"jews harp engine", 1845

[Wilson Gray]

On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 5:21 PM, Garson O'Toole
<adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> quited:
> "Her engine is of the kind, known as the
> steeple engine, improved by the addition of double connection
> rods, with vibrating cross head, which passes through
> the main cross head and works upon guides; by balance
> valves fitted with expansion gear to cut off the steam at from
> 1/4 to 2/3 of the stroke of the piston, and also by an
> improvement in the air pump bucket, which has a circular
> double-opening valve."

Precisely my understanding. It's the modifications cited that give to
this type of "steeple" engine its supposed resemblance to a Jew's
harp.

Another mention of "steeple engine" in connection with Jew's harp:

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=AS19070629.2.88&l=mi&e=-------10--11----0nickisson--
--
-Wilson
-----
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die!"---a strange complaint
to come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-Mark Twain

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org