Unusual STUART (?) Steam Contraption!

[Martin King 2Participant @martinking2]

Hi All,

Just had my first visit of the New Year from one of my clearance guys who had this interesting but scruffy item amongst the stuff I bought from him.

Seems to be some kind of pump but the cylinder appears to be brass not cast iron.

I think it will look a lot better when cleaned up but would love to know its exact purpose and lineage?

Cheers, Martin

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I think the feed pumps have always had brass/bronze cylinders see here

[Martin King 2Participant @martinking2]

Ahh, An actual STUART item then, I thought it was a concoction of various parts! How little I know>

Thanks Jason, now I am happy to spend some time cleaning it up.

Cheers, Martin

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Genuine Stuart feed water pump ! Sometines difficult to get running reliably ! Got one on the book shelf. Noel.

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Just curious, if its a pump how is it driven?

Ian P

 

I have ‘followed’ but not clicked the ‘notify by email’ box this thread as a test. But I dont think Follow works

 

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

 

On the top right is the steam inlet and displacement lubricator that feeds the cylinder with steam. Central pipe bottom right is the exhaust with two drain cocks plumbed into it.

The piston rod is also the pump ram that runs into the pump on the left. Water inlet at the bottom, outlet at the top. Two balls on seats act as one way valves.

The clamp on the piston rod in the centre drives the smaller valve rod in a shuttle type motion opening and closing the inlet valves either end off the piston driving it back and forth.

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

Steam on left, pumped liquid on right. Often found mounted vertically on the boilerhouse wall. Simple valve gear and in real life just keep on working slow and steady. Volume pumped is usually controlled by a bye-pass valve.

John

[Ian P]

On Ian P Said:

Just curious, if its a pump how is it driven?

Ian P

 

I have ‘followed’ but not clicked the ‘notify by email’ box this thread as a test. But I dont think Follow works

 

I tried it after Jason suggested it re your previous comments. it worked for me.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Nice find!

These will work on compressed-air, too. There was a “full-scale” version, similar principles but air-powered, connected to a hydraulic pressure test tank in one of the labs at work.

[mark costello 1Participant @markcostello1]

Looks like a pile of enjoyment to Me.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

If you look at the bottom of the link I posted there is a video one running on air

[Clive Brown 1Participant @clivebrown1]

Here’s mine, again running on air, a bit frantic, I haven’t tried it on steam against boiler feed pressure which might possibly calm things down. an interesting project, the alignment between cylinder and pump axis is critical to allow reasonably friction-free running.

Edit; seems I’ve added unwanted videos. Is this a forum quirk. I give up!

 

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

They tend to work better on air, I think it’s down to condensation

[Martin King 2Participant @martinking2]

Hi All,

As it has not stopped raining here today I got on and cleaned this up a bit, came up quite well:

Coming soon to an auction site near you!

I must say that the photo upload on the new forum is streets ahead of the old one!

 

[Martin King 2Participant @martinking2]

Hmmm, seems to have generated a lot of interest on the”Bay”

Cheers, Martin

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Thus demonstrating the effectiveness of this site as an advertising platform

… if you do it right.

MichaelG.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

This is a “sort of”model of the full scale pumps produced by Worthington-Simpson, as feed water pumps.

I think that Southworth Engines used to sell either complete models, or kits of the W-S pumps.

If you want to see the real thing, visit The WaterWorks Museum in Hereford (UK) They have two in working order.  (A while ago, i was left in charge of them for a day, and they survived!)

Howard

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

The Industrial Steam Museum at Forncett near Norwich use them for their boiler and have some that stand about 6′ tall. Noel.

[Brian Baker 2Participant @brianbaker2]

Greetings, I have made several of these pumps, the one shown is on a 71/4 gauge loco & feeds water in OK, but I suspect it uses more steam than it puts water in.

Regards

Brian B

I have to find the photo to load it!

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