What is this early steam engine gadget? (engraved on pre-Civil War Seated half)

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by lordmarcovan, Oct 13, 2017.

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  1. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    It was so intriguing and unusual, I scooped it up. The host coin is a No Motto Seated Liberty half dollar from the New Orleans mint, so pre-1861. The engraving was done on the obverse of the host coin. The name is "A. F. Barnes".

    Mystery Steam Engine.png

    @dwhiz- nice companion piece to the "Ghost Train", wouldn't you say?
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2017
    lordmarcovan, Oct 13, 2017
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  3. paddyman98

    paddyman98 I'm a professional expert in specializing! Supporter

    Could be some type of large woodshop machine. The upper top left are weights that spun around to stabilize the interior part of a working saw or planer. The middle part that is divided in 3 sections is where the wood would enter from the right and exit on the left in order to be cut or smoothed. This is just my guess :bucktooth:
     
    paddyman98, Oct 13, 2017
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  4. MontCollector

    MontCollector Well-Known Member

    MontCollector, Oct 13, 2017
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  5. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Could be, but I very much doubt it. One, he was born and died in England. Two, he was a quite bit younger than one would expect our A.F. Barnes to be, if one assumes the engraving on this piece to have been done in the mid-19th century. Your British composer by that name was born in 1878. So while it's possible, it's doubtful.

    @paddyman98- so some kind of sawmill equipment, you think, maybe? I'll follow that track and see what I come up with. Thanks.
     
    lordmarcovan, Oct 13, 2017
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  6. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Well, here's an animated GIF from Wikipedia that looks markedly similar - note that it has that little twirley-doohickey* with the balls on the end of it - though I can't say it's identical...

    Found on the Stationary Steam Engine page.

    [​IMG]
    * "Twirley-doohickey". It's a very scientific, technical term. ;)
     
    lordmarcovan, Oct 13, 2017
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  7. Youngcoin

    Youngcoin Everything Collector

    Haha that is cool I don't know the machine but it is pretty.
     
    Youngcoin, Oct 13, 2017
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  8. Paddy54

    Paddy54 Well-Known Member

    2 Thumbs up on this score!
     
    Paddy54, Oct 13, 2017
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  9. paddyman98

    paddyman98 I'm a professional expert in specializing! Supporter

    Cool.. So some kind of pump then. See where the water enters down with gravity then pumped upwards

    Edit* I think I'm wrong. I think steam enters through one pipe then exits upwards in the other pipe to power the piston section.
     
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2017
    paddyman98, Oct 13, 2017
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  10. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Given the period, and the New Orleans mintmark on the (pre-1861) host coin, I'm thinking Southern ... which makes me think cotton mill ...
     
    lordmarcovan, Oct 13, 2017
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  11. Youngcoin

    Youngcoin Everything Collector

    Slave transportation along with cotton product?
     
    Youngcoin, Oct 13, 2017
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  12. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    No, this is not likely transportation-related. It's a stationary engine that would have been used in a mill of some kind, to run machinery. Like maybe a cotton gin.
     
    lordmarcovan, Oct 13, 2017
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  13. Paddy54

    Paddy54 Well-Known Member

    This sort of engine runs a system of belts mostly leather that turn a series of shafts .
    The engine could of been used for several applications, from a saw mill to any machine that had a revolution main shafts.
    So it could of been a cotton gin .
     
    Paddy54, Oct 13, 2017
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  14. paddyman98

    paddyman98 I'm a professional expert in specializing! Supporter

    @lordmarcovan
    Here is something you might like. It's located in the basement of the building I work at. Hasn't been in use in decades. It was a water pump installed in the early 1900's that at the moment is connected to nothing.
    20171013_065350.jpg 20171013_065408.jpg 20171013_065501.jpg
     
    paddyman98, Oct 13, 2017
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  15. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Looks like it could still rip a finger off! I'll bet it's been sitting down there all this time ... hungry ... waiting ...
     
    lordmarcovan, Oct 13, 2017
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  16. Gilbert

    Gilbert Part time collector Supporter

    Looks like a typical steam engine that is not connected to anything. The original owner probably was an engineer.
     
    Gilbert, Oct 13, 2017
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  17. Gilbert

    Gilbert Part time collector Supporter

    Gilbert, Oct 13, 2017
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  18. Curtisimo

    Curtisimo the Great(ish)

    I believe that is a steam engine that drove the paddle(s) of a steamboat.
    IMG_9022.JPG
    IMG_9023.JPG
     
    Curtisimo, Oct 13, 2017
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  19. abuckmaster147

    abuckmaster147 Well-Known Member

    I am gonna say its a stationary small steam engine that was for show. Could have been converted to run things but was made on the platform to transport to steam shows.
    I also stayed at the Holiday inn last night. But I am a farmer and went to a lot of these shows when I was a child.
     
    abuckmaster147, Oct 13, 2017
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  20. David Setree Rare Coins

    David Setree Rare Coins Well-Known Member

    That is a magnificent coin.

    Do you mind telling us what it cost?
     
    David Setree Rare Coins, Oct 13, 2017
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  21. Circus

    Circus Tokens Only !! TEC#4981

    It is a D slide valve horizontal steam engine, whether they are models or full size they all look the same. The thingy is a flyball governor that is used to control the speed Just slight variations in design.
    I held an unlimited stationary engineers license, City of Detroit and State of Michigan registration for unlimited horsepower for boilers,turbines and Steam engines operation and maintenance for 35 years or issues. Had a vertical one of 25 horsepower in a building and it ran daily for close to 75years
     
    Circus, Oct 13, 2017
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