Combe Mill
Combe Mill
V9.1.84
Download a video of the Beam Engine. A member of the Combe Mill Society has produced a 7 second loop Windows Media Video (wmv) which evokes the sound and feel of the Beam Engine in action.
Right click the following link and choose Save Target As to... download the Beam Engine Video
Note: The file size is 800 kb. Later versions of software and/or hardware may be required to play the video. Media Player version 9 (or higher) is recommended.
The engine is a double-acting, condensing, rotative beam engine with parallel motion linkage. The maker is unknown but the name “Thomas Piggott, Birmingham” appears both on the boiler
front and the boiler feed valves. The name “beam engine” refers to the fact that the power of the engine is transmitted via a massive beam which rocks to and fro, in this case overhead.
© 2008 Webmaster Tony Simmons
Registered Charity Number 1111029
The1852 beam engine and the associated Cornish boiler of the same date are housed in the one room so enabling one person to run the engine. From here, too, it was possible to directly adjust the water wheel sluice.
In a condensing engine, when one side of the main piston is connected to the steam supply, the opposite side is connected to the condenser, which draws out the steam from the previous stroke. Condensation of the steam creates a partial vacuum in the condenser and thereby increases the force exerted on the piston and improves the efficiency of the engine.
In a condensing engine, when one side of the main piston is connected to the steam supply, the opposite side is connected to the condenser, which draws out the steam from the previous stroke. Condensation of the steam creates a partial vacuum in the condenser and thereby increases the force exerted on the piston and improves the efficiency of the engine.
Before restoration
And after ........
