Concerning the Operation and Care of Steam Engines and Boilers.
Q. What should be done first, after receiving a new engine, to prepare
it for running properly?
A. If a traction or farm engine, remove the box containing the fittings
and tools, from the fire box, and see that the grates are in their
proper places. Also take out the tools which are packed in the smoke
box at front end of boiler. Then, with waste or rags well saturated
with kerosene, turpentine or benzine, wipe off all the grease that the
manufacturer has put on to protect the bright work from rusting. After
this has been thoroughly done, clean every oil hole and bearing found
upon the engine, of all dirt and cinders. Special attention should
be given to this, as if dirt and cinders are allowed to remain, the
bearings will cut and heat.
Q. After this is done thoroughly, what next?
A. Take all the fittings from the box and clean them carefully, fit
each oil cup to its proper place and screw them in tightly with a
wrench, to prevent them from working loose and falling off while engine
is running on the road.
Fill all cups with good oil, lard oil for bearings, good cylinder oil
for the automatic oiler, which oils the cylinder and valve, and solid
oil for both grease cups at crank and cross-head. Then put the steam
gauge, the glass water gauge, gauge cocks, safety valve, whistle,
surface blow-off and blow-off valves, cylinder cocks, governor belt,
etc., in their proper places; all fittings should be screwed up tight
with a wrench. Examine the stuffing boxes and see that they are all
well packed and cleaned.
Q. The fittings all being attached, what next?
A. Proceed to fill the boiler with water by unscrewing the cap from
filling plug located on top of boiler near the steam dome, screw funnel
on plug, and fill boiler with as clean soft water as is obtainable.
Q. How much water is required in the boiler before starting fire?
A. Fill the boiler until the water shows about one and one-half inches
in the glass water gauge, or have a free flow of water from the lowest
gauge cock.
Q. After the boiler is filled with water to the proper level, what
next?
A. Start a moderate fire with dry wood in the furnace or fire box, and
open the draught damper wide. Add fuel slowly, and while steam is being
raised take your oil can and wrench and examine the engine thoroughly
at all its parts. See that every screw and bolt is tight and that none
of the oil holes have been overlooked.
If a traction engine, examine all the gearing and see that all gears,
axles and bearings are thoroughly greased and oiled—grease for gears
and axles, oil for bearings.
If firing with coal, keep the grates well covered with a thin layer.
Do not throw in large lumps or too much fresh coal at one time. A thin
fire lightly and frequently renewed, is the most economical.
Q. Is the natural draught of the boiler enough to enable steam to be
raised quickly?
A. No. The boiler and water being cold the fire will not burn briskly,
but as soon as steam pressure shows upon the steam gauge, turn on the
blower, which will force and increase the draught; then with good fuel,
any desired steam pressure can be raised quickly.
Q. Must the blower be used when the engine is running to keep up
sufficient steam pressure?
A. No. When the engine is started, the exhaust steam is discharged from
the cylinder first through the heater, then into smoke stack, producing
the same effect as the blower.
Q. If the boiler steams too fast, what should be done?
A. Simply close the damper. Do not open the fire door, as the fire door
should never be opened unless absolutely necessary, nor should it be
kept open longer than is needed, as the cold air admitted through it
injures the boiler and is wasteful of fuel.
Q. After sufficient steam is raised, how do you proceed to start the
engine?
A. Before turning steam on the engine, go to the fly-wheel and turn it
a few times to see that everything is all right and no obstacle in the
way to prevent the engine from running when steam is applied, being
sure to leave the crank-pin off the center to enable the steam to start
the engine when throttle valve is opened. Next, open both the cylinder
cocks, then the throttle valve just a trifle to allow a little steam
to enter the cylinder, to warm it and expel the water of condensation.
Then open the throttle gradually, and if everything is right, the
engine will move off faster and faster until the proper speed is
attained. After engine is thoroughly heated and is working dry steam,
close the cylinder cocks and set the automatic oiler to work.
Q. How do you obtain the proper speed, and how is the engine made to
run steadily with the steam pressure so varied?
A. The proper speed and steadiness in running is maintained by the use
of the governor, which receives its motion from the engine shaft by
means of a belt.
