Vertical Boiler Vent Flap Operation

[Trevor JohnssonParticipant @trevorjohnsson18121]

Our Men’s Shed is building a 3″ scale model Atkinson Steam Wagon. The instructions on how to operate the vent flap on the ashpan at the bottom of the boiler are fairly vague. Does anyone have a photo or drawings of the set-up that would help explain how it is operated. It would appear that the switch or lever is placed at the top and near the front of the boiler but I am not sure how the flap is held open.

Thanks,

Trevor

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I have seen some that just have a vertical rod that comes up from the flap inside the cab and just have a ring on the end, not sure how they stay in position maybe a notched plate with several notches to engage on a pin.

 

Others have a rack cut into the top of the rod and a box at the top with a pinion that is rotated by another rod passing over the top of the boiler to the drivers position.

 

If in doubt have a look though the archive on station RoadSteam as they have plenty of photos of completed ones

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

The ring is the handle, of course.

It is common to either to cut notches in the damper’s reach-rod to engage a pin or tooth on a simple quadrant or bracket, or vice-versa.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Not as simple as that Nigel, as I said there are other ways it has been done and the ring on the handle is unlikely to be original as the driver can’t reach it.

A few examples from SRS which I suggested looking at for photos.

Probably a cable inside this tube

Certainly a cable in this one

The rack and pinion I mentioned previously in this one

 

 

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