John Wing’s fine rectilinear or cross engine was photographed by Jason Ballamy at the 2024 Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition. Booth’s rectilinear engine was described by Anthony Mount in Engineering in Miniature in around 1990. Anthony’s design was based on Booth’s Patent drawings.

These engines have an unusual way of converting linear motion to rotary and is a compact engine designed to work in confined spaces. The name comes from the action of converting reciprocating motion to Rotary, accomplished by sets of links, connected to the cross heads.

The reciprocating motion of the piston drives one end of the link connected to the vertical crosshead. The other end of the link is connected to the horizontal crosshead, which is pulled across. The combined motion pulls the centre of the link around in a circular path. Attached. to the centre of the link is the crank from which rotary motion is derived. This arrangement removes the need for a connecting rod, reducing the height of the engine.

Anthony followed up the original design with a simpler version called Cross Engine.