The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-10-11
PERFECTING THE LOCOMOTIVES
The Credit for the Task Due to Ameri-
can Skill and Energy

Answering u question asked by
Pittsburg engineer relative to the
comparative achievements of American
and English inventors in locomotive de
signing, it must be admitted that
George Stephenson, an Englishman,
buift the first locomotive, but the high
pressure, high-speed engine itself, so
simple and efficient, is the invention of
Oliver Evans, an Americans; the multi
tubular boiler, so essential to rapid
steam making, and without which no
train could be kept running at a ra}e
of more than ten miles an hour, was in
vented by Nathan Read, an American;
it, in turn, is carried in compact form
by four-coupled driving wheels and
four-wheel truck, a combination invent
ed 10y John b. Jcrvis, an American,
while the driving wheels themselves, Of
east iron, made hollow, are the inven-
| tion Of Thomas Rogers. Il Jcrsevman,
| who, also, was among the first to use
weights secured in the wheels to coun-
ter-balanee the reciprocating parts.
Allen paper wheels-a thoroughly
! Yankee notion, the invention of Rich
ard Allen. an American-carry the en-
CINE truck, says the Pittsburgh Post,
while the tender is sustained by cast
iron wheels with chilled tread, invent
ed by Ross Winans of Baltimore, and
the single-bar frame holding cylinders
placed horizontally and bolted togeth-
er i'm the centre is another combina-
Ition designed in part by Winahs and
perfected by William Mason OF Taun-
ItOn, Mass. Moreover, all the pipes and
Joint connections are secured against
leakage by the ground joint, invented
by Nj. w. Baldwin Of Philadelphia
while expansion braces, designed by
Thomas Rogers, already referred to
give the iireboX a secure hold on the
frame, yet permit the boiler to length
en- or shorten, as change of temperature
requires.
Continuing the list, the weight of tho
engine is distributed evenly to the axle
boxes by means of equalizing levers, in
vented by Joseph Harrison, a Philadel
phian, while two fixed ecccntrics, in
vented by William James Of New York
give movement to an Allen slide-valvc
balanced by q device, invented by
George Richardson, an American, win
= also devised the pop safetv-valve, tn
most perfect device known for relievin,
= operated by Baker-PiIliod motion, Al
f American invention, and are oiled by
q Detroit iubricator. Spark throwing
r restrained by an extended smoke-bo
@ combination invented by f. NJ. Reed
g once general manager of the New Ha
/ Yea system, and combustion is pro
e. NOTED and underwriting prevented b
a specially devised fire-box eonstructe
4 Of mild steel made in Pittsburgh by tn
Z Baldwin Locomotive Works of Phil5
g delphia, the enginemcn all the Will
f.. sitting comfortably in converter
P cab, first designed by David Matthew
y an American, but since improved b
Is many builders.
t And last, while the locomotive thu
e dcrs along the steel highway at hig
i speed over chasms spanned by traeeri,
of steel and down steep mountai
IA grades, the engineer sits calm al
rs steadfast, secure in the knowledge tn
J. locomotive and train are entirely
ii hand since a turn of a lever will eau
t. every wheel to be gripped by viselil
al brakeshocs applied by the greatest lit
he saver Of modern times, the Westin
rs house automatic brake From CT
he rent Mechanics.