Engines > Restoration of Model Engines
Restoration of a Lowne atmospheric engine.
RayW:
What a great find Graham. Watching progress with interest.
Alyn Foundry:
Thanks Ray. :ThumbsUp: I’m really looking forward to to finishing the restoration.
The next item on the list was the shutter and cross arm. Again the rod diameter is 1/8” and drops into a slot on the pushrod side and slips into a clearance hole on the far side. I’m guessing it was done like this to aid periodic cleaning of the shutter and port face. Two Brass washers locate the arm in the slotted support bracket. The end of the arm carries a crank and hole that picks up the pin on the pushrod. A very crudely made arm made from 1/4”-1/8” flat bar is soldered at one end to the cross arm and carries the pivoted port shutter at the other. The flap is made from thick Brass sheet but I opted to turn down a piece of Brass and form the flap and spigot in one. This was then lapped on an oilstone before being fitted to the arm. From a mechanical point of view I assumed that this item was also able to pivot, or perhaps a better description, float within the arm. My assumption being based upon the fact that a fixed flap would only touch at the top due to it moving through an arc. My friends engine was so heavily painted which he didn’t want to disturb left me with no option but to contact Nick Rowland of RMC fame who also has one of these motors for an answer. A short video was received from Nick via the FB group chat which showed it did indeed float about the pivot.
The two pictures are pretty much self explanatory.
:cheers: Graham.
Alyn Foundry:
As a footnote the engine is really quite small. The flame port flap measures 1” or 25 mm in diameter.
I’ve just learned from Nick that the piston is sealed, not by the two Blue Steel rings but the whole assembly is a kind of Stuffing gland that pushes against some packing between it and a slightly larger opening in the front end of the cylinder. The gland is secured by a couple of small tension springs. I have just ordered some 1 mm section, high temperature “ O “ rings because luckily the piston diameter is dead on 37 mm and the opening is 39 mm. The stroke is enormous…. A whopping 3,250 thousandths of an inch. :o
:cheers: Graham.
Zephyrin:
Lucky man, what an awesome bid you win !
atmospheric engines are fascinating, and I will watch the progress in the overhaul !
Alyn Foundry:
More to come but I couldn’t wait to share the current situation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGC7NqhCKgU
:cheers: Graham.
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