IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VALVES OF STEAM AND OTHER ENGINES, IN CAUSING THE DRIVING WHEELS OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES TO BITE THE RAILS, AND ALSO IN SUPPLYING WATER TO STEAM BOILERS
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
EDWARD COLEGRAVE, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Esquire, 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 Third day of July, in the fourteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Francis Edward Colegrave, Her especial license, full, power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Francis Edward Colegrave, my exors, admors, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said Francis Edward Colegrave, my exors,
adiiors, 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, the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plan-
tations abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and
Man, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VALVES OF STEAM AND OTHER
ENGINES, IN CAUSING THE DRIVING WHEELS OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES TO BITE THE
RAILS, AND ALSO IN SUPPLYING WATER TO STEAM BOILERS;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Francis Edward Colegrave,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe
and ascertain the nature of my 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Francis Edward Colegrave, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particu-
larly 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 "Improvements in the Valves of Steam and other
Engines, in causing the Driving Wheels of Locomotive Engines to Bite the
Rails, and also in supplying Water to Steam Boilers," relates,―
Firstly, to an improved mode of constructing the slide valves of engines, so
as to prevent the pressure of the steam from acting on the back of the valve,
and by this means economizing a considerable amount of power that is now
expended in working the valves.
The Invention relates, secondly, to an arrangement and construction of parts
of a locomotive engine and its appurtenances, whereby I am enabled to direct
a powerful blast of heated air on to the rails when they have become slippery
from damp or frost, so as to quickly dry them, in order that the driving wheels
of the engine may properly adhere to the rails. Under this head I shall also
describe a novel mode of communicating motion from the driving wheels to
the leading and trailing wheels of an engine, for the purpose of effecting the
same object, viz', to cause the wheels to bite the rail.
The third part of the Invention relates to a novel or improved mode of
constructing the boiler and other parts in connection therewith, or in adapting
additional water spaces to the boiler, so as to economize as much as possible
the heat given out from the fire, and render it available for heating water in
these additional water spaces, which are in connection with the ordinary boiler.
In reference to the first part of the Invention I would observe, that the
improvements are of such a nature as will admit of their being adapted with
facility to the present construction of cylinders used in locomotive and other
steam engines, so that my improvements may be applied, at a trifling expense,
to engines that are now in use. Under the present system of working the
valves of engines, the wear on the moving parts of the valve and the power
expended in actuating the valves is very considerable, owing to the pressure of
the steam on the back of the valves in ordinary locomotive engines. This
pressure on the valves amounts to about one hundred pounds on the square
inch. The mode of constructing valves according to the improved plan, as
shewn in the accompanying Drawings, is intended to obviate these objections,
and thus to effect a considerable saving in the wear and tear of the valves
and machinery, and also to require a smaller expenditure of power to work
the valves, and consequently a considerable economy of fuel.

page_text: The method I adopt for carrying out the present improvements will be best
understood by the following description, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings:-On the face of the cylinder, in which are the steam
ports, are screwed four long studs a sufficient distance apart to admit of the
free working of the valves, which are actuated in the ordinary manner. The
upper or projecting ends of these studs are also screwed, and are furnished
with four nuts, the tops of which are brought to a true surface. These nuts
are screwed down on the studs until their faces are exactly on a level with
the top of the valves. A plate of cast iron planed to a true surface, provided
with four holes, one at each corner, to admit the studs, is then placed on the
nuts aforesaid, and secured there by four other nuts which are screwed down
on to the top of it. By this means the whole of the steam pressure is received
by the plate aforesaid, while the valve works free of back pressure between it
and the face of the cylinder. A sufficient amount of pressure to keep the
valves steam-tight can (at the discretion of the engineer) be given by means
of the screws and nuts before mentioned when the engine is put together.
