The Blaisdell
Manufacturer:
Blaisdell Machinery Co.,
Bradford, Pa.
Year: circa 1918
HP: 65
This Blaisdell air-compressing engine was originally in
service on an oil and gas lease in Windy City, Pa.
The engine worked in a building with an identical Blaisdell. The
building and engines were provided as a modern pre-engineered air
compressing station in 1918. The compressed air plant was used as
an economical and convenient replacement for the steam boiler that
was originally used to power steam engines that pumped oil wells.
The air was piped to the old steam boiler, which then served as an
air pressure tank. Combined, the two engines provided compressed
air from 65-80 psi in sufficient volume to pump three wells at
once.
The engine, serial no. 4886, is started using compressed air
provided by a smaller version of this engine. The large engine has
a bore and stroke of 16-by-20-inches and runs at 180 RPM. The
smaller engine, serial no. 4846, has a bore and stroke of
5-by-6-inches, and operates at 400 RPM.
Contact the Coolspring Power Museum at: P.O. Box 19, Coolspring,
PA 15730; (814) 849-6883; coolspring@penn.com •
www.coolspringpowermuseum.org
