_Never condemn an engine_ that is entirely new to you because it does
not start off at your first effort. Study all the directions furnished
by the maker. Perhaps you have overlooked some points that are of more
importance than you imagine.
The above will apply to other machinery as well as engines.
_When starting a new engine_ be sure that everything is in readiness.
Turn it over by hand to see that all the revolving and reciprocating
parts run freely. Start it very slowly under steam pressure and apply
plenty of good oil. After it has run a short time and everything is
working properly turn on more steam and continue to do so until the
engine is running at its rated speed. To start it at full speed under
steam pressure may result in great damage or totally destroy the engine.
_An accurate machine_ which is thoroughly reliable is necessarily
costly, but is of more value than another which merely serves a purpose.
_Engineers or firemen_ in charge of a steam boiler should blow out the
water gauge and gauge cocks every morning in order to remove the soft
mud which settles in them at night when the boiler is at rest. If this
is neglected, the soft mud may become baked in them which might lead to
disastrous results.
_Every steam boiler_ for whatever purpose employed, should be opened,
cleaned, thoroughly examined and tested at least every six months, and
with muddy feed water once a week would not be too often.
_By blowing out_ the gauge cocks regularly you not only ascertain the
height of the water in the boiler, but it prevents them from becoming
choked with sediment or mud.
_Do not allow_ the gauge cocks, glass water gauge or steam gauge to
become filthy, as it shows lack of care, and furnishes evidence that
the engineer who is not particular in this part of his duty is not
reliable in others of equal or more importance.
_Upon entering_ the boiler room in the morning an engineer or fireman
should always ascertain whether the valves or cocks which connect the
water gauge with the boiler are open or shut, otherwise he may be
deceived by the appearance of the water in the tube. This precaution
should never be neglected.
_If an engineer or fireman discovers_ that there is too much water in
the boiler he should blow it down to the proper level, but in doing so
he must exercise judgment, vigilance and care, especially if there is a
fire in the furnace.
_Never allow the gauge cocks_ to leak at all when it is practicable to
repair them, for the longer they leak the more difficult they are to
repair, as under the escape of water or steam the metal wastes rapidly.
_An engineer or fireman_ should often remove the ashes from under the
boiler, or from ash pan; if allowed to accumulate, they retard the
draft and interfere with combustion, thereby causing waste of fuel and
interfere with the evaporating efficiency of the boiler. Also keep
grates clear of clinkers; for if allowed to accumulate, they produce
the same result.
_Should it become necessary_ to blow down the water at intervals, the
engineer or fireman should stand by the blow-off cock and not allow his
attention to be diverted to anything else, as in a very short space of
time the water may become so low as to induce stoppage or endanger the
safety of the boiler.
_Engineers should_ always be cautious when they stop or start an engine
with a heavy pressure of steam in the boiler, as the vent given to the
steam when starting, and the check it receives when stopping, may exert
such a pressure as to strain, crack, or rupture the boiler.
_The drip cocks_ in the cylinder should be left open when the engine is
standing still, and they should not be closed until after the engine
has been started and made several strokes or revolutions.
_Do not open the throttle valve_ to its full extent in starting after
the engine has been standing over night, as the quantity of steam
condensed by being brought in contact with the cold pipe (particularly
if it is a long one) may result in breaking the follower plate,
springing the piston rod, or knocking out the cylinder head.
_After opening the gauge cocks_ to ascertain the height of water in the
boiler, they should be closed tightly to prevent leakage.
_It may have been discovered_ that when gauge cocks are closed after
being blown out, they leak badly; this is often due to the fact that
mud or sand has become attached to the seat of the valve. The easiest
way to remedy this difficulty is to open the cocks and let them blow
out for some time, as the friction of the water in its escape will in
all probability remove the obstacle.
_Glass water gauges_ may be cleansed by removing the glass; then tying
a piece of cotton waste or lamp wicking to a splint of wood, applying
soap or acetic acid, and passing it through the inside of the tube;
then replace the glass, and when steam is raised close the lower valve,
open the drip cock, and the steam blowing through will wash the glass
perfectly.
_To cut a glass gauge tube._—If a glass gauge is too long, take a
three-cornered file and wet it, hold the tube in the left hand with
the thumb and fore-finger at the place where you wish to cut, saw it
quickly and lightly two or three times with the edge of the file, and
it will mark the glass. Now, take the tube in both hands, both thumbs
being on opposite sides of the mark and about an inch apart, then try
to bend the glass, using your thumbs as fulcrums and it will break at
the mark which has weakened the tube.
_Never touch_ the inside of the water gauge glass with iron or wire, as
while the glass may be cut on the outside with a file, the slightest
touch of steel or iron on the inside will cause an abrasion, the result
of which is that the glass will crack and become useless.
_Water gauge glasses_ frequently break because the steam and water
connections are not in line, because the stuffing boxes are screwed
down too tight, and sometimes in cold weather when struck by a cold
draught of air admitted through an open door or window.
_An engineer or fireman should_ never fill a boiler with cold
water while the boiler is hot, as the injurious effect produced by
contraction is similar to that produced by blowing out at a high
pressure, and if persisted in will result in permanent injury to the
boiler.
_Exhaust steam will heat_ water to 212° Fahr. under atmospheric
pressure.
_Ten degrees extra heat_ in feed water means one per cent. saving in
fuel.
_Before blowing out the boiler_ the engineer or fireman should remove
all the fire from the furnace, as a small quantity left in the corners,
or attached to the bridge wall, might spring a seam or cause a plate to
bulge.
_Every engineer should know_ that unequal expansion and contraction
is one of the evils which limit the longevity and endanger the safety
of all classes of steam boilers; consequently the blowing out, the
refilling, the starting of fires and the regulation of the draught
should be done with judgment.
_It is not necessary_ to fill a boiler with cold water above the second
gauge cock, as the water expands under the process of the formation of
steam and it will be found that there is a sufficiency of water in the
boiler when steam is raised.
_Single riveted seams_ are equal to 56% of the original strength of the
sheet; double riveted seams are equal to 70%, and triple riveted seams
are equal to 85%. Triple riveted seams, however, are very seldom used
unless for some special purpose, as they are too heavy and thick, and
would burn out rapidly if exposed to fire.
_In making calculations_ on the strength of boilers, the factor 56
should be employed instead of 100, as 44% of the strength of the plate
is lost by punching the holes for the rivets.
_It should be understood_ that machine riveted seams in steam boilers
are superior to hand made seams, as the machine thoroughly upsets the
rivet and brings the two sheets in such close contact as to produce
friction between the sheets at the lap, which of itself is an element
of strength.
_Boilers do not improve_ by standing idle; they will rust very rapidly.
_Never use sharp chisels_ to cut the scale from boiler plate, as the
cutting of the plate does more harm than good. Use only a light hammer.
_In patching a boiler_ be careful not to make a pocket in which
sediment may collect to cause another injury to the sheet and never put
a steel patch upon an iron boiler as the two metals expanding unequally
will induce trouble.
_Never forget_ to allow for expansion when running long lines of steam
pipe, whether for heating or power, as the neglect of this precaution
leads to the formation of immense crooks or bends in the line of pipe
wonderful to behold. There must be a slip joint somewhere in long lines
of steam piping, unless expansion is allowed for.
_Valves stick_ on their seats because they are frequently shut when
cold, and when heated by the steam the valve stem becomes lengthened,
and presses the valve hard into the seat.
[Illustration: Geiser Traction Engine—Right Side.]