Northeast Florida

Section The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

22 FEBRUARY 1976

A Jacksonville, Florida Historic

Mechanical Engineering Landmark . . .

1917 Reynolds-Corliss Reciprocating Steam Engineand Water Pump

MAIN STREET PUMPING STATION - JACKSONVILLE WATER DEPARTMENT - 1917OLD PLANT IN FOREGROUND - LANDMARK REYNOLDS-CORLISS ENGINE ANDALLIS CHALMERS PUMP LOCATED IN THE BUILDING IN THE BACKGROUND.

VIEW LOOKING NORTH FROM HOGAN'S CREEK.

PRINTED IN HONOR OF THE OCCASION OF ITS

DESIGNATION AS A JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA HISTORIC

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LANDMARK BY THE

Northeast Florida

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

1975 - 1976

ChairmanJOHN M. CRUMP, P.E.Reynolds, Smith & Hills4019 Boulevard Center DriveJacksonville, Florida 32207

Vice ChairmanHERBERT W. MARSH, P.E.Offshore Power Systems8000 Arlington ExpresswayJacksonville, Florida 32211

Secretary/TreasurerC. EMORY BREEDLOVETompkins-Beckwith, Inc.P. O. Box 2486Jacksonville, Florida 32203

Program ChairmanEDWIN F. COXEReynolds, Smith & Hills4019 Boulevard Center DriveJacksonville, Florida 32207

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

W. B. KEENE, JR., P.E.Riley Stoker Corp.306 W. Adams St., Suite 404Jacksonville, Florida 32202

W. EDWIN MIMSSeaboard Coastline Railroad500 Water StreetJacksonville, Florida 32202

JAMES A. NEW, P.E.Seaboard Coastline Railroad500 Water StreetJacksonville, Florida 32202

WILLIAM B. SETH, P.E.Offshore Power Systems8000 Arlington ExpresswayJacksonville, Florida 32211

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

22 February 1976

LOCAL HISTORIC MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LANDMARKTHE ALLIS CHALMERS WATER PUMP DRIVEN BY

A REYNOLDS-CORLISS RECIPROCATING STEAM ENGINE

During the period 1914 and 1917 Jacksonville undertook a water supplyimprovement program. Two Corliss steam engine driven water pumps wereinstalled. The first five million gallons per day pump, manufacturedby Epping-Carpenter Company, was installed in 1915 and was operateduntil its removal in 1956. The second pump, the ASME Historical Land-mark, was developed by American engineering pioneer Edwin Reynolds atthe Allis Chalmers plant in Milwaukee. The landmark was installedduring the year 1917 in the Jacksonville Main Street water pumpingplant located at Main Street and Hogan Creek in downtown Jacksonville,Florida. The cover photograph shows the plant with the Reynolds-Corlisssteam driven pump located in the original building on the right. Steamengine operation was discontinued in 1956. This Allis-ChalmersReynolds-Corliss engine driven pump remains today in this plant as amechanical engineering landmark.

The Reynolds-Corliss engine is a unique landmark because the pioneerengineering work of Edwin Reynolds during the last quarter of thenineteenth century was undoubtedly the predominating influence in thedevelopment of the reciprocating steam engine in America. Corliss'basic patent was issued in 1849 and exclusive rights to manufactureengines embodying his patents expired in 1873. By 1878 the worldfamous Reynolds-Corliss engine went into manufacture. Reynoldsdesigned a valve mechanism which had several distinct advantages overthe releasing gears previously employed. The leverage of the releasingmechanism was constant so that the reaction on the governor was thesame at all points of cutoff. The gear was more quiet and could runat much higher speeds. By 1885 more than 500 had been sold and thiscreated a furor in American industry.

The ASME History and Heritage Program is dedicated to the preservationof noteworthy mechanical engineering landmarks such as the Reynolds-Corliss engine located in the Jacksonville Main Street pumping plantbecause it represents an era in our Country's history which should beretained for future generations to observe.GEORGE B. TOBI, JR., P.E.

