Gilman’s Patent Model of a Valve for an Oscillating Steam Engine – ca 1851
date: label: date made
content: 1851
label: patent date
content: 1851-01-01
name: label: inventor
content: Gilman, Samuel H.
notes: label: Description
content: This model was filed with the application to the U.S. Patent Office for Patent Number 7,871 issued to Samuel H. Gilman of Cincinnati, Ohio on January 1, 1851. Mr. Gilman’s patent was for an improvement in the design of valve gear for an oscillating steam engine. An oscillating steam engine differs from a standard engine in that the steam cylinder is pivoted on the engine frame and oscillates up and down about the pivot as its connecting rod operates the crankshaft of the engine. In a standard engine, the cylinder is fixed in orientation, and the piston rod moves fore and aft within a crosshead which allows the connecting rod to pivot independently as the crankshaft revolves.
label: Description
content: Mr. Gilman did not claim as new an entire design of such an engine. He limited his claim to a modification of the tube that guides the pushrod which controls the steam valve. He included threads at the bottom of the rod and shaped that portion so that it could clamp and secure the ball at the end of the pushrod. When threaded into the collar on the valve housing it allowed the pushrod to move slightly to conform to the motion of the valve house. He referred to his improvement as a “tubular nut.” The patent did not elaborate on exactly what Mr. Gilman claimed for improved function.
label: Description
content: The model as shown in the image illustrates all of the key elements of the patent. It is constructed of metal and mounted on a wooden base. Diagrams showing the complete design can be found in the patent document online (www.USPTO.gov).
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Ohio, Cincinnati
label: associated place
content: United States: Ohio, Cincinnati
topic: label: Subject
content: Patent Models
label: Subject
content: Steam Engines
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Mechanical and Civil Engineering
label: See more items in
content: Engineering, Building, and Architecture
label: See more items in
content: Patent Models
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: ER.325617
label: accession number
content: 249602
label: catalog number
content: 325617
label: patent number
content: 7,871
objectType: label: Object Name
content: engine, steam, oscillating, slide valve
label: Object Name
content: patent model, engine, steam
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: cylinder-from catalog card: 3 in x 1 1/2 in; 7.62 cm x 3.81 cm
label: Measurements
content: flywheel-from catalog card: 11 1/2 in; x 29.21 cm
label: Measurements
content: wood base-from catalog card: 12 in x 9 1/2 in; x 30.48 cm x 24.13 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall: 17 1/8 in x 14 1/2 in x 11 5/8 in; 43.4975 cm x 36.83 cm x 29.5275 cm