,,the ,,stoker',s ,,catechism ,,the ,,stoker',s ,,catechism ,,by ,w4 ,j4 ,,connor4 ,device ,london3 ,e4 ,f4 ,n4 ,,spon1 ,,limited1 #eg ,,haymarket ,new ,york3 ,,spon ,,chamberlain1 #abc ,,liberty ,,street #aijf ,transcriber's ,note3 ,minor typographical errors have been corrected without note4 ,variant spellings have been retained4 ,the oe ligature is shown as oe4 ,,preface4 ,there is no trade or calling that a working man is more handicapped in than that of a ,steam ,boiler ,stoker2 there are no books on stoking2 the man leaving his situation is not anxious to communicate with the man who is taking his place anything that might help or instruct him2 and the new man will be shy of asking for information for fear of being thought incapable for the post he is seeking2 and the transfer takes place almost in silence1 and the new man has to find out all the ways and means at his own risk1 sometimes at his employer's expense4 ,my object is to instruct that man in his business without his knowing it1 or hurting his very sensitive opinion on stoking and other matters2 for ,i am well aware that it is only the least experienced who are the hardest to convince1 or instruct--against their will4 ,i have therefore ventured to devise this simple method of question and answer1 which ,i have named ,the ,stoker's ,catechism1 which ,i hope may instruct and interest him4 ,i will not encumber this preface with my personal qualifications for this little work--the answers to the questions might suffice4 ,w4 ,j4 ,c4 ,,the ,,stoker',s ,,catechism4 #a4 ,question4--,how would you proceed to get steam up in a boiler8 ,answer4--,having filled the boiler with water to the usual height1 that is to say1 about four inches over the crown of the fire-tube1 ,i throw in several shovelfuls of coal or coke towards the bridge1 left and right1 keeping the centre clear2 then ,i place the firewood in the centre1 throw some coals on it1 light up1 and shut the door4 ,then ,i open the side-gauge cocks to allow the heated air to escape1 and keep them open till all the air has cleared out and steam taken the place of it2 by this time the fire will require more fuel1 and when the steam is high enough ,i connect her by opening the stop-valve a little at a time till it is wide open and ready for work4 #b4 ,question4--,supposing there are boilers working on each side of the one you got steam up in1 how would you act8 ,answer4--,i would light the fire by putting in a few shovelfuls of live coal from one of them instead of using firewood2 that is all the difference ,i would make4 #c4 ,question4--,what is the cause of the rapid motion of the water in the gauge-glass at times8 ,is that motion general throughout the boiler8 ,answer4--,no2 air enters the boiler with the feed-water1 and the gauge-glass tube being in the vicinity of the incoming water1 some of the air enters the glass and flies up rapidly through the top cock and into the boiler again2 in fact there is very little motion of the water in the boiler at any time while working4 ,i have proved this to be so1 and in this manner3 the boiler cleaners having finished the cleaning1 hurriedly scrambled out of the boiler and left several tools they had been using on the crown of the fire-box1 namely1 a bass hand brush1 a tin can1 and a tin candlestick1 and a small iron pail2 the manhole cover was put on and boiler filled and put to work before the things were thought of1 and then it was too late and they had to remain there until the next cleaning time1 which was thirteen weeks2 and when the boiler was at last blown out and the manhole cover removed1 the things were on the crown of the fire-box exactly as they were left three months previously4 ,in order to satisfy myself of this1 to me1 extraordinary discovery1 ,i placed several articles on the crown of the fire-box1 things that could not stop up the blow-off pipe if they were swept off1 and got up steam as usual1 and after three months' hard steaming ,i blew out the water and steam1 took off the manhole cover1 and there were the things as ,i had left them thirteen weeks previously2 of course they were all coated with fine mud1 but no signs of having moved a hair's breadth4 #d4 ,question4--,but water in an open caldron with a fire under it1 as in the steam boiler1 will madly sweep the sides and bottom with terrific ebullition4 ,how would you account for the great agitation in the open caldron while the steam boiler had hardly any1 although both vessels had fierce fires under them8 ,answer4--,in the matter of the open caldron the action of the water has no resistance but that of the atmosphere1 whereas in the steam boiler the movement of the water is resisted from the moment it is heated1 for then a vapour rises above it1 and1 as the heat increases1 the resistance to the movement of the water is proportionally increased1 and as the heat of the steam increases the pressure on the water increases proportionally all through1 the steam being above the water4 ,any old stoker knows that when getting steam up in a boiler the lower parts are often only warm when there may be eight or ten lb4 on the square inch in the upper portions2 when the water begins to boil the steam rises in the form of minute globular particles1 and remains above the water until there is an outlet for it by opening the stop-valve or through the safety-valve2 and as the pressure is the same throughout every part1 nook and corner1 and angle1 there can be no dominating force to cause any agitation within the boiler4 #e4 ,question4--,what is superheated steam1 and why is it used8 ,answer4--,if a boiler is placed at a long distance from the engine or whatever the steam may be used for1 there is much or little condensation according to the distance and the weather1 so that there would always be water mixing with the steam1 and that is most objectionable where a steam engine is concerned1 and by super-heating the steam it comes to the engine as hot and dry as if the boiler were close by2 but whatever the heat of the steam may be1 the pressure cannot be increased after the steam has left the boiler4 ,in proportion to the pressure of steam so is the heat of it2 the higher the pressure the hotter the steam4 #f4 ,question4--,if your water gauge-glass broke while the boiler was working1 how would you proceed to rectify the mishap8 ,answer4--,by immediately shutting off both cocks1 the water-cock first1 then ,i would open the blow-out cock 7at the bottom of the gauge-glass7 and keep it open to the finish1 and commence unscrewing the nuts1 clearing them of any bits of india-rubber that adhered to them1 also the sockets4 ,get one of the half dozen glasses already cut1 and my string of rubber rings1 enter two rings on the bottom end of the glass1 slip the nut over them1 slip two rings on the top part of the glass after having slipped the nut on1 and enter the rings in the sockets1 then screw up both top and bottom nuts by hand alternately1 and when screwed up evenly1 open the steam cock a shade to warm the glass1 and when it is hot enough1 open it more and commence closing the blow-out cock1 by tapping it lightly by hand1 then open the steam cock a little more and open the water cock a little also1 and shut off the blow-out cock1 and presently the water enters the glass1 and both top and bottom cocks may now be opened to their full extent1 and the job is done4 #g4 ,question4--,how would you cut a water gauge-glass to the proper length8 ,answer4--,i usually cut a piece of iron wire the length the glass should be1 in this way3 ,i measure the length from under the top nut to the top of the bottom nut1 and cut my iron wire to that measurement2 then ,i cut several glasses in my spare time1 instead of doing it when the glass breaks4 ,i mark a circle where ,i wish to cut the glass1 and with a three-corner file ,i run it round this circle to a depth of the #afth of an inch1 and break it off on the edge of the vice1 bench1 or other solid woodwork2 of course this iron-wire gauge will perhaps only answer for this particular boiler1 but in some stoke-hold the boilers are all alike with regard to the gauge-glasses4 #h4 ,question4--,what is the cause of a vacuum in a boiler8 ,and how does it affect her injuriously8 ,answer4--,the vacuum is mostly caused by letting cold water into a hot boiler1 the hotter the boiler the stronger the vacuum2 when the water is hotter than the boiler1 there will be little vacuum2 a strong vacuum in the boiler will cause the air outside to press on the boiler in proportion--the stronger the vacuum inside1 the greater the pressure outside4 ,in this circumstance the pressure is misplaced for the boiler was constructed to bear an internal pressure and not an external pressure4 ,and in getting steam up the pressure on the boiler has to be reversed1 and this tends to loosen the plates and rivets and makes her leak1 if she never leaked before4 ,i have frequently known boilers to be filled with water over-night to be ready for lighting up in the morning1 and have found the gauge-glass empty2 this puzzled me at first1 but on opening the blow-out cock of the water-gauge the air rushed into it with a gurgling noise1 then ,i knew there was water in the boiler held up by the vacuum1 but ,i soon altered that by opening the side-cocks1 and letting air into her which soon killed the vacuum1 and down came the water into the glass again to the proper level4 ,when getting steam up1 ,i always open one of the side gauge cocks and keep it open until steam issues from it2 that permits the foul air to escape and prevents a vacuum being created2 there used to be a vacuum valve in the vicinity of the steam dome1 that opened inwards and prevented a vacuum from being created4 #i4 ,question4--,if you had only one boiler and one engine at work1 how would you manage to clean your one fire without letting the steam go down8 ,answer4--,when pushed for steam1 which usually occurs when the fire is getting dirty1 ,i get ready all the tools and some of the best of the coals1 and having a bright fire ,i take the long poker and skim all the fire to one side and throw a couple of shovelfuls of coals evenly over it and rake out all the clinkers on the opposite side1 then with the long poker 7some people call it ,kennedy7 ,i skim all the fire over to the opposite side and throw a couple of shovelfuls of coals evenly over the bright fire1 and rake out the clinkers on the other side1 then ,i spread the fire evenly over the bars and sprinkle some more coals over all1 and shut the door4 ,this performance from first to last need not take more than ten minutes1 and the boiler was making steam all the time1 and at the finish ,i had a better fire than at the beginning1 and the steam hardly lost a pound2 but the job must be done quickly4 #aj4 ,question4--,what is the cause of the humming noise that issues from a steam boiler at times1 and how would you prevent it8 ,answer4--,it is caused chiefly through bad stoking1 in having an uneven fire1 full of holes1 or crooked bars1 the cold air rushing through where there is the least resistance1 and into the tubes1 causes the humming noise--a locomotive nearing home after her day's work has very little fire on the bars and will generally hum1 so there is some excuse for her1 but none for a stationary boiler4 ,some stokers take credit to themselves for making the boiler ,hum2 when coals are thrown into the fire indiscriminately--small and large--the air finds the least resistance through the small coals1 which soon burst into holes1 while the lumps remain solid2 then the air rushes into the holes and the humming commences2 or1 if the firebars are not equally separated1 the air enters the widest space and the boiler hums2 or it may be that the bars next the side of the fireplace are out of line and lets the air rush up against the side and the boiler hums4 ,if the stoker would only drop a shovelful of coals dexterously into each hole the humming would stop immediately1 or level the fire with the rake or long poker1 or open the fire door if the rake is too heavy1 and the noise will cease4 ,the chief point is to have a good set of firebars and well placed2 if they are too long they will hump in the middle or they will bulge sideways2 if they are too close together they become red-hot because there is not room enough for the air to pass between them to keep them moderately cool1 and if they are too short they will drop down into the ash-pit4 #aa4 ,question4--,why is it more difficult to keep steam-tight the manhole cover of a portable boiler than the manhole cover of a stationary boiler8 ,answer4--,the portable cover is usually on the side of the boiler1 and about half the cover is immersed in the water and half in the steam2 the portion under water is about #bab of heat1 the portion of the same cover in the steam is about #ejj of heat1 the hottest part expanding much more than the cooler part1 and is constantly tending to tear itself away from the lower portion of the cover1 and the joint cannot stand the unequal strain4 ,the manhole cover of a stationary boiler is nearly always on top of the boiler1 and the heat is equal all over it and no contraction and expansion to cause the joint to leak as in the portable cover4 #ab4 ,question4--,how would you prepare a boiler for the inspection of a boiler inspector8 ,answer4--,i would blow her right out1 take off the manhole cover1 take out the safety valve1 take out all firebars and the bridge1 take down flue-port brickwork1 have the boiler and flues thoroughly cleaned and swept1 have a lamp or candle ready to light1 a hand hammer and chisel1 or scraper1 a pailful of clean water1 and a wad of cotton waste4 ,when the inspector arrives1 he quickly dons his overalls2 ,i hand him the light and the tools and waste1 and he is into the fireplace in a jiffy2 down the side flues1 under the boiler1 giving a whack with the hammer now and then1 and scraping off any suspicious scale1 etc42 and when he comes out1 as black as any sweep1 he slips out of the overalls1 gives them a whack against the wall1 folds them up tight1 and crams them into the black bag2 has a dive in the pail1 and is soon ready to go off somewhere else4 ,but he tells me something about the boiler before he goes--not to my discredit4 #ac4 ,question4--,how do you proceed to get her to work again1 and what materials do you use8 ,answer4--,i first proceed to build the bridge and flue-ports1 put in the firebars1 the thin bars at the sides2 then ,i replace the safety-valve1 taking care not to damage it or its seat1 fill the boiler with clean water1 put in the boiler the usual quantity of ,naenaires ,anti-,corrosion liquid1 or the powder1 make the manhole joint with plaited three-strand spun yarn and stiff putty 7red lead and white lead7 and lay the fire1 which is done in this way3 throw a dozen shovelfuls of coals towards the bridge1 and to left and right of it till they reach near to the dead-plate1 leaving the centre clear for the firewood2 then throw in three or four shovelfuls of coals over the wood1 with oily waste or paper in front1 and she is ready for lighting1 and the fire is laid4 ,the material for the bridge and the flue ports are firebricks and fireclay2 these are rather expensive1 but ,i learnt a wrinkle in the building up of bridge and flues4 ,through the frequent removals of these for boiler inspection and the hitting of the end of the long poker1 several bricks were broken every three months1 and ,i came to the decision to try stock bricks faced with fireclay as mortar2 and ,i was more than satisfied with the result1 and ever since then ,i used stock bricks and fireclay only4 #ad4 ,question4--,how high should the top of the bridge be from the crown of the boiler or from the fire-tube8 ,answer4--,the bridge should be about nine inches from the crown of the fire-tube1 if it were eight the draught would be curtailed1 if it were ten the draught under the bars would be diminished1 through much air passing over the bridge instead of under the firebars4 ,as ,i had permission from my employers to build the bridge to the best advantage for myself in keeping up the steam1 and having tried different heights for many years1 ,i found that nine inches was the nearest to perfection4 ,and in these experiments two additional bridges were built in one boiler2 six feet behind the ordinary bridge was a concave bridge and six feet behind that was a convex bridge4 ,the concave bridge was built close up to the bottom of the fire-tube1 and resembled a small archway1 and extended down to within nine inches of the bottom or shell of the fireplace2 the convex bridge was built on the bottom of the shell and reached to within nine inches of the fire-tube4 ,when the flame from the furnace shot over the ordinary bridge1 it clashed down under the concave bridge1 then rose up and swept through the convex bridge and away to the bottom flues2 the object of these three bridges1 in one tube and for one fire1 was to keep the flame and heat in the boiler as long as possible1 instead of the heat flying swiftly over the bridge and out of the boiler4 ,this experiment seemed to answer very well1 but as there were several other boilers connected with this one there was no opportunity of testing it correctly1 but the three bridges remained established1 and were frequently shown to engineers and others4 #ae4 ,question4--,what advantage is there in having the blow-off pipe of a boiler entering it from the top instead of at the bottom8 ,answer4--,i am not aware of any advantage in it1 but ,i am aware of a disadvantage in it1 and it is this1 that while the boiler is being blown right out for the purpose of cleaning1 or other reasons1 the stoker will often commence doing some other work1 and in due course the boiler is filled up with water1 and the fire lighted1 and by-and-by the stoker comes to see what progress she is making2 he looks at the water-gauge but sees no water in it because it has syphoned out of the boiler2 at first the heated air pressed on the water and forced it through the blow-off pipe1 and then the pipe became a syphon1 and the pressure increasing as the water leaves the boiler1 she is soon emptied1 and if the fire is not raked out1 soon burnt4 ,such a mishap could not happen to a boiler with the blow-off pipe at the bottom1 for when the stoker blows out his boiler he must shut the cock before he can fill her1 and when filled there is no chance of the water escaping out again4 #af4 ,question4--,is there not some disadvantage in having the blow-out cock at the bottom of the boiler8 ,answer4--,yes2 the cock and pipe are subject to corrosion on account of water dripping down on them from the stoke-hold floor1 as some stokers quench their clinkers and ashes while they are up against the front of the boiler1 instead of drawing them