Rough and Tumble Engineering Part 3

The header is used by placing the gauge or guide end within the flue, and with your light hammer the flue can be calked or beaded down against the flue sheet. Be careful to use your hammer lightly, so as not to bruise the flues or sheet. When you have gone over all the expanded flues in this way, you, (if you have been careful) will not only have a good job, but will conclude that you are somewhat of an expert at it. I never saw a man go into a firebox and stop the leak but that he came out well pleased with himself. The fact that a firebox is no pleasant workshop may have had something to do with it. If your flues have been leaking badly, and you have expanded them, it would be well to test your boiler with cold water pressure to make sure that you have a good job.

How are you going to test your boiler? If you can attach to a hydrant, do so, and when you have given your boiler all the pressure you want, you can then examine your flues carefully, and should you find any seeping of water, you can use your beader lightly untill such leaks are stopped. If the waterworks will not afford you sufficient pressure, you can bring it up to the required pressure, by attaching a hydraulic pump or a good force pump.

In testing for the purpose of ascertaining if you have a good job on your flues, it is not necessary to put on any greater cold water pressure than you are in the habit of carrying. For instance, if your safety valve is set at one hundred and ten pounds, this pressure of cold water will be sufficient to test the flues.

Now, suppose you are out in the field and want to test your flues. Of course you have no hydrant to attach to, and you happen not to have a force pump, it would seem you were in bad shape to test your boiler with cold water. Well, you can do it by proceeding in this way: When you have expanded and beaded all the flues that were leaking, you will then close the throttle tight, take off the safety valve (as this is generally attached at the highest point) and fill the boiler full, as it is absolutely necessary that all the s.p.a.ce in the boiler should be filled with cold water. Then screw the safety valve back in its place.

You will then get back in the firebox with your tools and have someone place a small sheaf of wheat or oat straw under the firebox or under waist of boiler if open firebox, and set fire to it. The expansive force of the water caused by the heat from the burning straw will produce pressure desired. You should know, however, that your safety is in perfect order. When the water begins to escape at the safety valve, you can readily see if you have expanded your flues sufficiently to keep them from leaking.

This makes a very nice and steady pressure, and although the pressure is caused by heat, it is a cold water pressure, as the water is not heated beyond one or two degrees. This mode of testing, however, cannot be applied in very cold weather, as water has no expansive force five degrees above or five degrees below the freezing point.

These tests, however, are only for the purpose of trying your flues and are not intended to ascertain the efficiency or strength of your boiler.

When this is required, I would advise you to get an expert to do it, as the best test for this is the hammer test, and only an expert should attempt it.

PART SIX __

Any young engineer who will make use of what he has read will never get his engine into much trouble. Manufacturers of farm engines to-day make a specialty of this cla.s.s of goods, as they endeavor to build them as simple and of as few parts as possible. They do this well knowing that, as a rule, they must be run by men who cannot take a course in practical engineering. If each one of the many thousands of engines that are turned out every year had to have a practical engineer to run it, it would be better to be an engineer than to own the engine; and manufacturers knowing this, they therefore make their engines as simple and with as little liability to get out of order as possible. The simplest form of an engine, however, requires of the operator a certain amount of brains and a willingness to do that which he knows should be done; and if you will follow the instructions you have already received, you can run your engine as successfully as any one can wish as long as your engine is in order, and, as I have just stated, it is not liable to get out of order, except from constant wear, and this wear will appear in the boxes, journals and valve. The bra.s.ses on wrist pin and cross-head will probably require your first and most careful attention, and of these two the wrist or crank box will require the most; and what is true of one is true of both boxes. It is, therefore, not necessary to take up both boxes in instructing you how to handle them. We will take up the box most likely to require your attention. This is the wrist box. You will find this box in two parts or halves. In a new engine you will find that these two halves do not meet on the wrist pin by at least one-eighth of an inch. They are brought up to the pin by means of a wedge-shaped key. (I am speaking now of the most common form of wrist boxes. If your engine should not have this key, it will have something which serves the same purpose.) As the bra.s.ses wear you can take up this wear by forcing the key down, which brings the two halves nearer together. You can continue to gradually take up this wear until you have brought them together. You will then see that it is necessary to do something, in order to take up any more wear, and this "something"

is to take out the bra.s.ses and file about one-sixteenth of an inch off of each bra.s.s. This will allow you another eighth of an inch to take up in wear.

