Inverted Vertical Steam Engine, 1848-1850

Made:
1848-1850 in England
maker:
James Hall Nasmyth
Model, or small example, of Nasmyth's steam hammer, or inverted

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Model, or small example, of Nasmyth's steam hammer, or inverted
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Model, or small example, of Nasmyth's steam hammer, or inverted, type of engine, 1848-1850, single cylinder.

Details

Category:
Motive Power
Object Number:
1941-3
Materials:
steel, brass, cast iron, wrought iron, copper and complete
Measurements:
overall: 836 x 394 x 348 mm
flywheel diameter: 472 mm
overall weight:
type:
steam engines
credit:
Dickinson, H.W.

Parts

Inverted Vertical Steam Engine, 1848-1850

Inverted Vertical Steam Engine, 1848-1850

Model, or small example, of Nasmyth's steam hammer, or inverted, type of engine, 1848-1850, single cylinder.


James Nasmyth came to be a very prominent Victorian mechanical engineer, and his business, based in Manchester, took the steam hammer as one of its primary products, for which it (and Nasmyth personally) became famous. Nasmyth was personal assistant to the London engineer Henry Maudslay, and both were convinced of the importance of models to inform new steam developments. Nasmyth took the basic layout of the steam hammer, with an inverted cylinder mounted on cast iron standards, and replcaed the hammer and anvil with a crank, crankshaft and flywheel. The result was this graceful and compact design. It drove a small machine tool in Nasmyth’s private workshops, and was acquired from Nasmyth's retirement home, 'Hammerfield', at Penshurst in Kent.

Measurements:
overall: 836 x 394 x 348 mm
Materials:
steel , brass , cast iron , wrought iron , copper and complete
Object Number:
1941-3/1
type:
steam engines
Crosshead pin

Crosshead pin

Crosshead pin, for Inverted Vertical Steam Engine Model, or small example, of Nasmyth's steam hammer, or inverted, type of engine, 1848-1850, single cylinder.

Object Number:
1941-3/3
type:
pin - fastener