R. D. 2, Columbia, Pa. AND A. D. Mast 1316 Clayton Rd., Pa. City
of Lancaster
First, through the tireless efforts of our good friend, John P.
Wilcox of 47 De Land Ave., Columbus 14, Ohio we learned that the
last two 100 H.P. Klein Gas engines were to be retired in 1966. Mr.
Wilcox added the one to his outstanding collection and we have
placed ours at the R & T Muesum, Kinzer, Pa. where they gave us
a nice location to display and run it and, R & T plans call for
a 40 x 200 ft. building which will house this giant. It required
two long days of hard work to get her on a trailer. Part of the
Time we worked through rain and mud which added to the risk. Mr.
Wilcox was on hand and with his experience in moving large engines
contributed much toward getting her loaded on the trailer truck.
Mr. Willis Hershey of Paradise, Pa. curator of the R & T also
Mr. Neil Hochstettler New Holland, Pa. Mr. Ezra Burkholder R. D. 1,
Washington boro, Pa. and Mr. Wilmer Stoultzfus Columbia, Pa.
contributed their efforts to get her loaded for which Clyde and I
are thankful.
Picture No. 1, shows the 16 ft. x 112 in. wide gal being rolled
out of her 50 year old home at Joy Station, Ohio after turning a
three cylinder oil pump about one half million hours. The operator
told us that he and his father before him operated these engines
since 1905 and often ran more than a month without stopping. The
timbers under her are 10 x 12 oak, the rollers were 3 in. extra
strong pipe she smashed a regular 3 in. pipe flat.
Picture No. 2, three of the 4 in. exhaust outlets are visible,
the one next to the flywheel leads to a port which lets off the hot
gasses and high pressures after which a large valve opens under the
head to exhaust the cylinder as the piston returns toward the head
proceeding the intake stroke. The two pistons travel together
resulting an explosion each revolution, make and break ignition
with throttling governor which is a large three ball from which she
gets her new name (Three Ball Klein) Neil Hochstetter is standing
at the left by the air inlet pipe which led to the gas mixer of one
engine.
Picture No. 3, shows her out of the building and turned 90
degrees which was accomplished by a generous a-mount of grease
between the engine skids and the supporting timbers plus two 3 ton
comealongs. Rail Road ties were used for gribbing two hydraulic
jacks did all the lifting. During the raising, the level was
constantly checked with the flywheels 12 foot above the ground and
the cribbing on sod plus rain, you can better appreciate the need
for caution.
Picture No. 4, Shows her fully elevated with the rollers again
placed on the cribbing under the engine sils and being inched
forward unto the truck owned and operated by Robert E. Brandt R. D.
1, Elizabethtown, Pa. standing by the flywheel carefully checking
the alignment so that the engine would come to rest in the desired
position, note the jacks and supports under the trailer.
Picture No. 5, Shows the trailer parked at the R & T grounds
on the third day of operation (three ball) Mr. Brandt is shown
standing in the belt pulley and Mr. Paul Burkholder of Manheim, Pa.
is wiping perspiration.
Picture No. 6, shows old (three ball klein) being pulled to her
new home after several unsuccessful attempts. One hot Saturday
afternoon we hitched the following to her before she consented to
come along. Front tractor is a W-30 McCormick operated by Mr. John
C. Railing R. D. 1, Pequea, Pa. in back of him is a 20 -40 Eagle
operated by A. D. Mast (co-owner), on the far side line is a 25 –
50 Rumely 6, operated by Mr. Walter Harris and in back of him is a
22 – 44 Minn, operated by Mr. Dan Brubaker Millersville, Pa. The
combined efforts of these four tractors were required to move her
over sod she now rests on a bed of crushed stone. This engine had
been run for 55 years on natural gas. Mr. Wilcox designed a
carburator changing her to gasoline operation. Those who attended
the R & T reunion at Kinzer, Pa. saw her strutting along in all
her glory at the capable command of John Wilcox and her co owner
Clyde Burkholder. The next reunion at R & T (home of the
giants) is Aug. 17, 18, & 19, 1967 at which time you too can
see this engine and well over 100 others of oil, diesel and steam
in operation. Specks of Three Ball are as follows, 2 cylinder, 13 x
24, 132 RPM, 15 tons, 6,371 c.u. in. piston displacement, made in
1910 at Oil City, Penna. Clyde and I were the happiest engineers on
earth when she gave out the first explosions after moving her to
Penna. as we had never heard her run before. By A. D. Mast.