forward a few inches from the front3 and as the pipe is out of sight under the plates of the floor1 nobody takes the trouble to lift them and examine--not only the pipe and the cock1 but that part of the boiler where the water streams down from the drenched ashes so frequently4 ,so there are disadvantages in both methods of blowing out the boiler1 and always will be1 until the stoker learns his business1 and takes an interest in his work1 not only for his own sake1 but his employer's also4 #ag4 ,question4--,what is the most important appendage to a steam boiler8 ,answer4--,the safety-valve1 but it is not always a safety-valve1 when it is weighted to twice the amount the boiler is certified to be worked at safely4 ,as an instance3 ,amongst the many engines employed at the ,midland ,extension ,works1 ,st4 ,pancras1 was a light steam crane for hoisting earth from the deep excavations1 there were in use small wooden skips1 and the pressure of steam was forty-five lb42 but after a time there arrived large iron skips that the crane could not lift1 even when empty2 there were about twenty men depending on the crane for their work and the navvy-ganger was anxious for something to be done1 and the crane man hinted about weighting the safety-valve1 and no sooner said than almost done2 the safety spring balance was screwed down1 and a railway chair suspended from it by strong copper wire1 and the steam allowed to rise until it reached ninety lb4 on the inch1 and the big iron skips were hoisted with their load of heavy ballast as easily as the wooden ones had been4 ,the boiler happened to stand it4 #ah4 ,question4--,have you any other instance8 ,answer4--,yes2 in an establishment in ,hammersmith some years ago1 the stoker was in the habit of putting a bit of iron on the end of the horizontal lever of a safety valve when the steam rose too high1 and the manager was about1 and when it went down he would take off the bit of iron and put it where he could find it for the next occasion4 ,the manager had gone away one day1 and advantage was taken of it to have a little carouse in which most of the men took a part2 and when the steam rose the stoker popped his bit of iron on the lever and all was quiet for a time1 when another noisy safety-valve began to blow off1 and on went another bit of iron that stopped the noise1 and during all this time the fires of seven or eight boilers were burning fiercely1 and the stoker should have checked his fires instead of what he had done2 but in the midst of the carouse all the boilers began to belch forth steam when the manager came on the scene4 ,the stoker tried to pick off the bits of iron before the manager could see them1 but the steam was to high for that2 and when at last the noise subsided and the steam had cleared away1 the whole of the revellers were on view1 caught in a trap1 as there was only one exit4 ,most of the men were fined or suspended1 the bits of iron were discovered on the levers1 and the stoker had a week's notice to clear out1 and lock-up valves were fitted on every boiler and the keys kept in the manager's desk ever after4 #ai4 ,question4--,can you always depend on the safety-valve lifting when the steam rises8 ,answer4--,i always keep an eye on the pressure gauge1 and if ,i find that the safety-valve does not lift at the pressure it ought to lift at ,i know that the valve is sticking1 and ,i lift the lever and let the steam out2 the cause of the sticking may be that the valve has worn down in its seat and becomes conical1 or there may be a shoulder on the valve that would cause it to stick1 or it may be that the lever and fulcrum were smeared with oily dirty waste in the process of cleaning and not wiped off1 but left to bake between the parts1 which would prevent the free action of the safety valve4 #bj4 ,question4--,why is the safety-valve lifted at times1 especially when getting steam up8 ,answer4--,it is often done by old stokers as well as new ones1 and is more of a silly habit than of trying the pressure of the steam1 especially as there is nowadays a pressure gauge for every boiler in a stoke-hold4 ,by lifting the safety-valve while steam is in the boiler and dropping it down again is a dangerous practice2 there is a rush of steam to the valve when lifted1 and when it drops the rush of steam is instantly stopped1 and rebounds like an india-rubber ball hit against the wall1 and this commotion within the boiler is likely to blow the stop-valve to pieces or the manhole cover off4 ,besides that1 there is always dust floating on the surface of the water1 especially in a boiler just cleaned1 and when the valve is lifted the dust is carried up with the steam1 and when the valve is dropped the dust is caught under it and often causes the valve to leak4 #ba4 ,question4--,when the water in the gauge-glass appears motionless while the boiler is working1 what does it portend1 and how would you proceed to rectify the stagnation of the water8 ,answer4--,it portends that the passage for the water is choked and requires clearing1 and ,i would lose no time in commencing to rectify the stoppage2 as a stoker who is responsible for the safety of the boiler ,i am always prepared for emergencies4 ,i commence by shutting both cocks of the glass1 the steam and the water1 and unscrew the small bolt in the water gauge1 which is fixed there for the purpose of clearing the tube that conveys the water to the glass1 and with an iron wire in one hand1 ,i open the water cock with the other hand1 and push the wire into the small hole from which ,i took the bolt1 giving several pushes and pulls while the water and steam are flying out1 until the tube is quite clear2 then ,i withdraw the wire1 shut the cock1 and serve the steam cock in like manner2 and while ,i was doing all this the bottom cock of the gauge 7the blow-out cock7 was open from the beginning4 ,then ,i commence to put the pressure on the glass by warming it with steam from the top cock slowly2 then ,i open the water cock a little1 and so on1 alternately2 then ,i commence shutting the blow-out cock a little4 ,by these manoeuvres the pressure on the glass is put on gradually instead of popping it on too suddenly and breaking the glass1 as is often done by the more-haste-the-less-speed stoker2 now ,i shut the bottom cock and open the other two1 and the water bounds into the glass quite frisky1 and the boiler is safe for the present4 #bb4 ,question4--,what would be the consequence if the steam cock of the water gauge was choked1 while the water cock was clear1 or vice versa8 ,answer4--,the consequence would be most serious for the boiler1 as the water would be forced up into the glass by the steam under it1 and would make it appear as if too much water was in the boiler1 and the stoker would proceed in the usual way to blow out some of this1 apparently1 surplus water2 and then watch to see it come down to the working level in the glass1 but he watches in vain--it will never come down4 ,he might empty the boiler dry1 and the water in the glass will be there as long as a breath of steam remains in the boiler to keep it up4 ,and in the event of the water-cock being choked while the steam-cock was clear the consequence would be equally dangerous1 for the water that was in the glass before the stoppage occurred would remain in it1 for the stoppage would not allow it to drop down into the boiler again2 so there it would remain1 and when the stoker came round to look at his boiler1 unless he happened to notice that no movement of the water was visible1 he would pass on without further ado1 and remain in total ignorance of his danger4 ,hence the necessity for the stoker to blow out his water gauge every time he comes in front of his boiler1 and if the water enters the glass in a sluggish or dilatory way the cocks need to be cleared of the partial stoppage1 and let the water enter the glass with a rush4 #bc4 ,question4--,could a boiler collapse without affecting the fusible plug8 ,answer4--,yes2 the tank that supplied the boiler with water leaked badly1 and to stop the leaks a quantity of fine oatmeal was mixed with water and poured into it1 and in due time reached the boiler2 but instead of the oatmeal permeating the whole of the water in the boiler1 it never got beyond the parts surrounding the fireplace2 it stuck on the sides and top thickly1 and was baked hard on them4 ,after a few days the sides of the fire-tube bulged inwards nearly twelve inches1 and the boiler had to be stopped and blown out1 and the fusible plug was found to be unaffected--it was one selected by a ,boiler ,insurance ,company1 who had to repair this damage1 and the stoker was exonerated from blame1 but there is little doubt that if the plug had leaked the mishap would have been attributed to shortness of water and the stoker would be blamed for what he did not do1 and get the sack into the bargain4 #bd4 ,question4--,why is it that an injector can force water into a boiler from which the steam comes to work the injector at a greater pressure than is in the boiler8 ,answer4--,the secret of the working of the injector is due to the velocity of the steam issuing from the point of a conical tube1 and water issuing from another conical tube somewhat larger than the steam cone1 and a partial vacuum created in the barrel by the steam and cold water meeting--as both cones face each other4 ,the cones are about four inches