Steam cylinders cannot be oiled directly, but the oil must be carried to the steam chest and cylinder in the steam. A good cylinder oil must be able to stand a high temperature. While it is diffused easily in the steam, it must stick tightly to the walls of the steam cylinder and to the valve seat, and keep them lubricated. Once it is stuck to the metal, the heat of the steam should not evaporate it and carry it away.
Again, a cylinder oil should not have any acid in it which would have a tendency to corrode the metal. Nearly all animal fats do have some such acid. So tallow and the like should not be placed where they can corrode iron or steel. Lard and suet alone are suitable for use on an engine.
When it comes to lubricating traction gears, other problems appear. A heavy grease will stick to the gears and prevent them from cutting; but it will stick equally to all sand and grit that may come along, and that, working between the cogs, may cut them badly. So some engineers recommend the use on gears of an oil that does not gather so much dirt.
The friction of the valve on its seat due to the pressure of the steam on its back has given rise to many inventions for counteracting it. The most obvious of these is what is called "the balanced valve." In the compound engine, where the steam pressure is obtained upon both sides of the valve, it rides much more lightly on its seat--so lightly, indeed, that when steam pressure is low, as in going down hill or operating under a light load, plunger pistons must be used to keep the valve down tight on its seat.
The poppet valves were devised to obviate the undue friction of the D valve; but the same loss of energy is to a certain extent transferred, and the practical saving is not always equal to the theoretical. On large stationary engines rotary valves and other forms, such as are used on the Corliss engine, have come into common use; but they are too complicated for a farm engine, which must be as simple as possible, with least possible liability of getting out of order.
ECONOMY IN RUNNING A FARM ENGINE.--(CONT.)
The first practical point in the direction of farm engine economy is to note that the best work can be done only when every part of the engine and boiler are in due proportion. If the power is in excess of the work to be done there is loss; if the grate surface is too large cold air gets through the fuel and prevents complete combustion, and if the grate surface is too small, not enough air gets in; if the steaming power of the boiler is too large, heat is radiated away that otherwise could be saved, for every foot of exposed area in the boiler is a source of loss; if the steaming power of the boiler is too low for the work to be done, it requires extra fuel to force the boiler to do its work, and any forcing means comparatively large loss or waste. It will be seen that not only must the engine and boiler be built with the proper proportions, but they must be bought with a nice sense of proportion to the work expected of them. This requires excellent judgment and some experience in measuring work in horsepowers.