Author Topic: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine  (Read 12356 times)

Online Jo

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Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« on: December 18, 2019, 04:01:22 PM »
During a visit to my Supplier I mentioned that of late I have been building a number of Stirling engines but to date had not built a Heinrici did he have any castings for one :naughty: The answer came back no but he did have Westbury's original prototype for the one he published in ME back in the 1940's   8)

When my Supplier first acquired the engine from Mr Westbury's daughter it was in a sad condition and rusty  :'( He had cleaned it up to remove the rust but it had not actually put it back together again :slap: So I have confiscated it so that I can put it back together and see if I can get it running.

There are also a pair of spare flywheel castings that I need to decide if it should have two flywheels or stick with just the one  :thinking: And then it will need to be compared with the engine Mr Westbury published in ME all those years ago under the pseudo name "Artificer". I don't think this engine was ever drawn up.

Jo

Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline Alyn Foundry

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Re: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2019, 04:24:02 PM »
Very nice Jo.

Wasn't this followed up by Reeves and sold as a kit?

I too have all the patterns and rights to produce a water cooled version of this engine, and....

A very nice cast Iron platform for it to sit upon.

You'll probably find that the second flywheel is needed to get it running properly, it'll be nice to see the
" skipping man " in action!!   ;)

Cheers Graham.

Online Jasonb

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Re: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« Reply #2 on: December 18, 2019, 04:43:13 PM »
I'll have to go and see if I have those MEs now.

have a feeling I saw some Heinrici castings on ebay within the last week it he who must be obeyed wants an extra Xmas pressie

Online Jo

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Re: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2019, 04:50:04 PM »

Hi Graham,

I believe so but this is a very much smaller engine than the one Reeves sell this one is about 9" tall where as the Reeves on is nearly 2ft tall. It is rather sweet  ;D

I'll have to go and see if I have those MEs now.

have a feeling I saw some Heinrici castings on ebay within the last week it he who must be obeyed wants an extra Xmas pressie

The article was in volume 83 towards the end of the year..

Was that what he was up to?  :noidea:

Jo
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Online Jasonb

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Re: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2019, 04:54:21 PM »
Are you going to make the fountain to go with it, would look nice in the conservatory :LittleDevil:

Think I may have that volume.

Online Jo

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Re: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2019, 05:11:23 PM »
I am looking to put the engine back together and get it running. Then I have to return it to its custodian  :(

Jo
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Offline Dave Otto

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Re: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2019, 07:23:43 PM »
Interesting project Jo.
Looking forward to seeing it run. I just happen to have castings for this enigne, https://www.ajreeves.com/heinrici.html
Purchased long ago from a friend who was never going to do anything with them. Also came with a welded steel base, not sure if he made that or it came with the kit.

Dave

Online Jasonb

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Re: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2019, 07:38:28 PM »
Dave, Reeves used to list the welded base so probably purchased with the castings.

Online Jo

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Re: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2019, 08:40:14 PM »
I've just been having a fondle: This engine has a 9/16" bore on the power cylinder and a 1" stroke compared with the 1" bore x 1 3/4" stroke of the Reeves one.

Another one could easily be made out of bar stock :slap: With a fair bit of fettling to try to make it look more cast engine like  :thinking:

Jo
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Offline crueby

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Re: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« Reply #9 on: December 18, 2019, 09:06:30 PM »
I've just been having a fondle: This engine has a 9/16" bore on the power cylinder and a 1" stroke compared with the 1" bore x 1 3/4" stroke of the Reeves one.

Another one could easily be made out of bar stock :slap: With a fair bit of fettling to try to make it look more cast engine like  :thinking:

Jo
Jo making a bar-stock cylinder?    :o
Who are you and what have you done with Jo?!?! 

 :Lol:

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« Reply #10 on: December 18, 2019, 09:52:32 PM »
When I started model engineering 30 years ago the Reeves Heinrici was the first model I built. A base wasn't available at that time so I welded up my own steel base. I also followed the Edgar Westbury articles that I think were in the early 1950's editions of Model Engineer.The model was built with a copper displacer and displacer cylinder following the plans. It ran extremely well but used to get hot enough for the cooling water to boil over. Julian Wood (Stirling Engine Society) kindly brazed up a replacement stainless steel displacer and cylinder which was a vast improvement. Now it will run all day on a small flame without the water needing to be changed.
Here are a couple of fairly recent pictures of the engine and a few short videos strung together.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_Xeo16VYuM" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_Xeo16VYuM</a>

Andy
« Last Edit: December 18, 2019, 10:04:22 PM by Chipmaster »

Offline Dave Otto

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Re: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« Reply #11 on: December 18, 2019, 10:45:20 PM »
Beautiful engines Andy!

Dave

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« Reply #12 on: December 18, 2019, 11:13:33 PM »
Thanks indeed for the compliment Dave. The old Heinrici still has it’s original paint and it buffs up quite well. The square water jacket is an aluminium casting whereas one of my friends has an incomplete kit with a cast iron water jacket which we think could be sixty years old, it certainly looks like it.

Andy

Online Jasonb

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Re: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« Reply #13 on: December 19, 2019, 07:10:07 AM »
Looking good Andy and I see your Ryder Ericsson got a good photo in the latest ME

Online Jo

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Re: Westbury's prototype for his Heinrici engine
« Reply #14 on: December 19, 2019, 07:26:08 AM »
That runs well Andy  :) Your Heinrici is huge in comparison with this little prototype.

Having reviewed the condition of the engine I will have to get back to my Supplier as I know he likes engines to have their "original patina" to the extent that Golly still had the river silt on it and the broken connecting rod and he was not willing to have it cleaned up or a replacement rod made  :(

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

 

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