W. W. Gay, Inc.523 Estclle LaneJacksonville, Florida 32204

H. THOMAS HASTINGSSeaboard Coastline Railroad500 Water StreetJacksonville, Florida 32202

The photographs show the "landmark" arriving in Jacksonville and beingtransported by "horsepower" and "manpower" in the year 1917. Otherpictures show the erection on its present foundation together withdetails of the engine itself.

No landmark machine is without human significance, and Edwin Reynoldswas a giant in his time. By 1890 the Society of Mechanical Engineerswas devoting entire sessions for study of the engines produced by

MEMBER OF ENGINEERS’ COUNCIL FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ENGINEERS JOINT COUNCIL

Section

Edwin Reynolds.

History & Heritage CommitteeChairman

Northeast Florida Section, ASMEChairmanJohn M. Crump Tom Bostwick

MANPOWER PLUS HORSEPOWER MOVED HEAVY PUMP FRAME IN 1917.ALLIS CHALMERS 5 M.G. PUMP BEING BROUGHT TO SITE.

MAN BRAKES HEAVY PUMP FRAME WHILE MULES REST 1917.

FOUNDATION BEING PLACED FOR ALLIS CHALMERS PUMP.VIEW LOOKING SOUTH WITH EPPING-CARPENTER PUMP IN BACKGROUND. JUNE 1917.

EPPING–CARPENTER PUMP INSTALLED.INSTALLED AND OPERATING IN APRIL 1915. THIS PUMP HAD A CORLISS ENGINE.BOTH PUMP AND ENGINE HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM PLANT.

OUTSIDE VIEW OF BOILER ROOM.NEW PUMPING STATION GROUND BEING PREPARED IN 1914.

VIEW LOOKING DOWN ON FLY WHEEL, VALVE GEARINGAND CONNECTING RODS TO CORLISS ENGINE.

VALVE GEARS ON ENGINE.

OLD NORTH AERATING BASIN – 23 JUNE 1914.WITH FREE FLOWING ARTESIAN WELL IN CENTER.

Edwin ReynoldsHe opened the door

to new progressin iron and steel

W HEN America’s iron and steel industry was beginning its first bigexpansion to meet-the demands of an increasingly mechanized econo-

my, Allis-Chalmers engineering had great influence on the course of ironand steel progress. One man — a giant in his time — set the pace.

Development of the Reynolds-Corliss reciprocating steam engineand the steam driven blowing en-gine with metal valves by EdwinReynolds — for more than 30 yearsunquestioned dean of America’sengineers—revolutionized the ironand steel industry. The engine’sradical and sound design wasspeedily acclaimed and adopted,and before the turn of the cen-tury A-C reciprocating steam-drivenblowing engines were almost uni-versally used in the rolling millsand blast furnaces of the nation’ssteel mills. Later they were supple-mented and superseded by the A-Cgas-driven blowing engine, then

steam turbine-driven axial and cen-trifugal blowers.

As the iron and steel industrytoday girds itself to reach the newproduction highs our economy de-mands, Allis-Chalmers is well pre-pared to help iron and steel meetits goals. That’s the way Reynoldswould want it to be.

Reynolds was hired in 1877 byEdward P. Allis to be superintend-ent of the E. P. Allis & Co.’sReliance Works. He later becamevice president, general superintend-ent and a director. When the Allis-Chalmers Co. was formed in 1901he became chief engineer, a rolein which he embodied many ofhis original functions. But what-ever his title, his sheer genius asan engineer led him and the com-pany down paths of developmentand service to industry which werevirtually uncharted in those times.

American industry in the yearsof Reynolds’ early professional ca-reer was only a few decades re-moved from a largely handworkeconomy — an economy in whichReynolds had his roots.

Born in 1831 in Mansfield,Conn., the world of young Reyn-olds was one in which there waslittle to stimulate a man to engi-neering. At 16 he became a ma-

Seated at his desk in the RelianceWorks, Edwin Reynolds appearsrelaxed, although he was extreme-ly dynamic.

chinist’s apprentice and after threeyears he took a journeyman’s tourof lower New England shops, onlya year before George Corliss tookout his two basic patents on theCorliss engine — opening up aworld of promise for a machineeconomy.

