Author |
Message |
Jim Parrott
Senior Member Username: jim_parrott
Post Number: 81 Registered: 06-2009
| Posted on Saturday, June 13, 2015 - 02:03 pm: |
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I acquired this little marine engine from a friend who was told it may have been machined from castings by a bicycle shop. The story was that they would machine these engines to keep busy in their spare time. It has a ten inch flywheel, and approximately 2 1/2" bore & stroke. It had a 3/4" R/H Lunkenhiemer on it but was taken off prior to my ownership. The timer handle is homemade due to the original being missing. I have not been able to locate any information on this little engine. Does anyone recognize it? |
kevin lang
Senior Member Username: klanger
Post Number: 80 Registered: 03-2012
| Posted on Sunday, June 14, 2015 - 03:18 am: |
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Can't help with the ID, but what a great engine, the waterpump looks robust. Kev |
Jim Parrott
Senior Member Username: jim_parrott
Post Number: 82 Registered: 06-2009
| Posted on Monday, June 15, 2015 - 08:56 am: |
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Kevin, The water pump is a neat design with it dual straps. It looks like it is original to the motor and works very well. Jim |
RichardDurgee
Senior Member Username: richarddurgee
Post Number: 3591 Registered: 11-2001
| Posted on Monday, June 22, 2015 - 12:25 pm: |
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* Tried to put a mfgrs name to this marine engine but no match ? The domed removable heads are listed under Rice or St Lawrence type to distiquish them from flat or hot heads, different numbers of bolts are also listed ! The unique water pump would be listed under horizontal pumps and the particulars ( like the twin straps ) listed with each pump description ? Bicycle reference is a good story but without a name or possibly a State its to vague. 1890's bicycles were the thing many companies mfged them and the competion was strong, many marine engine companies came from these beginings, some bicycle mfgrs sold their entire operation to finance their establishing a marine engine Co. ! Barber in Ohio became Vim marine engine co. Dodge Brothers the great parts machining company of its time started mfging marine engines and bicycle parts, then most of Fords parts and then their automobiles. Duryea a pioneer marine eng co was originaly a bicycle maker. Lozier the marine eng and automobile Company was from the arm of a sewing machine and bicycle maker in Chicago ! Eagle in Torrington was originally a bicycle mfr. Regal marine engines came from the Shuger bicycle shop. The list could go on- many foundries and companies advertised kit castings and the fact that they weren't in photo ads or elsewere that I can find, these engines are almost impossible to Identify as yet ? Cool little engine-- Someone made it ??? * |
Jim Parrott
Senior Member Username: jim_parrott
Post Number: 83 Registered: 06-2009
| Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2015 - 02:52 pm: |
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Richard, Thanks for the effort. I also found some letters stamped on the back of the flywheel that may read "OLDE LORENZI" the L is missing from OLDE and part of the E is missing from LORENZI. Not sure if this is the shop/manufacturer, machinist, or a prior owner. There is a written letter with a suggested address less the State where the engine was made and I will post that information when I can get to it. Jim |
Jim Parrott
Senior Member Username: jim_parrott
Post Number: 84 Registered: 06-2009
| Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2015 - 03:35 pm: |
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I forgot the Pics:
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Jim Parrott
Senior Member Username: jim_parrott
Post Number: 85 Registered: 06-2009
| Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2015 - 09:15 pm: |
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Sorry I didn't remember that there was a name for this engine in the long lost letter. I now remember searching for hours without any luck for this company. |
RichardDurgee
Senior Member Username: richarddurgee
Post Number: 3592 Registered: 11-2001
| Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2015 - 09:42 pm: |
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* Well now we know who made it, Frank Kraus ! Doesn't appear to have external oiler ports ? so maybe 1915 or later ? * |
Jim Parrott
Senior Member Username: jim_parrott
Post Number: 86 Registered: 06-2009
| Posted on Friday, June 26, 2015 - 09:51 am: |
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The Michigan Dept. of labor shows F. H. Krauss in the bicycle repair business in 1892, and listed as Kraus & Krauss in 1914. A preview of a book titled "A history of Marshall" states Kraus was in the machine shop business from 1897 thru 1937 in Marshall MI. I may purchase the book to see if there is any mention of marine engines. I made a request to the Marshall Historical Society for any information on Kraus. Verifying that a Kraus bicycle company existed makes me feel confident that this letter is true, but would still like to see that they made engines also. |
Jim Parrott
Senior Member Username: jim_parrott
Post Number: 184 Registered: 06-2009
| Posted on Saturday, May 12, 2018 - 03:43 pm: |
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Another Kraus engine popped up on Smokstak. Earlier this year I made another request from the Marshall Historical Society, and this time received a reply. Both can be seen on the link below: https://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1484705#post1484705 |
Russell Bland
Member Username: blandman
Post Number: 7 Registered: 03-2018
| Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2018 - 09:50 pm: |
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Jim, I was looking at pic of the flywheel and recongnized De Lorenzi as a last name. Google shows Otto De Lorenzi as graduating Cornell University in 1916 as a Mechanical Engineer.He worked for the Combustion Engeering Corporation and he also Authored and Edited two books. Fuel burning and steam generation, 1939 by Otto De Lorenzi (Author) Combustion Engineering, 1953 Otto de Lorenzi (Editor). I don't know if he is the flywheel maker but he did have the means to do so. Blandman |
Jim Parrott
Senior Member Username: jim_parrott
Post Number: 186 Registered: 06-2009
| Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2018 - 11:23 pm: |
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Russell, That is very interesting, Raises more questions about my engine. I now have more research to do. Thanks, Jim |