Recent Blogs
Smith Rotary Engine
How the Smith rotary steam engine works — eccentric rotor, abutment vane, port timing, and worked indicated-power example for heritage demonstration steaming.
Bartrum and Powell Rotary Engine
How the Bartrum and Powell rotary steam engine works — abutment vane geometry, sealing limits, indicated power formula, and a worked rebuild example.
Root's Square Piston Engine
Root's Square Piston Engine explained — how the unique square-piston steam engine works, real 1890s applications, design math, and a worked sizing example.
Vibrating Piston Engine
How a Vibrating Piston Engine works — design rules, indicated power formula, worked example for a heritage launch, and trade-offs against oscillating cylinder engines.
Vertical Engine with Bell-crank Lever
How a vertical steam engine with bell-crank lever converts piston motion to crankshaft rotation. Geometry, sizing formula, and a worked marine example.
Twin-screw Vertical Cylinder Engine
Twin-screw vertical cylinder steam engines drive paired propeller shafts from one stroke. Learn how they work, sizing math, and named marine examples.
Three-cylinder Engine
How a three-cylinder steam engine works, why marine and locomotive engineers chose it, plus a worked indicated-power calculation across three operating points.
Rotating Cylinder Engine
How a rotating cylinder engine works, with the geometry, a worked steam-launch example at three operating points, and design tradeoffs vs oscillating cylinders.
Rotary Engine (form 4)
Rotary Engine form 4 explained — eccentric piston geometry, steam admission, indicated power formula, and a worked heritage marine example with real numbers.
Root's Double-quadrant Engine
Root's double-quadrant engine explained: how the curved-arm linkage converts piston travel to crank rotation, with sizing math and a heritage millwork example.
Double Slide Piston Rotary Engine
How the Double Slide Piston Rotary Engine works — geometry, port timing, and a worked example from a heritage workshop restoration. Diagrams, formulas, FAQs.