Ca. 1858 Hardcastle True Vertical Gothic Design Steam Engine Ex Ford Museum
This fine museum quality British engine was acquired circa 1985 at auction from the Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI. The engine may be demonstrated on 15 p.s.i. of air, is in excellent cosmetic and mechanical condition. This early small 3-4 H.P. engine was designed to operate a line-shaft belt driven shop. The true vertical design required less floor space than horizontal engines of the period.
This fine engine in original age patina was acquired by Henry Ford in 1933 for the Edison Institute.
Complete with 2" X 1" Engraved Nickel on Brass Plaque "BONDED US CUSTOMS Detroit Entry #3 FEB 15, 1933 EDISON INSTITUTE ITEM D Serial # 4"
Gothic A-frame design with overhead 2.75" diameter crank shaft supporting a 31" x 3" 6-tapered spoked fly wheel, twin adjustable brass insert main-bearings each with removable caps and brass top-mounted oilers, crank shaft eccentric with cast and machined eccentric strap to double tapered steel valve rod and linkage to cylinder side-mounted stream chest.
Other fine details include: Twin heavy cast A-frames, each with fluted upper-section, twin ornate cast cross supports each raised with circus style letters "T. HARDCASTLE MAKER KIDD" .
The twin frames mounted on a 34" x 22.5 " heavy cast bed-plate.
The single vertical base-mounted cylinder of approximate 4.5" bore x 8" stroke , 8" diameter cylinder head with adjustable packing gland, upper and lower condensate valves with piping with 22" double tapered and turned steel connecting-rod with adjustable brass bearing to crank shaft pendulum design arm and crank-pin with opposite end bearing to piston rod bearing incorporating gibb & cottered piston rod connection with upper frame- mounted cross head bearing, connecting rod bearing each with brass grease cups. Final cylinder details include: 8" diameter integral cylinder base mounted plate, well executed 9" x 5.5" cast and machined valve-chest with adjustable top-mounted valve rod packing gland, original 1.25" diameter inlet piping, cylinder with side-mounted 1.5" diameter threaded exhaust port.
All mounted on a custom built 37" x 24.5" heavy oak exhibition base, tapered side and end panels each with raised ornate sections, base tapering to 48" x 36" footprint
Dimensions: overall height of wood base 24", height of cast base to top of fly wheel 56" overall height on base 80", length over shaft 42", approximate weight 800-1,000 lbs.
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