EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES.
341
PLATE XIII.
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This plate represents a double acting steam engine for raising water, (art. 570, 582.)
The steam from the boiler enters by the steam pipe S, passes through the top
valve a, to act on the piston p, and forces it down; and just before it arrives at the
bottom of the cylinder, the plug on the rod R will come in contact with a lever,
and shut the valves a b, and open c d, which were shut; the steam will now
continue its course down the pipe S through the valve d, act on the bottom of the
piston p, and again force it up to the top of the cylinder, while the steam which
forced it down will make its escape to the condenser B, through the valve b, by
a pipe which conveys the steam from the valves to the condenser.
Having described one double stroke of the engine, it is only necessary to remark
that its continued motion is made of a repetition of the same thing over again. The
steam which passes to the condenser B meets with a jet of cold water from the
injection cock I, and the greater part of it is reduced to the state of water, and it
is the office of the air pump A to clear it away. The rod R works the air pump
which draws out all the injected water, air, and condensed steam, and discharges
it through the valve at the top of the air pump into the hot well, where a certain
portion of the water is again forced back to the boiler by the force pump L, and
the remainder runs to waste: at the same time, to the other end of the great beam
is attached the rod of the cold water pump N, which supplies the cistern containing
the condenser and air pump with cold water; and from this source the injection
cock has its supply.
The governor Q is put in motion by beveled wheels on the shaft of the fly
wheel P, (art. 540.) and regulates the throttle valve in the steam pipe S, so as to
close it a little for a less admission of steam when the speed is increasing; and on
the contrary, when the engine relaxes in its speed, the balls will again begin to
fall, and open it a little so as to admit more steam ; by this means the work may
vary, and yet a uniform motion be kept up by the engine, (art. 550.)
In the pumping apparatus, the rod M is the pump rod for the purpose of raising
water; when the rod descends, the water will be forced through G into the upper
air vessel E, from whence it passes in a continued stream to the reservoir, at a
distance and height proportional to the power of the engine. The barrel of the
pump will be refilled from F, the source which communicates with the lower air
vessel H ; when the rod rises, the opposite valve at the top will open, and the water