The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-23
A NEW STEAM ENGINE.


came into use as a power producer me-
chanics and engineers have been aware
of the great loss of power resulting from
the Use of the ordinary reciprocating en-
ne and have been looking for a practi-
cal rotary form Of engine. Any one,
though not a mechanic. who will watch
the working of any engine now in use
can easily see the awkward and nom
scientific manner of its action and can
understand that a great. part of the en-
is very much as II mechanic should
construct a water motor in such form
that stream of water would drive the
piston in one direction and then another
stream would drive 1t back. A man
doesn't need to be mechanic or an en-
gineer to see that a water motor con-
structed on that plan would be far infe-
rior to the many forms of water wheel
now In use.
And yet such a. contrivance would Diff
fer but little from the ordinary steam
engine now in use. Briefly stated. the
aitOthd SAhduStOh anu CApdhoioi VI
steam drives a piston back and forth.
and by the use Of the piston rod and a
crank or its substitute motion is con-
veyed to a wheel as desired. That there
is large and continuous waste of energy
in this mode of producing power is plain
enough, and the inventive genius Of man
has been at work for years trying to
produce an engine where the work will
be performed by the direct action Of the
steam in somewhat the same manner
that a water-wheel is operated by the
direct force OF the water. Many attempts
have been made, and many ingenious ma
chimes have been constructed looking to
the successful accomplishment of this
desirable result. but there has always
been some defect or need that has pre-
vented a successful result.
We have been led to these reflections
to be the successful operation Of
''steam turbine" said to be the largest
In the world, which is now in use by
the Westinghouse Steam Company in
Hartford, Conn.,, a full description of
which Is given in The Hartford Times Of
last Saturday. We cannot afford space
to give the ARTICLE. but the results are
interesting. The engine is capable of ex-
erting $500 horse power. and according to
The Times. the saving in fuel is consid-
erably over one-half. In ordinary en-
gines of large size used by the company
the consumption of coal runs UP to three
OF more pounds per hour for each horse
power given out, while in the steam
turbine the consumption is only a pound
and a quarter. Those who use steam
need no argument to show the great ad-
vantage of this improvement, especially
II 1t can be made available for locomo-
tive and marine engines, as well as for
stationary ones.
Another feature of this economical
method of producing power is in connec-
ton with the development of electricity.
That is fast becoming the ideal motive
power of the world, and wherever water
power Is available and continuous, 1t af-
fords the cheapest and best power for
producing electric energy, but where this
il not practicable, the steam turbine, If
all that is claimed for it is true. will af-
ford a means of supplying a practically
unlimited supply of electric power at a
much lower rate than is possible with the
old forms of engines. OF course, it is pos
sible that the claims put forth for this
new style of engine may not be fully
verified, but If they are, it will be an
other of those revolutions in power pro-
duction which have been following each
Other with startling rapidly of late
years. To produce the greatest results
with the least expense is what is demand
ed, and this seems at least a great move
In that direction.