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Lot 73

A SMALL, FULL-SIZED FOUR-PILLAR TABLE ENGINE,
built by W. Cornelius, Engineer of Chard, circa 1840,

22 September 2015, 13:00 BST
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £4,750 inc. premium

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A SMALL, FULL-SIZED FOUR-PILLAR TABLE ENGINE, built by W. Cornelius, Engineer of Chard, circa 1840,

The cylinder of 1.75" bore x 3.25" stroke, has a singular D-section annular web, is mahogany lagged and has a valve chest cast-in-one, making adjustment difficult. Both the cylinder and valve chest glands have cuts for C spanners, the cross-head guides are turned from the solid and incorporate milled slots with raised faces for the gunmetal die blocks. An arched pillar is held on top of them by threaded finials.

The table is supported on four elegantly tapered and barrelled pairs of cast columns which also support the crankshaft bearing arches, themselves arched in the opposite sense to that at the top of the engine.

The twin-throw crankshaft has square webs driven by the gib and cotter barrelled connecting rods, and further carries a crowned four-spoke flywheel with turned hub and four-spoked pulley wheel. A centrally mounted eccentric sheave drives a bed-mounted rocking lever carrying motion to the single piece valve-chest valve spindle connecting rod.

Finished in grey with polished brightwork, oak plinth and engraved maker's plate on the valve chest. 24 1/2 ins (62cm) high x 14 ins (35cm)

Footnotes

Cornelius had a small rural workshop and was often employed by Stringfellow in his various steam aviation exploits.

Additional information

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