If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

De Ritter valve gear

Discussion in 'Locomotive M.I.C.' started by MellishR, Mar 29, 2016.

  1. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2009
    Messages:
    8,070
    Likes Received:
    5,165
    Sorting through some old papers, I have come to a note in my own (very bad) handwriting describing a steam distribution system due to De Ritter. I think I must have copied the text down from the French and Flemish label of an exhibit in what was then a small railway museum in Brussels, which I think was located at the North station, now apparently superseded by Train World at Schaerbeek, which I have not visited. Unfortunately even where I can read my writing I don't understand all of the words.

    I think the text is explaining that the loco could run either with full pressure ("pleine pression" / "volle drucking") throughout the piston stroke or with cutoff at some point in the stroke ("à detente" / "met expansie"), which was achieved by the steam passing through two ("tiroirs" / a word I can't read exactly, something like "scheiven") before it reaches the cylinder.

    Is there a description in English on line anywhere? Or can our friend Jos tell us about it?
     
  2. Dag Bonnedal

    Dag Bonnedal New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2012
    Messages:
    183
    Likes Received:
    316
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Stockholm, Sweden
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    The name of the inventor is Gustave de Ridder
    https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Nicolas_Joseph_De_Ridder
    and there is a very peculiar locomotive preserved of his design, Pays de Waes, built 1842, 1100 mm gauge, wheelarr. 2-2-2.
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/azariel_de_lunivers/13335999894
    I saw this locomotive in Brussels 35 years ago and I was indeed intrigued by the complexity of the valve gear.
    But the construction year really places it at a very early stage in the development of variable cut-off valve gears.

    I think the description you saw was very basic, Tiroirs just means Valves in French.
    Scheiven almost sounds as the German Schieber (valves), but I think the Dutch word is Schuif (according to Wikipedia).

    I don't remember the fine details of this valve gear, and it is not mentioned in the T.H.Shields booklet on The Evolution of Locomotive Valve Gears (TEE 1999), but I believe it has some similarities to the contemporary Meyer expansion valve gear.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expansion_valve_(steam_engine)

    Dag Bonnedal
     
    Last edited: Mar 31, 2016
  3. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2009
    Messages:
    8,070
    Likes Received:
    5,165
    Thank you.

    I think the label that I copied the text from must have been for Pays de Waes, as that link shows it on its way from the old museum at the north station to the new museum.
     

Share This Page