Q. Are the bearings of a new engine liable to heat when first started
up?
A. Not if proper attention is given to them. When starting a new engine
the first time, it should be stopped frequently and the moving parts
and bearings carefully examined. Feel of all the bearings, the link
block, the eccentrics, crank-pin, cross-head, etc., to ascertain if
they are heating. If they are, slacken up the boxes a little, but not
enough to make them knock or pound. Always be careful not to loosen or
tighten bearings or keys too much; just a trifle at a time, but do it
often, until the bearings and boxes run cool, but tight. If this is
done carefully, the engine will run smoothly and quietly.
Q. After the engine is started, what should be done next?
A. Fill the tank on the engine with water and start the injector to
work, so that the proper level of water may be kept in the boiler. The
independent pump, if used, should now be fitted, connected and tried,
to see if it is in proper shape to feed the boiler. If a cross-head
pump is used, it should be fitted and attached to water supply with the
suction hose. In this case when the engine is running, the pump can be
regulated to supply the required amount of feed water.
Q. How is the boiler supplied with water while the engine is stopped?
A. By the independent pump or injector.
Q. Has the independent pump sufficient capacity to supply the boiler
with water under all conditions?
A. Yes, always, when running at a reasonable speed.
Q. Why should an injector be furnished if the pump will supply the
boiler?
A. Many times through carelessness or otherwise the pump is prevented
from working by dirt, straw, chips and other obstructions which find
their way into the pump and hold the valves from their seats. In this
case it is necessary to take the pump apart and remove the obstructions
wherever found, which would necessitate stopping the engine and
allowing the steam to go down, involving a large loss of time. Whereas
if the engine is also supplied with an injector, should the pump fail,
the injector can immediately be started and the pump examined at
leisure without loss of time and avoiding all danger of explosion.
Q. Should the supply of feed water be continuous while the engine is
running?
A. Yes. Gauge the speed of the independent pump so that it will furnish
the required amount of water to the boiler. Regulate the feed of a
cross-head pump, by the suction valve. By so doing, the boiler steams
easier, the flues are not so liable to leak, and a uniform steam
pressure can be easily maintained more economically.
Q. How is a boiler supplied when engine is in motion?
A. By the independent or cross-head pump.
Q. When should the injector be used in preference to the independent
pump?
A. There being no exhaust steam when engine is not running, no benefit
is derived from the heater. Now, as cold water should never be forced
into a hot boiler the injector becomes of great value, as it heats the
feed water to a very high temperature before it enters the boiler.
Q. Is there any independent steam pump made that heats the feed water
before it goes into the boiler?
A. See Marsh Pump description.
Q. When engine, pump, and injector are found to be working properly,
what next?
A. If a traction engine, the engine should be reversed several times.
This can be done by throwing the reverse lever forward and backward, to
ascertain whether the valve is so set that engine will run equally well
both ways; then the traction gear may be tried. If engine is supplied
with a friction clutch, by simply pressing the clutch lever gradually
until the friction shoes take hold, the engine will start slowly upon
the road. This can be done while engine proper is running at full speed.
The clutch lever should be held in one hand when first starting, so
that in case of anything being wrong with gearing, it can be stopped
immediately by quickly loosening the lever. With the other hand,
the steering wheel should be operated to guide the engine upon the
road. When all is found to be working properly, and you wish to run
the engine any distance, the clutch lever should be placed in notch
provided for it; this will hold the friction shoes securely to the
wheel, and the engine will move along the road at full speed.
Q. If the engine has no friction clutch, how do you proceed to start
the gearing?
A. Stop the engine and place the reversing lever in center notch, slide
the spur pinion on main shaft into gear and open the throttle valve
wide; then with the reverse lever in one hand (the steering wheel in
the other) you can start engine upon the road by throwing the lever
backward or forward, which should be done gradually at first, so that
engine will start slowly. If all is right, by throwing the reverse
lever in the last notch in quadrant, the engine will travel its full
speed upon the road.
Q. How should a traction engine be first started upon the road, forward
or backward?
A. Always forward, as you can see where you are going and can guide the
engine more easily.