Kimble Engine.

[Wheat47]

Yesterday, some friends and I were privileged to check out a collection of stationary steam engines an estate wishes
to donate to an organization to preserve them and show them off. There are several engines (6-8-10 of them) and a boiler or two(which would never be
certified to build steam). Most of the engines are stuck, but salvageable as they are inside a shed. Fellow died 20 years ago.
Pretty secluded area, so fairly safe.
But to me the best item is a Kimble engine. Very restorable. I looked online on my phone, but all I found were Kimble models.
What a unique engine!!! So, I'm going to do some more research on Kimble. I hope this deal comes to bear fruit!!!

 

[hopperwhistle]

Thats a very unusual engine! Definitely worth getting in any condition, I dont think there would be any shortage of collectors trying to buy from you if you were to acquire it. If I was closer I would be interested in it. The image is from an 1891 book.

 

[Wheat47]

Thats a very unusual engine! Definitely worth getting in any condition, I dont think there would be any shortage of collectors trying to buy from you if you were to acquire it. If I was closer I would be interested in it. The image is from an 1891 book.

At this point in time, we want to keep all the engines and eventually get them going. In fact, we are enlarging our building for
the collection. The family has asked that we keep the collection together and make some sort of memorial to the gentleman.
The boilers he was using will never pass inspection, HOWEVER, we just happen to have a nice boiler that someone donated to the club.
And the boiler people in the club think it would be easy to automate it to burn propane or diesel fuel.
Supposedly, Kimble's were made from one HP (or smaller) to 45 HP. Kimble designed them, and some company built them for him.
In my (and a friend of mine) computer travels, we've not found another Kimble. One of these days, I'm gonna contact the Smithsonian
and see if they happen to know anything.

 

[hopperwhistle]

Do you know where it was originally built?

 

[Wheat47]

I copied this from another model engineering website:
This type of engine was invented by Emory Kimble at the end of the 19th century and manufactured by the Comstock Manufacturing Co. in Michigan. The original engines ranged from 2HP to 45 HP, and were turned out at a rate of about 25 a month to US and overseas customers.
So far, that is all I've been able to fined

 

[hopperwhistle]

I found a brief mention of Kalamazoo MI when I did a little looking, but could not confirm that. I may have some contacts at MI historical societies that might have more info on the company if you can find out for sure where it was made.

 

[Wheat47]

I found a brief mention of Kalamazoo MI when I did a little looking, but could not confirm that. I may have some contacts at MI historical societies that might have more info on the company if you can find out for sure where it was made.

Thanks for the idea.

 

[GreenTwin]

De Waal has redrawn plans for a Kimble that were originally drawn by Jerry Pontius of Deadwood South Dakota.

https://www.modelengineeringwebsite.com/Kimble_drawings_(imperial).html

 

[GreenTwin]

Here is a Kimble model running.

It appears to have a paddle-type piston that pivots back and forth on a shaft.

Like the Wankle, Dake, and other flat-piston engines, the problem would be trying to seal the sides of the piston.
There is really nothing quite like the function of a piston ring.

 

[hopperwhistle]

A look back: Manufacturing

Very few mechanics settled in Comstock in it’s early days. The first machine in Comstock Charter Township was a thresher called an “English Beater.” The English Beater used wooden crossbars to separate grain from wheat sheaves. Without the English Beater, famers would have to drive their oxen...

comstockmi.gov

 

[hopperwhistle]

The Michigan Bureau of Labor Statistics Report from 1905 lists the company as having 55 employees.

 

[GreenTwin]

Another Kimble link:

Kimble engine

Thanks to the Inventor Wizard team from Belgium for the Kimble Engine drawings and Inventor book.

gallery.autodesk.com

 

[GreenTwin]

Another DeWall-drawn Kimble, this one says originally drawn by Elmer Verburg.

https://modelesavapeur.com/telechargement7/elmer-20-a.pdf

 

[hopperwhistle]

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/ce/cf/c5/3c633d15da5149/US330494.pdf

Here is the original engine Patent from 1885