Alfred Collmann’s inventions match the intentions of the medal’s namesake in an almost ideal way. A significant improvement in steam engine technology can be traced back to Collmann; he invented the Collmann control system and stimulated the valve control of steam engines.
The control system developed by Collmann differed from other systems in that it did not allow the inlet valve to drop freely, but regulated it until the process was completed in such a way as to avoid unintended impacts. The advantage of this was that greater smoothness and reliability could be achieved even at high speeds. The Collmann control was also known as the “new positive control for piston steam engines”. A distinction must be made between the old Collmann control, invented in 1881, and the new one, patented in 1891, which enabled him to optimize efficiency.
Patented new Collmann control system in 1891, which enabled him to optimize efficiency.