Agricultural Engines of Tuxford and Sons, and Bach. Tuxford and Sons' Portable Agricultural Engine. - In this engine, which is represented in figs. 501 and 502, the machinery, instead of being disposed upon the top of the boiler, is arranged in a sheet iron chamber at the end of the boiler, as appears by fig. 502, which is an end view of the engine with the door of this chamber open. The cylinder is vertical. The advantages claimed for this species of engine are, that the working parts being situated not on the outside of the boiler, but in a sheet iron box, which may be locked up, are less liable than common engines to be injured by dust or rain, or to be damaged by meddling spectators, or by theft of the brass work. It is also maintained that the cylinder, from being vertical, is not so liable to wear oval as in engines where the cylinder lies on its side. The boiler is of a construction which combines the use of flues which send back the smoke, with the use of tubes which lead it forward 375 again; and the chimney, which is at the fire box end of the boiler, is provided with a spark trap to obviate danger from fire. Messrs. Tuxford's engines are of a very elegant and efficient character. At the meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society at Carlisle, in 1855, Messrs. Tuxford's portable engine excelled the engines of all the other competitors in regard to the work done with a given consumption of fuel, their engine having consumed only 34 lbs. of coal per hour for each horse power. The species of engine which Messrs. Tuxford employ chiefly in their portable engine combination is the double side rod engine, which they also use for land purposes, and which is represented in page 295. This species of engine was first described in the "Artizan," in one of the early numbers of which work an engraving of it is given, accompanied by a commendation of its good qualities and eligible character for some purposes. Messrs. Tuxford have also used the oscillating cylinder in their portable engines; but they give the preference to the fixed cylinder, and it has the valuable property that it is more easily surrounded by a jacket, and more easily heated by the smoke. It is of more importance to the economy BUTLIN'S PORTABLE STEAM ENGINE. Butlin's Portable Engine.-Fig. 504 represents a 6-horse portable engine, manufactured by Mr. W. Butlin, Engineer, Northampton, and reported to be economical, simple, and durable. The boiler, like that of locomotives, is tubular, having the fire at one end, and smoke box at the other, to which is attached an iron chimney 7 feet high. The barrel is 2 ft. 3 in. diameter, made of best best Staffordshire iron, and containing 30 24 in. iron lap welded tubes: the outer case of the fire box is 2 ft. 10 in. wide, 2 ft. 3 in. broad, and 4 ft. deep, made of best best Staffordshire plate. The fire box is made of Bowling or Low Moor iron, 2 ft. 5 in. wide, 2 ft. 9in. deep, and 1 ft. 9 in. broad; under it is a neat iron ash pan, supported by links. Upon the upper, or convex surface of the outer case, is fixed a large sized steam dome. The manufacturer claims considerable advantage in the use of a steam dome for portable engines, for this reason, that the water frequently used is taken from stagnant pools, impregnated with organic matter. Under these circumstances, the boiler will invariably prime, and the result is, that not only steam, but steam, water, and grit will be carried into the cylinder, unless a receptacle, such as a steam dome, is provided. Where this is the case, loss of power will ensue, and considerable damage will be done to the working parts. In locomotive engines, where the boilers have no dome, the steam is collected by an internal horizontal pipe, pierced with numerous small Agricultural Engines of Barrett, Exall, and Co., and of Crosskill. holes. Neither this expedient, however, nor that of a steam dome, has become general in the common portable agricultural engine. The cylinder, which is 7 in. diameter and 15 in. stroke, is bolted horizontally against the dome, being supported in this position by a small bracket from the boiler. The centre of the cylinder points to the centre of funnel, and the rectilineal motion of the piston rod is preserved by two brass guide blocks, made to work with great nicety between two pairs of wrought iron guide bars. These guide bars can be adjusted as occasion requires. A jaw or fork made of wrought iron, is keyed upon the piston rod, through which passes a wrought iron pin, or cross head, to engage the guide brass and to attach the connecting rod. The crank is forged double, like the cranked axle of a locomotive, and is supported by a cast iron saddle, bolted to the boiler. The fly wheel is 5 ft. diameter, and 6 in. wide, and it can be hung at either end of the crank shaft, leaving the feed pump on the opposite end. The feed pump is bolted to the barrel of the boiler, and is worked by an eccentric on the fly-wheel shaft, the feed pipe being introduced within the smoke box, sometimes with a coil to heat the feed water previous to its admission to the boiler. The slide valve is worked by an eccentric with a direct rod. The engine is supplied with a well regulated governor, worked by a band or iron Fig. 505. 377 steam is got up, so that there will be no impediment to the engine being started when the steam has attained a sufficient elasticity. Most of the other makers have suitable provisions for insuring the same result. Messrs. Barrett and Co. claim to have reduced the weight of the portable engine considerably. The boiler and cylinder are covered with hair felt and wood lagging, to prevent any undue dispersion of the heat, and each engine is fitted with a safety valve, governor, water gauge, two gauge cocks, blow-off cock and mud holes, ash pan, damper, drag shoe, stoking tools, flue brush, and waterproof cover. Crosskill's portable Engine.