Now here is a nice little problem for you to solve and I want you to solve it to your own satisfaction, and when you do, you will thoroughly understand it, and to understand it is to never allow it to get you into trouble. We started out by saying that in a new engine you would most likely find about one-eighth of an inch between the bra.s.ses, and we said you would finally get these bra.s.ses, or halves together, and would have to take them out and file them. Now we have taken up one-eighth of an inch and the result is, we have lengthened our pitman just one-sixteenth of an inch; or in other words, the center of wrist pin and the center of cross-head are just one-sixteenth of an inch further apart than they were before any wear had taken place, and the piston head has one-sixteenth of an inch more clearance at one end, and one-sixteenth of an inch less at the other end than it had before. Now if we take out the boxes and file them so we have, another eighth of an inch, by the time we have taken up this wear, we will then have this distance doubled, and we will soon have the piston head striking the end of the cylinder, and besides, the engine will not run as smooth as it did. Half of the wear comes off of each half, and the half next to the key is brought up to the wrist pin because of the tapering key, while the outside half remains in one place. You must therefore place back of this half a thin piece of sheet copper, or a piece of tin will do. Now suppose our boxes had one-eighth of an inch for wear. When we have taken up this much we must put in one-sixteenth of an inch backing (as it is called), for we have reduced the outside half by just that amount. We have also reduced the front half the same, but as we have said, the tapering key brings this half up to its place.

Now we think we have made this clear enough and we will leave this and go back to the key again. You must remember that we stated that the key was tapering or a wedged shape, and as a wedge, is equally as powerful as a screw, and you must bear in mind that a slight tap will bring these two boxes up tight against the wrist pin. Young engineers experience more trouble with this box than with any other part of the engine, and all because they do not know how to manage it. You should be very careful not to get your box too tight, and don't imagine that every time there is a little knock about your engine that you can stop it by driving the key down a little more. This is a great mistake that many, and even old engineers make. I at one time seen a wrist pin and boxes ruined by the engineer trying to stop a knock that came from a loose fly-wheel. It is a fact, and one that has never been satisfactorily explained, that a knock coming from almost any part of an engine will appear to be in the wrist. So bear this in mind and don't allow yourself to be deceived in this way, and never try to stop a knock until you have first located the trouble beyond a doubt.

When it becomes necessary to key up your bra.s.ses, you will find it a good safe way to loosen up the set screw which holds the key, then drive it down till you are satisfied you have it tight. Then drive it back again and then with your fist drive the key down as far as you can. You may consider this a peculiar kind of a hammer, but your boxes will rarely ever heat after being keyed in this manner.

KNOCK IN ENGINES

What makes an engine knock or pound? A loose pillow block box is a good "knocker." The pillow block is a box next crank or disc wheel. This box is usually fitted with set bolts and jam nuts. You must also be careful not to set this up too tight, remembering always that a box when too tight begins to heat and this expands the journal, causing greater friction. A slight turn of a set bolt one way or the other may be sufficient to cool a box that may be running hot, or to heat one that may be running cool. A hot box from neglect of oiling can be cooled by supplying oil, provided it has not already commenced to cut. If it shows any sign of cutting, the only safe way is to remove the box and clean it thoroughly.

Loose eccentric yokes will make a knock in an engine, and it may appear to be in the wrist. You will find packing between the two halves of the yoke. Take out a thin sheet of this packing, but don't take out too much, as you are liable then to get them too tight and they may stick and cause your eccentrics to slip. We will have more to say about the slipping of the eccentrics.

The piston rod loose in cross-head will make a knock, which also appears in the wrist, but it is not there. Tighten the piston and you will stop it. The piston rod may be keyed in cross head, or it may be held in place by a nut. The key is less liable to get loose, but should it work loose a few times it may be necessary to replace it with a new one. And this is one of the things that cause a bad break when it works out or gets loose. If it gets loose it may not come out, but it will not stand the strain very long in this condition, and will break, allowing the piston to come out of cross head, and you are certain to knock out one cylinder head and possibly both of them. The nut will do the same thing if allowed to come off. So this is one of the connections that will claim your attention once in a while, but if you train your ear to detect any unusual noise you will discover it as soon as it gives the least in either key or nut.

