Just for fun: can anyone identify the purpose of these machines I found in a basement? 5

[RPGs]

Just for fun.

I found some deteriorated wheeled machines in an uninhabited basement and I'm trying to satisfy my curiosity as to their use/purpose.

I was walking through some ~80 year old brick rowhomes to survey rotten floor joists. I wanted to get more pictures and try to clean them off/nerd out, but I was with the client and didn't want to waste their time.

It seemed to me that they might be missing a few components and, unfortunately, their nameplates were too deteriorated to read.

I can't imagine the struggle to haul these two massive hunks down through the bilco door I came in through. Maybe that's why their final resting place is here?

Thank you for taking a look--this forum and the participation by you folks is invaluable.

 

[Compositepro]

https://www.enginads.com/members/field1.jpg

They are antique one cylinder gas engines connected to pumps.

 

[RontheRedneck]

Good question for a redneck.

I looks to me like they're "Hit 'n miss" engines.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit-and-miss_engine

Basically the cylinder fires every time until the RPMs get up to a set speed. Then the fuel is shut off until the RPMs drop of to a set point.

The idea is to save fuel when they're under a light load.

 

[RPGs]

Dead on, thank you both. Love this forum.

Just a few minutes after I posted this, my grandpa responded the same and sent me a picture of a similar one with the pump working.

 

[BAretired]

Very interesting!