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Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Sunday, December 21, 2003 - 02:48 pm: | 
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I was looking through a 1908 magazine and I found the following unusual (to me ) makers:
Ramsey (pa), Piggins Bros(Wisc.), Anderson (Ill),
Invincible (Ill), S&B (Mich), M.O.Cross (Mich),
A.A.Adams (R.I.),Beilfuss (Mich), Stork (Mich.),
Carlson (N.Y.), Powell (NY.),Goshen (In.),
Smith-Bosserdet (Mich), Premier (Mich), Harriman (Conn). Terry (NY.).
I realize that re-badging was common but these engines do not appear to be any obvious copy.
I'm attaching a scan of the (tiny) Ramsey ad. Notice the rear offset exhaust, what's the tubular sructure behind the flywheel? Notice the angled piston water pump. |
Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Sunday, December 21, 2003 - 02:49 pm: |
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Keith
| | Posted on Sunday, December 21, 2003 - 06:33 pm: |
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Tom
I have a two cylinder "Stork". It is a rather plain looking engine. I have no idea what year it is. |
richarddurgee
| | Posted on Sunday, December 21, 2003 - 10:38 pm: |
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" A.A. Adams " The real definition of a side shaft engine !
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richarddurgee
| | Posted on Sunday, December 21, 2003 - 11:02 pm: |
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The Premier was an innovative eng ?
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Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Monday, December 22, 2003 - 09:57 am: |
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All those unusual makers had engines illustrated along with the verbiage.
I did not notice the rotary intake valve on the Premier. I always thought that rotary valves were
a "high speed" inovation.
So far, my favorite is the Powell. There is an article with a cut-away view of it. |
richarddurgee
| | Posted on Monday, December 22, 2003 - 11:01 pm: |
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Tom
Add this one to "The Odd Ball list"
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Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 04:00 pm: |
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Hey!! This has all the marks of a challenge. How about we all post the craziest engines (with pictures) and let Dick Day vote on the best (oddest?) |
richarddurgee
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 09:50 pm: |
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With the word "SANTA" added to this one it would
be most appropriate for christmas ? 1908
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Richard Day
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 10:53 pm: |
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Tom, By far the oddest one is that multiple cylinder arranged around a crankshaft. I have never seen anything close to that one. Merry Christmas to all. Hope Santa fills your stockings with mixing valves and timers that fit all your prizes missing theirs. |
Ernie
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 05:57 pm: |
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Here is another. I know some of you have seen it. However other than several letters from a gentleman in Ontario over 10 years ago I have never seen any info on it. I submitted an article to Gas Engien Magazine a long time back. I got a response from a gentleman in Ontario that told me things about the engine that he couldn't have known from the pics in the magazine. I do not doubt his facts.
He told me of an inventor from Copper Cliff, Ontario. This man was ahead of his time. He designed this engine to power logging skiffs. He also did alot with electricity. In fact he electrocuted himself eventually. This mans name was Henry Philomen LaTour.
The origional numbers were that there were 6 of these made.
This engine was given to me by an older family member. He got it from someone in Stonington, CT. The story is that is came from the Pittsburg, PA area. Acording to my source in Ontario there was one boat with engine that was sold to someone from Western PA. Small world...
Pics attached, and a happy new year to all.
Ernie
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Ernie
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 06:03 pm: |
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This engine has no wrist pin. The cylinder pivots on 2 trunions. The front (forward) one is the intake as well. There is an internal check valve in it. The rear (aft) one is the exhaust. If you look at the 2nd pic you can see the cylinder is not true verticle. It is a true "2 port" engine. It had a top and bottom cylinder head and a normal transfer port. It origionally had a piston trip ignitor. I am working on that. In the meantime it is "jump spark"
Hey Miro how about a field trip to northern Ontario? |
Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 06:15 pm: |
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BOY! I hope you were suitably thankful to the elderly famly member.
You had it running on HV spark? Is is stable or
would it shake a lot?
Tom |
Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 06:26 pm: |
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I think I put this engine up before. It's not in the league with Ernie's gem but it's odd all the same. It LOOKS like something the Able engine Co of NY would have built. The castings are all square cornered. The inside has 2 regular round cylinders and pistons. Chain drive rear rotary water pump. I'll post the engine first then the ABLE ad if I can reduce it. The is no manufacturers name any place. |
Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 06:26 pm: |
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Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 06:29 pm: |
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Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 06:45 pm: |
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Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 06:46 pm: |
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Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 06:50 pm: |
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I do not know what year the xerox Able ad was from. It was an old MotorBoating magazine.
The engines shown are 4 cycle but the whole ad looks newer than my model or it could be they only advertized the 4 cycle stuff.
The motor came from way up in northern NJ and that is pretty near Peekskill NY wher ABLE was building. Anyone have anything on Able? |
andrew
| | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 12:08 am: |
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See this link |
andrew
| | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 12:22 am: |
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andrew
| | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 12:30 am: |
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I don't remember what the story was with this one... and I'm not sure it is marine...
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Ernie
| | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 10:25 am: |
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My LaTour runs quite well. It is quite stable on a sod field. Not sure what it would do on the new tar parking lot at Calvert. I may try to get it out and bring it anyway.
As to thanks to the gent that gave it to me, all he needed was to see it run. I thought his jaw was going to fall off. Not sure I have ever seen a smile that big.
Tom that square engine is real neat! Is it yours? If so when you restore it you should use square head bolts and nuts hehehehe.
Happy New Year all!
Ernie |
Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 10:26 am: |
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That twin opposed engine (bearded guy) sort of looks like an old "brass" era Caddy or Curved dash Olds engine??
A friend once did a cosmetic restoration on what may have been one of the Van Auken engines. He did it for a museum in Mich. The engine was a rusted boat anchor but they wanted it painted a bit. That Norwegian engine looks like it has a really complicated gas generator or else those parts ar something to do with it being a vacuum or atmospheric engine |
Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 10:35 am: |
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Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 10:39 am: |
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The Baby Crown was made by the "Yacht, Gas-Engine & Launch C0" of Philadelphia. I scanned it from a Hiscox (1907).
Says the castings are aluminum and magnesium combo. It has an open crank case and is a 4 cycle. |
Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 11:50 am: |
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Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Thursday, January 01, 2004 - 12:09 pm: |
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The Powell open base 2 cycle that I mentioned at the top of the thread. |
richarddurgee
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 03:04 pm: |
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ODD-BALL Makers 1909
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Tom Stranko
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 07, 2004 - 03:52 pm: |
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I couldn't even begin to guess at how this one operates unless it's a really early Wankle(sp)type? |
Ernie
| | Posted on Thursday, January 08, 2004 - 08:02 am: |
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My guess is that is was one of the engines that looked like an old vacuum style windshield motor. The text above mentions 2 power strokes (explosions)per revolution. It appears that the crank throw is right in front of the housing. Sure would like to see the inside! Richard, do you have the other cut that is mentioned in the text? Also was there any refrence to patent numbers?
By the way Dr Felix Wankle did his early design work in the 1950's. The first Wankle powered vehicle was in the early 60's |
richarddurgee
| | Posted on Thursday, January 08, 2004 - 09:05 am: |
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Ernie
The article above is in the May 1909 issue of MotorBoat Magazine, I searched later issues for the other illustration mentioned but only came across two ads ( May and June ) used the same pic and no additional info !
Would like to hear one of these run with straight exhaust ? |
