Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Coomber Rotary Engine


First learned of this delightful engine while attending the PRIME show in Oregon. A most prolific modeler, Marlyn Hadley, had one on display.

Its have not illustrated the valve linkage, as not exactly sure what it looks like, It appears to be a rotary type, incorporated into the main drive shaft. Steam would be admitted to one end of the cylinder at a time, just as in any other double-acting steam engine.

The inner dimension of the stationary ring is not circular, but is slightly elliptical. The main bearing is offset from the center of this ellipse by a one half the stroke length.