long1 one and a quarter inch wide at the mouths1 and about one half of an inch at the points4 ,the suction pipe1 steam pipe and delivery pipe are about one inch diameter1 and the overflow pipe half an inch diameter1 and the water tank three feet below the level of the injector1 the space within the barrel might be twelve square inches2 the water and steam cocks are supposed to be always open1 and this is how the injector is started working4 ,the water-wheel is turned partly round1 and a figured disc behind it indicates the quantity of water let into the barrel1 while the steam is let in by turning a wheel attached to a quick-screw spindle2 then there are ructions inside--the steam and water have come together1 and the water overflows through the half-inch pipe2 but by a little manipulation of the water1 air will soon start it working2 then the overflow ceases1 and the air rushes into the pipe and hums1 and the injector is working4 ,and the reason of its working is1 in my humble opinion1 the concentration of water and steam1 with the vacuum thrown in1 that gives additional pressure to the water in the injector4 ,i might venture to say it gives fully ten lb4 on the square inch over and above the pressure of steam within the boiler4 #be4 ,question4--,the noise created by the injector while working being very objectionable1 could it be mitigated8 ,and1 if so1 how8 ,answer4--,yes2 ,i succeeded in quieting an injector in one establishment where anything louder than the scratching of a goose-quill was considered a nuisance4 ,i first began by putting a piece of paper against the mouth of the overflow pipe while the injector was working1 and the noise ceased1 but soon after that the paper was sucked up into the injector4 ,i then applied a leathern disc1 which answered well1 and proved just the right thing2 sometimes the water blurted out1 but not often1 and the leathern disc was permanently established2 but the injector would not work with water above #ajj degrees of heat2 so ,i would start with cold water and gradually turn on the hot water and shut off the cold1 and she never noticed the change1 but the noise was stopped4 #bf4 ,question4--,how would you quiet a noisy pump--one of those stuck up in a corner of the stoke-hold that can be heard1 but not often seen8 ,answer4--,i had one of them once--a very good little ,manchester ,donkey ,pump1 but as noisy as they make 'em--and it became a question whether she should be discarded for an injector2 she was bolted to a wall in the basement of a block of offices and could be heard throughout the building1 and my employer told me that he would willingly give a #el4 note to anyone who would stop the noise4 ,the donkey was vertical2 ,i took off both valve covers and drilled a #c_/h-;inch hole in each projection from the cover that gave the valve its lift1 and drove a wooden peg into each hole from the under side1 and rasped them down to give the required lift1 and put the covers on again and started the donkey1 and after some more raspings of the plugs ,i started her again1 and this time was successful2 she worked like india-rubber1 no noise whatever1 and ,i gained more than was offered to quiet her--a cheque of #bal4 ,this happened in ,draper's ,gardens1 ,throgmorton ,avenue1 ,e4,c4 #bg4 ,question4--,when several boilers are working in a row1 and one of the middle ones has to be cleaned1 what would you do to keep it cool enough to enable the men to do the cleaning1 and also to protect them while in the boiler8 ,answer4--,having blown her right out ,i would take off the wheel of the stop-valve spindle1 tie a piece of canvas on the top of the spindle and lock the wheel up1 so that no one should open the stop-valve while the men were in the boiler4 ,many dreadful things have happened through some thoughtless or meddlesome idiot opening the stop-valve while men were working in the boiler4 ,i also cover the blow-off cocks of the boilers in steam1 as there is usually a pipe into which the steam and water is carried off running parallel with the cocks1 and take charge of the spanner used in opening them1 in case an absent-minded stoker might attempt to blow some of the muddy water out of his boiler when the men were in the empty one1 and scald them to death1 the steam rushing up through the blow-off4 ,i then fill the boiler up with cold water several times1 and allow cold water to play into the boiler from the manhole by means of the hose pipe1 and the blow-off cock being open there is always a cool atmosphere for the men to work in2 they can remain longer in the boiler1 do twice the amount of work1 and in less time than in a scorching atmosphere4 ,when the cleaning is done and the boiler rinsed out1 ,i shut the blow-off cock and fill her with clean water to the usual height2 take off the canvas on the spindle1 replace the wheel1 and the boiler is ready for lighting up the fire4 #bh4 ,question4--,does familiarity with one's work as stoker sometimes lead to carelessness and then to mishaps8 ,and1 if so1 give an instance8 ,answer4--,yes2 familiarity in doing things frequently during work1 tends to a careless off-hand style of self-importance that has often caused trouble and mishap4 ,a crane driver employed at the ,midland ,railway ,extension at ,st4 ,pancras1 came to work one winter's morning and the steam being already up1 turned it on to warm the steam chest and cylinder1 preparatory to commencing work for the day1 forgetting that it had been freezing hard all night1 and split the steam chest to pieces4 ,his plea of defence was that steam had remained in the chest and condensed1 and become ice1 then expanding1 burst the steam chest2 this plea served all right1 but the following summer he was less successful4 ,he came to me during the dinner hour and said1 ,jack1 ,i can't get any water into my boiler1 will you come over and look at her8 ,i did go over1 and on looking at the water gauge saw it was empty1 opened the cocks1 but dry steam came forth1 opened the fire door and found a bright fire of coke2 while the engine was pegging away to get water into the boiler4 ,i said1 ,bill1 stop your engine and draw your fire at once1 and my name's ,walker4 ,i went back quicker than ,i came2 and an hour later he came over to me looking very down1 and said1 ,jack1 ,i've done it4 ,i knew what he meant and went over with him to look at the boiler4 ,it was as complete wreck1 and ,i told him to fly off and get any money that was owing him before he got locked up2 he did go1 and ,i never saw him since4 ,this man was an engine fitter before he took to engine driving--poor fellow1 ,i was very sorry for him4 ,another instance4 ,a stoker had to fill a boiler and get up steam in her one ,sunday morning1 there was a big tank over the stoke-hold from which water was taken to fill cold boilers1 a two-inch pipe with stop-cock led to the top of each boiler from the bottom of the tank4 ,but the tank was empty on this occasion2 a donkey pump close by was used to keep the tank filled1 but this boiler was the one from which the donkey took her steam1 and was now empty1 but the stoker solved the puzzle3 a boiler with steam was in use about fifty yards away1 and having a steam-pipe connection to the empty one he opened the cock and commenced letting the steam into her1 but it was condensing as fast as it went in2 and being one of the extra clever ones1 he lighted a fire in the grate so as to stop the condensing1 and did stop it1 and let in sufficient steam to work the donkey-pump and partly filled the tank1 and was proceeding to open the two-inch cold water pipe when one of the workmen passing by saw some cotton waste smoking strongly on top of the boiler1 which induced him to open the furnace door1 and he saw that the boiler was red-hot and collapsed2 he rushed up to the stoker who had his hand already on the stop-cock to let water into her when he was forcibly pulled away from it1 much against his will1 but when he saw the damage he had caused he sheered off and we saw no more of him4 ,this case occurred at the ,london ,hydro-,carbon ,oil ,works1 ,southall1 ,w4 ,one more3 ,on a ,sunday morning a stoker came in to break the joint of a manhole1 empty the boiler and fill her up again with water4 ,after taking the dogs off and securing the cover from falling into the boiler1 the stoker gave the cover a tap with the end of the spanner to loosen the joint1 but the cover showed no signs of slackening1 and the end of a crowbar was requisitioned but without result2 and in this case1 as in a former one1 my opinion was solicited as well as help4 ,i used the crowbar end harder every blow2 when at last the cover seemed to spring downwards and upwards1 ,i dropped the bar instantly1 thinking the devil had a hold of the cover4 ,after a moment's thought ,i went down into the stoke-hold and opened one of the gauge cocks and steam rushed out2 there were no pressure gauges in this establishment2 every one of the twenty boilers had eight weights suspended from the lever of the safety-valve1 each weight representing five lb4 pressure4 ,i took off the weights one by one1 and when five of them had been removed steam began to blow off1 showing that fifteen lb4 pressure was in the boiler while ,i was trying to knock the manhole cover in4 ,on inquiry it transpired that the man whose duty it was to blow out this boiler the previous day asked his mate to do it1 and the mate forgot all