CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTION ON RAILROADS AND TO STEAM NAVIGATION, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO LAND OR STATIONARY ENGINES
Year: 1838

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
VAN WART, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Eleventh day of July, in the second year of Her reign
and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry
Van Wart and Samuel Aspinwall Goddard, of Birmingham aforesaid, Mer-
chant, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that we,
the said Henry Van Wart and Samuel Aspinwall Goddard, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Henry Van Wart
and Samuel Espinwall Goddard, our executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with and no others, from time to time and at all
times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, an Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTION ON RAILROADS AND TO STEAM NAVIGATION,
PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO LAND OR STATIONARY
ENGINES," being a communication from a Foreigner residing abroad; in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging us, the said Henry Van
Wart and Samuel Aspinwall Goddard, or one of us, by an instrument in

page_text: writing under our hands and seals, or hand and seal, particularly to describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Henry Van Wart, on behalf of myself and of the said Samuel Aspinwall
Goddard, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say):-
This Invention of Certain Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus Appli-
cable to Locomotion on Railroads and to Steam Navigation, Parts of which
are also Applicable to Land or Stationary Engines, consists of the six following
heads or sections, which we will describe separately in the order in which
they are named, referring when requisite to the Drawings appertaining to each
(that is to say):
The first improvement consists in a novel or improved day or night signal, to
be used on railways or locomotive engines, for the purpose of indicating to the
conducting engineer the position of the shunts or shifting parts of the rails,
or the direction in which the engines are travelling, or whether moving or
stationary, which improvement is also applicable to fence gates, or turn plates,
or other movable obstructions on railways, and also to steam vessels to indi-
cate to others the direction in which she is going.
Secondly, in a novel construction of lens to be used in the said signals, or for
other lanterns or purposes connected with locomotion on railroads or steam
navigation.
Thirdly, in an improved mode or method of connecting or coupling the
locomotive engines, tenders, and carriages, one to another, for the purpose of
preventing the transverse, or lateral, or wriggling motion or movements which
take place from the ordinary mode of connecting.
Fourthly, in an improved arrangement and construction of the mechanism,
or means whereby the motion of the engine is communicated to the running
wheels of the locomotive engine, for the purpose of relieving the engine from
excess of action when the running wheels are travelling at a rapid rate.
Fifthly, in an improved arrangement and construction of mechanism for
working the slide valve of the engine.

page_text: Sixthly, in an improved arrangement and construction of mechanism for
regulating the supply of steam to the engine, by means of which the engineer
can at pleasure regulate the quantity of steam given to the engine, or cut off
the same at any required part of the stroke.
Having named these improvements, we will proceed to describe them more
fully-
The several Figures 1, 2, 3, 4; and 5, of the accompanying Drawings
represent the day or night signal in four different positions; and, for the more
ready illustration of the same, we shall first describe it as connected with the
shunts or moving points of a railway, and then allude to its other applications.
a is the spindle or shaft connected to the apparatus which moves the shunts
or shifting points of the rails, or to a fence gate near its hinge or centre of
motion, or it may be connected to a turn plate, or to the apparatus employed
for working the slide valves of a locomotive engine. On the top of this spindle
the discs b are fixed, and above these the four-sided lantern c, two opposite
sides of which carry different colours, and the other two similar colours.
Fig. 1 shews the white face of the lantern, and also a white surface of disc.
Fig. 2 represents the opposite side of the lantern and disc when the eccentric
has been turned half a revolution, and which side may shew. a blue light and
blue disc. Fig. 3 exhibits the lantern turned only one quarter round, in which
the red face of the light and a red faced, disc is presented to view, and which,
together with Fig. 4, shews the position of the signal when the shunts or
points of the rails have not been properly shifted or changed, the latter being
turned only a small portion of a revolution: In order to render this improve-
ment more evident, Fig. 5 represents a portion of the plan of a railway,
A, A, being the parallel rails of one line of road; B, B, the parallel rails of
another line of road. C, D, C, D, are the moveable points or shunt rails of
one of the common construction, by which the locomotive engines are led off
from either of the lines A or B on to the line of rails E, E, or vice versa.
F is the horizontal rod connecting the shunt rails with an excentric or other
contrivance for shifting their positions, which rod F may be moved in the
ordinary way by a winch or lever. From the axle of the excentric the per-
pendicular shaft a is carried up, and has the signal lantern and disc c fixed on
its top: One of the different coloured discs, say the white disc, and also the white
face of the lantern, should be accurately fixed upon the shaft a, in corre-
spondence with that position of the excentric which brings, the shunt
rails C, C, into coincidence with the rails E, E, and the opposite or
blue side of the disc and of the lantern in correspondence with that
position of the excentric which brings the shunt rails D, D, into coincidence

