1901 50 hp Westinghouse Generating Set
Manufacturer: Westinghouse Machine Co., E. Pittsburgh, PA
Year: 1901
Serial No.: 441
Horsepower: 50
Bore: 11-inch
Stroke: 12-inch
Owner: Coolspring Power Museum
The Westinghouse Machine Co., one of several related Westinghouse companies, produced single-acting high-speed steam engines beginning in the 1880s. A line of high-quality heavy duty 2- and 3-cylinder vertical engines was introduced in about 1896. Sizes eventually ranged from 10 hp to 1,500 hp.
Features
Based on patents by Edwin Ruud (inventor of the automatic domestic water heater), the 2-cylinder design embodies a transverse overhead intake camshaft, sensitive mixer, flyball governor, and a totally encased splash-lubricating crankcase. This latter feature enabled the Westinghouse engine to operate for long periods of time, making it the engine of choice for electric power generation.
History
This particular engine, with its direct-connected 32-kilowatt, 250-volt DC generator, furnished electric power for Wheeling Mould and Foundry in Warwood, West Virginia. It was donated by Blaw-Knox Rolls Inc. and brought to Coolspring in 1989.
Learn about this engine and 38 others in Coolspring: Discovering America’s Finest Antique Engine Museum, Vol. 2.
