THE 1897 HART STEAM CAR

by Jeff Theobald

    A few years ago I went to look at the Hart steam car which was for sale, in a completely dismantled state.  It was apparent that this was a very interesting car with some incredible ideas from the pioneering days of the first steam carriages.  Although disassembled, the parts had survived in remarkably good condition.  Having agreed a price, all the parts were transported to my workshop.  I could now assess exactly what I now owned.



    As always, there was an interesting story behind the car.  My research brought me in contact with a great granddaughter (Julia Stokes) and then with considerable help of Lorne E. Richards of Poughkeepsie, USA. who also put me in touch with Frederick Hart’s granddaughter (Ellen Hart Mulvey).  All have helped uncovered an amazing amount about the car’s history.

    Frederick Hart was born February 7th, 1849 in Zeals, Dorset, England. He married Ellen Maria Miller (from Norwich, England) on August 21st, 1873, in Norwich.  About this time, he had offices in London, trading under Hobbs and Hart, 74 Cheapside, London. They lived in Tavistock Road, London, where they had four children.

1. Agnes Tinnie Hart, born July 24th, 1874, Tavistock Rd., London; died April 25th, 1876, Bourton, England.
2. Frederick H.M. Hart, born December 5th, 1875, Tavistock Rd., London; died May 24th, 1953, U.S.A.
3. Florence Everritt Hart, born May 2nd, 1877, Tavistock Rd., London.
4. Herbert Fitz Hart; born June 20th, 1879, Tavistock Rd., London.  Two further two children were born after Frederick and Ellen moved to Canning Road, London.
5. Robert Elliot Hart, born March 12th, 1881, 16 Canning Rd., Croydon, London.
6. Ellen Perne Hart, born May 2nd, 1882, 16 Canning Rd., Croydon, London.
After they reached the United States a seventh child completed the family.  Edith Tinnie Hart, born Oct 15th, 1886, Maiden Creek, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

    On April 10th, 1884, the family emigrated on the Steam Ship "City of Chester", arriving in New York on April 20th, 1884.  By 1887 the family had settled in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., living at 36 Prospect Street, overlooking the Hudson River.  Hart worked for the Swedish company, DeLaval Separator Co, helping set up a new factory in 1892 for his employers under the name Alpa-Laval in Poughkeepsie.
    During this time he also built his private laboratory in the grounds of 36 Prospect Street. In 1893, he started building his first steam car, (a tricycle carriage) which was completed by 1895.  A picture of this car can be found in the Adriance Memorial Library, Poughkeepsie.  This three-wheeled affair worked quite well and he used it himself for some time.  In 1895, work started on a second car (the car that I now own).  By the end of 1897 he had completed it.  As with the tricycle carriage, the new Hart was put to use.  During its use minor changes and modifications were made as they were found nessacery to improve the cars performance.
    In his private laboratory, his primary concern was the production of precision tools and measuring equipment.  Here he designed and made the engine, burner and other parts for the Lane brothers of Prospect Street, Poughkeepsie.  In 1898 he founded Frederick Hart & Company., which carried out experimental work in tabulating machines.  This company later became closely associated with the Computer Tabulating Recording Company (CTR), which, in 1924, became IBM.
    During the car’s restoration, a number of parts have been found to have the names of manufacturers and some have dates.  These include a Veeder mileometer, dated Oct 22, 1895; an Overman auxiliary steam air pump cast into the body marked Overman Automobile Co. PAT. O. MAY 21. 1897; a main drive shaft engraved with DEC 14th 1897; an Ofeldt auxiliary duplex steam water pump, dated Feb 97, and marked PAT APLD. FOR MFU D. BY OFELDT & SONS B'KLYN N.Y.  (Ofeldt had moved to Newark by 1899); a boiler automatic water level control, marked, on the lower cover, FREDERICK HART 36 PROSPECT STREET.  POUGHKEEPSIE. N.Y.  Pat June 16 1896.  Many other components are marked with names from well known component manufacturers of the time e.g. Lunkenheimer Co., Locke Reg. Co., The Hayden & Derby Mfg Co.