It will be said that after a time friction will wear away the valve and allow
the steam to get at the back of it; this, however, is obviated by the following
contrivance:―Instead of making the back of the valve solid, as usual, I let a
thick moveable plate into the back of the valve, leaving an edge to hold the
plate of not more than an eighth of an inch wide. Four holes are also made
in the back of the valve below the plate, and in these holes are placed strong
coiled or other springs to keep the valve plate up against the under surface of
the stationary plate before mentioned. Care must be taken that the top of
the valve plate should be perfectly flush with the top or edge of the valve, so
as to present a uniform face to the cast-iron surface plate above.
.
Having briefly pointed out the nature and object of the first part of the
Invention, I will now proceed to describe more in detail the best manner of
applying the same to the locomotive engines now in use.
In Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings I have shewn the
improvements as applied to a cylinder of the ordinary construction. Fig. 1
represents a longitudinal vertical section taken through the cylinder and valve.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, or rather a plan view, of the valve with the
cover and some of the other parts removed, in order more clearly to shew its
internal construction. The valve box is shewn at a, a; and b, b, is the slide
valve, which is actuated in the ordinary manner. c, c, c, c, are four studs which
are screwed into the side of the cylinder, and support the cast-iron plate d, d,
the under side of which is planed and ground true to lie flat upon the top of
the back plate e of the valve. The cast-iron plate d, d, rests upon the nuts

page_text: ff, the faces of which are accurately ground so as to correspond exactly to
the upper edge of the back plate e of the valve. The plate d is secured in its
proper place on the studs c, c, by other nuts 9, 9, which hold it firmly down on
to the nuts f,f, beneath. Instead of the valve being solid, as usual, a recess
is made therein, and a plate e is let in, an edge being left all round for the
purpose of preventing the plate from shifting or moving out of its place. The
upper surface of the plate e is made flush with the projecting edges of the
valve and works against the under side of the cast-iron plate d. In order to
compensate for the wear of the plate e, and to cause it always to bear with an
equal pressure against the plate d, coiled springs h, h, h, h, are placed beneath
the plate e, in holes made for that purpose in the back of the valve. By this
means the friction of the valve will be greatly reduced, as it will merely con-
sist of the friction of the plate e against the plate d. The other parts shewn
in the Figure are such as are well known and in use; they do not therefore
require any detailed explanation, as they will be perfectly understood by simply
examining the Drawings. It will be evident to any intelligent engineer, and
it has been proved by practice, that there is not sufficient friction to wear
away above the thickness of a sheet of paper from the edge of the valve with
a twelvemonths fair work; and it will be seen that, when this small wear has
taken place, the narrow edge of the box round the back plate e will not
receive a greater amount of pressure from the steam than the original screw
pressure with which the engine started when new.
. The above description refers exclusively to cylinders of the ordinary con-
struction; but in the case of new cylinders I sometimes, for facility of manu-
facture, make the valves circular, but construct them on the same principle as
the one just described, the only difference being that the valve and back
plate e are made circular instead of "square." In cases where it is considered
desirable, a hole may be cast in the centre of the valves and plates, so as to
exhaust through the back of the valves direct into the blast pipe; and where
the valve works on the top of the cylinder, the steam-chest lid may be made
use of as a surface plate, though I should always recommend (as it causes
very little extra work) the use of the screw studs and independent cast-iron
plate d, above described. In the case of the circular valves, the inside and
outside lines of the steam and exhaust ports must be described with the same
radius as the outside diameter of the slide valve, and the work must be all
kept perfectly parallel to the face of the cylinder.
-In Figs. 3, 4, and 5 I have shewn two views of a new cylinder with the
valve constructed according to my improvements. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal
vertical section taken through the cylinder and valve, and Fig. 4 is a plan

page_text: view of the valve with the top plate removed, and Fig. 5 is a transverse
vertical section. Similar letters of reference are marked upon corresponding
parts in these as in the preceding Figures; and as the foregoing description
will in a great measure apply to these Figures, I do not think it necessary to
enter into any further explanation thereof.
