Mechanical Marvel: the Fanning Hot Air Engine скачать в хорошем качестве

Mechanical Marvel: the Fanning Hot Air Engine

This hot air water pumping engine spent its service life providing running water for an orphans' home in Bath, Maine, established for children orphaned by the Civil War. The Fanning Manufacturing Co. began in the 1890s as the Fanning Cycle Mfg. Co. and for a time made bicycles before branching out into automobiles and hot air engines. John Wickstom patented this unique and powerful engine in 1900, assigning his patent to Frank and John Fanning. The Fanning brothers' "Economy" hot air engines were made and sold for only three or four years and very few have survived. The Fannings sold their stock and trade to the Thomas & Smith Co. in Chicago which produced similar engines for the next 7 or 8 years (see also the Thomas & Smith video on this channel). This is the only 5-inch bore Fanning known to have survived. While these unusual machines were more powerful and pumped much more water than similar engines made by the Rider-Ericsson Engine Co., they were also more complex and more expensive. Special thanks to William Ellis who provided photos and information about former owner in Maine (and his friend) Philo Hewitt.