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Online Catalogue last updated 17th of September 2023


Steam Propelled Vehicles by James E. Homans (1914) Chapters 35 through 39 reprinted from Self-Propelled Vehicles

No Longer Available

One of the more common books on early automobiles is Homans Self-Propelled Vehicles published before World War I. The original book is about 650 pages and is mostly about gasoline autos. Here, the current publisher has reprinted only chapters 35 through 39 covering steam power, and are offering them at a low price.

You'll get details on steam engine valving, eccentric and link motion. And you'll see how it was applied to Stanley engines. You'll investigate the Joy valve gear and see how it was applied to the White engine. You'll also look into the Serpollet single-acting engine, the Ofeldt compound engine, the MacLachlan single acting compound steam engine, and the Lane engine.

Next you'll learn about boilers: the shell boiler, the Stanley fire tube boiler, tube expanders, heavy truck boilers, boiler tubes, water tube boilers, the Walker semi-flash boiler, the Geneva Carriage boiler, the Lane semi-flash boiler, and the flash boilers of Serpollet and White.

Chapter 37 covers liquid fuel burners and regulators: the Lane burner, fuel feed regulators, the Dayton burner, the White flash steam generator and burner, the Forg generator and burner, and the Stanley burner.

Next you learn about boiler feeders, plunger pumps, bypass valves, try cocks, water glasses, steam gauges, safety valves and more.

Finally you'll see how it all came together: water connections, maintaining water level, lubrication, fuel and water connections, condensors, auxiliary control systems, and finally operational methods of the Serpollet system invented in 1889, and the White system.

This, of course, is heavily illustrated. If you've ever wondered what was under the hood of the early steam cars, this will tell you and show you. Maybe it's time to build a steam car. After all, you can fire them with just about anything, although liquid fuel is most convenient - gasoline, paint thinner, white lightning...

And will they perform? Jay Leno holds the record for the oldest car to ever get a speeding ticket on the LA freeway: 78 mph in a 1906 Stanley Steamer. They can haul if you have the courage.

Code No. 012206


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