Flame powered fans-1910s*

[cfz2882]

See these in catalogs from around 1910-20: kerosene or alcohol burner drives a stirling type engine to run the fan-usually about 15-16" fan. Not all are antique though-saw a kerosene fan at local threshing bee that was made in Pakistan about 1985-it was "National"brand-the Matsushita "National"from Japan.

 

[rp2813]

A friend of mine had an alcohol fan from that period.  I don't know what make it was.  He's been gone for at least 20 years.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I have seen a few at Fan Fest. They Have a distinct smell when running.

 

[combo52]

Flame powered fans

That’s why they’re attached to a fan so I can blow the smoke away, lol

 

[cfz2882]

some of these fans have a cute little smokestack to disperse the fumes above the fan power is pretty low-a 15" fan of this type appears to run at about 700-800 RPM

 

[circlew]

I've only seen this type of fan once. My high school art teacher brought one that ran on kerosene, along with a clothes iron that used that fuel. She made up a display of these and other objects for the class to do watercolor paintings of. She was born in southern Kentucky in the mid 1930's, and their house didn't have electricity until the early 1950's, so used these and kerosene lamps.