AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 123 



The plan adopted in communicating the rotary motion to the valve cover, in a 

 direct plane, by means of an independent carriage, keeps the valve always in its 

 proper position, thereby overcoming the objection heretofore encountered by 

 attaching the valve directly to the upright shaft. The valve surface being smaller 

 in this metre than in any other, the friction is less, and the liability of the valve 

 and valve seat to adhere, when the metre is for a time inactive, is entirely removed. 

 Attached to this metre are three drip pipes, leading from every part, by which 

 means the metre is kept free from all accumulation of liquid deposits, which would 

 freeze and otherwise interfere with the correct registering and durability of the 

 instrument. 



REPORT OP THE JUDGES ON STEAM ENGINES AT TtlE THIRTY- 

 FIRST ANNUAL FAIR OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



The undersigned, who were appointed judges upon steam engines, respectfully 

 report : That they have examined all the engines submitted to them, and given due 

 consideration to the written communications and verbal statements of the exhibi- 

 ters and their agents. Their conclusions in regard to the merits of the several 

 engines exhibited are as follows : 



Of the three portable engines, Nos. 400, [Fishkill Landing Machine Co.;] 585, 

 [Payne & Olcott;] and 1056, [John C. Hoadley,] embracing all the engines in 

 which the engine, boiler, pump and other accessories are embodied in one complete 

 machine, they award the first rank to the engine built and exhibited by J. C. 

 Hoadley, of Lawrence, Mass.; the second to the engine No. 400, built by the Fish- 

 kill Landing Machine VYorks; and the third to the engine built by Payne & Olcott, 

 Corning, N. Y. 



The points upon which this decision is based, are judicious proportions of boiler, 

 strength of boiler, arrangement of engine and general details, materials used in 

 construction of engine; workmanship; provision against wear, under the treat- 

 ment to which engines of this class are ordinarily exposed; arrangement of pumps, 

 ValveS) and feed pipes; and provision for heating feed water,, total weight and cost., 



Three stationary engines, Nos. 1052, (G. H. Reynolds;) 333, (Todd & Rafferty;) 

 and 509, (C. A. Schultz,) are exhibted, in which the leading feature is the cut-ofF, or 

 expansive gear, — and to this part of each engine the attention of the judges has 

 been mainly directed. They have weighed especially the merits of each system or 

 arrangement of ports for opening and closing the valves of steam engines, and 

 adjusting the time of closing to variations of resistance and boiler pressure, when 

 acting in connection with, and under control of the governor. And, while they 

 have recognized certain points of superiority in Nos. 333 and 509, they give the 

 first place to No. 1052, designed by George H. Reynolds, and built by the Novelty 

 Works. They have, as they believe, fully admitted and appreciated the objection 

 which is urged against placing any part of the appliances of cut-off gear within 

 the steam chest cover. They also believe that such a disposition of these parts 

 will continue as heretofore to prove fatal to all contrivances which do not perform 

 their functions without material frictional resistance or wear. They have satisfied 

 themselves, however, that the engine of Mr. Reynolds is so nearly free from this 

 source of derangement as to be quite exceptional. Considering the fact that any 