The cross-head loose in the guides will make it knock. If the cross-head is not provided for taking up this wear, you can take off the guides and file them enough to allow them to come up to the cross-head, but it is much better to have them planed off, which insures the guides coming up square against the cross-head and thus prevent any heating or cutting.

A loose fly-wheel will most likely puzzle you more than anything else to find the knock. So remember this. The wheel may apparently be tight, but should the key be the least bit narrow for the groove in shaft, it will make your engine b.u.mp very similar to that caused by too much or too little "lead."

LEAD

What is lead? Lead is s.p.a.ce or opening of port on steam end of cylinder, when engine is on dead center. (Dead center is the two points of disc or crank wheel at which the crank pin is in direct line with piston and at which no amount of steam will start the engine.) Different makes of engines differ to such an extent that it is impossible to give any rule or any definite amount of lead for an engine. For instance, an engine with a port six inches long and one-half inch wide would require much less lead than one with a port four inches long and one inch wide.

Suppose I should say one-sixteenth of an inch was the proper lead. In one engine you would have an opening one-sixteenth of an inch wide and six inches long and in the other you would have one-sixteenth of an inch wide and four inches long; so you can readily see that it is impossible to give the amount of lead for an engine without knowing the piston area, length of port, speed, etc. Lead allows live steam to enter the cylinder just ahead of the piston at the point of finis.h.i.+ng the stroke, and forms a "cus.h.i.+on," and enables the engine to pa.s.s the center without a jar. Too much lead is a source of weakness to an engine, as it allows the steam to enter the cylinder too soon and forms a back pressure and tends to prevent the engine from pa.s.sing the center. It will, therefore, make your engine b.u.mp, and make it very difficult to hold the packing in stuffing box.

Insufficient lead will not allow enough steam to enter the cylinder ahead of piston to afford cus.h.i.+on enough to stop the inertia, and the result will be that your engine will pound on the wrist pin. You most likely have concluded by this time that "lead" is no small factor in the smooth running of an engine, and you, as a matter of course, will want to know how you are to obtain the proper lead. Well don't worry yourself. Your engine is not going to have too much lead today and not enough tomorrow. If your engine was properly set up in the first place the lead will be all right, and continue to afford the proper lead as long as the valve has not been disturbed from its original position; and this brings us to the most important duty of an engineer as far as the engine is concerned, viz: Setting the Valve.

SETTING A VALVE.

The proper and accurate setting of a valve on a steam engine is one of the most important duties that you will have to perform, as it requires a nicety of calculation and a mechanical accuracy. And when we remember also, that this is another one of the things for which no uniform rule can be adopted, owing to the many circ.u.mstances which go to make an engine so different under different conditions, we find it very difficult to give you the light on this part of your duty which we would wish to. We, however, hope to make it so clear to you that by the aid of the engine before you, you can readily understand the conditions and principles which control the valve in the particular engine which you may have under your management.

The power and economy of an engine depends largely on the accurate operation of its valve. It is, therefore, necessary that you know how to reset it, should it become necessary to do so.

An authority says, "Bring your engine to a dead center and then adjust your valve to the proper lead." This is all right as far as it goes, but how are you to find the dead center. I know that it is a common custom in the field to bring the engine to a center by the use of the eye. You may have a good eye, but it is not good enough to depend on for the accurate setting of a valve.

HOW TO FIND THE DEAD CENTER

First, provide yourself with a "tram." This you can do by taking a 1/4 inch iron rod, about 18 inches long, and bend about two inches of one end to a sharp angle. Then sharpen both ends to a nice sharp point.

Now, fasten securely a block of hard wood somewhere near the face of the fly wheel, so that when the straight end of your tram is placed at a definite point in the block the other, or hook end, will reach the crown of fly wheel.

