ME No155 Vol10 pg 359 of 1904

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Just wndering if any members have this magazine and would be able to photgraph or copy what it has to say about the Whitehead small power vertical gas engine. Should look like this.

 

[David SeniorParticipant @davidsenior29320]

Is this what you want?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Thank you David, I’m sure that is what was in the ME index. The dimensions will give me something to go by and if I do end up making one it looks like 1/3rd scale would be a reasonable size. Thanks again, J.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

It would be an unusual and interesting project, with quite a few ornamental twiddly parts too.

Interesting it could be reversed quite simply; probably to suit a fixed installation, not for frequent use. Presumably by re-setting the cam-shaft. Some steam-engines of the period had slotted eccentrics so they could be set for directions for particular machines. Later, big marine compression-ignition engines had reversing valve-gear for ship manoeuvering.

“… dental lathes and drillls… ” Hmmm. I think some early dental drills were even hand-powered!

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Yes that is one thing that drew me to it, being there is no crankcase you can see the bits moving about. The face cam makes a nice change as I have only done one before and that was a long time ago. It seems that only two of these engines still exist, th eone in my photo being th emost original with th eother being built from just a few remaining parts

I was thinking of 3D metal printing what look to be equal diameter skew gears but may have found a source after posting a request for engine details on FB. Looks like they have been about since 1904!

 

This one is also a possibility which apparently can also be run both ways. Possibly 16mm to the inch which is approx 5/8th scale and gives a 235mm flywheel.

[Andrew CrowParticipant @andrewcrow91475]

Now that is unusual, I’ve seen model flame lickers but never something that was commercially manufactured to actually do some work. I’m sure either of them would make interesting models.

Andy.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I’m not sure what work it could do at 1/15th HP but they seem to have found uses. The small electric motor of the day

[Andrew CrowParticipant @andrewcrow91475]

With a 2″ bore you could be actually building a full sized replica which could probably drive a small generator.

Andy

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I don’t think it’s a flame licker, it looks to have an automatic suction operated inlet valve

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Full size is an option, once the CAD is done it is easy enough to make in other sizes either from solid or 3D printed patterns.

It is a flame gulper/sucker./licker The inlet “flap” is opened by a pushrod from the crank operated bell crank on the right which opens the flap on the downstroke of the piston. The Flap closes a little before BDC and then the vacuum caused by the cooling combustion gasses from the flame cause the piston to be pushed back up by atmospheric pressure. There is a spring on the pushrod that allows the flap to open as the piston gets towards TDC so no pressure builds up within the cylinder. The early patent had a diaphram valve in the piston crown which did the same job.

The main flame comes in from the left and spreads out in the fan which leads to a ring of burner openings so the flame gets drawn in all round. The small tube is the pilot light should the flame get blown out by too much exhausted cooled air/gas.

This is an earlier one which may show the flap working better, it just has the single burner which is just an open tube. this is closer to the horizontal layout that was shown on the original Lowne Patent drawings.

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

I’m not sure what work it could do at 1/15th HP …

Should drive the aforementioned Dental Drill quite nicely

MichaelG.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

I think we’re talking at cross purposes now.  Going back to the Whitehead, any idea how it’s governed?  It certainly lends itself to making a nice, fairly simple model.  I’ve been thinking about a vertical gas engine…

Rod

[Roderick Jenkins]

On Roderick Jenkins Said:

I think we’re talking at cross purposes now.  […]

Sorry … I just saw it as being the normal ‘topic creep’

MichaelG.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Rod, it would seem the Whitehead was offered with a governor as an extra although I don’t know what style it took. Being quite an early engine with a bit of steam engine styling it could have been a flyball type working on the throttle or there may have been some way to latch the cam follower in the open position so it ran as a hit & miss engine.

You should not have a problem with the Skew gears!

This is the other engine I made with a face cam. The small diameter rod running parallel to the side shaft is moved by the flywheel weight. This then moves the L shaped steel latch and that engages where the two red marks are thus holding the rocker arm off the cam and the exhaust valve stays open. If I did it with a governor this would be my prefered method though if the ignition contacts are made adjustable it should be possible to control the speed by advancing or retarding the timing.

 

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I think we must be talking about 2 different engines, the one in David Seniors engraving shows 2 vertical valves, one operated by a cam. It is also offered as an oil engine, which doesn’t make much sense for a flame licker.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Ah Yes. The red coloured Whitehead engine I posted about and that David provided the details of is a 4 stroke with atmospheric intake valve and cam operated exhaust, hot tube ignition.

The green one with the big flame in the video is the flame gulper.

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