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a pair of cylinders with the valve
box and valves constructed according to the present improvements, and placed
between them. Steam is admitted to the valve box between the two valves,
which are protected from pressure, as in the other cases already explained,
and from thence the steam passes through the valves into the cylinder as
usual, and after exerting its elastic force therein, is passed out through the
exhaust pipes into the exit pipes. The construction of the valves is so iden-
tical in principle with those already described that it will not be necessary to
enter into any detailed description. I will therefore only refer to the Figure
above mentioned, in which similar letters of reference are marked to denote
corresponding parts, as in the other Figures.
The second part of the Invention relates to the means of causing the driving
wheels of locomotive engines to bite or adhere to the rails when they are wet
or slippery. This object is effected in two different ways, both of which will be
easily understood by reference to the accompanying Drawings. The first plan
consists in causing a strong blast of hot air to act upon the rails immediately
in front of the driving wheel, whereby the rails may be quickly dried, so as to
enable the wheels to adhere properly to them, and thereby draw forward the
engine and carriages. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 8 a transverso
section, of some of the principal parts of a locomotive engine, with my improve-
ments adapted thereto. An air chainber A is made at the lower part of the
smoke box, and is supplied with air through the pipe p, by means of an air
pump o, which draws in air through the mouth-piece n (as shewn by the
arrow), and forces it into the chamber A. The air is condensed in the cham-
ber A by means of the pump o, and is greatly heated in this chamber, and
also in a supplementary chamber B above, which communicates with it by
means of the pipes q, q. The chamber B is furnished with a safety valve "
(as shewn in Fig. 8), for the purpose of preventing too great a pressure of
air from accumulating in the chambers A and B by the continued action fo
the air pump o. From the chamber B the heated and compressed air passes
along a pipes, furnished with a cock or valve t, which is worked by a long
rod u, u, so that the engine driver, by simply pulling this rod, may cause the
heated air to pass down the pipe s, and be conducted on to the surface of
-the rails which, by the powerful blast of heated compressed air, will be almos
instantaneously dried.

page_text: Another means of causing the wheels to adhere to the rails consists in
gearing or connecting the driving to the leading and trailing wheels in such a
manner that they may all be made to rotate simultaneously, and, by thus
increasing the friction on the rails, cause the engine to be propelled more
easily. Fig. 9 is a partial plan view, and Fig. 10 a longitudinal elevation, of
part of a locomotive, with this part of my improvements adapted thereto. To
the driving wheel a double pulley or band wheel v, v*, is secured, and on the
side of the leading and trailing wheels. similar pullies w, w, but of smaller
diameter, are secured. A band, cord, or chain a is passed once round the
innermost pulley v of the driving wheel, and from thence passes round the
trailing wheel, then once round the second pulley v* of the driving wheel, and
from thence, after passing round the pulley of the leading wheel, it terminates
at the driving wheel. In order to cause the band, cord, or chain a to adhere
to the pullies, a friction wheel y, which is worked a screw from above, is
lowered down to tighten it. By this arrangement it will be seen that when
the cord, band, or chain is tightened, the driving wheels cannot rotate without
causing the leading and trailing wheels to rotate also; and this additional
action on the wheels will be sufficient, under most circumstances, to cause the
engine to proceed.
The last part of my improvements relates to the means of supplying water
hot to the boiler, and consists in making a water space several inches wide
round three sides and under the bottom of the ash-pan, so as to economize
and utilize the heat that generally exists in that part. In Fig. 7 I have shewn
the manner in which I propose to effect this object. D is the water space
which is constructed under the ash-pan, as well as at the back and sides
thereof. It communicates at one end with the tender by means of the pipe
z, which supplies the space with cold water; and after the water has abstracted
a considerable portion of caloric from the heated surface of the ash-pan, it
passes in a heated state along the pipe * into the boiler, thereby economizing
and making use of a great portion of heat which would otherwise be lost.
Having now described the various improvements which constitute the present
Invention, and the best means with which I am at present acquainted for
carrying the same into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not
mean or intend to confine myself exclusively to the arrangement or construc-
tion of parts herein shewn and described, as they may doubtless be varied
without departing from the nature and object of the Invention. But that
which I consider to be new, and therefore wish to claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, constructing the valves of steam engines with moveable back plates,
which are made to work against a stationary plate, which will take off the