Robinson 10” Hot Air Engine

Robinson 10” Hot Air Engine

In 1886, Horace Robinson of Manchester, England, patented this style of hot air engine.   He followed up with improvements to the displacer linkage and a speed controller, patented in 1889.

They were a very successful and popular design made by various licensees in Manchester and London in sizes from 4½” to 10”.  This one is the largest size and was manufactured by Gardner and Sons of Manchester, later famous for diesel engines.  No engine number has yet been found and it could have been made any time between 1895 and 1920.

It has a 10” diameter horizontal piston and a large diameter vertical displacer containing a regenerator.  Its gamma layout has more dead volume than alpha or beta Stirling engine forms, (which reduces specific output- power per swept volume), but this is fully compensated by its compactness.  Even the water reservoir is incorporated in the design whereas most 19th century Stirling cycle engines required an external tank and plumbing.

It’s one of the few makes of 19th century Stirling cycle hot air engines to use a regenerator to improve efficiency, the other notable one being the Rider alpha style engine (such as the Hayward Tyler also in this collection).

It varies from the Rider type also by using a lapped seal-less piston (Riders use leather cup seals) and by incorporating the regenerator into the displacer.

It was imported from Queensland by Ian Armstrong (Christchurch engine enthusiast) who purchased it at Reg Schuster’s auction (a well-known Australian engine collector) in 2012(?).   

Although most engine restorers today rate authenticity and originality over paint quality and appearance, this was restored by Reg in the style favoured in the 20th century.  It’s being left in this style as a tribute to Reg without whom there would be many less historic engines for us to enjoy. 

The accompanying diagram is of a gas fired Robinson, but this one is wood fired.  It runs great and would have been used for water pumping or any low power application (around 1/4 horsepower).

Peter Lynn for the Mahan Heritage Centre