Swiss Steamwheeler RIGI under construction

[Gerhardvienna]

Hi Brian
Thank you, then this could be the part looking over deck in the photos, close to the funnel. Just found the scott water tube boiler in the download-section here, there is a similar part on top of it, named "water header dome". I will use that plan for my boiler, when I use the A4- format and build it in cm`s, it will fit well! Instead of 91/4 it will be around 104mm long.
Regards
Gerhard

[Brian Gates]

Hi Gerhard

I have finally found a decent size version of the image on the Kingswear Castle site http://www.como.polimi.it/Patria/foto/lucernav02.htm

I had thought that the shapes around the fiddley were lifebelts, but they appear to be ropes.  The fiddley seems so narrow that the boiler barrel itself must have all been below deck, with just the transverse drum we are talking about above deck.

With so little height there, would a centre-flue boiler (like those used on model locomotives) fit better?  You could extend it into the aft saloon if necessary.

Brian

[Gerhardvienna]

Hi Brian
Did they have lifebelts?? I just don`t know.
For the boiler,; I will not build the saloon, so I will need a very flat boiler, the scott-boiler from the downloads will fit, when it is adjusted. My new engine will not need too much steam, and will be fitted with  a feed pump. I hope everything will have space enough!
Thank you for that photo, I agree the things around the fiddley were ropes, and there seems to be a crane in rear direction.
Gerhard

[Gerhardvienna]

Hallo again
The plans for my small Steam engine is done, now I have to construct the boiler. The engine is only 42mm high, from the basment plate to center of the crankshaft, and 80mm wide, with crankshaft 100 mm, that can be shortened to 90mm.
The photo shows a good view from the front, the pdf. plan-set has 7 pages, you may download it here or in the download-section for private use!
Best regards
Gerhard

[Doonie]

Looks like a very short stroke engine mate.   What is the stroke length?   If it is short stroke, does that mean high revs, and will you need to build a gear box?

Doonie.

[Gerhardvienna]

Hi Doonie
It is 18mm stroke and 12mm bore, so I hope, there will no gear box be necessary. I will find out............
Regards
Gerhard

[greateastern]

Hello Gerhard,
here are some links that might be useful:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy3nbqjgWck
trunk engine from 1848 or so  scan on youtube
http://collectionsonline.nmsi.ac.uk/detail.php?type=related&kv=107248&t=people
there are about 8 REAL  penn engines  displayed and possibly a boiler from the period you want

http://files.asme.org/asmeorg/Communities/History/Landmarks/21635.pdf
this a 16 page pdf on the ps diesbar which was built about the same time frame you want with engine close-ups
The HMS Warrior used Penn engines so you might try seeing if there are illus of warrior with boilers
 russell's book on the steam engine 7th ed of enc Britannica is good but generic on water tube boilers.
and John BOurne's book on steam engine also has some illus but they are not Penn engines.

[Gerhardvienna]

Hi Greateastern
The models and the video are a bit too far from the RIGI engines, but give a good look at how different engines were constructed. But the booklet pdf is a very good thing, just downloaded it!!
For a later project (Eppleton Hall) i`m looking for a good plan of a side lever engine. I know, there was one in the Home Shop Machinist Magazine (vol27, No 4) July/August 2008.
For the listed books I will have to find out, where to get in Austria or Germany, thanks also for that!
Best regards
Gerhard

[Brian Gates]

I am afraid Warrior's boilers might not be much help as she had box boilers with ten brass smoke tubes rather than a scotch boiler.  The Royal Navy stayed with box boilers for a long time as they were relatively easy to clean out once full of salt, and didn't adopt high-pressure cylindrical boilers until they started to use compound engines and condensers in the mid-1860s.

One feature of Warrior's boilers that may be relevant is the use of a condensate separator, which I still think is the purpose of the cylinder on top of Rigi's boiler.

Rigi's engine which still survives in the same museum as the ship http://www.paddlesteamers.info/Rigi1848%20Engines.htm (From the arrangement of your engine, I guess you have already seen these pictures Gerhard).  Imagine drawing those valve chests in the days before CAD, the arrangement of Diesbar's engine seems much simpler.

All the best
Brian

[Gerhardvienna]

Hello Brian
YES I`ve seen the pictures of the original engine, bevore that I was thinking about electric drive for the RIGI. This is still an option, it depends on the weight and carriage possibilities of the ship. If all the steam-system is too heavy, I will switch to electric with steam generator. And the steam engine will have a good place in my showcase.
Regards
Gerhard

[greateastern]

Paasch has some good illustrations of various kinds of boilers and you can  download the book here:
Illustrated Marine Encyclopedia (1890's)
http://books.google.com/books?id=j2RAAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=%27illustrated+marine+encyclopedia+%2B+paasch%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xYHZU9_3AorliwKLrIAo&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%27illustrated%20marine%20encyclopedia%20%2B%20paasch%22&f=false
here is a sidelever engine view that might work from this book:
The marine steam engine; a treatise for engineering ... . Sennett, Richard

[greateastern]

this from Appleton's Dictionary of machines... 1852

[Gerhardvienna]

Hello Greateastern
Thank you so much!
This is a very good look at the parts of a side-lever engine. But remember, I will need this just for a following project. The RIGI comes first, then the prussian DANZIG, and after (or benrath) her will the Eppleton Hall project start.
Regards from Vienna
Gerhard

[greateastern]

Gerhard,
at the rate you are going, you will be working on the EH by Christmas.  You can stash the drawings away until you need them--better than having to hunt later on. Don't forget, there is a full set of measured drawings for the EH on line and maybe even here on PD.

[Gerhardvienna]

Hi David
As i wrote, the EH is just one later project, at the time I`m working on the drawings for the RIGI-boiler. I do have the plans for the Eppleton Hall from the Library of the Congress, they are well measured, and have them brouhgt to the correct measure ( 1:50) for my collection.
Regards
Gerhard