Steam Dome - Traction Engines

Traction Engines

Traction engines in Britain were rarely fitted with a steam dome. As their cylinder block was mounted directly onto the top of the boiler barrel, the casting for this was cast with a large steam jacket around the cylinder(s). This jacket was large and tall enough to act as a steam dome. The base of the cylinder casting was a curved saddle to fit directly onto the boiler. Holes drilled in the boiler allowed steam to pass through, usually more than one smaller hole, to avoid reducing the boiler strength.

The passages of the steam jacket were large enough that the safety valve could also be mounted on the cylinder block. The regulator could also conveniently be built into the casting, immediately between the dome passage and the valve chest, without requiring long steam pipes.

US traction engines were commonly fitted with domes, as were the British-built Howard engines.


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