mechanical advantage with the main lever? Is the linkage strong enough to turn all four drain cocks? To give some idea of size, the rod from which the links are made is 3/32" (about 2.4mm).

Thanks for any input 
Simon

[Jasonb]

For an idea of size these are the ones on my traction engine. The same lever will do 4 valves on the compound version

Lever on actual valve is 1/2"

The vertical rocking lever is 7/8" on the short end and 2 5/32" on the long end which would equate to an actual lever of 1 9/32"

The long rod is 1/8" dia and the flat section between the two valves is 1/8 x 1/16

Thats a 9" flywheel to get an idea of scale





To keep the end of your lever looking nice and slim like you have it I would form a square on the end of the shaft and make a matching square hole in the lever, retain on the shaft with a nut.

Probably no need for the lever to have its own pivot, put it on the end of one shaft and just link to the other, links could also go on the outside as its a shame to hide them

[Roger B]

The drain plugs look to me to have taper seats. How finely can they be adjusted as they will be the major load? I would use a larger 1/8 / 3.2 mm tube to couple the valve and use a larger diameter pivot for the lever. The lever itself looks long enough.

Still following along, keep up the magnificent work