Reynolds turned his hand towhatever was offered in his field.He helped build sawmills anddrainage pumps from New Eng-land as far west as Mississippi. Heserved as superintendent for theAurora (Ind.) firm of Stedman &Co., builders of engines, sawmillmachinery and drainage pumps. Hehelped John Ericsson build theironclad Monitor, which, with theMerrimac, ushered in the age ofarmored battleships.

Came to Prov idence

This kind of career, which lasted16 years, eventually brought Reyn-olds at 36 to the Corliss EngineWorks in Providence, R. I. andhis lifework began. Here was engi-neering at its best for its times —shop engineering, practical engi-neering, trial and error engineering—but engineering nevertheless, anda sterling foundation for the manwho was to stand head and shoul-ders above them all.

Blowing engines like these set the pace in American industry. Shown aresteeple-type units at the central furnace of the American Steel & Wire Co.,Cleveland, Ohio.

Reynolds’

Innovations

Were

Many

In four short years Reynolds wasnamed superintendent of the Cor-liss Works — and in those days“superintendent” meant almost ev-erything or anything.

Six years later, when Reynoldsanswered an advertisement by Allis

for a “superintendent” at the Reli-ance Works, the word impliedresponsibility for all engineeringand manufacturing — and sales toa large extent.

The record shows that Reynoldsleft his post at Corliss to join Allisat a lower salary. But there is alsoample evidence that Allis was apioneer in management, a manwith a dream, just as Reynolds wasa pioneer in American engineering.In an atmosphere of freedom forgrowth and inquiry, gifted menworked with enormous creativitywith E. P. Allis, the hardest work-ing man of them all. Such an ar-rangement must have appealed toReynolds.

S a w M a r k e t

He also realized, with an acutebusiness perception, that the mid-west was wide open for an eco-nomical steam engine. Up to thetime Allis engaged Reynolds, moststeam engines were of the slidevalve type, using about 40 lbs ofsteam per horsepower per hour.The Corliss engine had a steamconsumption of 26 lbs, or 35 per-cent better than the old slide valveunits.

Corliss’ exclucive right to manu-facture engines embodying his pat-ents expired in 1873, after about24 years of manufacturing. By 1878the world famous Reynolds-Corlissengine went into manufacture atReliance Works, where Reynoldshad expanded the plant’s equip-ment so that it would be adequatefor all the activity he envisioned.

Corliss’ basic patent, issued in1849, consisted of two claims. Thefirst covered a toggle motion (laterknown as a wrist plate) for operat-ing four slide valves. The secondclaim covered the method of regu-lating the motion of steam engines

by means of the centrifugal regu-lator — by combining the regula-

tor with catches that liberate thesteam valves; and by means ofmovable cams or stops.

Corliss was the first to combinethe two mechanisms. Reynolds tookthe development even further. Hedesigned a valve mechanism whichhad several distinct advantages overthe releasing gears previously em-ployed. The leverage of the releas-ing mechanism, for example, wasconstant so that the reaction on thegovernor was the same at all points

of cutoff. The gear was more quietthan previous developments andcould be run at much higher speeds.

The Reynolds-Corliss engine cre-ated a furor in industry and by1885 Allis had sold more than 500.So great were the fuel economiesthat early promotion declared thesale price to be the equal of thefuel saving over a period of 300to 500 days. In some instances,old model engines were acceptedas trade-ins.

As it worked out, the fuel sav-ing was greater than the list price,so deals after the first few saleswere made on a more standardbasis.

During the busy, creative years,Reynolds took out some 48 patents,although the success of the Reyn-olds-Corliss engine would haveinsured him a niche in industry’shall of fame. His ideas for improv-ing machines or devising entirelynew types of equipment seemedinexhaustible. His associates saidthat he often declined to accepta solution arrived at earlier, butwould start again with the basicfacts and seek the answer throughother channels — often coming upwith amazing, audacious conclu-sions.

