{"id":529,"date":"2024-05-18T04:00:52","date_gmt":"2024-05-18T04:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/smallsteamengines.com\/?p=529"},"modified":"2024-05-18T15:06:22","modified_gmt":"2024-05-18T15:06:22","slug":"2-cylinder-steam-engine-of-the-monitor-type","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smallsteamengines.com\/index.php\/2024\/05\/18\/2-cylinder-steam-engine-of-the-monitor-type\/","title":{"rendered":"2 Cylinder Steam Engine of the “Monitor” Type"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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This steam engine originally powered the MONITOR. The USS Monitor was an “ironclad” steam ship which famously saw service in the Civil War in the early 1860s. The ship’s engine was designed by John Ericsson as a “vibrating side-lever engine.” He had created similar engines before and decided to use the design again because  because of its advantage for a small, low-riding warship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most steam engines of the time had vertical pistons, which occupied a lot of space and made them vulnerable to enemy fire because they were partially above the waterline. In contrast, the Monitor’s 30-ton, 400 horsepower engine had pistons that moved horizontally, which reduced the height of the engine and allowed it to be mounted below the waterline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although a successful fighting ship the Monitor was not stable in rough seas due to its formidable rotating turret and sank in the early hours of January 1, 1863.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The engine was recovered from the Monitor’s wreck site in 2001. It is now resting upside-down in an alkaline solution to inhibit corrosion. Over the coming years, conservators will continue to clean and separate the many different pieces of the engine to preserve them properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n