Ross yoke???

[teemu.hayrinen]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3rsqLEzNv0

Ross yoke seems to be invented by someone else?

Or what do you think?

[stan.hornbaker]

Thank you for the link to "Youtube."

It certainly looks like the Ross Yoke mechanism.

Can you furnish any additional information regarding the presumably engine it is incorporated in?

[stan.hornbaker]

The linkage know as the Ross Yoke was patented by Andy Ross in ~1976 and is covered by US Patent 4,138,897.

From a private communication regarding the topic:
"It was first noted in the Bolton steam engine manufactured by James Musgrave & Sons and George Dixon of the Globe Iron Works, Bolton, Lancashire in 1893 UK patent 15,395. and also UK 16461 of 1891, by H.J.K King."

All of which proves there is nothing new when it comes to 'inventions.'

[smithd4]

The "Ross Yoke" is also known as the "triangle connecting rod" and has been used on steam engines for more than 200 years.

[stan.hornbaker]

Thank you for the additional bit of knowledge with regard to the history
of mechanisms. It seems to have been overlooked by modern
designers until patented (again) and popularized by Andy Ross.

[jbharr]

I think that Ross's patent was on a method of balancing the linkage rather than the actual yoke linkage. I have an old book (1890's) on mechanisms that shows the exact same mechanism, without the balancing.

Joe Harralson

[stan.hornbaker]

Joseph Harralson: Check out US Patent 4,138,897 quoted above. As I recall the Ross Yoke is balanced to prevent side pressure forces from acting on the pistons by providing a nearly straight line motion of the wrist pins in the linkage.