about it 7it being ,saturday night71 and these omissions nearly caused a catastrophe4 ,this occurred in ,pimlico1 ,s4,w4 #bi4 ,question4--,what advantage to the employer is the self-acting stoker for steam boilers8 ,answer4--,he can use the very cheapest and smallest coals2 the cold air is never permitted to enter the boiler2 there is no cleaning out fires with the door wide open2 the steam is more uniform in pressure2 the boiler will last longer1 and little or no smoke4 ,there is a drawback to these advantages3 there must be a live stoker to keep the automatic stoker up to its work2 he has to keep the coals supplied to the ,jacob's ,ladder2 he has to regulate the supply of coals to the boxes over each boiler1 and regulate the supply of coals dropping down into the fireplace1 regulate the speed of the travelling furnace by means of the ratchet1 clean out the ash-hole of clinkers every two hours and wheel them out of the stoke-hold1 regulate the water-supply to the boilers1 and keep the steam at the proper pressure1 and rectify any and every derangement and mishap that occurs to the self acting stoker4 #cj4 ,question4--,but are not these self-acting stokers smoke consumers as well8 ,answer4--,the self-acting stokers have to be kept working by the live stoker1 and are smoke consumers so long as the coals let down on the travelling furnace is exactly proportionate to the requirements of it1 but if the supply should exceed what is necessary1 the grate becomes choked with coals and has to be cleared of some of them1 and in doing this with coals partly burnt1 smoke is inevitable2 and if the supply is insufficient1 the grate becomes bare of fuel1 and cold air finds its way through the bars and checks the steam4 ,to remedy this1 the coal is let down and carried onward by the moving grate before they can be ignited1 and soon begin to smoke1 so that in these two extremes1 too much or too little coals will cause smoke2 but if this type of furnace is in charge of a competent stoker1 there is little chance of the bars being choked with coals1 or starved for want of them4 #ca4 ,question4--,is it not possible to consume the smoke of a boiler furnace independent of patents and mechanical contrivances that can only be worked by an experienced stoker8 ,answer4--,i have proved it possible where several boilers were connected and working1 and using small and smoky coals4 ,in an establishment in ,west ,london the system in vogue was in this manner3 all the bridges were built hollow1 and an iron flap covered the bottom of the bridge1 and a long iron rod from the flap was carried to the front of the boiler1 and an inch steam pipe with cock attached entered the fireplace above the door1 and was joined to a two-inch perforated pipe that was fixed from left to right over and above the dead-plate4 ,when the fires required replenishing1 the flap was opened1 then the door and steam cock1 and six shovelfuls of coals were hastily thrown in evenly over the fire1 and the door was then shut4 ,the result of this performance was a mixture of steam and smoke observable at the chimney top1 the steam was kept on while any smoke was visible2 then the next boiler was served in like manner1 and was a continual round of work to the exclusion of other things4 ,this method prevailed for many years before ,i came on the scene1 and noticing that a great quantity of steam was wasted for the purpose of hiding the smoke1 and the six shovelfuls of coals hardly compensated for the steam spread over them1 ,i induced the man who built the bridges1 after inspection1 to build them solid1 and then ,i commenced a new method of firing1 in this manner3 ,i sprinkle the small coals with water from a hose-pipe1 and burn one fire down low1 but bright2 ,i shut the damper nearly close and commence firing towards the bridge and sides1 until the grate is full nearly to the crown of the fireplace1 allowing the gas to remain in the furnace and flues for twenty minutes1 then ,i open the damper a couple of inches2 by this time there are numerous jets of flame flickering all over the coals1 and now ,i open the damper to the full extent and ,i soon have a rousing steam-making fire4 ,i serve the next low fire in like manner1 and so on4 ,but it is necessary always while burning one fire down for the purpose of banking it up1 to have all the other fires in good condition and capable of keeping up the steam independently of the one to be banked up2 if the others should burn down too low before one of them is banked1 smoke will follow the neglect4 ,i remained several years in this employ2 my method was very successful1 with proper care and watchfulness1 and was adopted in a similar establishment in ,south ,london4 ,the former establishment was the ,west ,middlesex ,water ,works1 and the latter the ,southwark and ,vauxhall ,water ,works4 ,one ton of ,welsh coals was allowed every twenty-four hours to get the seven fires up after cleaning4 ,here is another method for consuming the smoke1 but is a very wasteful one2 four or five shovelfuls of small smoky coals are thrown on or near the dead-plate1 where they remain until they become sufficiently heated to ignite1 and are then pushed on to the bars by the rake1 and a similar quantity again thrown on the dead-plate1 and when ignited pushed on to the bars as before1 and so it is continued4 ,it is expected that the smoke while passing over the bright fire towards the bridge will be ignited1 but only a very small portion of it becomes flame1 and the smoke tends to deaden the bright fire to a great extent4 ,the door has to be opened so frequently in this method1 and in pushing the coals from the dead-plate to the bars a large amount of live fuel drops down into the ash-pit1 and if this should be thrown into the furnace again1 the fire is deadened immediately4 ,there is no economy in this method1 which ,i tried years ago but never continued since4 #cb4 ,question4--,is there any difference1 and if so1 what is it1 in locomotive and stationary boiler stoking8 ,answer4--,there is a wide difference between the methods1 not only of firing but of the general work of the firemen and the stoker4 7,i cannot see why one should be called stoker and the other fireman1 for they both have to keep the fire going and the steam up74 ,the loco4 fireman had to be at the engine shed forty-five minutes1 and the driver thirty minutes1 before the time of the train starting2 the fireman gets the stores necessary for the journey1 such as oil1 tallow1 cotton waste1 yellow grease1 and perhaps fog signals1 gets his lamps from the lamp room already trimmed--these are the head lamp1 side lamp1 water gauge lamp1 tail lamp and hand lamp2 he places the head lamp on the right hand side of the buffer plank1 the side lamp on the left side of the tender1 the gauge lamp close to the glass1 the tail lamp behind the tender2 he has to take his engine to be coaled 7it used to be coke in my early days on the ,l4 ,n4 ,w4 ,r471 and fills his tender with water1 and brings his engine over a pit1 fills the axle-boxes of engine and tender2 by this time the driver shows up1 and goes under the engine and thoroughly examines every part of the gear2 then he oils her1 and both men sign on for the particular train that the engine's number is in line with1 and run down the incline to ,euston1 where they hook on to their train and wait4 ,if it should turn out to be a particularly heavy train1 the driver will request the pilot-engine driver to hook on and go perhaps as far as ,tring or ,wolverton with the train1 otherwise the pilot will detach at the top of the incline at ,camden2 if it should be a night train1 with the pilot in front1 it is an experience never to be forgotten by a young stoker4 7,i was not far in my teens when ,i had this experience1 but an old man now74 ,and at last the signal is given us to start2 we blow the whistle and off we go1 two engines panting1 puffing1 sending up showers of sparks1 and soon we leave ,camden behind1 and by the time we reach ,watford we are travelling about fifty miles an hour2 this is the speed to test the stoker who has to light his lamps the while1 travel round the foot-plate and keep his balance1 and replenish his fire and climb the tender frequently2 but the passenger trains are a luxury in comparison to the luggage trains4 ,the luggage engines being bigger and stronger than the passenger engine requires more steam and water1 because she has more than double the load to run with1 and at the stations wagons have to be shunted frequently and often re-shunted2 some are left and others taken to far-off places2 the guard's van has to be detached always in order to have it at the end of the train2 the stoker is hard at work with the brake putting it on and off1 jumping down to hold the points1 or coupling wagons--this is not his business1 but he does it to facilitate the work4 ,when the luggage train had to get into a siding to let a passenger train go by1 there was no pit 7except at a station7 for the engine to stand over1 and both men would have to crawl under the engine to do anything necessary1 through wet1 or snow1 or mud2 and when starting the engine out of the siding or from a station1 and the driving wheels slipping round1 the stoker had to jump down with his shovel and scrape up a bit of gravel1 or sand1 or clay1 and pop it on the rail in front of the driving wheel1 and if that should stop the slipping1 