Talk:Walschaert valve gear

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[edit] Name

The bit about the name doesn't read quite right, in my opinion. This is a valve gear invented by a man named Walschaerts, so if anything could be said to have a proper name, it probably ought to be "Walschaerts valve gear" in this case. It has come to be known much of the time as the "Walschaert valve gear" because someone got his name wrong somewhere in the patenting process. Patents do not create some overriding name that should properly be used over what common sense tells us something should be called. US patent 3,156,523 is titled "Element 95 and Method of Producing Said Element", but the IUPAC standard name of this element, which is the closest thing to an 'official' or 'proper' name, is Americium. There must be countless examples of patent titles which do not reflect either common or standardised 'proper' usage. There's no problem having this article at "Walschaert valve gear" if that's how it's more commonly known, but it's no good to say that's how it's properly known, when really it's just an error that has become widespread. 81.155.83.249 12:27, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

I think it's just a mistake that's been carried on over the years. Probably to do with the apostrophe. People have taken Walschearts valve gear to mean Walschaert's i.e. invented by Mr Walschaert, whereas his name is spelt 'Walschaerts' So I suppose it could even be 'Walschaerts's Valve Gear' :-) ChrisRed 160.84.253.241 15:59, 12 January 2007 (UTC)

Second thoughts...I'll have a go at simplifying this soon. It is flagged-up as 'too technical' and is also actually wrong in a couple of places (i.e. return crank/combination lever layouts for slide/piston valves) and it doesn't say what 'lap' and 'lead' are. I'll put my version on this 'Talk' page first for comments. ChrisRed 13:40, 24 January 2007 (UTC)