page_title: Return connecting rod engine
section_title: Table and Steeple engines
hierarchical_section_title: Return connecting rod engine / Table and Steeple engines
caption_attribution_description: Coombes' table engine, from the Stuart Turner plans &amp; castings Abergavenny steam rally, 2012.
context_page_description: A return connecting rod, return piston rod or double piston rod engine or back-acting engine is a particular layout for a steam engine.
  The key attribute of this layout is that the piston rod emerges from the cylinder to the crosshead, but the connecting rod then reverses direction and goes backwards to the crankshaft. This layout is compact, but has mechanical disadvantages. Return connecting rod engines were thus rarely used.
  The return connecting rod layout has two possible forms:
  The cylinder is between the crosshead and the crankshaft. This requires long connecting rods. To avoid unbalanced forces on the crosshead, these rods are usually paired and run either side of the cylinder.
  The crankshaft is between the crosshead and cylinder. This requires a paired piston rod or yoke, so as to pass around the crankshaft.
  Both horizontal and vertical arrangements have used the return connecting rod layout. Vertical return connecting rod engines used the original 'vertical' layout, with the cylinder facing upwards to the crosshead.
context_section_description: 'Table' and 'steeple' engines are vertical stationary engines with return connecting rods.
caption: Model table engine, showing the forked connecting rod
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