Ramsbottom Intermedial Engine

This topic has 10 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 1 April 2013 at 15:44 by Stewart Hart.

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23 March 2013 at 10:10 #22539
Stewart Hart
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@stewarthart90345
Has any one got any information on this engine
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23 March 2013 at 10:10 #115056
Stewart Hart
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@stewarthart90345
Whilst surfing one of the Archive sites I came across a book called Steam and the Steam Engine Printed in 1873, it had brief description of an engine called the Ramsbottom Intermedial Engine. Now I'm a bit of a fan of Ramsbottom, and started to do a bit of research on this engine but drew a blank, the book has one further mention of the engine where it describes its rotary valve. I've sketching out a model of this engine, but would like some further information, etching what it was used for were any built etc, so can any one help

Stew
23 March 2013 at 10:36 #115059
JasonB
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@jasonb
Try Pat on Classic Steam
23 March 2013 at 12:32 #115076
Stewart Hart
Participant
@stewarthart90345
Thanks Jason:-

I'd forgoten about Pat's collection of engine etchings I'll check them out tonight

Stew
24 March 2013 at 10:51 #115155
Stewart Hart
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@stewarthart90345
I've just posted this ? on a couple of other forums, if I get anything back I'll let any one interested on on her know.

Stew
24 March 2013 at 12:18 #115165
Clive Foster
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@clivefoster55965
May be worth investigating low pressure blowers / compressors too. Fairly sure I've seen similar things depicted with one end for steam power and the other as an air pump. Presumably idea was to use two or more cylinders to get pretty constant air delivery with the crank doing little more than timing duties so not needing great strength.

Clive
24 March 2013 at 18:55 #115198
Stewart Hart
Participant
@stewarthart90345
Hi Clive

Thanks for your interest, I think you may be on the right track with a blower engine, Ramsbottom installed one of the first Besemer converters at Crewe Loco works that would have needed a blower, and as this engine seems to be high reving it would be ideal.

I've been given a link to an American patent of a similar engine **LINK**

Thank again

Stew

Edited By Stewart Hart on 24/03/2013 18:56:33
24 March 2013 at 19:49 #115204
Sub Mandrel
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@submandrel
Presumably the crank runs in a scotch yoke inside the piston?

Neil
24 March 2013 at 20:01 #115208
Stewart Hart
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@stewarthart90345
Thanks for your interest Neil

Yes I think a scotch yolk is what it used, though the American Pinker engine has a connecting rod arrangement.

Its got a number of interesting design problems, how to assemble the crank inside the cylinder and piston is one, and how to time the valve event is another, and how to fabricate the cylinder yet another.

Unfortunately I think it would build up into quite a boring engine as all the interesting mechanism would be out of view inside the cylinder, but I think adding a governor would add some interest back.

Stew
25 March 2013 at 08:58 #115234
Clive Foster
Participant
@clivefoster55965
Maybe make one for running on air with a transparent (perspex tube?) cylinder so you can see what's happening inside. Possibly transparent rotary valves too. Big problem will be to make it run really slowly. Could be real swanky and fit something in the inlet to dispense puffs of coloured smoke to show the flow patterns.

I'll get me coat.

Clive
1 April 2013 at 15:44 #115798
Stewart Hart
Participant
@stewarthart90345
Decided to have a go at drawing something up and came up with this

When you break it down its quite a simple engine, the hardest part will be in fabricating the cylinder.

Stew
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