He turned his nimble mind tothe problems brought to the com-pany by steel mills, iron mines,pumping stations and municipaltraction firms. The nation was hun-gry for power — big power — andblowing engines, rolling mill en-gines, air compressors, centrifugaland screw pumps, and horizontal-vertical engines were only a fewof the power applications whichwere improved by his originaltouch. Time after time his unusualsolutions were questioned, but eachtime the performance proved betterthan the promise. By the ’90’s theSociety of Mechanical Engineerswas devoting entire sessions to theengines produced by Reynolds andhis staff.

Had Stee l Valves

In 1880 came blowing enginesfor blast furnaces and Bessemerconverters at the Joliet (Ill.) SteelCo. and Edgar Thompson SteelWorks at Pittsburgh, now part ofU. S. Steel. These engines werebuilt with steel valves instead ofthe leather valves commonly usedand they proved to be the mosteconomical ever applied up to thetime for this service. They revolu-tionized construction of blowingengines and air compressors.

The ’80’s also saw developmentof girder frames for Corliss enginesand wrought iron frames for en-gines whose size was too great forgirder frames.

In 1883 two pumping enginesfor the City of Allegheny (nowpart of Pittsburgh) presented an-other innovation. The engines wereof the vertical, three-cylinder, com-pound type, with steam cylindersat floor level on the base plates,and the crank shaft and flywheelsoverhead. The pumps were single-acting, outside-packed plunger type,each plunger being directly con-nected to the piston rod of thesteam cylinder above it. The en-gines marked the first departurefrom the conventional municipaltype which used some form ofworking beam or bell crank. Theprinciples applied here later wereemployed in other pumping en-gines.

Next year saw the constructionof the largest centrifugal pump inAmerica at the time. Built for theCity of Milwaukee, it had a capacityof 70 million gallons a day againsta 15-ft head. The 12-ft diameterpump impeller was driven by atandem-compound Reynolds-Corlissengine directly connected to thevertical pump shaft.

In quick succession came a 40by 60-in. piston valve rolling millengine which operated at 110 rpm,driving at the Joliet Steel Co. thefinishing rolls of the first contin-uous roll in America. The equipment operated at the exceptionallyhigh piston speed of 110 ft perminute. This development openedthe door for a healthy rolling millengine business.

Pump was Forerunner

Then came hoisting engines,steam stamps and screw pumps.The screw pump, used at low headto flush out the Milwaukee river,was the forerunner of the screw-type hydraulic turbine developedlater. Other developments wereelectric cranes — the first in Amer-ica — and mine pumps, heavy dutyengine frames, and by 1892 engine-type generators.

Previous to 1892, driving ofelectric generators from engines ofCorliss or other slow speed typeswas done by belts to line shafts.But so successful were two hori-zontal, cross-compound generatorswith the generator spiders mounteddirectly on the engine shafts thatthe Allis practice became general.

He Had SoftSpot, TooThe equipment was built for theNarragansett Electric Co., of Provi-dence, R. I.

Before leaving the story of Reyn-olds we cannot overlook his de-velopment of the angle compoundsteam engine. He built an enginefor lighting the Columbian Expo-sition in Chicago in 1898 and alsoa 5000-hp unit, combined with aBullock (later Norwood Works)generator for supplying all thedecorative lighting at the St. LouisExposition in 1905.

In order to provide power fortransportation in New York Cityalone, 47 Allis engines were in-stalled in three power plants. Theaggregate horsepower was over320,000, with the largest of theengines rated 12,000-hp each. Otherengines were installed in powerplants all over the world.

Reynolds in time became consult-ing engineer for Allis-Chalmers,but as his health failed he becameless active, retiring in 1906, threeyears before his death. The big newWest Allis Works was in operationbefore he laid down his responsi-bilities, but he never headquarteredin West Allis.

Until the end of his career hisdesk remained at the original Re-liance Works — a reminder thatthis devotee of the new had a softspot in his heart for the old. Thedesk was a gift from the ASMEand was made of carved Hondurasmahogany.

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