the engine gave a bound forward and the stoker had to run to keep up with the engine1 throw his shovel on to the foot-plate1 and scramble up the best way he could1 or be left behind4 ,in bad weather1 if it rained1 hailed1 or snowed1 both driver and stoker had to keep a look-out by holding their hands up before their eyes and looking between their fingers2 when it rained1 and one side of each man was wet through1 they would change places till the other side got wet through also4 ,these were the good old times4 ,drivers and firemen in the present time may thank their stars that the way was well paved for them before they started4 ,so there is hardly any similarity between a stationary boiler stoker and a locomotive stoker1 except keeping the steam up perhaps2 the loco4 stoker is the king of all stokers4 #cc4 ,question4--,how is the stoking done on a big steam ship8 ,answer4--,in a ,royal ,west ,indian ,mail ,steam ,packet1 in which ,i was stoker1 there were forty-five stokers and coal trimmers1 forty-five sailors1 besides a number of stewards1 stewardesses1 six engineers1 six ship's officers1 several mail officials1 butchers1 bakers1 and a brass band of eighteen musicians4 ,there were two stoke-holds1 one fore and one abaft the funnel1 and four boilers in each1 and four furnaces in each boiler1 and three stokers in each stoke-hold1 also three trimmers in each stoke-hold4 ,there was the same method of working in both stoke-holds1 and a constant and continual round of firing kept up day and night4 ,when going down on watch ,i have a piece of waste in each hand to protect them from the hot handrails2 ,i commence work by cleaning the small tubes of four furnaces1 then clean out the four furnaces1 rake out the ashes from the pit and fill them and the clinkers into iron buckets1 which the sailors haul up and empty over the ship's side4 ,and while ,i am engaged in this work my two mates are doing my firing for me--which is in this way3 one man fires every other fire of the sixteen fires1 then goes round again and fires those he missed the first round1 then his mate takes the shovel from his hands and fires every other fire1 then fires those he missed the first round2 the third man does likewise1 and so it is constant firing all through4 ,and having towering hot boilers both sides of us and roaring furnaces behind and in front1 the sweat pours from us continually1 and we are glad to pop into the engine room after firing to get a draught of somewhat cooler air4 ,i happened to have the middle watch--#ab midnight to #d a4m4--which is the worst of the watches1 for when ,i came off at four the hands on deck were always doing something to make a noise1 and there is little chance of getting a sleep1 and hammocks must be stowed away before eight2 then breakfast1 and the brass band strikes up for half an hour2 but if there had been dog-watches all of us would share in the middle watch--as follows3-- ,brown ,morning ,watch #d to #h a4m4 ,jones ,forenoon #h to #ab noon4 ,robinson ,afternoon #ab to #d p4m4 ,brown ,first ,dog #d to #f p4m4 ,jones ,second ,dog #f to #h p4m4 ,robinson ,first #h to #ab midnight4 ,brown ,middle #ab to #d a4m4 ,jones ,morning #d to #h a4m4 #bd hours4 ,a few hours after leaving ,southampton all hands are mustered and apportioned to man the seventeen boats hanging from the davits1 eight on each side1 and the captain's gig under the stern2 after this ceremony we get an allowance of grog4 ,the fires are now beginning to be dirty1 having clinkers seven or eight inches thick1 which are not allowed to be pulled out until the whole fire is cleaned at the usual time2 this order from the chief engineer surprised me at the time1 as clinkers are not calculated to increase the steam1 so ,i left them there to deaden the fire1 but later on ,i found the solution2 ,i was told by an old stoker that there was sharp competition between the chief engineers as to who could do the voyage at the least expense of coals1 and that information explained the action of our chief engineer who would often perambulate the deck till midnight1 watching the windsails that they should remain with their backs to the wind in order to prevent a breath of cool air reaching the fires1 that would cause them to burn a few more pounds of coals1 while some of the stokers were often hauled up in the ash-bucket fainting from the stifling heat of the foul-smelling stoke-hold4 ,we were all supplied with fishing-lines and hooks of three different sizes1 and extra grog when getting steam up4 ,the method of cleaning and polishing the engines and all bright work was very effectual1 and did the stokers great credit2 after having scoured and polished the steel and bright ironwork they were frosted1 in imitation of hoar frost4 ,a pot of hot tallow and white lead in which a clean piece of cotton waste was dipped1 and the parts smeared evenly in line with the metal1 and when this dried it was dabbed1 or patted1 with another clean piece of waste also dipped in the hot tallow1 which gave the metal a good imitation of hoar frost2 the brass and copper work were burnished and shone like gold4 ,the boat drill and fire drill create some wonder for the passengers1 as they always happen unexpectedly2 the former begins in this way3 a large gong is rapidly hit with a mallet by the quartermaster1 and all those stokers and sailors1 who belong to the seventeen boats hanging from the davits1 immediately make their way towards them and commence to clear the falls1 and the word is given to lower all boats1 while the men hold their oars ready to push off1 and the boats are run down nearly to the water's edge2 then it is up all boats1 and those on deck run them up in a jiffy to their places under the davits1 and coil the tails up1 and this ends the boat drill4 ,the fire drill takes place on another day1 and commences in this manner3 the ship's bell is rapidly rung by the quartermaster2 the unusual rapidity of the ringing attracts the attention of all the passengers who commence to crowd the upper deck2 the stokers drop down a dozen hose-pipes on the deck and run them out straight1 and screw them to nozzles leading down to the engine room4 ,the engineers pop the pumps on and up comes the water2 every hose is now stiffened and the branches are all directed over the ship's side1 where they make a grand display4 ,all those of the ship's company who take no watches1 as cooks1 stewards1 bandsmen1 etc41 have each a pail full of water in hand1 others a blanket over their arm1 all in exact line1 and ready to help if required2 and after a few minutes' display of the hose-pipes1 the boatswain's whistle ends this drill for this voyage1 and the hose-pipes are disconnected1 rolled up1 and hung up1 to be ready at any moment if required4 ,there are plenty of amusements on board1 such as single-stick1 glove-boxing1 wrestling1 etc4 ,but the game of the ,man in the ,chair1 is one of the most laughable4 ,a piece of board1 #ab inches by #ah inches1 in which a strong rope is inserted in a hole in each corner and knotted on the underside1 the four ropes are carried upwards and made fast to the forestay1 and the chair has to be #f feet from the deck4 ,there are perhaps thirty stokers in this game1 and each one has twisted his black silk neckerchief into rope shape1 and a volunteer sits on the chair1 holding on to one of the chair-ropes with one hand and in the other his silken rope4 ,during these preliminary tactics the passengers are crowding round to see what may happen4 ,at last the man on the chair gives the word ,ready ,boys1 and then commences a real slogging match1 hitting the chairman on legs1 arms1 face1 neck1 anywhere they can hit him1 and every hit being a matter of chance the passengers roar when the man in the chair delivers a stinger to his tormentors2 his blows come with double force1 as he is high above them1 and swinging round and round1 and to and fro1 they come unexpectedly and cause roars of laughter2 while this is going on a little tub1 called a spitkin1 is surreptitiously pushed in view1 and a few silver coins dropped into it by one of our men1 which causes the audience to dip their hands in their pockets and a few pounds in silver are quickly thrown in2 and after half an hour's play this game comes to an end4 ,one more specimen of the many games that delight the passengers3 about twenty men stand close together and in line1 their faces to the ship's head1 the front man has a bandage on his eyes1 any one in the rank is at liberty to step out and go up to him and slap his cheek1 and dart off to his place in the rank before the blindfold touches him2 if he does1 the touched one has to don the bandage1 and the other pulls his bandage off and takes a place in the rank4 ,when the slap is delivered1 the slapper darts back to his place in the rank with all possible speed1 and the slapped one darts after the other like greased lightning1 and touches the wrong man perhaps1 and pulls the bandage off1 only to have to put on again1 while the passengers roar with delight2 the little tub is not forgotten in this game2 and then the climax comes when we think the blindfold has had enough of it1 and when a burly stoker steps out to deliver his slap1 the rank closes up tightly1 and on rushing back to his place with the blindfold at his heels1 and the wild exertions of the man to squeeze himself into the rank before he is touched and the joy of