Stuart Perry Gas Engine Patent Model
date: label: date made
content: 1846
label: patent date
content: 1846-10-07
name: label: inventor
content: Perry, Stuart
notes: label: Description
content: This model was submitted to the U.S. Patent Office with application for Patent no. 4800, issued October 7, 1846.
label: Description
content: This engine is very similar to the Perry engine of 1844 (US National Museum accession number 309253). It differs in that the cylinder is water-jacketed and the hot cooling water is used to heat the fuel retort. Ignition is effected by heated platinum exposed to or separated from the explosive mixture by a valve.
label: Description
content: The model shows a horizontal double-acting engine completely water-jacketed. Beside the cylinder is the retort for generating the vapors. Air is mixed with the vapor in a valve box above the retort, and valves operated by cams from a lay shaft admit the explosive mixture to passages leading to the cylinder. The gas is ignited by incandescent platinum, and combustion continues during about one-third of the stroke, the expansion of the products of combustion forcing the piston to the end of the stroke.
label: Description
content: To start the engine it was necessary to heat the water about the retort to generate the vapor and to heat the igniter. When running, the engine developed sufficient heat for both purposes.
label: Description
content: Perry designed this engine so that the water served not only to cool the cylinder but also to lubricate the piston and piston rod.
label: Description
content: Reference:
label: Description
content: This description comes from the 1939 Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States Museum Bulletin 173 by Frank A. Taylor.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York
label: associated place
content: United States: New York, New York City
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Mechanical and Civil Engineering
label: See more items in
content: Bulletin 173
label: See more items in
content: Engineering, Building, and Architecture
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content: Work
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content: Industry & Manufacturing
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: Frank A. Taylor. Catalog of the Mechanical Collections of the Division of Engineering United States National Museum, Bulletin 173
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: ER.251278
label: accession number
content: 48865
label: catalog number
content: 251278
label: patent number
content: 4,800
objectType: label: Object Name
content: gas engine, model
label: Object Name
content: patent model, engine, gas
label: Object Type
content: Patent Model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 11 in x 26 1/2 in x 6 1/2 in; 27.94 cm x 67.31 cm x 16.51 cm