IV.—The Horizontal Engine.
Engines of the horizontal type are usually employed to furnish the power required to drive fixed machinery in factories. The construction is simple, and the form is adapted for fixing readily anywhere where a tolerably level foundation is to be found.
Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
The several illustrations given herewith are drawn to scale, and they will show at a glance constructive details which could not well be explained in letterpress. [Fig. 1] shows a plan view, and [Fig. 2] an elevation of the complete engine. In both drawings the lettering is the same. The bed-plate A A is the foundation on which the parts of the engine are fixed. A piece of sheet brass is used for small models, but larger ones have cast-iron foundations. Cylinders 11⁄2 inches in the bore and upwards are usually mounted on iron bed-plates, the saving in cost of metal being considerable when the castings are so large. Cast bed-plates have a moulded edge, which adds both to their strength and appearance. Sheet metal has to be mounted on columns sufficiently high to raise the fly-wheel above the ground-level.
The cylinder is shown in [Figs. 1] and [2] at B; at C (in [Fig. 1] only) is the steam-chest containing the slide-valve. D is the fly-wheel fixed on the shaft E, which has at its opposite end the crank F. The piston-rod is shown passing through a guide G fixed to the bed by two screws. The connecting-rod from the piston to the crank-pin is marked H. The eccentric is shown at I, and the rod from it to the steam-chest is the eccentric-rod. J J, [Fig. 2] only, show two screws which fix the cylinder to the bed-plate. These references are sufficient to enable the inexperienced reader to identify the principal parts of the engine. By carefully studying the drawings the whole combination of the machine will be understood.
Each of the chief component parts which possess any intricacy of detail are shown on a much larger scale. The description of each one may be taken as generally applicable to engines of the type shown in [Figs. 1] and [2]. The dimensions are suited to the size known as ‘3⁄4-inch bore and 11⁄2-inch stroke.’ These measurements refer to the cylinder. It will not be difficult to modify any of the minor details to suit another size, whether it be larger or smaller.