the blindfold who has just touched his man1 creates loud cheers and laughter1 and the burly man has to don the bandage and take his stand in front4 ,before arriving at ,st4 ,thomas1 there is a general clean up1 bilges pumped out1 engines cleaned1 boiler fronts and lagging polished2 the passengers are preparing for another voyage to some of the islands further west1 as ,trinidad1 ,st4 ,vincent1 ,barbadoes1 ,martinique1 ,st4 ,kitts1 ,st4 ,lucia1 etc4 ,on entering the harbour guns are fired in our honour1 and we return the compliment by firing our six-pounder from the forecastle1 the ,colonial steamer comes alongside our ship1 when there are cheers and waving of handkerchiefs and handshaking2 the bumboats come alongside also and many people1 and board our ship1 offering us a great variety of things for sale2 women galavanting over every part soliciting the officers' washing1 etc41 etc4 ,our engines receive a thorough overhaul1 boilers are cleaned1 cabins and stairways painted1 and all bright metal cleaned and repolished2 our coals are delivered on board by a swarm of men1 women and youths1 of both sexes1 carrying them in small wicker baskets on their heads1 and stepping on a scale or counter on their way to the ship1 the process occupying about three days for about #hjj tons of ,welsh coal4 ,at last the time has come for starting for home2 all visitors are ordered off the ship3 moorings are cast off1 and a man at the voice-pipe speaks to the engineers down below1 and the great paddle-wheels revolve slowly for a minute1 while the band strikes up some appropriate air1 as ,afloat on the ,ocean my days gaily fly1 or ,afloat on the ,ocean ,wave4 ,then commence the wild cheering and waving of hats and handkerchiefs while the great paddles have lashed the water into white foam1 and we are fairly off for a fourteen days' voyage home4 ,in all our games on board in which ,i took part ,i noticed the distinguished presence of our highly respected captain1 which ,i am sure greatly enhanced our takings in the little dish4 #cd4 ,question4--,how is a hydraulic pump constructed8 ,answer4--,there are various sizes1 ranging from a #a_/d-;inch to #d inches in the diameter of the plunger or piston1 as it is sometimes called2 the larger size would be constructed in this manner2 the barrel of the pump is #c feet long1 and on its top1 and in line with it1 and in the same casting1 an air chamber is situate into which water and air enter at every suction of plunger1 and serve as a buffer or cushion in the delivery stroke4 ,the spindle of the plunger is connected to the piston of the steam engine by a hole and stuffing box in the cylinder cover1 and a connecting crosshead secures the spindle of the plunger and the extra piston1 so that would bring the crank of the engine1 the connecting rod1 piston1 extra piston1 and plunger all in a straight line1 and a direct stroke4 ,about #f inches of the plunger is occupied by the packing at the outer end2 a solid ring of iron an inch wide1 and an inch high1 and securely pinned to the plunger1 has a leather cup pushed on to it1 then a loose ring is slid up against the back of the leather cup and another cup1 and another ring1 until the space for the packing is filled up2 then a nut is screwed up behind these which brings cups and rings tightly together1 and a jam-nut with a split-pin going through nut and spindle and opened wide enough to clear the sides of the barrel1 and the hydraulic pump is ready for work4 #ce4 ,question4--,how is a hydraulic accumulator constructed1 and why is it necessary8 ,answer4--,by having an accumulator1 a lift1 crane1 or press1 works smoothly1 as there is a steady and smooth supply of the power2 whereas without it1 the lift1 crane1 or press1 would work in jerks or jumps2 with every stroke of the pumps there would be a jerk2 it would be an intermittent not a continual power4 ,the accumulator consists of a cylinder of cast iron about #i feet in height1 #d feet outside diameter and #c feet internal diameter2 it rests on massive oaken timbers about #d feet from the ground2 inside the cylinder is a ram #i feet high1 also #b feet outside measurement1 and #ab inches diameter inside2 it is lathe-turned1 smooth and bright2 four slabs of cast iron1 each a quarter of the circumference of the base of the cylinder1 are placed over four steel bolts that have to support the dead weight1 each bolt being about #ab feet high1 #d inches in diameter1 with square necks and flat heads1 and a hole in each slab to receive the bolts2 the flat heads of the bolts are to facilitate the accumulator resting level on the oaken timbers2 the slabs would be #b tons each4 ,on the slabs are fixed small segments all round and round the base of the cylinder until the required number 7perhaps #aej7 is placed one on top of the other1 each segment weighing #b cwt42 then the crosshead is placed over the top tier1 and having a hole in each of its four arms it is entered on the bolts which have a screw-thread2 the nuts are put on and screwed up tightly1 and the accumulator is erected4 #cf4 ,question4--,how is the accumulator started working8 ,answer4--,the engines are started pumping into the ram and cylinder1 whose drain-cocks have previously been opened1 and air and water issues from them2 when the air has escaped they are shut off1 and then the great mass of iron and steel begins to tremble and totter and moves upwards and upwards1 and on nearing the limit of its journey the top of the accumulator lifts a projecting lever which has a small chain attached to it1 the bottom end of the chain is attached to the steam throttle valve1 and when the chain is pulled up at the top the steam is shut off at the throttle-valve and the engine stops1 but will start as soon as any water is taken from the accumulator4 #cg4 ,question4--,is there any similarity in terms used in hydraulic work and steam boiler work8 ,answer4--,there are several terms common to hydraulics and steam2 the steam boiler might be called an accumulator of power2 there is a slide-valve in hydraulics as in the steam engine1 to admit the power and to allow the exhaust to escape2 there are stop-valves and intermediate valves in hydraulics1 as in steam pipes1 also air-vessels in each3 there are suction and delivery pipes and valves in each1 and relieve valves also in each2 there is a cylinder in each in which the power is concentrated2 there are reversing levers in a hydraulic crane1 as in a steam crane4 #ch4 ,question4--,who invented the atmospheric engine1 and how was it constructed8 ,answer4--,savory1 a mining agent1 invented the first method1 which he called an engine1 of drawing water up from a well by means of a vacuum which he happened accidentally to discover a method to create1 and the pressure of the atmospheric combined with it4 ,he procured a real steam boiler with a safety valve and gauge cocks and erected two vessels in which to create a vacuum2 a suction pipe from the bottom of each vessel led down into a well beneath the vessels1 and a valve that opened upwards was on the end of each pipe4 ,when about to start work1 steam from the boiler was turned into one of the vessels1 and kept on until it was as hot as the boiler itself1 while a drain cock was kept open the while1 and when air and water had been forced out of the vessel steam was shut off1 and water from a tank above the vessel was allowed to flow on it1 which soon made a vacuum inside the vessel1 and water was sucked up through the valves opening upwards and delivered into a tank placed for the purpose4 ,while this performance was in progress1 the other vessel was being charged with steam to repeat the performance1 etc4 ,this is the extent as far as ,i know of ,savory's claim to be the inventor of the atmospheric engine4 #ci4 ,question4--,who was the real inventor then8 ,answer4--,newcomen and his partner ,cawly adopted a working beam1 that is1 a beam working on a centre or trunnion4 ,at one end of the beam was the pump1 at the other was an iron cylinder with an iron piston in it2 both ends of the beam were arched or sexton-shaped1 and had a chain on each1 one connected to the pump rod1 the other to the piston rod4 ,when about to start work1 the piston being up near the top of the cylinder1 steam was let in under it and a jet of water was let in which soon condensed the steam and created a vacuum within the cylinder1 and the piston was drawn down to the bottom and the pump drawn up with its load of water2 and a counter weight was attached to the pump-rod to always bring the piston to the top of the cylinder after each descent4 ,this is a very brief description of this atmospheric engine2 there were now only two cocks to open and close--the steam cock and water cock1 and the engine only required a boy for this purpose1 but the boy himself added a share in this engine4 ,in order to have a relief from the monotony of opening and shutting the cocks alternately1 he tied strings to the handles and then connected to the working beam in such a manner that the cocks were opened and closed exactly at the nick of time2 this caused the engine to work far more regularly and to do twice the work it had done previously1 the boy's name was ,humphrey ,potter4 #dj4 ,question4--,what did ,james ,watt do in connection with the atmospheric engine8 ,answer4--,watt being a mathematical instrument maker1 was requested to repair an old engine used by some