"Valve Gear on the Computer"

That site is remarkable indeed and the author is quite a gentleman to share so freely the results of his extensive efforts. I only wish he'd tackle a few more steamboat arrangements. He's modeled 33 types of locomotive valve gear, but only the California (Cross) type of steamboat gear. I'd sure like to see him do a tumbler bar and a Rees Inside Cam and a Gillett & Eaton and ...and...and....

Two days ago I typed the word Dake into a search deal. I got an animated sketch of the Dake engine. My interest in that remarkable engine was beause the Belle of Louisville had one when I was on her. It was for the stage hoist. The engine has but two (count 'em, folks!) two moving parts - a cam shaft and a sliding frame. It is reversible. The reversing is done by a selector valve that simply changes the paths of steam and exhaust. There is NO valve gear at all.
The Belle had a mate during the 1970's and 80's. He was a good mate, and a fine mechanic. Sadly, he never got the idea that the Belle is a museum. If he'd had his way she would have been remodeled to look like the Admiral. He decided that an electric hoist would be more efficient. (He was right - it IS more efficient), but it isn't a museum piece like the Dake engine, which was torn out. I got some malicious satisfaction when, on the very first trip, a brake let go and the stage dropped into the river!

I goofed! There are three moving parts to the Dake Engine - a circular rotating cam on the shaft, a horizontal sliding piston and a vertical sliding piston. The pistons are rectangular, one sliding within the other. The site is the same as the one Keith mentioned excepting that the Dake is in file L.

Captain Bates: was this Dake engine part of the boat's original equipment? Where was it? Below the main deck at the base of the mast...?

Yes, Keith, the Dake engine was part of the original; equipment. It was mounted on the floor frames (ribs) just forward of the mast. The winch end was aft and the steam end was forward. It worked fine but was a glutton for cylinder oil. While warming it up we would pour about a pint of oil into it. Three and a half hours later (we ran four hour trips in those days), it would gulp down another pint and not even belch in gratitude. I see by my computer that a Dake Company is in business making heavy presses, punches, etc. I wonder if it is the same firm.
Doc Hawley and I both liked that engine and mourned when it was removed.

Alan: dunno if the press people made the engine for the BELLE, but they have seemingly made presses for many more years than I've been around. They built those arbor presses on the rack and pinion principle. They were seemingly in every shop when I was a kid. Does the Dake engine still exist, or did it meet its fate with the junk man. I surely miss the doctor on the port side of the engine room but I'm sure the loss of weight in the aft end is not missed. Where does the good doctor live in retirement?

As I understand it, the doctor from the Belle of Louisville will be donated to the Howard Museum. Ask Keith Norrington. I do not know what the disposition of the Dake engine was. At the time it was removed the mate and master of the boat had zero appreciation for history or art or preservation. Only one member of the board differed with their views, so it was probably scrapped. I do not know where to find out.

OK, I"ve been around steam a while, but I don't know (or can't remember) what a "doctor" is--help!!
S'
David D.

In the earliest days of steamboating the boiler feed pump was attached to the crosshead of the engine. While it was easy on first cost, it had a major disadvantage. When the boat made a landing, the engines were stopped, hence the boilers got no feedwater. They went on evaporating more steam, though and could uncover a flue. The first turn of the paddlewheel delivered a shot of cold water onto an overheated flue and many died. Some thoughful person came up with an independant feedwater pump, which was "the doctor" that cured the problem - well, almost.
The classic doctor was a single steam cylinder connected to a walking beam and a flywheel. The other end of the walking beam was attached to the pump. It usually served as the bilge pump and the fire-fighting pump in addition to feeding the boilers. Often a feedwater heater was incorporated as well.
Another device to reduce the shock of cold water was the Snowden heater. Instead of delivering the feedwater at or above the surface, it was a pipe bent down into the hot boiler water and its discharge was near the bottom of the boiler. By the time the feedwater reached the end of the pipe it was no longer cold. The Belle of Louisville's boilers have Snowden heaters and horizontal force pumps to deliver the feedwater.
The doctor Keith mentioned was used on a steamboat and a dredge before the Belle got it. The Coast Guard had never seen such a device, so, in their infinite wisdom they would not allow it to be used. Whether or not a device works means nothing to them in judging.

According to the Doctor...

The "Doctor" is also a certain steamboatin' fellow who can be called upon for answers to many of, if not all, the questions posed on here. He had this to say about the Dake engine in question:

"The Dake engine was made in Quincy, Illinois. It had three steam ports and no piston. The ports were Left, Right, and Center. The Left port hoisted the stage, Right port lowered the stage, and Center was the Stop position. Generous applications of lubricating oils were often required when the thing was acting up. " He said the Dake engine was still in the hull of the BoL the last time he was down there, "about 30 years ago."

The Doctor further revealed that Captain Vern Streckfuss told him the steering pump on the Steamer JS was also a Dake engine.

The Mate in question was, I learned, the inventor of what became the Krispy Kreme Doughnut after he sold his secret doughnut receipe. The secret ingredient, according to my source who got it straight from the Mate's mouth, so to speak, was mashed potatoes-- "believe it or not," the Doctor said laughing.

Ah, that's a great explanation, and clears up why it would be called "the Doctor."
And, yes the Coast Guard's "inspection" is eventurally going to be our undoing, as they lose people who have ever even seen a steam engine, let alone understand one! Had a state boiler inspector out this way who HATED riveted boilers, wanted 'em all changed out for welded ones.
Oh Bother!!
S'
David D.

Indeed, Tom - I saw a Dake press just this morning here around the diesel works.....

Tom Schiffer;6500 wrote: Alan: dunno if the press people made the engine for the BELLE, but they have seemingly made presses for many more years than I've been around. They built those arbor presses on the rack and pinion principle. They were seemingly in every shop when I was a kid. Does the Dake engine still exist, or did it meet its fate with the junk man. I surely miss the doctor on the port side of the engine room but I'm sure the loss of weight in the aft end is not missed. Where does the good doctor live in retirement?