    Further research reveals that the car had remained in the family motor house until 1946 when it was given to “The Old Timers Museum” in New York.  Here it stayed until 1990, being sold off at this time after the museum closed it’s doors for the last time.  The Hart then found it’s way to the U.K.  It was due to be auctioned off but was sold before the auction sale to a Dr Cam from Purton, nr Swindon, Wilts.  He and his son set about dismantling the car in preparation for a complete restoration, Unfortunately, the son was involved in a serious motoring accident from which he has not made a full recovery.  As a result, their interest in steam vehicles ceased.  Over the next few years most of their collection was sold off.  Only the Hart, now a pile of bits, remained until 2002 which was when I got to hear about the car.
    It was apparent from the beginning just how different it is from other steam cars.  First, it has two boilers, one placed above the other.  The lower boiler (A) is 19” diameter by 12” high with 488 x 1/2” tubes.  Above this is a hot water storage tank (B) 19” diameter by 7” high with 8 x 1” tubes.  Water enters through a tube (C). &mbsp;The main boiler automatic level controller (D) is situated between the two boilers.  As the water level in the boiler drops, the open end of tube (E) lets steam pass into the top tank, forcing water through the pipe (F) and through the automatic level controller until the lower end of tube (E) is covered.   To control the level to which the water level in the boiler rises, a float (G) controls a valve in the bottom of the automatic level controller.  Steam passes though the steam dryer (H) and out to the regulator via tube (I).   The fire is regulated by means of a duplex diaphragm controller, which may be set to cut down at 300 p.s.i. when the Hart is running, or, by a turn of a lever, at 145 p.s.i. when standing.
    The engine is a twin cylinder, vertical, fully enclosed, 2.5 inch bore by 3 inch stroke, of ingenious construction.  The casing and framework, which are circular in cross-section, comprise a two part cast iron base, joined along the centre line of the crank shaft, which contains the shaft bearings, guides, and lower cylinder head, with their ports and the lower valve seats, as well as the steam and exhaust passages.  A casting for the upper head contains the upper ports and valve seats, and a connecting portion consisting of a plain annular steel ring, the same length as the cylinders.  The ring is set in grooves in the head and base castings.  It covers the cylinders and valves.  The space thus enclosed serves as the separator, steam chest, and jacket for the cylinders.  This arrangement reduces the cylinders themselves to plain steel tubes set in grooves in the head and the base, like the steam chest.  Because a small surface is presented by the ends of the cylinder walls, with, consequently, a very high pressure per unit area at the joints, the designer has been able to eliminate gaskets, and even ground joints, relying on the pressure produced by five stud bolts extending through the chest from head to head to give a steam-tight joint.
    There are several advantages to this design aside from its simplicity, the most important being the ablity to get rid of water in the steam.  When the steam is very wet, the steam chest acts as a separator.  Any water will settle to the bottom and accumulate in the base, from where it will be carried to the lower end of one of the cylinders at the first in-stroke.  From there, it passes directly to the exhaust where it is released.  For this reason, water cannot accumulate behind the piston because the port is directly in the head and at the lowest point.   Similarly, there will be no problem from water in the upper end of the cylinders.  The port at this end is also in the head.  Hence, the whole tendency is for water to be forced into the exhaust by the preessure of the steam.  The throttle valve, which is located in the steam chest, opens at a point above the base to the cylinders, so there is no danger of a backflow of water or wet steam.
    The pistons are halved to received packing rings, the two parts having tapered holes which fit over the end of the piston rods, and are held in place by locking nuts.  The valves are of the hollow piston type, with exhaust inside, and are seated in the two heads, as described above, and packed with rings similar to those used in the pistons.  The connecting rod is I-section, with a long crank pin bearing.  The crankshaft is counter balanced by two cast iron weights, dovetailed into the web, each lying opposite a crank.  The cranks are set at 90 degrees to one another.  A worm gear driving the feed pump turns on an extension of the shaft.  The engine is supported on either side by a trunnion located just over the crankshaft.  The trunnions are carried in a bearing on a cross member of the chassis, which is formed into a yoke around the engine.  An arm from another part of the chassis framework holds the upper part of the casing.
    The valve gear is a modification of the joy-gear much used in railway locomotives.  It has been used mainly because it is compact.  The engine is lubricated throughout by splash.  The cranks, guides, wrist pins, and valve gear are oiled directly from oil in the sump.  The cylinders are supplied from the same source in a novel fashion.  An oil cup is mounted on the inside of the case directly in the path of the splash, from which leads a pipe fitted with a set of strainers and a check valve which closes towards the sump.  It terminates in a nipple opening just between the two valves in the steam chest.  When the engine is working, no oil is fed.  When the steam is shut-off, however, the oil which has accumulated in the cup is drawn into the valve chest by the vacuum and distributed over the valve surfaces and on to the pistons.
    Another clever idea that could be put to use in steam cars today, is the automatic flue blower.   This is not unlike a steam automatic.  It is connected to the vaporiser close to the point where the fuel enters the main fuel jet holder.  When the steam automatic cuts the vaporised fuel supply to the main jet, the pressure on the diaphragm side of the automatic flue blower drops, allowing the valve in the steam line to open, so that steam passes to the flue blower, keeping the burner clear of unburnt vapour and maintaining a flow of air through the burner plate.  In this way, the temperature of the burner tubes is moderated, so that, when the burner comes back on, the chance of blowbacks is reduced.
    Athough the car is fitted with three gauge glasses, one for the main boiler, a second for the top boiler/hot water store, and the third to indicate the water level in the water tank, unfortunately none of these can be seen from the driver’s seat.  In fact, you would have to stop the car, get off and open the rear doors before being able to see them!  Not so clever!!.  One way of checking the water level is through the use of three buttons marked low, medium and high, these can be operated with your heel as you are driving.  Each button opens a different valve connected by pipework to the top boiler at different heights.  Pressing each button in turn gives the driver some idea of the water level in the top boiler.


