Item ST 24677 Oil Engine - R. Hornsby & Sons, Single-Cylinder, Akroyd Patent, Serial No.1887, Grantham, England, circa 1896

Summary

Portable single-cylinder oil engine. Made by Richard Hornsby & Sons, Grantham, Lincolnshire, England, serial no.1887 of circa 1896-97.

This early hot-bulb assisted compression ignition internal combustion engine design used kerosene as a fuel source and was one of the first forms of internal combustion power available to Australian farmers. Originally developed by the Yorkshireman Akroyd Stuart and patented in 1890, the design was produced under licence as the 'Homsby-Akroyd', from 1892, pre-dating by several years the sparkless compression ignition design credited to Rudolf Diesel, of Germany.

This example was delivered to the Melbourne agency of R. Hornsby & Sons, in June 1897. It was acquired by the former Museum of Applied Science (now part of Musuems Victoria), from Mr G. Main, of Malmsbury, in 1959, being the first historic farm engine collected by the museum. It was externally statically 'restored' and repainted by Vivian Expositions Pty Ltd, of Clifton Hill, prior to first going on display in March 1970.

Physical Description

Portable single cylinder, oil engine, attached to a base with four metal wheels.