Steam (?), v. t. 1. To exhale. [Obs.] Spenser.
2. To expose to the action of steam; to apply steam to for softening,
dressing, or preparing; as, to steam wood; to steamcloth; to steam
food, etc.
Steam"boat` (?), n. A boat or vessel propelled by steam power; --
generally used of river or coasting craft, as distinguished from ocean
steamers.
Steam"boat`ing, n. 1. The occupation or business of running a
steamboat, or of transporting merchandise, passengers, etc., by
steamboats.
2. (Bookbinding) The shearing of a pile of books which are as yet
uncovered, or out of boards. Knight.
Steam" en"gine (?). An engine moved by steam.
In its most common forms its essential parts are a piston, a cylinder,
and a valve gear. The piston works in the cylinder, to which steam is
admitted by the action of the valve gear, and communicates motion to
the machinery to be actuated. Steam engines are thus classified: 1.
According to the wat the steam is used or applied, as condencing,
noncondencing, compound, double-acting, single-acting,
triple-expansion, etc. 2. According to the motion of the piston, as
reciprocating, rotary, etc. 3. According to the motion imparted by the
engine, as rotative and nonrotative. 4. According to the arrangement of
the engine, as stationary, portable, and semiportable engines, beam
engine, oscillating engine, direct-acting and back-acting engines, etc.
5. According to their uses, as portable, marine, locomotive, pumping,
blowing, winding, and stationary engines. Locomotive and portable
engines are usually high- pressure, noncondencing, rotative, and
direct-acting. Marine engines are high or low pressure, rotative, and
generally condencing, double-acting, and compound. Paddle engines are
generally beam, side&?;lever, oscillating, or direct-acting. Screw
engines are generally direct-acting, back-acting, or oscillating.
Stationary engines belong to various classes, but are generally
rotative. A horizontal or inclined stationary steam engine is called a
left-hand or a right-hand engine when the crank shaft and driving
pulley are on the left-hand side, or the right-hand side, respectively,
or the engine, to a person looking at them from the cylinder, and is
said to run forward or backward when the crank traverses the upward
half, or lower half, respectively, of its path, while the piston rod
makes its stroke outward from the cylinder. A marine engine, or the
engine of a locomotive, is said to run forward when its motion is such
as would propel the vessel or the locomotive forward. Steam engines are
further classified as double- cylinder, disk, semicylinder, trunk
engines, etc. Machines, such as cranes, hammers, etc., of which the
steam engine forms a part, are called steam cranes, steam hammers, etc.
See Illustration in Appendix.
Back-acting, or Back-action, steam engine, a steam engine in which the
motion is transmitted backward from the crosshead to a crank which is
between the crosshead and the cylinder, or beyond the cylinder. --
Portable steam engine, a steam engine combined with, and attached to, a
boiler which is mounted on wheels so as to admit of easy
transportation; -- used for driving machinery in the field, as trashing
machines, draining pumps, etc. -- Semiportable steam engine, a steam
engine combined with, and attached to, a steam boiler, but not mounted
on wheels.
Steam"er (?), n. 1. A vessel propelled by steam; a steamship or
steamboat.