Engineering reminiscences contributed to "Power" and "American machinist"

by Charles T. Porter

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE
[1].	My First Mechanical Drawing. Longitudinal Section of my Stone-dressing Machine	7
[2].	The First Porter Governor	21
[3].	The Porter Marine Governor	37
[4].	Porter-Allen Engine. Diagram of Admission—Valve Movements	48
[5].	Vertical Adjustment of Sustaining Pin for Trunnions of the Allen Link	52
[6].	My Improvement in Cranks and Journal Boxes	54
[7].	My Improvement in Eccentrics	56
[8].	Diagram from the First Allen Engine taken with the First Richards Indicator	59
[9].	Mr. Porter’s Exhibit at the London International Exhibition, 1862	71
[10].	Diagram from Allen Engine in London Exhibition of 1862	73
[11].	Spring-testing Instrument Used in the Manufacture of the Richards Indicator	86
[12].	Plan of Spring-testing Instrument	89
[13].	Diagrams from English Locomotives, taken with the Richards Indicator	91
[14].	Engine Bed Designed by Mr. Porter	95
[15].	Cross-head Designed by Mr. Porter	96
[16].	Connecting-rod and Strap	99
[17].	Attaching a Steam-drum to a Lancashire Boiler	107
[18].	Diagrams from Engine of Evan Leigh, Son & Co.	114
[19].	Condenser and Air-pump Designed by Mr. Porter. (Cross-section)	118
[20].	Diagrams from Engine Built for Mr. Adams	138
[21].	Exposition Universelle, Paris, 1867. Diagrams from the “Allen” Engine Employed in Driving Machinery	142
[22].	Pair of Diagrams from 18×30 Allen Engine at South Tyne Paper Mill, 108 Revolutions, Vacuum 28 Inches.Only Half Intended Load on Engine	160
[23].	Cross-section of Machine Shop Proposed by Mr. Porter in 1868, after the Design of Smith & Coventry	168
[24].	Card from Allen Engine in Colt’s Armory	178
[25].	Sectional and Front Elevations of One of the Two Pairs of Porter-Allen Engines in the Colt Armory, Hartford,Conn.	180
[26].	Sectional and Side Elevations of One of the Two Pairs of Porter-Allen Engines in the Colt Armory, Hartford,Conn.	181
[27].	Porter-Allen Engines in the Colt Armory, Hartford, Conn. Front View	181
[28].	Porter-Allen Engines in the Colt Armory, Hartford, Conn. Rear View	181
[29].	Surface Plates Designed by Mr. Porter	182
[30].	Diagram from Allen Engine, Back End of Cylinder, at Fair of American Institute, 1870	194
[31].	Friction Diagram from Allen Engine at Fair of American Institute,1870	196
[32].	Diagram from Allen Engine, Fair of American Institute, 1870, Cutting Off at ¹⁄₄ Stroke	196
[33].	Apparatus for Graphically Showing the Acceleration and Retardation of the Reciprocating Parts of anEngine	205
[34].	The Allen Boiler Facing	208
[35].	The Prototype of the Modern High-speed Engine, Fly-wheel Side	223
[36].	Prototype of the Modern High-speed Engine, Crank Side	224
[37].	Longitudinal Section of Cylinder and Valves	225
[38].	Cross-section of Cylinder and Valves	226
[39].	Connections of Admission Valves	226
[40].	First Arrangement of Exhaust Valves	228
[41].	Main Bearing	230
[42].	Eccentric and Cross-head and Crank-pin Lubricators	230
[43].	Surface Plate for Producing a True Plane	234
[44].	Mr. Porter’s Regulating Valve	244
[45].	The Corliss Engine Exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition	249
[46].	Porter-Allen Engine Equal in Power to the Exhibited Corliss Engine	250
[47].	Mr. Porter’s Fly-wheel	269
[48].	Connection of Arms and Rim in Mr. Fritz’ Fly-wheel	273
[49].	Mr. Allen’s Patent Pressure Plate	293
[50].	Diagrams from the Otis Engine	311
[51].	Otis Engine. Dash Pot for Governor	313
[52].	Diagrams from my First and Only Compound Engine	318

LIST OF FULL-PAGE HALF-TONE PORTRAITS

PAGE
[1].	Charles T. Porter	Facing title page
[2].	My Father	After dedication
[3].	My Mother	After dedication
[4].	George T. Hope	6
[5].	Charles B. Richards, a.d. 1858	26
[6].	John F. Allen	48
[7].	Joseph E. Holmes	60
[8].	Alexander Gordon	62
[9].	Wellington Lee	66
[10].	Charles T. Porter, a.d. 1862	68
[11].	Frederick E. Sickels	78
[12].	W. H. Maw	92
[13].	William J. Hoyle	122
[14].	Sir Joseph Whitworth	124
[15].	Frederick J. Slade	154
[16].	Professor Charles B. Richards	178
[17].	President F. A. P. Barnard	198
[18].	Joseph Nason	204
[19].	Edwin F. Williams	206
[20].	Professor Robert H. Thurston	208
[21].	J. C. Hoadley	220
[22].	Alexander Lyman Holley	238
[23].	William R. Jones	244
[24].	Professor Francis Reuleaux	246
[25].	Colonel Alexis Petroff	252
[26].	James Moore	254
[27].	Emil Brugsch	256
[28].	Robert W. Hunt	262
[29].	Stephen W. Baldwin	264
[30].	Harris Tabor	266
[31].	Daniel N. Jones	272
[32].	John Fritz	274
[33].	E. D. Leavitt	308
[34].	Samuel T. Wellman	310
[35].	Charles A. Otis	312
[36].	Daniel J. Morrell	314
[37].	Benjamin F. Avery	324
[38].	James C. Brooks	332

ENGINEERING REMINISCENCES

CHAPTER I

Birth, Parentage and Education. Experience in the Practice of Law. Introduction to Centrifugal Force. Invention and Operation of a Stone-dressing Machine.

I was born in Auburn in the State of New York, January 18th, 1826. My parents were both of New England descent. My father, John Porter, was born in Hadley, Mass. His father, William Porter, was the son of Eleazer Porter and his wife Susannah, one of the daughters of Jonathan Edwards. My father’s mother was Lois Eastman. My mother was born in Middletown, Conn. Her maiden name was Abigail Phillips. Her ancestry in the maternal line is traced back to Governors Saltonstall, Dudley and the two Winthrops.

I graduated at Hamilton College, New York, in 1845, read law in my father’s office, and in the fall of 1847 was admitted to the bar. Practiced my profession for six or seven years, first in Rochester, N.Y., afterwards in New York City.