| Description | Sun & planet engine, with 34 inch cylinder, 8 foot stroke, parallel motion.
[The drawings for this engine differ in format to the usual portfolio contents. Because the engine was so large for its time and took so long to be built, some of the component drawings are more numerous and on a larger scale than usual, and there are various drawings showing features which were altered or never built. The drawings are therefore described in rough chronological order.]
Undated, circa 1783-1784: Reverse general view of the engine, showing beam, fly wheel, rotative motion, grindstones, some features of the engine house - no motion shown but would appear to be a rack & sector - first sketch for the engine [?]; incomplete general view of the engine with rack & sector, marked "2nd sketch of Blackfryars Engine altered by making the beam 2 feet longer;" list of parts required for the engine, including rack & sector.
Aug. 1783: Reverse plan and section of cylinder and upper and undersides of piston.
Feb.-Mar. 1784: Condenser - reverse small and large scale plans and sections; reverse general view of the engine with rack & sector, and beam bracing pencilled in; reverse plan of the engine and boiler, showing two fly wheels and connection to millwork.
? 1784: Set of 7 reverse drawings of the engine and mill, as follows:
1. General view of the engine and a side view of the millwork - the engine has a rack & sector; 2. Ground plan of the engine and millwork, and a horizontal section of the boiler near the bottom of the flues; 3. Plan of the first floor with a view of the top of the boiler and seating; 4. Inside front view of the engine, a section of the boiler & seating through the fireplace and an outside view of the chimney and damper; 5. Outside front view of the house & millwork, the frame of one set of stones being taken away to shew the end of the boiler seating; 6. Side view of the millwork, of the house & of the boiler seating, with a section of the chimney; 7. Millstone floor (incomplete?); also 4 drawings which appear to be initial versions.
Sep.-Oct. 1784: Reverse front and side section of engine house showing beam - the engine now features a 3-bar motion; fly wheel, sun & planet wheels, teeth, shaft, connecting link, plummer blocks, centre piece of planet wheel, nozzles (all reverse).
Nov. 1784: 8 sheets of reverse drawings - section of the mill showing engine with three-bar motion, millwork etc., floor plans and sections of engine house, plans and sections of boilers, millwork, various components including sun & planet wheels, shaft, spindles with disengaging screws, teeth, connecting links, gudgeons etc.; also 2 undated drawings of millwork which appear to date from the same time.
Nov.-Dec. 1784: Air pump bucket, hot water pump bucket, stuffing box gland, air pump gland and stuffing box, cold water pump, all one 1 sheet marked "Reverse drawing of this was sent to Bersham"; shoe of perpendicular shaft, plummer blocks.
May- Jul. 1785: Parallel motion - reverse drawing; working gear - reverse front and side views; valve spring arm; sheet of calculations (by John Southern?); cross pipe and perpendicular steam pipes marked "Ordered at the Eagle Foundry 13 Jun. 1785" (reverse); plan and sections of boiler, boiler stays; piston rod cap piece (reverse); lower part of connecting rod.
Sep.-Oct. 1785: Reverse plan, sections and outside view of boiler and seating; reverse drawings of the injection working gear.
Dec. 1785: Hand of the working gear (reverse).
May-Jul. 1786: Reverse sections of boiler - drawing dated 8 Jun. has details of the plates required on the back, including where they are to be made; rotative shaft and sun wheel - 2 drawings, one marked "Copy from this sent to Mr. Saml. Wyatt".
Feb. 1787: Cross-section and horizontal section of boiler.
May 1787: Cross-section of boiler and steam pipe, showing various levels in the engine house, marked "Albion Mill as executed, taken May 1787."
Undated: Various drawings of the working gear, including a partially coloured front and side view similar to the 1785 drawing, front and side view marked "No. 1" with a reverse copy, pencil sketches of various parts etc.; fly wheel, rotative shaft and teeth; various plans and sections of boilers. [Note that some of these may relate to the second engine.
Original Portfolio or 'Book' No. 82* [in Drawing Office Index only]
Catalogue of Old Engines p. 28.
For The Albion Mill Co. Flour mill, near Blackfriars Bridge, London. Samuel Wyatt and William Curtis ordered "Blackfryers Engine No. 1" for their projected steam-powered corn mill on 19 Jul. 1783. Boulton & Watt became shareholders in the firm later in the year, and the name "Albion Mill" was adopted around Dec. The mill was several years in the planning and construction, and this was the first of three planned engines, although only two were ever built. This engine started in Feb. 1786. Three boilers were eventually installed. Albion Mill burnt down in Mar. 1791, and the cylinder and some of the materials from this engine were sold to D. Watson.
See also: Incoming Correspondence.
Published references: Dickinson & Jenkins, p. 64-5, 142, 164-7, 200, 214, 220-1, 242, plate LXVI - parallel motion, May 1785. |