what the heck is it???

[tomahawk_25]

So I found this in a box of stuff I bought. It's solid brass, but there are no names on it. When I first saw it...I thought it was a hand transfer pump from a hit and miss engine or a older marine engine. But I can't find anything close to this design. So I figured I would ask the collective knowledge on here. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Erampu]

Beats me, but it's a nice one.

 

[royesses]

Looks like a steam whistle control valve, or similar.

Roy

 

[7echo]

Maybe part of a steam whistle?

 

[engineer2]

Steam valve? Take the hex parts off an see if there are valve parts inside.

 

[MayerMR]

maybe some sort of manual priming pump?

 

[larry_g]

It looks to be a hand pump. If you open it up you'll most likely find a couple of check valves and possible springs.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[adbanshee]

My first thought was a gas saver for a torch, the type that mounts to the edge of a welding table.

 

[seber]

Hand operated pneumatic valve. This appears to be the type used on Pneumatic lifts when I was young. (I'm 70)

 

[BMack37]

I agree it looks like a valve...I bet that would be worth a pretty penny to a steampunk or hipster, I'm not either but I still think that looks awesome.

 

[Bob P1]

Could be marine use because all brass.

 

[Dingleburry]

My first thought is a pump of some sort. Like a transfer pump. Or hydraulic pump, but i see no release valve. Maybe it was on another part of whatever this was used for. I agree with larry itll have a couple check balls and springs. Just a piston pump.

 

[pelletman]

My first thought is part of a steam whistle

 

[JMLangford]

This is a steam valve off of a 1918 Thompson/Elroy steam turbine......Steam is used in a large number of industrial applications. The most common applications are the process heating and driving the steam turbines to generate electricity.........Apart from these, steam is used for atomization, cleaning, moisturize, and humidification. However, most of the applications will require some parameter control, and thus a steam control valve becomes a part of process control engineering......

The old method of throttling flow or using an orifice plate will result in fluctuations of flow rate. The ideal solution is to adjust the downstream pressure automatically through proportional adjustment of valve opening. This technique will keep the steam pressure unaltered even during the fluctuations of flow rate......What were we talking about again??......






Actually, I have no freakin' ideal what that is..........

 

[jdoe213]

This is a steam valve off of a 1918 Thompson/Elroy steam turbine......Steam is used in a large number of industrial applications. The most common applications are the process heating and driving the steam turbines to generate electricity.........Apart from these, steam is used for atomization, cleaning, moisturize, and humidification. However, most of the applications will require some parameter control, and thus a steam control valve becomes a part of process control engineering......

The old method of throttling flow or using an orifice plate will result in fluctuations of flow rate. The ideal solution is to adjust the downstream pressure automatically through proportional adjustment of valve opening. This technique will keep the steam pressure unaltered even during the fluctuations of flow rate......What were we talking about again??......






Actually, I have no freakin' ideal what that is..........

But you made it sound great!!

 

[Provincial]

It looks like a hand pump used to prime a centrifugal water pump. These are often used on fire pumps for fighting forest fires where the suction line isn't full of water at the initial use.

The small hand pump pulls the water up the suction hose until it fills the pump chamber. Then the pump is started and the flooded impeller takes it from there.

Being all brass, it is likely too heavy for a portable installation, or perhaps old enough to have been made before aluminum pumps became widespread.

 

[tomahawk_25]

Thanks for all the info guys, I appreciate it. took it apart, no check valve.

JMLangford you forgot to mention when the steam pressure gets up to 88psi, the flux capacitor activates and it rains in Washington.

Provincial: any chance this sort of hand pumps would be used on a ship, for pumping water?

 

[larry_g]

Thanks for all the info guys, I appreciate it. took it apart, no check valve.
n.

Provincial: any chance this sort of hand pumps would be used on a ship, for pumping water?

If no check valve then it is not a pump. It takes at least a couple of checks to make a pump. The only thing I could think of is that it may have been used with external checks? Did you happen to photograph while it was apart?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[larry_g]

Thanks for all the info guys, I appreciate it. took it apart, no check valve.
n.

Provincial: any chance this sort of hand pumps would be used on a ship, for pumping water?

If no check valve then it is not a pump. It takes at least a couple of checks to make a pump. The only thing I could think of is that it may have been used with external checks? Did you happen to photograph while it was apart?

If no checks then probably an on/off valve.

lg
no neat sig line