Mill engine identity of

[chester]

I have recently been given a mill engine to try to repair as quite a few parts seem to be missing. The threads on the screws on the covers appear to be metric, it is 35mm bore and 75mm stroke.The piston rod slides on a I shaped bar and connects to a 99.5mm small flywheel. There is a eccentric to the slide valve which also has a reversing lever on it.The main shaft which has four flats filed on it is supported by two supports with a 240mm 6 spoke flywheel on the end unsupported.With it are one eccentric and one plain bush but no straps.The whole engine is of brass or gunmetal with only the nuts, bolts and keys made of steel.It is about 6inches wide and 16 inches long on a brass plate mounted on a wooden table about 4 inches high.Unfortunately i have not got a clue how to upload photo's to the site.Any help gratefully received thank you.

[alanstepney]

If it is old, I would be surprised to find Metric threads, unless it originated on the continent.

The threads will probably be BA, which is based upon a Metric original but specified in Imperial dimensions.

The only way anyone can give sensible advice is after seeing it, so some photos are a must.

Here's how you do it.
For a start, upload the photos to a hosting site. Photobucket is simple, and free.

Then you need two windows open, one with your Photobucket site, and the other with this site.

Below each photo on the Photobucket site will be three small "windows". The second one down is the one you want.
Click on that, and it will say "saved".

Then, on the "post message" screen here, right click, and paste the link that you just saved.
Lastly, immediately over the message window is a row or coloured icons. 4th from the left is one that looks like a small picture.

Select the entire line that you just pasted, then click on that icon.

You should then find you have, your picture link[/img]

If you REALLY get stuck, let me know via a PM and I'll assist.

[jamespetts]

This probably isn't much help, but all that I can say is that if it's a horizontal engine with reversing gear, it's probably not a Stuart :-) I expect that you probably knew that already...

[chester]

Hello alan thank you for the information i will take some picture's tomorrow and try and post them.Two more bits of information, the main shaft is 13mm and the screws are 3.5x.6mm and3x.5 mm.

[alanstepney]

Whilst I'm not sure if it is metric or not, 4BA is 3.6mm dia x 0.65 pitch.

Not as easy to find a match for the 3mm one, as 5BA is 3.2 mm, and 6BA is 2.8mm.
Of course, the 1/8" (3.175mm) threads are also possible.

I'm sure the pictures will give some more information. At least, I hope so!

[chester]

Not very good photo's i have put a six inch rule along side to try to help . i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj199/leadwing/millengine006.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj199/leadwing/millengine005.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj199/leadwing/millengine003.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj199/leadwing/millengine002.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj199/leadwing/millengine001.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj199/leadwing/millengine004.jpg

[chester]

[chester]

[chester]

[chester]

[chester]

[chester]

[jgb7573]

Hi Chester. I'm afraid I can't identify the model for you, but it's certainly nothing like anything I've seen before. A very interesting reversing arrangement for sure. I must admit I'm intrigued by your spare parts. You have the flywheel and the crankweb, both of which will be overhung, but quite why you have the spare eccentric and the 'plain bush' I don't really know. I'm not sure what they would be for as it looks like the valve drive mechanism is complete.
I'm also intrigued by the "hole" on top of the cyliner on its centre line. Could this be for an oiler maybe?
You mention 4 flats on the main shaft. I'm also intrigued by the keyways in the flywheel and the "spare" eccentric and plain bush. Are there any keyways in the main shaft that correspond to these? Or perhaps the keyways are meant to line up with the flats in some way? It doesn't look to me like the crankweb has a keyway in it, and that's another little oddity.

Sorry Chester I can't be more helpful than this. Maybe someone else could make some better suggestions. Intriguing though. Thanks for putting up the pictures.
John

[alanstepney]

I am just as confused.
I've not seen anything like that, although, and from memory, it is vaguely reminiscent of an engine in the Brighton Engineerium.

My guess is that it dates from the 1930's or earlier.

Looking at the proportions of the fastenings, I am not sure that they are metric. Although early-ish Metric may well have diferent proportions to todays.

Someone put a lot of work into it, although I am fairly sure it wasnt based upon a larger prototype.
The propertions of the valve chest to cylinder dont look right.

One thought. There is a posibility that it may not be a model.
Given the bore + stroke it could provide a reasonable amount of power.
Might it have been designed as a power source in its own right?

Against that is the flimsy nature of the bearings, valve rod etc.

From the photos it looks like several items are cast, which implies a number were made. Unless the original maker was very skilled.

A mystery.
Certainly an intriguing one.

I wonder what ideas others here may have?

[circlip]

Can't see any"spare" parts in your photo Chester, can you show another picture of the slotted coupling link to the slide valve? I've never seen a Stevenson's launch link reversing mechanism with only one eccentric before. Think you might have some bits MISSING.

[chameleonrob]

circlip said:

Can't see any"spare" parts in your photo Chester, can you show another picture of the slotted coupling link to the slide valve? I've never seen a Stevenson's launch link reversing mechanism with only one eccentric before. Think you might have some bits MISSING.

i think that its to allow running at short cutoff but without the ability to reverse, other than that I can't help.

rob

[circlip]

Take your point Rob, the photo of the end of the link is just enough out of shot to make it difficult . I find it strange
that the "spare" eccentric just looks to be the same diameter as the one on the rod. Have you dismantled anything Chester?

OOOH I hate these widescreen productions.

[chester]

Hello thank you for your comments, i have not taken anything apart this is how the engine was given to me. The crank web looks as it could have sheared of but the damaged metal is only about is only about 40 thos wide it is more like a chamfer. but the end of the main shaft looks as though it has sheared completly.The friend of a friend who gave me the engine thinks there might be some small parts somewhere but they have not turned up yet.I have posted two more photo's to try to help.

[chester]

[img src="http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj199/leadwing/canon2008102.jpg"][/img]

[chester]