Bourdon-Type Steam Gauge – ca 1860
date: label: date made
content: ca 1860
notes: label: Description
content: This Bourdon-Type steam gauge was used in the plant for first water supply system in Washington, D.C. In boiler operation, knowing the steam pressure at all times is essential. For pressures of less than about one atmosphere (15 pounds per square inch), simple mercury columns were adequate as indicators. With the use of high pressure engines and boilers many types of gauges were introduced. In all of these the pressure of the steam acted against a spring loaded piston or diaphragm to move a pointer.
label: Description
content: In the first really successful gauge, invented in 1849 by Eugene Bourdon of France, a curved tube, elliptical in cross section, was used. When pressurized, the ellipse tended to become more circular, causing a slight straightening of the tube exactly proportional to the pressure. The free end of the tube was linked to the indicating pointer. Bourdon gauges remained in widespread use well into the 20th century.
place: label: place made
content: United States: District of Columbia, Washington
topic: label: Subject
content: Gauging
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: Exhibition
content: Power Machinery
label: Exhibition Location
content: National Museum of American History
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Transfer from Capitol Power Plant, Washington, D. C.
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MC.315863
label: catalog number
content: 315863
label: accession number
content: 221782
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Gauge, Water
label: Object Name
content: gauge, steam
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 2 1/8 in x 8 1/2 in; 5.3975 cm x 21.59 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall-catalog card: 2 3/8 in x 9 in; x 6.0325 cm x 22.86 cm