Oscillating cylinder steam engine

<p>An oscillating cylinder steam engine (also known as a wobbler in the US) is a simple steam-engine design (proposed by <a href="/facts/William_Murdoch/4X6T0wYG">William Murdoch</a> at the end of 18th century) that requires no <a href="/facts/Valve_gear/gNVMxbwm">valve gear</a>. Instead the <a href="/facts/Cylinder_(engine)/XlMRcfFl">cylinder</a> rocks, or oscillates, as the <a href="/facts/Crank_(mechanism)/1a3bCxyE">crank</a> moves the piston, pivoting in the mounting <a href="/facts/Trunnion/1ekarPWf">trunnion</a> so that ports in the cylinder line up with ports in a fixed port face alternately to direct steam into or out of the cylinder.
</p><p>Oscillating cylinder <a href="/facts/Steam_engine/f7hN8vzm">steam engines</a> are now mainly used in toys and models but, in the past, have been used in full-size working engines, mainly on <a href="/facts/Marine_oscillating_steam_engine/222EjKnT">ships</a> and small <a href="/facts/Stationary_steam_engine/l8HmqYSq">stationary engines</a>. They have the advantage of simplicity and, therefore, low manufacturing costs. They also tend to be more compact than other types of cylinder of the same capacity, which makes them advantageous for use in ships.
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Oscillating cylinder steam engine open-in-new

Oscillating cylinder steam engine