page_text: with the rails E, E, so that by the white or the blue faces of the disc and
lantern being presented to view it may be immediately perceived by the
conductor of an approaching locomotive engine which of the lines of rails
A or B are in connection with the line of rails E. As the red discs and
red faces of the lantern are placed nearly at right angles to the former (that
is, parallel with the rails), the red discs by day, or the red light by night, can
never be presented to the view of the conductor of the approaching locomotive
engine except when the excentric is turned partially round, and the shunt
rails are brought into positions which do not correspond with the rails E, as
shewn in Figures 3 and 4. Consequently, whenever the red colour is seen,
it is a certain indication to the conducting engineer that the lines of com-
munication are broken or interrupted; or if the wrong colour of either of
the other sides of the disc (i. e.), the white or blue, is presented to his view,
the conductor is thereby cautioned long before he arrives at the points that
it is necessary to stop the progress of the engine, and to have the shunts
placed in their proper positions as required for his line of way before he
can pass.
From the above description it will be perfectly evident in what
way and for what purpose the same construction of signals may be adapted
to fence gates or turn plates connected with railways, and that the light
used in the lanthorn may be either an oil lamp or gas passed through a tube
in the hollow shaft a or otherwise; and the coloured glass used in these
signal lanthorns may be flat coloured plate glass, or a solid lens of coloured
glass, or hollow lens filled with coloured fluid, as usually constructed. But,
as these latter are liable to break under different changes of temperature,
we prefer using the novel or improved construction of lens which forms
the second head of these improvements, and which will be described hereafter.
In applying these signals to locomotive engines to indicate their situations
and directions of travelling at night, I dispense with the use of the discs,
I employing merely lanterns with different coloured faces. In this adaptation
of the signals it will only be necessary to say that the spindle a, or stem
of the lantern, is to be attached to the engine and connected in any con-
venient way to the apparatus called the reversing "lever" or "motion," in
order that the face of the lantern may indicate by its colour whether the
engine is approaching, or receding, or stationary. And in this instance I
employ three signal lanterns to each engine, arranged across it in the most
conspicuous situations, so that they may be evidently seen both before and
behind; and I propose that two of these lanterns shall be stationary upon
the engine, exhibiting only two colors, that is the back and front lights,
while the third lantern signal placed between them is made capable of

page_text: turning as above described, for the purpose of shewing the direction in.
which the engine is proceeding, or when it is stationary. A similar con-:
trivance may be adapted to the engine of a steam vessel for the purpose.
of indicating its direction, that is, whether advancing, or retrogading, or.
remaining stationary.
Lastly, we desire it to be understood that we do not intend to confine.
ourselves to a four-sided lantern, nor to any particular form of lantern,
nor to three colours, nor to any particular colours to be applied to the faces.
of the same, nor to any particular construction of points or shunts, or;
machinery for working them; neither do we intend to confine ourselves to
the use of discs, as tablets of other forms might answer the purpose equally:
well. But what we claim as the subject of this head or section of these,
improvements is, the application and combination of day and night signals
(consisting of two or more colors) to the machinery for working the shunts..
or points of railroads; also, the adaptation and application of such signals
to gates or turnplates, or other movable obstructions upon railroads, for.
the purpose of indicating the true position of such points, shunts, or other,
movable obstructions to which the same is applied; likewise the employment
of one or more such signal lanterns of locomotive steam engines, which
are to be connected and adapted to the reversing apparatus; and also to the
engines of steam vessels for the purposes above set forth.
We will now proceed to describe the second head or section of these.im-
provements (viz), the novel or improved method of constructing or forming the
lenses to be used with the before-described signal lanterns, or in other lanterns
or signals connected with or adapted for locomotion on railways or steam navi-
gation referring to Figs. 6 and 7 of the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 6.
being a front view of one of our improved lenses, and Fig. 7 a section of the
same. These lenses are constructed of two pieces of glass. a is the convex
or front part, and 6 the flat plate or back part; or this latter part may be convex
or concave if desired. These two pieces are secured together by the two annular.
frames c, d, connected by screws; and in order that the junction between
the two pieces of glass may be made tight and perfect, and at the same time
means provided to allow for the expansion and contraction of the glass or
metal under changes of temperature, an elastic ring is placed between them,.
which ring is formed of caoutchouc or india-rubber, or other elastic material,
coated or saturated with beeswax, or any other material or composition
which will resist the action of the colored fluid in the. interior of the lenses;
also a slight packing of cloth, or leather, or other elastic substance is placed
between the metal frame and the glass. By these means the materials will.

