the full lift of the valve and the reaching of the offset by the highest point of the cam determines the point of cut-off, and insures sufficient lift of the valves. The advantage claimed for this arrangement is, that by keeping the valve always supported while open, the danger of slamming is avoided without the necessity of a dash-pot, which, in cases where the valve is tripped or released, is absolutely indispensable.

When these engines are started, and until the speed for which the governor is adjusted is reached, the steam necessarily follows full stroke, as the cut-off is inoperative. But as soon as the regular speed is attained, the motion of the governor thrusts the centre arm of the rack-shaft downward, thereby causing the arms to which the lifting toes are connected to move towards the cylinder. This brings the offsets of the lifting toes nearer to the cams, causing them to drop sooner, thus cutting off the steam at the proper point. In case of the removal of the entire load from the engine, induced by the breaking of a belt, etc., the governor, owing to its positive motion, will effectually check any attempt at "running away," as the offsets on the lifting toes will be thrust so far inward, that the cams will not raise the valves from their seats until the speed is again reduced to the proper point.

It is claimed that, under the above-mentioned circumstances, the engine will not make one full revolution before being completely under the control of the governor. All the sliding and bearing surfaces of the valve-gear of these engines are made of hardened steel, thus preventing the liability of rapid wear, and also requiring very little power to move the valves. The fly-wheels are turned on the face and edges. The shafts, crank-pins, and connecting-rods are made of the best material, and the bearings are ample and well proportioned. The workmanship is excellent, and the finish neat and attractive. In fact, these engines rank among the most simple, durable, and economical in the country. They are manufactured by the Putnam Machine Company, Fitchburg, Mass.

How to put an Engine in Line.

An engine is in line when the axis of the cylinder and the piston-rod are in one and the same straight line in all positions. This line extended should intersect the axis of the engine-shaft, and be at right angles to it. The guides should also be parallel thereto. The shaft must be level, but the centre line of the cylinder may be level, inclined, or vertical, according to the design of the engine.

To "line up" an engine, as it is generally termed, take off the cylinder-head, remove the piston, cross-head, and connectingrod; then with a centre punch make four (4) marks in the counterbore at each end of the cylinder, at equal distances apart round the bore. Take a piece of stiff hoop-iron with a hole at one end of it, slip it on to one of the stud-bolts of the back cylinder-head, and secure it firmly with a nut, after which it may be bent in the shape of a crank, one end projecting across the cylinder at its centre, at a sufficient distance from it to admit of convenient and accurate measurement. Next draw a fine line through the cylinder, and attach one end of it to the temporary crank above mentioned, and the other end to a stake driven into the floor at the back end of the bed-plate. Then with a piece of hard wood or stiff wire pointed at each end and equal in length to half the diameter of the cylinder, set the line so that, when one point of the wood or wire is inserted in any one of the centre-punch marks at either end of the cylinder, the other end will feel the line. Next see if this line passes through the centre of the shaft; if so, the cylinder is in line with the shaft; if not, one or the other must be moved, which requires both skill and judgment, since engines differ so much in design and construction. Now turn the engineshaft round till the crank-pin almost touches the line passing through the centre of the cylinder; then ascertain by measurement whether the line is equidistant from the collars on the crank-pin. Then turn the shaft on the other centre until the crank-pin feels the line. If the measures correspond, the shaft

is in line with the cylinder; if not, they will show which end needs to be moved. The operation may have to be gone over several times before a definite conclusion can be arrived at. The shaft may be levelled by placing a spirit-level on it, if there be room; if not, drop a plumb-line passing through the centre of the crank-pin and shaft; then by placing the crank at both centres and at half-stroke, the line will show whether the shaft is level or not. The guides may be brought into line with the cylinder, by measuring from each end of each guide to the line passing through the centre of the cylinder, and moving them until they are parallel to the line and to each other. To adjust them to the horizontal, a spirit-level may be placed on their top faces. If no level is at hand, a square and plumb-line may be used. Where these accessories are not at hand, a straight-edge placed across them will determine by actual measurement whether they are in line with the centre line of the cylinder or not.

Engines get out of line from the following causes: Faults of design, faults of construction, overwork, the character of the work which they are performing, or from the boss of the crank wearing away the face of the main bearing against which it revolves. To move an engine-shaft and pillow-blocks into line with the centre of the cylinder, screw down the caps of the pillow-blocks firmly on the shaft; then slack up on the bolts that tie down the pillowblocks to the bed-plate, after which the shaft pillow-blocks and fly-wheel may be moved from the back end by means of a lever or jack-screw, after which they should be firmly tied and the setscrews or wedges readjusted. To move a cylinder, if the connections be short and stiff, remove the bolts which tie it to the bedplate; then measure from the flange of the cylinder to some fixed object, such as a wall, post, or column; cut a plank or scantling about an inch longer than the actual measurement from the cylinder to the wall, so that when placed against the cylinder it may stand slightly oblique; then by driving on the end of the plank with a sledge or heavy hammer, the cylinder may easily be moved. The holes should then be reamed, and new bolts corresponding to

the reamer substituted for the old ones. The cylinders, guides, and pillow-blocks of all engines should be double-pinned to prevent them from getting out of line; and whenever it becomes necessary from wear to move them, the holes may be re-reamed and new pins substituted.

How to Set Up a Stationary Engine.

The first object to determine in setting up steam-engines is to decide definitely the precise point at which the engine is to be located, after which the excavation for the foundation may be made. It should be at least two feet wider and longer than the intended brick- or stone-work, and its depth must depend on the size and weight of the engine and character of the soil. For ordinary sized engines, say from 20 to 40 horse-power, from 3 to 4 feet will suffice, if the soil is dry and firm; but if sandy or swampy, it will require to be sunk deeper. For large engines of from 50 to 100 horse-power it is necessary to find a solid bottom. There are even instances where piles had to be driven to insure a permanent foundation. Too much care cannot be taken in this particular, as any defect in the foundation will materially affect the working of the engine.

Having decided on the location where the engine is intended to stand, line down from the side of the line of shafting, or countershaft, if there be any, to the floor, at three or four different places in its length; but if there be no shafting, measure from the side of the building to the centre, at five or six points in its length; then strike a line across all these points. This line will show with sufficient accuracy the line of the building by which the templet may be set up; the latter, as shown in the cut on page 144, should be a fac-simile, or exact counterpart of the bottom of the bed-plate. It may be made of inch pine boards, and set on four props over the excavation, after which it must be squared and levelled with the lines previously taken. The anchor-bolts may now be hung in the templet, and the bricklayers proceed with their work. It

is customary to lay from two to three courses of bricks on the bottom of the foundation before the anchors are reached. These consist of plates of cast-iron or old boiler-plate, generally about a foot square, with a hole sufficiently large for the foundation bolts to slip through; though in some instances the anchors extend entirely across the foundation and take in two bolts each.

The foundation should be widest at the bottom, and slope upwards about 2 inches to the foot, till the level of the floor is reached, after which it may be carried up straight. When finished, it may be an inch wider on each side and end than the bed-plate; after which it should be made perfectly level by means of a coat of good, strong mortar or cement. A parallel piece of pine wood, 1 inch in diameter and from 3 to 4 inches wide, made perfectly straight on both edges, on which a spirit-level may be placed, will answer for levelling the foundation.

After the foundation is level, the bed-plate may be placed on it, either by means of a crane, block and tackle, or skids and blocking, after which it may be tied down and accurately levelled. It is customary, in the case of large engines, to place wedges between the bed-plate and foundation, for the purpose of leaving an interstice between the bottom flange of the bed-plate and the brick work, into which melted sulphur is poured. As sulphur is less