Description
Antique Richards Patent Steam Engine Indicator. – Unclear if this contains all the items, appears to be missing a few of the springs.
This specific model was retailed or manufactured by T.B. Winter, a mathematical and philosophical instrument maker based in Newcastle on Tyne, as indicated by the labels inside the wooden box lid.
Key Details & Historical Context
- Function: This diagnostic instrument graphically recorded pressure against piston displacement throughout an engine’s stroke cycle.
- Significance: Designed in 1862 by American inventor Charles Brinkerhoff Richards, it revolutionized the industry by allowing accurate readings on high-speed and high-pressure steam engines, which older indicators could not handle without distorting the data.
- Operation: A sheet of paper wrapped around the large brass cylinder (drum) on the left. The parallel lever mechanism in the center moved a pencil vertically based on the engine’s internal cylinder pressure, drawing an indicator diagram while the drum rotated.
- Accessories Included: The fitted mahogany case houses interchangeable springs (to calibrate the instrument for different pressure ranges), detent parts, a multi-jointed parallel scale ruler, and a brass connection valve.
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