Monday, December 4, 2023
Overcast,
27 F -2.77 C
Those Magnificent Steam Engine Machines
from a Long Time Ago
Whenever I get an e-mail from a reader, I'm always reminded of the 1995 Tom Hanks movie Forrest Gump, for which Tom won an Oscar award for Best Actor. I still remember that famous line in the movie where Forrest is seated at a bus stop and says to the lady seated next to him, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get".
And so it was with today's post. I received an e-mail from Mr. Richard Rominger, III, asking if I knew something about a specific type of steam engine. The engine was an Empire B-44 D-Cell Electric Engine that would have been produced between 1933-1938.
Richard is searching for that rare B-44 Engine. So if there is anyone out there who has one or knows of someone who has one for sale, could you please contact me.
I'll then forward the information to Richard.
Unfortunately, I am 99.9% sure that I never ever wrote a post about these most-interesting machines. I called these engines machines because in my humble opinion, I felt that they were made for older children due to their complexity, and their needing care and caution when "working" with them.
Naturally, I wrote Richard back, and said that I did not know anything about these special class of machines, but if he could send me some photos, I would gladly write a post about them.
These machines ran on electricity, and would produce heat (steam) by heating up water in an enclosed system.
Below is the cover page of a 1935 Empire
(The Metal Ware Corporation) Catalogue
Below are 5 pages from this
excellent catalogue
I normally add a copyright notice to each and every photo that
I use. However, in this case, Richard is not the owner of the of the copyright, and the manufacturer has not been in business for a long time.
If anyone knows about what happens to copyrights when a company or publisher closes down, please write to me, and give me the information, so that I
can share it with others.
1930-1942
8"x 6"x 6" (20.32 cm x 15.4 cm x 15.4 cm)
Dry Cell Battery Supplied Power (4 Volts)
Above: Hot Air B40
1924-1941
12 1/8" x 6 1/4" x 5" (30.8 cm x 15.8.75 cm x12.7 cm)
Above: Large Wheel
1930-1933
15" x 14" x 6" ( 38.1 cm x 35.5 cm x 15.24 cm)
Above: Dry Cell B32
1930 - 1942
8" x 6" x 6" (20.32 cm x 15.25 cmx 15.24 cm
2 lbs (.907 Kg)
Above: Water Twin B42
1926 -1930
9" x 8" x 7" (20.32 cm x 15.25 cmx 15.24 cm
12 lbs (5.44 Kg)
Accessories
Top Left: 6 1/4" x 4 1/4"
No. 32 Variable Speed Unit
1930-1935
Top Right:
6 1/4" x 4 3/4"
No.50 Water Pump
1939-?
Bottom Middle:
7" x 5" x 4"
1/8 scale B34 Windlass Variable Speed Unit
1930 - 1935
Water B31
1921-1931
7" x 6" x 10" ( 17.8 cm x 14.25 cm x 25.4 cm
If you want to see one of these machines working,
please go to the address below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwQ4umV7rBs
Just copy and paste the youtube address,
Below are 2 additional images that Richard sent me
after he had proofread his post.
I would like to personally thank Richard for
sending me so many images and taking the time to scan
or photograph those 1935 catalogue pages.
What an effort!
In closing,
Have a great part of the day or night wherever you may be,
and by all means, feel free to contact me anytime.
I can always be reached at:
toysearcher@gmail.com
and my name is (Mr.) Stacey Bindman
2 comments:
Thank you Stacy for posting about my Empire engines. I really hope to get to see a B-44 in action and not just one from old ads (that are basically drawings). To be able to get my hands on one for my collection would be very exciting to me.
Yes, I am a bit odd LOL
Hi Richard,
Thank you for letting me add a post about these most-interesting engines.
Writing posts about toys has been a very interesting and endearing challenge for me.
Your zeal in collecting these unique machines is fantastic, and I hope that you find that you find that special B-44 Empire engine "at the end of the rainbow.
Have a great day,
Stacey Bindman
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