New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-17
THE MOTOR COMPLETE.

rcunjcation with each other that the pressure de-
creases Cor ncreases) uniformly in them. precisely
as II there was but one reservoir The connection
between them Is made by means of twelve pipes. each
Of which has three branches Each branch is securely
attached 10 the pointed front end Of one OF the
tasks and the main pipe discharges into hole n the
side o. an upright passage or header shown In the
large illustration. There are six holes on each Side
OF the header. The seventh hole. at the bottom
affords an outlet Through another pipe. of couTse) to
the cylinder
TIE question arises IN many minds IN connection
with these motors whether not the gradual lower
Ing OF pressure N consequence OF the consumption oil
dir affects the efficiency OF the machine In steam
engine fresh power IS being generated IN the boler
oil the time But when only stored power is carried
there is no way OF making good the loss without re-
turning 10 the supply station and having the tanks
freshly filled. Well. this difficulty IS met by employ
ing a pressure in the cylinders OF only 100 pounds 70
the square inch. This by the way. IS about the work
Ing pressure Of the steam locomotives IN the Man.
haitian service What IS called reducing valve
ia so placed that no matter whether the pressure In
the reservoirs be 1000 or 200 pounds The air cannot
exert more than 80 pounds pressure TO the square
inch on the piston. Hence. no diminution IN the
hauling power OF the engine will be detected until
the storage pressure gets down 10 $50 pounds: and
BIZ that time Il believed. the motor will have re-
turned TO the supply station for a new charge
A LITTLE STRONGER THAN THE ENGINES
7: is estimated that the motor just built for the APP
proach:ng tests will develop IA her more power than
the steam engines now hauling trains on the elevated
roads because I. has larger cylinders. Their diameter
is 1874 inches and the length OF stroke Is 20 nches
while the corresponding dimensions on the old loco
motives are u and ls inches. If the steam engines
he rated at 10 horsepower the 81: motor should DC
nut a: 200 Even under the most unfavoTa1!e con-
d,t.ons OF load and weather 1t Is expected that the
new engine will take a fve-car train up the SIKH
ave road TO Ffty-eshth-st. and back again "a dis
with q
storage capacity Of the tanks the surface cars in
One-hu nd md twenty hfth-s is only about one
fourth that of the oieyatedroad motor but each OF
those has not only It's own reservoir Dut It's own
engine under the foor and is not hauled by sepa-
rate machine. The surface cars run about fifteen or
s,xteen miles without renewing their supply OF air
The ed-road motor Will. II is estimated. have
,r,.v 200 hounds left hand at the end Of round
trim In an emergency, however the engine can run
a shor. distance with only 60 pounds pressure
One curious but formidable difficulty which was
encountered in the earlier attempts TO use COM
pressed air results from natural law in regard 10
the change of temperature occurring in any gas
With a change OF volume. Sudden pressure develops
heat and expansion produces cold. When a, the
supply station the air is forced into reservoirs by
me Compressor I, is found necessary TO take away
the excess OF neat by leading the air pipes through
cold water tanks. When the az which has ie-
nx 1,o on the Gnks o. the motor there is only
slight change OF prssIye @e% TSa ar re
mains al about the temperature OF the outside az
mi
* nermj,tcd 10 expand. such Intense coio rs PRO
Guced that The valves would become cloggcd WIN
Srost and other mischief would cnsue unless speclal
provision were made for restoring the lost neat
For this purpose a tank OF not water is carried on
The engine and the air PIPE Is led through thls 20
the cylinder. Relocating. II should De iuithof Cd
ssrvei increases the expansive power OF the ar.
The temperature OF the water on starting on'
will be about 300 degrees Fahrenheit; but az the
end OF a trip will have fallen 10 ~ or ls, me
a fresh suopry of sir Is being furnished AZ the
connressor station therefore the water I'm the en-
gine Will be reheaicd BY means OF jet OF super
heated steam. The latter operation VIII not re-
ouire more Than about two minutes wnlie me
work OF charging the air TASKS on the motor may
10 ner>ormed even more quickly; that H. II the ar
T. taken from other storage reservoirs II tnc
"baree Is furnished direct from the compressor
howevcr much more time would be consumed
'remnorary connection between the stationary
tanks and those the motto: Is enected Dy means
~ coppcr pipe which has SO ;cral joints IN II
tba, render Il almost as flexible Us rubber hose
one end Of this pipe is attached 10 or detacheu
from ina side Of The motor with only haH turn
OF a suitable wrench
THE. OPERATION OF THE COMPRESSOR
Compressed air has already been in use ior SO
many years in So great variety CO other mechan