-This engine, which is set on four wooden wheels, is represented in fig. 506. A regulator, with a handle resembling those used in locomotives, lets the steam into the cylinder, which lies on the top of the fire box. The crank shaft lies across the barrel of the boiler at the chimney end, and the general arrangements of the engine, which will be obvious from the figure, nearly resemble those of some of the engines already described. BARRETT, EXALL, AND ANDREWES PORTABLE AGRICULTURAL ENGINE. chain from off the crank shaft. The engine is mounted upon four common wood travelling wheels, with two wrought iron axletrees. The hind axletree, which supports the heavy end of the engine, is provided with springs, to obviate violent shocks when travelling upon rough roads. Barrett, Exall, and Andrewes' Engine. - The engine of Messrs. Barrett, Exall, and Andrewes, is represented in fig. 505, and is a highly efficient and well contrived engine. In this engine the cylinder is set upon the boiler, and the saddle by which the cylinder is attached to the boiler is formed into a steam chest, which both helps to keep the cylinder hot and to obviate priming. In an engine constructed upon this plan, any ice which may form within the engine in winter when it is not at work, is gradually thawed and dissolved out as the CROSSKILL'S PORTABLE AGRICULTURAL ENGINE. It will not be expected, that in the case of engines so nearly resembling one another as these agricultural engines do, we should describe each individual example with any great speciality. The differences are, upon the whole, but slight between the various specimens; and each particular maker will naturally consider his own particular arrangements as the most eligible. But whatever differences of opinion may prevail respecting minute details, there can only be one opinion as to the creditable design and construction of all these agricultural engines, stimulated as they have been by competition, both as regards goodness and cheapness. In Crosskill's engine, as in some of the other examples, the wheels which support the engine are of wood, but on the whole iron wheels seem to be preferable. Burrell's Engine, and American Fire Engine. Fig. 507. BURRELL'S EIGHT-HORSE PORTABLE ENGINE. Fig. 508. AMERICAN STEAM FIRE ENGINE. HAR Fig. 507 is a representation of another specimen of Burrell's portable engine, which in this case is of 8 horses-power. The governor is so arranged as to control the engine at 3 different speeds, if required, without the necessity of shutting off the steam, which is very essential in thrashing, in the summer months. The fire boxes of the boilers of Mr. Burrell's engine are made of Low Moor iron, and are fitted with tubes similar to those of a locomotive, by which the greatest amount of heating surface is obtained in the smallest possible space, and the greatest economy in fuel is effected. A hot water cistern and apparatus is applied for pumping hot and cold water, by which a saving in fuel is effected. These boilers are covered with felt and cased with wood to prevent the radiation of heat. E American Fire Engine.-This fire engine, represented in fig. 508, is manufactured by Messrs. Silsby, Mynderse, and Co., of Island Works, Seneca Falls, New York. It is a modification of the machines previously manufactured by this firm, and appears now in a very compact form. In the illustration a represents the steam boiler, provided with 300 14 inch upright tubes, and connected to the supply water tank, B, by a suitable pipe. c is the smoke pipe, in the lower part of which is placed a blower or fan, D, which receives its motion by a band passing around a wheel on its shaft, and around another wheel secured to one of the hind wheels. is a rotary engine on "Holly's patent." F is a rotary pump, also constructed according to "Holly's patent." G is a take-off for a hose for conducting water to the fire to be extinguished. H is a 4 inch suction opening, for attachment of the suction pipe or hose usually carried with fire engines of this description. It can be used to draw water from cisterns, rivers, and other places, or attached to the ordinary hydrant. I is the pump for supplying the boiler with water, geared to and worked by the shaft on which the rotary engine, E, and rotary pump, F, are secured. Jis a rotary donkey pump and engine combined, constructed and operating in every respect similar to the engine E, and pump F. This additional supply pump is for the purpose of supplying the boiler with water when the machine is not in operation, and cannot, therefore, receive a supply of water from the pump, I. K is the steam supply pipe. L is the exhaust steam pipe. M, м, are india rubber springs, on which the machine rests. N is the driver's seat. o is a tongue, to which the horses for drawing the machine are attached. This tongue is made to disconnect by means of a lever, under the control of the driver. P is a steam whistle, Q a steam gauge, and R the platform for firemen. s is the heater for feed or supply water. T is a safety valve, and u the throttle valve. The weight of the engines is from 4500 to 5000 lbs., with capacity to force two 1 inch streams 175 feet, or one 1 inch stream the same distance; and the pressure of steam required to produce these effects, it is stated, is only from 40 to 50 lbs. per square inch. Traction Engines of Boydell, Cambridge, and Barrans. TRACTION ENGINES. Traction engines are engines constructed for drawing loads upon common roads, or for drawing ploughs, or other agricultural implements over fields. At one time steam engines upon common roads seemed likely to come into extended use. But railways extended so rapidly, and offered such superior advantages, that steam locomotion upon ordinary roads had never time given to it to reach any considerable perfection. There are various situations, nevertheless, for which this species of transport would be highly valuable, and more esFig. 