Valve Handle Universals

[AnthonyDuarte]

Hi Everyone,

I've decided last minute to make some universals for the 1918A injector's water valve. They will be available separately (est. $40 for one assembled unit), but I'm assuming others will be able to use them for their projects.

If there's enough enthusiasm, they'd be pretty easy to make in other sizes.

Thoughts?
Anthony

[AnthonyDuarte]

The mold for the universals cut overnight yesterday. Did a few tests today and they’re shooting great.

[diddler]

Nice Anthony, Now will you cast them in a centrifuge like a dental induction casting machine? If in brass you would need a carbon crucible. no free electron in brass LOL

[kcameron]

Where on the loco do you expect these to be used? I've got a few ideas but would like to hear what design load you anticipate these will work with.

[AnthonyDuarte]

They are to be used on valves where an extension is required, and where alignment is potentially a problem. They'll be cast in silicon bronze.

These were designed for a 1/8" valve stem, but with a difference sized broach could easily accommodate a 3/32" stem or 5/32". By request I could put in any size broach up to 7/64", and they could be drilled/tapped by request as well.

Here's how they are applied to the 1918A injector's water valve. A reach rod would be extended up into the cab, and rarely (if ever) could they go straight up. Two universals were often used to get the handle in the cab oriented vertically:

[Berkman]

How do you recommend attaching a rod to them or adding a valve handle ?

[kcameron]

Thanks for confirming the expected use cases. It seems a lot of times something doesn't quite line up or on the proto there was room but not for our 1 to 1 size fingers. Which scales do you intend to make them or is it more of one size will keep working even if the scale may not match exactly?

[Pontiacguy1]

That's some pretty cool stuff... I can see this being useful for the smaller scale guys who are trying to put extensions on their controls as well if they were in the correct sizes.

[AnthonyDuarte]

How do you recommend attaching a rod to them or adding a valve handle ?

Most suppliers (except I think Coles) have a square feature on the end of their valve spindles, and have a square broach in their handles. The best thing to do would be to machine two ends of a rod to match these features and secure them with a nut.

The easier route is to thread the rods into the universals and back it with a nut, but this has a tendency to undo itself over time. If the threads get stripped you're SOL.

I think these could be very useful for turret valves on small scale engines. As for other sizes, that's why I wanted to open this up for conversation. This particular universal would probably cover 75% of uses, but they could be made really small for fine detail stuff in 1" or 3/4", and they could also be made much larger for grand scales. But that begs the question of are they needed in those sizes?

The trouble with items like this is it can cover a wide range of scales. In 1:1 these were made in 5 different sizes, so this particular size could easily represent a larger or smaller universal in a different scale.

Anthony

[Dick_Morris]

Anthony, That's a neat detail part.

Baldwin-built Alaska Railroad #557 has these scattered throughout the cab. The injector is model 4444, a later version of the 1918.

Here are some details from a cab accessory assembly drawing that shows several u-joint applications and one from a Nathan manual that was shipped with the locomotive. i think I have a photo of the injector stand. If I can find it I'll post a copy. Although a casting, it would make a simple fabrication. In fact, I believe one of ours was broken and we had to replace it with a weldment.

I think the photo is an oil firing valve that we had to rebuild with a new stem and bonnet.

[Dick_Morris]

Injector cab stand. When the paint was cleaned off it was evident how much abuse the original part had gone through. On the right is the fabricated replica with an added cross brace.