Otto - Crossley Atmospheric Engine - Anson Engine Museum -

Here is an Otto-Crossley atmospheric engine from 1877, and it still runs!
These engines use an ingenious free piston design, the piston is not permernantly attached to the crank shaft! Instead it uses a sort of ratchet system (It's more complex than that) which is caught by the rack on the piston. The Working or power stroke is actualy on the down stroke as when the piston travels up it is creating a vacumm drawing the piston down.

This engine is seen here at the Anson Engine Museum driving a winch, as it has done for 133 years!!!!

This engine is one of the largest Crossley ever made to the patent Otto and Langen desighn.

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[mechanicsnut]

These Otto engines are just fascinating, again there is so much to take in. I need to do some more research on how these work. What year did they stop making these, i've only seen them from the mid 1800's, just wondering. Thanks again.

[steamwally]

I think they must have stopped building these in about 1880 or there abouts, the otto silent four stroke came in by 1876 and it would make sence to produce the two allong side, the silent being far more efficient.

[douro20]

An very complex gas engine which was terribly inefficient in its method of extracting power, but still made a big difference in the way people thought about producing mechanical power.

[steamwally]

Thank you. It's not actualy that complex when you stand and look at it, a few minuits and you can work out how it goes. The clutch is pretty complex but simple in it's operation. Otto was indeed a very clever man, especialy when it came to working out how best to employ the atmospheric power stroke!

Many thanks,

Phill.

[bccrheinmain]

Great Engine. Would like to see it in reality.

Michael

[steamwally]

Many thanks, I must say it really changes the way you see modern engines!

[steamwally]

Thanks, they use those clutches on motorbike starters now. I think they used this style of drive simply because it was necesitated by the free fall piston, they could have used a crank shaft and did a few years later.

Phill.

[tonytiger75]

The "ratchet system" in the drive shaft pinion gear is essentially a sprag clutch.

Sprag clutches are used in many modern machine applications.

Very interesting engines, did they make them this way because Watt or somebody still had the patten on the regular crank shaft?

[steamwally]

Thanks!

By the way, I had the soon to be yours suffolk engine out and it's running great and started easily, should be fine for you.

See you around five tomorow!

[steamwally]

It's amazing to watch, really good!