509. 379 The "Endless Railway" is not required on the front wheels, and its motion is entirely hid by the hoods attached to the hinder or driving wheels; while from burning coke, or consuming the smoke when burning coals, and using the means now adopted for suppressing the noise from the exhaust steam, when required, there is nothing to attract the notice of horses either meeting or overtaking this engine. It has been found that no practical inconvenience from horses meeting the engine occurs, and that it is open to far less objection than the passing of locomotives on railways, either over or under bridges crossing the public roads, or running, as they frequently do, side by side. Fig. 510. pecially in such countries as India, where a large extension of the means of locomotion is more necessary than any high degree of excellence in a particular locality. Of late years this necessity has been sufficiently perceived to restore the attention of ingenious men to the establishment of means of locomotion on the common roads, and various contrivances having this object in view have been brought forward, the more prominent of which we shall here describe. Boydell's Traction Engine. - This is one of the best known machines for ploughing by steam, by drawing ploughs after it, and it The is also well adapted for travelling over soft and rough roads. structure of the engine is very similar to that of the agricultural engines of which representations have already been given. A pinion gears into a wheel placed upon the axis of the driving wheel, so that when the engine is put into motion the driving wheel, which answers to the driving wheel of a locomotive, is turned round slowly but with great force. In this manner sufficient tractive power is obtained to draw a very heavy load; and to prevent the engine from sinking in the ground, the driving wheel has a number of flat boards hung upon it by links, one of which comes down in advance of the wheel by the time the wheel has passed over that already on the ground, Upon these boards pieces of rail are laid, upon which pieces of rail the engine runs, and a travelling railway for the wheel to run over is thus obtained. Boydell's engine is capable of passing over bad roads, large stones, and ploughed fields. It may be used to draw guns, boats, or other heavy weights with success, and in practice it is found to work in an efficient and satisfactory manner. Figs. 509 and 510 are representations of two varieties of this engine. Fig. 509 is expressly adapted for going over very soft or sandy roads, and for ploughing or other agricultural purposes, the "Endless Railway" being attached to the front, as well as to the driving, wheels, thus bearing a portion of the weight, preventing the front wheels from sinking into the ground, and removing all difficulty from the steering. The "Endless Railway" is, however, removable at pleasure, when it is desirable to do so. Fig. 510 represents a traction engine which worked for sometime at Manchester and Liverpool, drawing trains of loaded waggons through the towns and on the public roads. This engine and train have since been shipped for Venezuela. This form is expressly adapted for high roads, and recent improvements are said to have removed every supposed objection to the use of engines thus constructed. BOYDELL'S TRACTION ENGINE. Cambridge's Traction Engine. - Cambridge's portable railway is an arrangement of travelling feet like those attached to Boydell's traction engine, but the feet are suspended from the joints of a hexagon of rods surrounding the wheel, and which forms a chain of rails that runs round it for the wheel to rest upon. Barrans' Traction Engine.- Fig. 511 represents the traction engine of Mr. Joseph Barrans as manufactured by Messrs. Gardiner and Mackintosh, engineers, of New Cross, near London. To support the weight of the boiler and cylinders, a beam or lever is introduced beneath the boiler, the hinder end of which moves on an axis attached to the boiler, while the smoke-box rests upon an India rubber spring attached to this beam. The driving axle moves in vertical guides attached to the fire-box end of the boiler, and is driven by gearing; and to prevent the action of the springs moving the teeth in or out of gear, links are introduced to connect the crank axle with the driving axle, so that these two axes are always maintained in the same relative positions. The steering of the carriage is accomplished by means of a pinion, at the end of an upright spindle, acting on a sector attached to the axle of the fore wheels. Longstaff and Pullan's Traction Engine. - Fig. 512 represents the traction engine of Messrs. Longstaff and Pullan, as made by Messrs. Gardiner and Mackintosh. In this engine the cylinders and driving gear, instead of being attached directly to the boiler, are mounted on a vibrating frame or platform, which vibrating frame is connected to the ordinary foundation frame to which the wheels are fixed, by a pin, stud, or spring, while its other end is connected to the foun 3 c 2 |