Egide Walschaerts
Encyclopedia
Egide Walschaerts was a Belgian
mechanical engineer, best known as the inventor of the Walschaerts valve gear for use in steam locomotive
s.
He was born in Belgium
at Fl. Mechelen
(Fr. Malines). In 1838 he was recognised as an excellent modeller, presenting his work at a local exhibition at Mechelen/Malines that so impressed the minister Rogier who was opening the exhibition that he arranged a place for Walschaerts at Liège University. In 1842 he joined the Belgian State Railways
as works manager, a position he held for the rest of his life, first at Mechelen/Malines and then at Brussels Midi. Whilst at Mechelen/Malines in 1844 he developed a new type of valve gear
(a mechanism that allows for adjustment of the travel of the valves that distribute the steam to the cylinders and enables a steam locomotive
to be put into reverse and to economise steam). A locomotive built at the Tubize workshops fitted with the Walschaerts valve gear was awarded a gold medal at the 1873 Universal Exhibition in Vienna
. This valve gear came to be used in the majority of steam locomotives, and became almost universal throughout the 20th Century.
According to Payen, in 1874 Walschaerts developed a particularly successful version of the Corliss
stationary engine
that won a gold medal at the 1878 Exposition Universelle
in Paris
.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
mechanical engineer, best known as the inventor of the Walschaerts valve gear for use in steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
at Fl. Mechelen
Mechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
(Fr. Malines). In 1838 he was recognised as an excellent modeller, presenting his work at a local exhibition at Mechelen/Malines that so impressed the minister Rogier who was opening the exhibition that he arranged a place for Walschaerts at Liège University. In 1842 he joined the Belgian State Railways
Rail transport in Belgium
Belgium has an extensive rail network. It is a member of the International Union of Railways . The UIC Country Code for Belgium is 88.-History:...
as works manager, a position he held for the rest of his life, first at Mechelen/Malines and then at Brussels Midi. Whilst at Mechelen/Malines in 1844 he developed a new type of valve gear
Valve gear
The valve gear of a steam engine is the mechanism that operates the inlet and exhaust valves to admit steam into the cylinder and allow exhaust steam to escape, respectively, at the correct points in the cycle...
(a mechanism that allows for adjustment of the travel of the valves that distribute the steam to the cylinders and enables a steam locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
to be put into reverse and to economise steam). A locomotive built at the Tubize workshops fitted with the Walschaerts valve gear was awarded a gold medal at the 1873 Universal Exhibition in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. This valve gear came to be used in the majority of steam locomotives, and became almost universal throughout the 20th Century.
According to Payen, in 1874 Walschaerts developed a particularly successful version of the Corliss
Corliss Steam Engine
A Corliss steam engine is a steam engine, fitted with rotary valves and with variable valve timing patented in 1849, invented by and named after the American engineer George Henry Corliss in Providence, Rhode Island....
stationary engine
Stationary steam engine
Stationary steam engines are fixed steam engines used for pumping or driving mills and factories, and for power generation. They are distinct from locomotive engines used on railways, traction engines for heavy steam haulage on roads, steam cars , agricultural engines used for ploughing or...
that won a gold medal at the 1878 Exposition Universelle
Exposition Universelle (1878)
The third Paris World's Fair, called an Exposition Universelle in French, was held from 1 May through to 10 November 1878. It celebrated the recovery of France after the 1870 Franco-Prussian War.-Construction:...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.