A FINE LARGE CORLISS STEAM ENGINE MODEL. This fine engine was built during the first part of the 20th Century as a working engine. It was one of the greatest of challenges for a machinist to make a Corliss, the most complicated of engines, in a size that could actually provide power for small belt-driven machinery. Is it a small Corliss engine or a model of a Corliss engine? I believe the former was the intent of the builder as evidenced by the execution, scale of the governor and other fine details.
The design of this engine is attributed to Reynolds Corliss as manufactured by the E.P. Allis Company, Milwaukee, WI ca. 1885-90. The E.P. Allis Company was one of the largest and most successful of American steam engine manufacturers and used a variant of Corliss valve gear designed by Edwin Reynolds. A huge E.P. Allis engine provided much of the power for the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. A similar period Reynolds Corliss Side-Crank Steam Engine 36" bore x 48" stroke illustration follows. This engine, from an estate, was disassembled when acquired by a former owner. He assembled the engine, replaced missing nuts with acorn nuts, built a custom oak base, re-gasketed the engine, painted it red and polished the steel and nickel parts. The present owner removed the oversize pulley wheel flywheel and replaced it with the flywheel presently mounted. The large flywheel will be included with the engine and may be adapted at the discretion of the new owner. The valve gear, governor, crosshead, wrist-plate, dashpots and other details are exquisitely machined and finished. The engine appears to be complete though needs to be shimmed and have the Corliss valve gear timed. A higher mahogany base should be considered to replace the present bright oak base with height provision for a larger flywheel to clear the bottom of the "pit."
Details include: a single horizontal heavily-cast cylinder of approx 2" bore x 4" stroke, the cylinder with valve access plates, internal Corliss rotating cylinder intake and exhaust valves, highly detailed cylinder-head, top mounted 3/8" NPT throttle valve ( not original to engine though period), under-mounted exhaust, twin intake valve tripping plates each with spring loaded catch, cam and link rods, drop rods with brass bearing ends to cast base-mounted dash-pots, twin exhaust valve arms, each valve with detachable cylinder-plate, large center mounted wrist-plate with adjustable link rods each with threaded brass bearing ends to each valve plate. The cylinder supported on twin heavy cast A-frame supports with integral dash-pot supports. Note: The cylinder would be appropriately complemented by horizontal mahogany staving and brass banding. The intake valves with adjustable rods to governor pivot arm. The working governor is a work of art standing 10 1/2" tall from top of engine frame exquisitely executed with twin nickel on brass 1 1/2" diameter balls, highly detailed tapered column, brass upper and lower yoke arms, finely turned governor arms, smooth motion collar and rod linkage to intake valve linkage, 1 1/2" diameter brass flat-belt pulley, gear-driven shaft, girder-frame top-mounted brass idler pulley and other fine details.
The heavy main cast girder frame with frame-incorporated heavy crosshead guides, the crosshead with pierced frame section a traditional design of full size engines, highly executed nickel-plated crosshead double tapered connecting rod with gibbed and cottered ends each with adjustable brasses, 3" teardrop design crank-arm, , heavy cast frame incorporated main bearing with detailed bearing insert shell and adjustable bearing-cap, the outboard bearing of same design each with brass oil-cup, 1" diameter crankshaft with 10" diameter x 2 1/2" face spoked flywheel (note: 16" spoked flywheel included though requires a higher base for clearance, see last photo). The girder frame supported on ornate heavy cast pierced center and end pedestals, all mounted on a contemporary oak presentation base, 28" x 18" x 4", overall length from rim of presently mounted flywheel to cylinder head: 30", height to top of governor 20", length over shaft 17". This engine, with the addition of a larger flywheel, longer and taller mahogany or other dark-wood base and adjustment would be the highlight of any steam or museum collection. The engine has not been cleaned or polished in any way and has been stored by the present owner. This engine should not be confused with a Cole's, Stuart or similar model. This is a commanding engine that needs to be exhibited and run.
This is a perfect opportunity to acquire a serious "large model" or "small Corliss engine" intended to provide approximately 2 HP. Corliss engines of this size are few and far between. (See photos).