page_text: be allowed to expand and contract without the danger of breaking the glass,
and at the same time the junctions are properly secured, fis a small tube
extending into the hollow part of the lens for the purpose of filling the same
with colored fluid, or replacing any which may be lost by evaporation.
Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11, are examples, shewing the arrangement of three of
these signal lights as applied to a locomotive engine, and presenting different
phases under different circumstances, and are given only as an illustration
of the manner of adapting and using them. In Fig. 8 the spectator is
supposed to be looking towards, the head or front of the engine, the signals
shewing all red, which indicates that the engine is approaching him front
foremost on its own line "all right." Fig. '9, looking at the back of the
engine, shews all blue, and indicates that the engine is going from him on its
own line "all right." Fig. 10, looking at the front of the engine, shews the
two outer or fixed signals red, but the middle or movable one shews blue,
which indicates that the slide valve motion of the engine has been reversed) in
doing which the lantern signal has been turned half a revolution), and is
consequently going backwards from him. Fig. 11 shews the two outer lights
as before; but by the middle signal presenting either a white light or a party-
colored light, or a dark side, indicates that the engine is stopped, and there
is danger in another proceeding towards it on the same line.
The third head of these improvements, (viz') the improved mode or manner
of connecting or coupling the engine and carriages together, is shewn in Figs.
12 and 13 of the accompanying Drawings, and consists in the adaptation or
application of certain projecting parts to the buffers of the engines or carriages,
which parts I prefer to have inclined or conical sides, as cones or pyramids,
and which projecting parts fit or take into the corresponding recesses or
sockets formed in the buffers of the carriage next to it. These parts are applied
and adapted for the purpose of keeping the connections between the carriages
more perfect, and preventing the sideway or lateral or wriggling movements of
the engine and carriages which takes place in the ordinary mode of coupling,
wherein the ends of the buffers are. allowed to rub or shift laterally against
each other. Fig. 12 is a partial horizontal section or plan view, shewing
an arrangement of buffers now commonly used in railroad carriages and
engines, which are brought together by Mr. Booth's patent screw-tackle,
and which we have shewn as being the best method yet proposed for this
purpose. Fig. 13 is a vertical section of one pair of buffers; a, b, are. the
bubbers of the two carriages; c, d, their rods; e, f, the buffer springs;
9, 9, the patent screw-tackle coupling. Between the buffers our improved
mechanism or means for preventing the wriggling motions of the carriages

