Howard Goldberg wrote, "I'll be re-doing the flap valves in the more
common style; 14 strips of leather per pneumatic is a bit too much.
I'm interested in how others have dealt with the design."
Aeolian dealt quite successfully with this over-engineered design, by
using fewer and wider strips of un-backed leather covering round holes.
These late and relatively rare steamboat pumps can be identified by
muffler felts which, with their supporting wood strips, do not extend
all the way to the sides of each bellows. Some have pot-metal pulleys
cracked and out-of round, which presumably can be replaced with cast
iron ones from an earlier pump.
Hopefully, someone out there can supply dimensions accompanied with
detailed photos to aid the rebuilder in producing an authentic
"factory" upgrade.
Jeffrey R. Wood
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