[Steam-engine] Gould? Balanced Valve from a Case Compound Engine

[Dave Merchant]

No information to add, but it's a fascinating bit of history.

One wonders how many engines were scrapped because the younger users
didn't know how to maintain or  run them.

Dave Merchant


At 07:55 AM 10/26/2004, you wrote:
>     I recently acquired a compound cylinder for a Case engine and a 
> variety of unassembled parts that appear to belong with it.  Two of the 
> parts may be a Gould balanced valve.   I am sure that I don't have all of 
> the pieces.  The ports to the high pressure cylinder have been blocked 
> off with what appears to be lead or Babbitt and the high pressure piston 
> is missing.  The low pressure cylinder is 10" diameter and I believe the 
> high pressure one is 7".  There is a round plate about 12" diameter that 
> has a pipe plug in the center.  I suspect this is the head that belongs 
> between the two cylinders and that the plug was installed after the high 
> pressure cylinder was abandoned.  The previous owner told me the cylinder 
> came from a 45 horsepower engine.   I was surprised to see that there are 
> no indicator ports on the cylinders.
>
>     At first, I assumed the semi-cylindrical valve parts did not belong 
> with the cylinder.   However, when I cleaned them I found "CASE" stamped 
> next to the part number and a 1907 patent date.   I believe the valve 
> parts are for the low pressure cylinder and that the high pressure parts 
> were scrapped when the high pressure cylinder was abandoned many years ago.
>
>     I suspect the owner of the engine was not pleased with its 
> performance once the high pressure cylinder was disabled.   Except for an 
> inch of stroke, this would be the equivalent of having a 65 horsepower 
> engine on a 45 horsepower boiler.
>
>     Does anyone have any information about Gould balanced valves used on 
> Case engines?  My 1907 and 1914 catalog reprints, my copies of The 
> Science of Successful Threshing, and the Stemgas reprint of the Case 
> Steam Engine Manual all show a balanced valve on a compound engine but 
> these are different from the parts I have.
>
>     Any information about these parts and when Case may have used this 
> type of valve would be appreciated.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Bruce E. Babcock
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Dave Merchant
kosh at nesys.com
nesys_com at ameritech.net

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