page_text: is placed, and consists of the projecting parts h, h, which may be shaped
as cones, pyramids, or cylinders, and are securely fastened on to the ends
of the buffers. These projecting parts take into the recesses or sockets i, i,
formed in the opposite buffers, and when the connections are properly secured
by the screw-tackle, or other means, these parts will prevent the wriggling
or lateral motion before named. We prefer the projecting parts h and the
sockets i to be shaped with inclined sides, as, when brought together, they will
the more readily adjust themselves to each other. And, in order to allow for
any little difference of altitude there may be between the pairs of buffers of
one carriage to those of the next, the recesses or sockets i, i, may be enlarged
in a vertical direction, which will allow for this difference.
.
The fourth head of these improvements, (viz') the improved arrangement
and construction of mechanism or means by which the motion of the engine.
is communicated to the running wheels, is shewn in Figs. 14 and 15 of the
accompanying Drawings, and consists of a novel or improved arrangement.
and construction of gear wheels, having plain or smooth peripheries in contact
with each other, as well as toothed rims or peripheries, the teeth of which
take into each other at the same time their smooth peripheries bear against
each other. This arrangement and construction of mechanism is for the
purpose of giving to the running wheels a rapid motion, while the piston of
the engine is allowed to work at a comparatively slow rate, whereby the
engine and slide valve is relieved from that excess of action required when
the piston and wheels travel at corresponding speeds, as is the case when
the piston is connected directly to the running wheels or their axles, and by
which improved means we obtain a more effective use of the steam. Fig. 14
is a partial side elevation of the running wheels of a locomotive engine, with
this improved mechanism applied and adapted thereto. Fig. 15 is a partial
plan view of the same. A, B, are the running wheels, which are to be
connected to the engine in the ordinary manner. Upon the nave or boss
of these wheels are formed the plain or smooth discs or peripheries a, b, and
also the toothed wheels or pinions c, d. The axles of the wheels are connected
by the rod or stretcher 6. The connecting rod of the engine is attached
to the piston rod in the ordinary manner at one end, and at the other to the
crank formed on the axle C, if the engines are situated within the frame-
work of the engine carriage; but if the engines are placed on the side of the
framework of the carriage, as is the case with some locomotive engines,
then the connecting rods are to be attached to crank pins on the arms of the
wheels D, the manner of doing which will be evident to any practical engineer
when he is aware that the motion of the piston is to be communicated direct

page_text: to the shaft C or wheel D. The larger wheel D is mounted on its axle,
which turns in proper bearings in the framework of the carriage. The
Drawings shew the bearings on the outside, but inside bearings may also be
used if desired. This wheel D is formed with the plain or smooth periphery f,
which bears upon the discs a, b; and also the toothed rim g, the teeth of
which take into gear with the pinions c, d, and by these means the motion
of the wheel D. is communicated to the running wheels in a safe manner,
and the engine will be relieved from the excess of action, which would not
be the case if the motion of the piston was communicated direct to the
running wheels.
The fifth head or section of these improvements is also shewn in Figures 14
and 15 of the accompanying Drawings, and consists in an improved arrange-
ment and construction of mechanism for working the slide valve of the engine
that is communicating the required motions to it from some moving part of
the engine, and for enabling the engineer to change the motion of the valve,
and start, reverse, or stop the engine when requisite, and whereby we obtain
the advantage of giving the lead to the steam without the necessity of two
sets of apparatus, as is the case with the common mode of working the slide
valve by two excentrics to each engine. The movement for actuating the
slide valve is-shewn in the accompanying Drawings, as taken from the axle of
the wheel D, but we do not intend to confine ourselves to this precise place,'"
as it may be taken from the axle of the running wheels when the motion of
the piston of the engine is communicated direct to that axle, or it may be
obtained from any other axle which revolves or part that moves in proper
time to correspond with the number of strokes per minute required.. In the
engine h is a crank pin placed on the end of the axle of the wheel D, which is
connected by usual coupling to the end of the lever i. The other end of this
lever has the double inclined plane arms or forks k, l, formed on it, and is sus-
pended by means of the link or bridle piece m attached thereto. The other end
of this link piece m is connected to the end of the arm n, which is attached to
the shaft o turning in proper bearings in the engine carriage or framework.
Upon this shaft is the lever p, connected to the rod q, led off to the engineer,
where it is under his control. ris a lever attached to a short shaft s, which
shaft is its fulcrum. Upon this shaft is another lever or arm t, connected to
the rod u, which is attached to and works the slide valve. The lever r carries at
its extremities two pins or studs v, w, one or the other of which is in gear with
one of the notches x or y when the engine is at work, and running either back-
wards or forwards; but when the lever i is placed in a situation between these
two studs, so that neither are in contact with its notches, then it will be per-