    Starting the burner has proved interesting.  From a small cup, a pipe runs down to the burner and is connected to a second pipe, running across the burner, with small holes on the lower side.  This second pipe is wrapped with a wick.  To start the burner, you pour white petrol into the cup, wait a moment and then throw a match through the peep hole.  It lights with quite a pop.  With luck, the flame heats the vaporiser enough to vaporise the petrol feeding the pilot.  The pilot is very similar to a blow lamp.  The flame looks and sounds like one.  After a while, the pilot heats the vaporiser to red heat and the main fire can be turned on gently.
    At some time in the past, the valves, jet holders and steam automatic were lost.  In 1904 a picture was taken looking into the rear of the car.  This picture has proved invaluable in confirming what parts were missing and how they were assembled.
    During our first trials, it became apparent that the main jet was too small. The fire tended to lift away from the burner.  Matters improved as things got hotter.  Within 10 minutes the first trace of steam appeared.  Slowly she came back to life, both donkey pumps working as soon as there was a sufficent head of steam.   With the rear wheels jacked up, the regulator was opened and the engine sprung into life.  Only the burner’s hissing and, when turned on, the donkey pumps’ ticking were audible.  No exhaust beat could be heard from either the engine or the pumps as the exhausts are fed into a condenser/silencer box.  Condensate was pushed back into the main water tank by the exhaust steam pressure.
    Unfortunately, before we could drive the car, a leak developed in the water level automatic, although the hydraulic test had been OK.  As things got hotter, the leak began at a point where two sections joined together The seal, a copper washer some 4” in diameter, had failed.  The fire was shut down and a few days later a new copper sealing ring was made and fitted.  The car has been use a number of times around the yard to prove that all the steam plant was working as it should.
    Although superficially resembling a Locomobile, the Hart is a four seater standing more than six feet to the top of the front seat, with 42” diameter rear wheels.  As original tyres are unavalible, solid carriage tyres have been fitted.  The tiller can be swung round to allow driving from left or right hand seat.  The original leather had to be replaced but we were able to retain the original, barely worn, century-old horse hair stuffing.  The paint, protected by two new coats of varnish, is original.  I have found this project has provided immence satisfaction and a sence of achivevment, having sorted what came to me as a large pile of bits into a complete running car.

Jeff.

Further information to
Jeff Theobald
Phone 01428 654331
Email:- jeff@steamcar.net