Re: Locomobile
Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2014 1:29 am
Hi Scotty,
Yes, the mirrors' sole purpose is to observe the gauge glass. In 1901 the rear view mirror had not been thought of yet according to my reading. Some models of the cars had a small kerosene lamp that illuminated the gauge for night driving. Although I can't imagine driving one of these in the dark with a kerosene burning headlamp. That is an antique mirror form an early car, probably a dash mounted rear view mirror from a Model T Ford.
Another bit of trivia, all of these and other cars of that period had white natural rubber tires on them, all tires were white until about 1912. Through experimentation it was discovered that adding carbon to the rubber made it much more wear resistant. It was initially added to only the treaded portion - that's where whitewall tires came from.
The only automatic these cars had were for the burner and it was just high and low fire. It was just a copper diaphragm that operated off of boiler pressure which controlled a fuel valve. The boiler level was manual just as I have it here. It is just a bent 90 degree rod that comes out of the same tube the control levers are mounted on which is connected to a needle valve bypass.
Stanley had a pretty good water automatic and it would be a good addition on our steamboats. It was just a brass tube about 15" long mounted like a gauge glass although horizontal at the desired boiler water level. Boiler water in one end, steam in the other which expanded and contracted the brass tube depending on the water level. This tube lengthening and shortening opened and closed a bypass valve. They worked very well and were used on all later model Stanley cars.
It seems to run pretty good, but I still have burner issues to deal with and won't really know how well it runs until those are sorted. In the video, it's running off of straight kerosene for the pilot and the main burner. The pilot is an Optimus Nova camp stove. I'm switching it over to white gas, which means I have to build a small pilot tank.
-Ron
Yes, the mirrors' sole purpose is to observe the gauge glass. In 1901 the rear view mirror had not been thought of yet according to my reading. Some models of the cars had a small kerosene lamp that illuminated the gauge for night driving. Although I can't imagine driving one of these in the dark with a kerosene burning headlamp. That is an antique mirror form an early car, probably a dash mounted rear view mirror from a Model T Ford.
Another bit of trivia, all of these and other cars of that period had white natural rubber tires on them, all tires were white until about 1912. Through experimentation it was discovered that adding carbon to the rubber made it much more wear resistant. It was initially added to only the treaded portion - that's where whitewall tires came from.
The only automatic these cars had were for the burner and it was just high and low fire. It was just a copper diaphragm that operated off of boiler pressure which controlled a fuel valve. The boiler level was manual just as I have it here. It is just a bent 90 degree rod that comes out of the same tube the control levers are mounted on which is connected to a needle valve bypass.
Stanley had a pretty good water automatic and it would be a good addition on our steamboats. It was just a brass tube about 15" long mounted like a gauge glass although horizontal at the desired boiler water level. Boiler water in one end, steam in the other which expanded and contracted the brass tube depending on the water level. This tube lengthening and shortening opened and closed a bypass valve. They worked very well and were used on all later model Stanley cars.
It seems to run pretty good, but I still have burner issues to deal with and won't really know how well it runs until those are sorted. In the video, it's running off of straight kerosene for the pilot and the main burner. The pilot is an Optimus Nova camp stove. I'm switching it over to white gas, which means I have to build a small pilot tank.
-Ron