Q. What are stuffing-boxes, and how are they constructed?
Q. What are cylinder cocks, and what are they used for?
Q. What are pet cocks?
Q. What is a steam indicator?
[CHAPTER IV.]
HOW TO MANAGE A TRACTION ENGINE BOILER.
We will suppose that the young engineer fully understands all parts of the boiler and engine, as explained in the preceding chapters. It is well to run over the questions several times, to make sure that every point has been fully covered and is well understood.
We will suppose that you have an engine in good running order. If you have a new engine and it starts off nice and easy (the lone engine without load) with twenty pounds steam pressure in the boiler, you may make up your mind that you have a good engine to handle and one that will give but little trouble. But if it requires fifty or sixty pounds to start it, you want to keep your eyes open, for something is tight. But don’t begin taking the engine to pieces, for you might get more pieces than you know what to do with. Oil every bearing fully, and then start your engine and let it run for a while. Then notice whether you find anything getting warm. If you do, stop and loosen up a very little and start again. If the heating still continues, loosen again as before. But remember, loosen but little at a time, for a box or journal will heat from being too loose as quickly as from being too tight, and if you have found a warm box, don’t let that box take all your attention, but keep your eye on the other bearings.
In the case of a new engine, the cylinder rings may be a little tight, and so more steam pressure will be required to start the engine; but this is no fault, for in a day or two they will be working all right if kept well oiled.
In starting a new engine trouble sometimes comes from the presence of a coal cinder in some of the boxes, which has worked in during shipment. Before starting a new engine, the boxes and oil holes should therefore be thoroughly cleaned out. For this purpose the engineer should always have some cotton waste or an oiled rag ready for constant use.