students of ,glasgow ,university2 having finished the repairs1 and in working this model 7the best type of the atmospheric engine71 he found and proved by many and various experiments1 that an enormous waste of fuel was absolutely necessary in working the engine2 he found great difficulty in keeping the air from entering the cylinder1 and the cylinder top was so exposed to the atmosphere that the steam was much condensed when it entered the cylinder1 and he came to the conclusion to put a cover on the top of the cylinder1 and allow the piston-rod to play in a hole in the cover with a gland and stuffing box1 and to press down the piston with steam instead of the atmosphere4 ,this engine was no longer atmospheric1 it was a real steam engine1 the first ever seen or constructed1 for steam was used to create the vacuum1 and steam was used to work the piston2 but this was only the beginning of his great improvements4 ,this engine though suitable for the purpose of pumping water1 was totally unsuitable for continuous rotary motion1 the steam acting only on the downward stroke after the piston had been pulled up to the top of the cylinder by means of the additional weight fixed on the pump end of the beam4 ,he devised a method to admit steam under the piston as well as above it1 but the flexible chains although suitable for the down stroke of the piston were powerless in the up stroke1 they would hang listless and useless4 ,this being so1 he determined to get rid of the chains at both ends of the beam1 and also both arched ends1 and substitute a ridged connection at both ends of the beam4 ,he put an iron connecting rod from the end of the beam to the pump rod1 and the other end of the beam was connected to the piston rod by a crosshead2 to this engine he attached that grand appendage the ,parallel ,motion which is the pride of the beam engine up to to-day4 ,he devised the improvement of the separate condenser for the exhaust steam1 instead of the jet of water under the piston4 ,he invented the crank for his engine1 also the sun and planet motion1 also the throttle valve1 also the counter to indicate the number of revolutions the engine had performed1 also the ,cut off1 the steam moving the piston by expansion when it was cut off at one-third the length of the cylinder1 and thus saving two-thirds of the steam and a more uniform rate of speed4 #da4 ,question4--,give a description of the ,sun and ,planet method1 and why he invented it8 ,answer4--,the sun and planet were two cog-wheels geared into each other1 the sun being #c feet diameter and the planet #b feet diameter1 the latter was keyed tightly on the bottom end of the connecting rod1 and the sun which was keyed tightly on the end of the shaft1 that was to revolve and work the machinery4 ,but although this method did make the machinery revolve1 it was not smoothly1 for when the planet wheel was at either top or bottom of the sun wheel1 the power of the engine was less effective than it was half way in the opposite positions4 ,this led ,watt to add a large wheel on the shaft of the sun wheel1 called the fly wheel1 which equalised the rate of motion to uniformity4 ,watt invented the crank for his engine1 but one of his men gave the tip to an engineer at ,bristol1 who forthwith took out a patent for it and forestalled ,watt1 who had to invent another means--the sun and planet4 ,but when the term of the patent expired1 ,watt resumed the crank method instead of the sun and planet1 which was noisy1 the wear and tear very great1 and also expensive4 #db4 ,question4--,what other things did ,watt do towards the perfection of the steam engine8 ,answer4--,he added the air pump to his engine to draw the condensed steam and water from his separate condenser2 he invented the throttle valve and the governor1 in order to sustain a uniform rate of speed in the engine1 whatever pressure of steam might be on1 or variation of work1 whether heavy or light4 #dc4 ,question4--,why is the power of the engine called horse-power8 ,answer4--,before the invention of the engine1 horses were employed in mills and mines1 and other places2 the number of horses employed in a mill or mine1 indicating the amount of work going on1 and the necessity of employing them1 and when the steam engine came on the scene1 and a purchaser wanted1 he was told that the engine was equal to so many horses2 that comparison gave the purchaser a clear idea of the engine he required4 ,savory was the first to suggest this comparison1 but ,watt knew that horses differed in size and strength1 and in order to be sure of a safe standard for his engine power he experimented with big horses in some ,london breweries1 and after careful calculation and comparison he fixed a horse-power at #cb1jjj lb41 that is to say1 that a horse could lift that weight of water one foot above the ground in a minute for eight hours per day4 ,this standard has remained ever since1 although it is above the average of the power of the average horse1 it is in favour of the purchaser of an engine1 as well as being capable of working more than eight hours a day1 or twenty hours if required4 #dd4 ,question4--,what is meant by nominal horse-power8 ,answer4--,it is a rough and ready way of giving some idea of the power of an engine or engines on the basis of the number of inches in the area of the cylinder or cylinders1 but when the process of taking the diagram of the engine is gone through the term nominal is dropped1 and indicated horse-power is then expressed1 because it was proved by actual experiment and certainty4 #de4 ,question4--,how is that performance accomplished8 ,answer4--,in horizontal engines there are generally two gun-metal screw-plugs on the top of the cylinder1 one over each end and in front of the piston2 when a diagram is to be taken1 these plugs are taken out and other screws put in their places1 to which a copper pipe is attached2 the screw plugs are #a inch in diameter1 also the copper pipes2 and exactly mid-way on the copper pipe is a small cylinder which moves on a pivot1 by means of a string with a turn round it4 ,one end of the string is fixed by a clip on the connecting rod1 the other end anywhere to keep the string tight1 so that by the movement of the steam entering the cylinder at either end1 and the connecting rod working backwards and forwards1 the small cylinder is made to turn frontways and backways2 and within the small cylinder is another cylinder very much smaller2 it has a tiny piston within it1 and as the steam presses on the little piston at every stroke of the engine1 a pencil from the outer cylinder is fixed in a slot and marks the movements of the little piston on a roll of prepared paper1 slid over the inner cylinder for that purpose1 the pencil being kept up to the paper by means of a small steel spring4 ,this diagram on the paper cylinder1 not only is used for determining the power of the engine1 but for detecting any irregularity in the slide-valve movements4 ,every hour during the trial the finished diagram is torn off the roll and a fresh one started1 and when time is up the engine is stopped and the diagrams compared4 ,then commence the calculations1 which are gone through somewhat in this manner3 the common multiplier is found by multiplying the area of the piston in inches by the speed of the piston in feet per minute and the product divided by #cb1jjj 7,watt's horse-power71 then the effective mean pressure found on the diagram is multiplied by the common multiplier1 and the quotient will be the indicated horse-power of the engine4 #df4 ,question4--,how is the consumption of coals apportioned to the horse-power of the engine at the finish of the trial8 ,answer4--,the consumption of coals in pounds is divided by the product of the indicated horse-power and the time in hours4 ,the quotient is the quantity consumed per horse-power per hour4 #dg4 ,question4--,would the quality of the coals used in the trial be of the same quality as will be used in the ordinary working of the boiler after the trial is ended8 ,answer4--,no2 the coals which are used in the trial are generally the best ,welsh1 not shovelled up indiscriminately1 but carefully hand-picked1 weighed and wheeled into the stoke-hold2 the engine during the trial is lavishly supplied with oils and tallow1 with great regularity4 ,after the trial1 and the horse-power is indicated1 the boiler resumes her ordinary work2 the stoker is ever after expected to create sufficient steam with very inferior coals to develop the same amount of power in the engine as was done in the trial4 ,i think that is very unfair to the stoker4 99 99 99 99 99 ,let the finish give you pleasure was the last headline in my last school copybook in the long1 long ago2 and it has given me as much pleasure to begin this catechism as to finish it2 it has given me pleasure to offer to brother stokers my very long experience in stoking1 and kindred vocations1 such as hydraulics1 steam-pipe joint making1 water-pipe joint making1 engine driving1 etc41 in the hope that in the perusal of this catechism they may find something to their advantage4 ,and with my best wishes for their future success1 remain their true friend4 ,w4 ,j4 ,c4 #aijf4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,london3 ,,printed ,,by ,,william ,,clowes ,,and ,,sons1 ,,limited ,,great ,,windmill ,,street1 ,w41 ,,and ,,duke ,,street1 ,,stamford ,,street1 ,s4,e4