The 10 cyl OP Fairbanks-Morse main engines we had on the ship had
air starters, air distributer on the front to the individual cyls. To
reverse, shut the eng down, control lever shifted the distributer, and
restart the eng in reverse rotation. 2 mains on a shaft [2 shafts],
engaged to the reduction gears with air activated clutches, neither,
either, or both could be "on line" on a shaft for power. Each shaft
also had an air activated brake.
4 in line GM generators also had air start. If the 2 smaller 3cyls
happened to shut down in the right position the air would just blow
through the open ports and valves, was a battery back up, one in our eng
room never reliable, we would just jack it over by hand a touch and hit
the air again.
Some of the details are getting a little fuzzy without researching
the archives to refresh my memory, been 40 years
now..........................
Had hydraulic starters on the GM/Detroit and Cummins powered 44
footers, 1500-3000 psi operating range [might get lucky and get a start
at 1200]. Believe the accumulator bottles were charged with nitrogen.
Didn't take many start attempts to use up the stored pressure then it
was use the back up hand pump to get it back [first 1000 was easy, after
that became a pain in the arms/back FAST]. Only one of the 2 engs had
a pump to recharge the system, always started that one first.
Really question how an automobile could have enough storage
capacity to have much range on compressed air alone, then again, still
find I can learn something everyday................
Ed
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