The rare and the beautiful from the Coolspring Power Museum

摘要

The Sombart gas engine, manufactured in Hartford, Conn., 1882-1884, is commonly classified as a Bisschop-type engine. "It was an early attempt by an early engine manufacturer to get around Otto's 4-cycle patent," Wayne Grenning says. The engine construction is unique, with the crankshaft offset from the cylinder axis. The piston is guided with a tall, lubricated, light crosshead. The offset flywheel momentum served no typical balancing purpose, but assisted flywheel momentum by gravity on the exhaust down stroke. Fuel consumption was excessive compared to the Otto cycle, but was not an issue with the lower powers, which ranged from 1 manpower (1/12 horsepower) to 5, the rating cast in this engine's base.