Be certain that the block cannot move from its place, and be careful to place the tram at exactly the same point on the block at each time you bring the tram into use. You are now ready to proceed to find the dead center, and in doing this remember to turn the fly wheel always in the same direction. Now, turn your engine over till it nears one of the centers, but not quite to it. You will then, by the aid of a straight-edge make a clear and distinct mark across the guides and cross head. Now, go around to the fly wheel and place the straight end of the tram at same point on the block, and with the hook end make a mark across the crown or center of face of fly wheel; now turn your engine past the center and on to the point at which the line on cross head is exactly in line with the lines on guides. Now, place your tram in the same place as before, and make another mark across the crown of fly wheel. By the use of dividers find the exact center between the two marks made on fly wheel; mark this point with a center punch. Now, bring the fly wheel to the point at which the tram, when placed at its proper place on block, the hook end, or point, will touch this punch mark, and you will have one of the exact dead centers.

Now, turn the engine over till it nears the other center, and proceed exactly as before, remembering always to place the straight end of tram exactly in same place in block, and you will find both dead centers as accurately as if you had all the fine tools of an engine builder.

You are now ready to proceed with the setting of your valve, and as you have both dead centers to work from you ought to be able to do it, as you do not have to depend on your eye to find them, and by the use of the tram You turn your engine to exactly the same point every time you wish to get a center.

Now remove the cap on steam chest, bring your engine to a dead center and give your valve the necessary amount of lead on the steam end. Now, we have already stated that we could not give you the proper amount of lead for an engine. It is presumed that the maker of your engine knew the amount best adapted to this engine, and you can ascertain his idea of this by first allowing, we will say, about 1/16 of an inch. Now bring your engine to the other center, and if the lead at the other end is less than 1/16, then you must conclude that he intended to allow less than 1/16, but should it show more than this, then it is evident that he intended more than I/I16 lead; but in either case you must adjust your valve so as to divide the s.p.a.ce, in order to secure the same lead when on either center. In the absence of any better tool to ascertain if the lead is the same, make a tapering wooden wedge of soft wood, turn the engine to a center and force the wedge in the opening made by the valve hard enough to mark the wood; then turn to the next center, and if the wedge enters the same distance, you are correct; if not, adjust till it does, and when you have it set at the proper place you had best mark it by taking a sharp cold chisel and place it so that it will cut into the hub of eccentric and in the shaft; then hit it a smart blow with a hammer. This should be done after you have set the set screws in eccentric down solid on the shaft. Then, at any time should your eccentric slip, you have only to bring it back to the chisel mark and fasten it, and you are ready to go ahead again.

This is for a plain or single eccentric engine. A double or reversible engine, however, is somewhat more difficult to handle in setting the valve. Not that the valve itself is any different from a plain engine, but from the fact that the link may confuse you, and while the link may be in position to run the engine one way you may be endeavoring to set the valve to run it the other way.

The proper way to proceed with this kind of an engine is to bring the reverse lever to a position to run the engine forward, then proceed to set your valve the same as on a plain engine. When you have it at the proper place, tighten just enough to keep from slipping, then bring your reverse lever to the reverse position and bring your engine to the center. If it shows the same lead for the reverse motion you are then ready to tighten your eccentrics securely, and they should be marked as before.

You may imagine that you will have this to do often. Well don't be scared about it. You may run an engine a long time, and never have to set a valve. I have heard these windy engineers (you have seen them), say that they had to go and set Mr. A's or Mr. B's valve, when the facts were, if they did anything, it was simply to bring the eccentrics back to their original position. They happened to know that most all engines are plainly marked at the factory, and all there was to do was to bring the eccentrics back to these marks and fasten them, and the valve was set. The slipping of the eccentrics is about the only cause for a valve working badly. You should therefore keep all grease and dirt away from these marks; keep the set screws well tightened, and notice them frequently to see that they do not slip. Should they slip a I/I6 part of an inch, a well educated ear can detect it in the exhaust. Should they slip a part of a turn as they will some times, the engine may stop instantly, or it may cut a few peculiar circles for a minute or two, but don't get excited, look to the eccentrics at once for the trouble.

Your engine may however act very queer some time, and you may find the eccentrics in their proper place. Then you must go into the steam chest for the trouble. The valves in different engines are fastened on valve rod in different ways. Some are held in place by jam nuts; a nut may have worked loose, causing lost motion on the valve. This will make your engine work badly. Other engines hold their valve by a clamp and pin. This pin may work out, and when it does, your engine will stop, very quickly to.

