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Post by kedigato on Oct 5, 2010 11:23:24 GMT
Being a resistor, it kept resisting and so bounced off the sides of whatever it was resisting. ;D
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Post by DAG on Oct 5, 2010 14:15:54 GMT
;D Nice try kedi!
In those days voltages and currents were high and therefore the resistance wire was big and thick and the usual way to make a resistor was to get a piece of wood and hammer in some nails but keep the heads high. Then you shaped the wire around the nails to that pattern as it took up less disstance and kept it better supported.
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Post by DAG on Jan 16, 2011 16:28:36 GMT
The old heavy steam traction engines were slow to steer and almost impossible to turn sharply. Made easier by the heavily geared steering wheel which slowly pulled the chains to turn the front wheels/rollers.
The problem was when arriving down a narrow country lane to enter a gateway at right angles and a full lock was required and very quickly.
How did they manage that? Going really slow was not an option as steering was too heavy and therefore too slow.
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Post by kedigato on Jan 16, 2011 20:09:34 GMT
They threw out the anchor! ;D ;D ;D ;D Get away with you Kedi.
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Post by DAG on Jan 16, 2011 20:53:50 GMT
Actually you are fairly close! ;D
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Post by kedigato on Jan 16, 2011 20:59:24 GMT
Ah, didn't you tell me something quite some time ago about trains taking on water and then letting it out when they wanted to brake? Or was it the other way around, that they took up water from a ditch between the rails?
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Post by DAG on Jan 16, 2011 23:43:02 GMT
Ah, didn't you tell me something quite some time ago about trains taking on water and then letting it out when they wanted to brake? Or was it the other way around, that they took up water from a ditch between the rails? ;D Yes some express steam trains did take up water while travelling at speed from a very long tank between the rails but I am talking about steam traction engines that went along roads and over fields. ;D It must be confusing for you, I can appreciate that!
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Post by kedigato on Jan 17, 2011 3:04:27 GMT
They reversed the steam to act as a brake, diverting it to act as a braking system. Like planes reverse the motors when landing.
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Post by DAG on Jan 17, 2011 9:11:17 GMT
No, I am afraid that none of that would help the steering.
A good try though, since a steam engine has no gears the valve motion can be put straight into reverse with no problems and certainly it could be used as a brake. In the early days that would not be all that effective though as wheels were made in 2 halves and bolted together over the tyre rather than stretching it over the rims and that meant that the tyre walls were not a very good grip on the wheels.
At steam fairs this could be demonstrated by going straight into reverse at some speed as said above and the wheels would be seen to go backwards but the tyres and the car would still be going forwards! ;D
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Post by DAG on Jan 22, 2011 18:49:34 GMT
A clue for this one then:
The driver usually had a young lad as an assistant!
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Post by nazimundo on Jan 22, 2011 21:23:54 GMT
did they put a metal bar / wood stay into the wheel to lock it so it only drove on one wheel to turn it ?
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Post by DAG on Jan 22, 2011 22:04:53 GMT
No, it was simpler than that, but you are on the right track!
Also the system worked with a big roller at the front instead of the usual wheels of a traction engine. Steam rollers often found themselves in this situation as well.
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Post by nazimundo on Jan 23, 2011 10:41:40 GMT
Did the young lad put a wedge in front of the rear wheel nearest the gateway so only the other wheel was driving? Ann says did the youngster lie down in front of one of the wheels to give the same effect ;D ;D ;D Alfie
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Post by DAG on Jan 23, 2011 15:09:15 GMT
You are so close Alfie that I shall have to give it to you!
The actual procedure was that the lad would jump down and pick up a suitable boulder (usually left around for just such an event) and throw it just under the front wheel or roller on the side to steer and at the same time the driver would give it full throttle and stand well back from the steering wheel as it would spin like mad! ;D
Must have been quite interesting to watch!
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Post by kedigato on Jan 23, 2011 18:01:29 GMT
It sounds frightful and dangerous!
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