Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-08-09
From, tie Boston Journal.

IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT IN LOCOMOTIVE
ENGINEs.-It was stated in a brief paragraph
few days since that an improvement had been
introduced and tested upon locomotive on
the Worcester railroad, by which important
results in the saving of fuel had been attained.
We are now enabled to lay before our readers
some description of this important invention,
which promises to reduce materially the ex-
pense of running locomotives.
The invention is called "Patent Balance
Valve" The inventor is Mr.. Joseph Marks, a
worthy, industrious, and ingenious mechanic,
the inventor Of the "Safety Brake" which has
been satisfactorily tested on the Worcester rail
road, and is about to be introduced into gen.
eral use. The engine to which this improved
valve has been applied, is now running the
Newton Upper Falls branch train on the w or.
cester railroad, and consumes under any cir
cumstances one-third less wood than was con-
sumed by the same engine prior to having the
improved valve attached. 1t is unquestionably
the greatest improvement ever brought before
the public for saving wood, coal, &C., for loco
motive, steamboat, and stationary engines.
/. We are informed that by the adoption of
this valve any engine will have its power in.
creased without having the steam pressure
increased or using any more steam than was
previously used, and the engine can be run at
much greater speed than has yet been at
tanned. 1t is also believed that the mechanism
for operating the valve will last longer, and
repairs will not be required so often, as the
valve is balanced with steam on or off, and the
great amount of friction on the common slide
valve, when working steam, is entirely over
come. Three-sixteenths exhaust lead is all
that is required, with the new valve, and hence
more expansive force is gained than by the
old slide valve. As less steam lead is required,
an engine will work better up grades, and when
an engine is running very fast, the back pres
sure against the piston is almost entirely re-
lieved.
We understand that some Of the engineers
who have examined the invention, are so well
satisfied Of its merits, that they would be will
ing to accept the value of the wood which
could be saved on their engines by its adop-
ton, in lieu Of their present salaries. Those
who are curious in this matter can see the OPP
Grafton of the invention at the Boston and
Worcester railroad. We understand that Mr..
Marks is now putting his valve on locomotives
on some other railroads running out Of Bsoton,
and that he will contract to put his improve
ment, ut his own expense, on the engines Of
any railroad company which will pay him, for
the term OF his patent, two-thirds of what is
saved in repairs and in consumption Of fuel by
the adoption Of his improvement. We under
stand that the invention is not yet thoroughly
Developed having been applied to the loco
motives on which it is now in use rather by
way of experiment, and in such manner as to
make as little alteration as possible in the ma
chinery 1t is intended to have the steam
chest and cylinder cast together, which will
add to its efficiency. A locomotive Is now
altering for the Fitchburg railroad which will
further test the capability Of the invention.