If you thoroughly understand the working of the steam, you can readily detect any defect in your cylinder or steam chest, by the use of your cylinder c.o.c.ks. Suppose we try them once. Turn your engine on the forward center, now open the c.o.c.ks and give the engine the steam pressure. If the steam blows out at the forward c.o.c.k we know that we have sufficient lead. Now turn back to the back center, and give it steam again; if it blows out the same at this c.o.c.k, we can conclude that our valve is in its proper position. Now reverse the engine and do the same thing; if the c.o.c.ks act the same, we know we are right. Suppose the steam blows out of one c.o.c.k all right, and when we bring the engine to the other center no steam escapes from this c.o.c.k, then we know that something is wrong with the valve, and if the eccentrics are in their proper position the trouble must be in the steam chest, and if we open it up we will find the valve has become loosened on the rod. Again suppose we put the engine on a center, and on giving it steam, we find the steam blowing out at both c.o.c.ks.

Now what is the trouble, for no engine in perfect shape will allow the steam to blow out of both c.o.c.ks at the same time. It is one of two things, and it is difficult to tell. Either the cylinder rings leak and allow the steam to blow through, or else the valve is cut on the seat, and allows the steam to blow over. Either of these two causes is bad, as it not only weakens your engine, but is a great waste of fuel and water. The way to determine which of the two causes this, is to take off the cylinder head, turn engine on forward center and open throttle slightly. If the steam is seen to blow out of the port at open end of cylinder, then the trouble is in the valve, but if not, you will see it blowing through from forward end of cylinder, and the trouble is in the cylinder rings.

What is the remedy? Well, if the "rings" are the trouble, a new set will most likely remedy it should they be of the automatic or self-setting pattern, but should they be of the spring or adjusting pattern, you can take out the head and set the rings out to stop this blowing. As most all engines now are using the self-setting rings, you will most likely require a new set.

If the trouble is in the valve or steam chest, you had best take it off and have the valve seat planed down, and the valve seated to it. This is the safest and best way. Never attempt to dress a valve down, you are most certain to make a bad job of it.

And yet I don't like the idea of advising you not to do a thing that can be done, for I do like an engineer who does not run to the shop for every little trouble. However, unless you have the proper tools you had best not attempt it. The only safe way is to sc.r.a.pe them down, for if your valve is cut, you will find the valve seat is cut equally as bad, and they must both be sc.r.a.ped to a perfect fit. Provide yourself with a piece of flat steel, very hard, 3x4 inches by about I/8 inch, with a perfect straight edge. With this sc.r.a.pe the valve and seat to a perfect flat surface, It will be a slower process than sc.r.a.ping wood with a piece of gla.s.s, but you can do it. Never use a chisel or a file on a valve.

LUBRICATING OIL

What is oil?

Oil is a coating for a journal, or in other words is a lining between bearings.

Did you ever stop long enough to ask yourself the question? I doubt it.

A great many people buy something to use on their engine, because it is called oil. Now if the object in using oil is to keep a lining between the bearings, is it not reasonable that you use something that will adhere to that which it is to line or cover?

Gasoline will cover a journal for a minute or two, and oil a grade better would last a few minutes longer. Still another grade would do some better. Now if you are running your own engine, buy the best oil you can buy. You will find it very poor economy to buy cheap oil, and if you are not posted, you may pay price enough, but get a very poor article.

If you are running an engine for some one else, make it part of your contract that you are furnished with a good oil. You can not keep an engine in good shape with a cheap oil. You say "you are going to keep your engine clean and bright." Not if you must use a poor oil.

Poor oil is largely responsible for the fast going out of use of the link reverse among the makers of traction engines. While I think it very doubtful if this "reverse motion" can be equalled by any of the late devices. Its construction is such as to require the best grade of cylinder oil, and without this it is very unsatisfactory, (not because the valves of other valve-motions will do with a poorer grade of oil) but because its construction is such that as soon as the valve becomes dry it causes the link to jump and pound, and very soon requires repairing. While the construction of various other devices are such, that while the valve may be equally as dry it does not show the want of oil so clearly as the old style link. Yet as a fact I care not what the valve motion may be, it requires a good grade of oil.