Egide Walschaerts (21 January1820 - 1901) was a Belgianmechanical engineer, best known as the inventor of the Walschaert valve gear for use in steam engines. January 21 is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1820 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Mechanical engineering is the application of physical principles to the creation of useful devices, objects and machines. ... Categories: Rail stubs | Rail technologies ... A steam engine is a heat engine that makes use of the thermal energy that exists in steam, converting it to mechanical work. ...
EgideWalschaerts (21 January1820 - 1901) was a Belgian mechanical engineer, best known as the inventor of the Walschaert valve gear for use in steam engines.
Born in Mechelen, Belgium, Walschaerts studied at Liège, and in 1842 joined the Belgian State Railway workshops.
The gear, known as the Walschaert Gear in his honor, allows for adjustment of the timing of the inlet and exhaust valves on the drive cylinders, enabling a steam locomotive to be put into reverse.
The Walschaert gear had the advantage that it could be mounted entirely on the outside of the locomotives, leaving the space between the wheels and frames clear; this caused adoption first among some articulated locomotives.
In the 20th Century, the Walschaert valve gear was the most commonly used gear, especially on larger locomotives.
In Europe, its use was almost universal, while in North America, the Walschaerts gear outnumbered its closest competitor, the Baker valve gear, by a wide margin.
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