cylinder cock design from latest live steam mag...

[Bill Shields]

Busy right now with a dealer in CZ, and power / internet flaky from storm.

Will get a drawing together and post it shortly (may be a day or 2)

[10 Wheeler Rob]

Bill,

I would like to see the Ball and Ramp drawings when you look them up as well.

Rob Guthrie

[tsph6500]

Need drawings?

I would be interested too.

Thanks.

[Al_Messer]

GWRdriver, how are they opened and closed? I mean "How" is the lever turned through the necessary 90 degrees from closed to open?

[gwrdriver]

Al,
They use a mechanical linkage, like so many other cock-type drains. If you think about it a plug cock with small passages wouldn't have to be rotated 90� to close. Given a plug of say 1/4" diameter with 1/16" passages, the minimum rotation needed to completely close the cock would be 30�.

[Bill Shields]

Here is a very rough drawing of what I have used many times. It is not only a drain, but a relief valve in case the cylinder fills up with water.

Excuse the crappy spring drawing, but you get the idea.



A = valve ball
B = ramp ball
C = spring
D = Pin to hold it all together. I just slid in a brass escutcheon pin and bent the end over slightly so it wouldn't fall out. Not very high tech, but functional.

The main body can be as small as 1/4" diameter.

The 'rod' with the ramp is 1/8" thick x .093 high in this example, but that is not a critical size either.

The only fiddly thing is the spring. I used a bronze spring from a ball point pen in my Hudson (30 years ago), and they are still there. I adjusted the 'ramp' angle and height to make the spring I had work.

I have, on occasion made them for people without the bottom ball and just had the spring ride up / down on the 'ramp'. It seems to work OK that way also.

You can activate the rod either from one end or from the center, depending on your circumstances.

I see that I forgot to label the 'discharge hole' seen on the right hand sketch, just above the ramp ball. This blows the steam / water out to the side, rather than digging up the ballast and making a mess of things.

Be creative, this idea isn't new - I have seen dozens of variants, all of which worked just fine.

Back to work now...

[765nkp]

Thanks Bill for sharing
Tim

[Bill Shields]

If you want steam operated drains for a bigger loco, I have good drawings for them also.

[pockets]

Thanks Bill.

Greg B.

[Greg_Lewis]

Bill:

I'd sure appreciate a look at your steam-operated drains. THANKS!

[locoparts]

FWIW: Locoparts offers manual cylinder cocks in 2-1/2" scale.

[gwerhart0800]

FWIW: Locoparts offers manual cylinder cocks in 2-1/2" scale.

I looked at the locoparts.biz website and I don't see them.