Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-26
THE DTNAGRAPH CAR.
Automatically Ingenious Application OF Del
tcnte Machinery.
[springaeId lNass.l RepablIcan.I

lSUringtCld ifA~s.l hriiuiilfth'l
=. II. Dudley's dynagraph-c4r, which
has recently finished its automatic lnspec'
ton OF the Boston and Albany track con-
tains some remarkably ingenious appiica.
lions Of delicate machinery to technical
work. and i. so completely automatic ~ iis
working that, with a single exception III
minor detail. Mr. Dudley docs nothing
except 10 keep the recording machlhca!
suDplied with paper and Interpret the
result, after The machine writes them
down for him. The car is about the length
~ an ordinary passcnger-car, and contains,
in addition to the machinery.room AZ the
rear end, q kitchen, parlor, and bedroom,
in which Mr. and Mrs. Dudley I've Yni!e
q, route. The machinery, which by levers
and electricity works the registering appa-
rafus I'm the car, is located under tie car
and over fbe rear siX-wheei truck. The
results are registered by the graphic method
~ crryes on one or both sides OF
Laso line. by twenty pens, under wnlcI
ruled paper passed III the rate 81
| : s-lOth feet TO the mile Of track. \ curved
ton table supports the paper, and by
connection with the aXles Of the truck be-
meath. certain amount OF the paper is
passed over this table Tor each revolution OF
| the car-Wh heels. and rs these wheels are OF q
carefully measured circumference. The
same amount OF paper runs over the table
for each mile OF track, regardless oi the
speed Of the train. The recording paper Is
| thirty inches wide and is blank a. II enters
the table. but before passing under The re-
cording pens IL Is automatically ruled INTO
five sets Of fifteen lines, each one tenth OF
an inch apart.
As the rear end OF the dynagrapli-car J.
weighted TO twenty tons. or five tons more
than the heaviest weight which comes on
any truck OF the largest slecplng-car TIE
wheels OF its trucks follow closely tae
slightest surface depresSiOns in the track,
aud also press II down in any place where
a rotten Tie or defective joint allows the
rails to spring. The central wheels 0l the
truck are connected by delicate levers,
which change the vertical 10 horizontal
motion. with pen for each line Of rails, and
these pens record the extent OF the tcvia-
lions from the proper alignment OF the rails.
An sir-pump connection with these
wheels also spatters blue INK on the rails
wherever the pens register a low place. 50
that the section-mcn can tell at a glance
what places and parts OF rails need TO be
raised Ia get the whole track up to tn,
proper level. a deviation OF one fourth OF
an inch or more from the general align
ment is thus registered AID marked. one
pen for each line OF rails also registers thI
number OF low places or blotches OF ink Oh
the rails, together with their exact location
referred TO the nearest miIe-post, and az
ingenious cog apparatus counts up an(
registers in tens and hundreds the number
Of such defective places in the track
Another PAIR OF pens registers OF
| A he Tot,
riations from the proper horizontal align
mont to each mile OF track, or, II desired
In each rail passed over. The distance
| travelled by the ear is registered by coz
connection with the car-wheel axle, and al
, apparatus set when the first miie-post o
the trip is passed notifies Mr.. Dudley BIS
ringing bell lust before each succcedn.
mile-post is reached TO touch the pen con
pection, which registers these mile-post
on the paper and serves az a check on III,
, wheei-register OF distance travelled. An
other pen shows on the record pape
whether the track at any point /
, curve or tangent, and LIS compan
| ion records the comparative elevation
a OF the outer aud inner rails on each curve
Two pens by Observation-Disclosures
( register In seconds aud tenths OF second
/. the running speed OF the ear at any part o
: its Journey. Two pens are connected
' with discs which run along on the insid
|. Of each line OF rails and record The gaug
v OF the track, TO show any spreading" Q
4 the rails, and also even where the gauge /
@ correct record otherwise imperceptibl
= defects in straightness OF the rails du
4 10 careless roIling-mill work, and b
. which the jarring motion 10 cars passin
}. over the track Is increased. A special De
0 Is used to register vibrations OF the car
a body and show the "riding condition. d
n the track. A penny placed on the nail wi
s cause g perceptible mark by this pen whe
Q the car passes over Il. A. coupler sprn