page_text: ceived that no motion can be communicated to the slide valve. The action is as
follows: Supposing the parts to be situated as shewn in Fig. 14, that is, with
the stud v in gear with the notch x, the rotatory motion of the crank h, by
means of the lever i, will give a pendulous or oscillating motion to the lever r,
ánd consequently a reciprocating rotatory motion to the shaft s, which will also
communicate a vibratory 'motion to the lever t, and this, by the rod u, will
give the required motion to the slide valve, and the engine will go forward.
Supposing it is wished to reverse the motion of the engine, the rod q is to be
moved in the direction of the arrow, when, by means of the levers p, n, and
link piece m, the forked end of the lever i will be raised and disconnect the
pin v from the notch x, and bring the pin w into gear with the notch y (as
shewn in the detached Figure 16), and the consequence will be that the
motion of the slide valve will be changed and the engine caused to run
backwards. When it is wished to stop the engine, the rod q is to be moved
either way a sufficient distance to cause the forked end of the lever i to take
the midway position between the studs vor w, when, there being no motion
communicated to the lever r, the valve will not be moved and the engine will
stop. It will of course be understood that a similar apparatus is adapted to
the other side of the locomotive engine, to work the slide valve of the other
engine when two are used, as shewn in the Drawings, but only one rod q,
.lever P, and shaft o, need be used.
The sixth and last head of these improvements, (viz¹) the improved arrange-
ment and construction of mechanism or apparatus for regulating the supply
of steam to the engine, or cutting off the steam at any portion of the stroke, is
shewn at Figures 17, 18, and 19 of the accompanying Drawings. Fig. 17 is
a partial sectional elevation of the engine and mechanism, and is taken
through the latter in the dotted line a, b, in Fig. 18, which is a plan view and
partial section of the same. Fig. 19 is a vertical section taken through the
mechanism in the line c, d, in Fig. 17. A is the cylinder of the engine,
B the steam pipe, C a throttle valve, placed within a spherical chamber D,
and fitting accurately therein; E is a rod passed through a stuffing box in the
side of the chamber, one end being connected to the throttle valve, and the
other to one end of the bent lever G; H is a tapped piece, fixed on the cap of
the piston rod I; I* are levers, having inclined planes a, b, near their fulcrums,
against one of which the tappet H acts on its arriving at the end of each
stroke of the piston, and raises it into the position shewn at I*. At this time
the levers are made to act upon the bell-crank lever G, which by its connec-
tion with the valve will open it for the free passage of the steam to the

page_text: cylinder. The lever I* is retained in this position by one of the catches K
and K, and the throttle valve is thus held open during the required portion
of the succeeding stroke. In order to disengage the catch K, and allow the
valve to close, the following contrivance is adopted :-L, L, are cylindrical
tubes turned upon bearings at their ends, and to these tubes the catches K
and Kare attached. Through each of these tubes is passed longitudinally
a coarse screw b, b, one having a right-handed, the other a left-handed thread.
These screws, in fact, form the pivots of the tubes. M, M, are female screws or
burrs, through one of which each screw passes. These burrs have projecting
studs or nibs c, which when the burrs are placed upon their screws within
their tubes, project out through longitudinal slits d, d, in the sides of the tubes,
and by turning the screws the burrs are caused to slide from one end of the
tubes' to the other; and as the projecting nibs or studs c on the burrs are
situated' so as to be acted upon by the inclined planes of the tappets N, placed
on each side of the tappet H, the tappets N, as they pass to and fro,, will raise
one or the other of the nibs at each stroke of the engine, and a slight rotatory
motion will be thereby given to the tube in which it is placed, consequently
the catch K* will be withdrawn, and the lever I allowed to descend, and the
valve thereby closed, and remains so until near the end of the stroke, when it
is again opened in like manner as before by the tappet H pressing against the
inclined plane a of the other lever I, which is retained by the other catch K,
until released in like manner as before described. It is evident that by the
above arrangement, the steam would be cut off at an earlier or later period of
the stroke, corresponding to the longitudinal position of the nibs or studs.c of
the burrs M. above mentioned, and the burrs are made to take any desired
position by turning their screws. And in order that the two burrs may
correspond in position, and the steam be cut off at equal distances from each
end of the cylinder, we couple the screws together, as shewn in the Drawing,
by geering, which causes them to turn simultaneously.
Having now described the nature of these several improvements, we would
in conclusion remark, it will be evident to all practical engineers that the two
last-described heads or sections of the same are equally applicable to marine
or stationary engines on land as to locomotive engines on railways.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Van Wart, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of January, One thousand eight
hundred and thirty-nine.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Tenth day of January, in the
second year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said Henry Van
Wart came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknow-
ledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained
and specified, in form above written. And also the Instrument aforesaid was
stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the fifty-fifth year of
the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Eleventh day of January, One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-nine.